Chapter 255: Heavenly Garment vs. Pseudo-Asura, the Phantom of the Sword God
Boom!
A loud explosion echoed.
Under the stunned gazes of the onlookers, Irie suddenly fused the light sphere in his hand with the tennis ball and smashed it forward.
Whoosh!
The oval-shaped tennis ball, spinning rapidly in mid-air, shot straight toward Ishikawa on the other side.
"Danger!!!"
Mouri and Genjiro's expressions changed drastically.
Although they didn't know what Irie's move was, their instincts told them that this shot was terrifying—far beyond any of the previous techniques.
The other high schoolers also felt their hearts race.
They were well aware of the power of that light sphere. They could almost foresee the brutal scene that would unfold the moment Ishikawa's racket made contact with the ball.
Hum!
However.
Just as the light sphere was about two meters away from Ishikawa, an intense white light erupted from his body, enveloping the entire court.
In an instant.
The blinding white light spilled out of the screen, illuminating the dim room as if it were daytime.
"What is this?!"
The high schoolers exclaimed in shock as their vision was completely overwhelmed by the white light.
Boom!
Another explosion sounded.
A surge of astonishing energy burst forth from Ishikawa.
Whoosh!
Then.
The white light dimmed slightly.
A streak of light flashed across the court, landing precisely on Irie's backhand baseline.
Thud!
"15-40!"
"What?!"
Seeing Irie's light sphere being countered, the high schoolers, including Tokugawa, were utterly stunned.
That was the light sphere!
A move powerful enough to destroy the court in one hit!
And yet, it had been countered so easily?
As the white light gradually faded, Ishikawa's figure became visible once more. His body was now covered in faint, star-like particles of light, and his slightly raised hair gave him an otherworldly aura.
Rustle...
A gentle breeze swept by, causing Ishikawa's clothes to flutter lightly.
At this moment, everyone's attention was focused on him.
"What's going on here?"
In the dimly lit room, Takizawa frowned. For some reason, he felt a sense of familiarity.
"Heavenly Garment of Supreme Power!"
Saito spoke up, though even he seemed to find it hard to believe.
If he remembered correctly, during the middle school national finals, Echizen Ryoma, the son of the samurai, had only just unlocked this state for the first time in years.
And now, just a few days later, Ishikawa had already mastered it?
"Heavenly Garment... huh?"
Kurobe narrowed his eyes.
He was equally surprised. Achieving this state required not only immense skill but also a profound personal awakening.
Moreover, his intuition told him that if they were to measure Ishikawa's five dimensions now, his abilities would far exceed his previous levels, even under normal circumstances.
So, his earlier assessment of "unmeasurable" wasn't without merit!
Tap! Tap! Tap!
At the baseline.
Ishikawa bent down and tapped the tennis ball.
Having activated the Heavenly Garment, he looked up at Irie and smiled. "Senior, I think your acting skills can't be just this good, right?"
Acting?
Mouri and Genjiro looked puzzled.
But on the court, Irie's expression changed instantly. He narrowed his eyes, staring at his opponent with a mix of surprise and suspicion.
"He knows?"
"Is he guessing, or has he already figured out my ability?"
"Hmm... this guy's insight is truly extraordinary!"
Facing Ishikawa, Irie's understanding of him was constantly being challenged.
Initially, Irie had only wanted to test whether Ishikawa was worthy of receiving protection from him and Oni.
But now, the situation had changed. It wasn't about whether Ishikawa was qualified anymore—it was about whether Irie could even survive this match unscathed!
Whoosh!
At that moment.
Ishikawa tossed the ball into the air.
With the energy within him released to its fullest through the Heavenly Garment, his already lightning-fast swing became even more terrifying.
Boom!
Another explosion.
Before anyone, including Irie, could react, the ball had already rolled to his feet.
"30-40!"
"What?!"
Irie's eyes widened in disbelief.
Despite his keen insight, he hadn't even seen the trajectory of the ball!
"This guy is way too strong!"
Irie stared at Ishikawa, his expression now tinged with urgency.
But this time.
Given the score, his anxiety didn't seem like an act.
"Hmph!"
But Ishikawa, as if seeing through Irie's thoughts, shook his head slightly and moved to a new position before tossing the ball again.
Boom!
Another explosive sound.
Another impossibly fast shot landed, scoring once more.
"Deuce (40-40)!"
The umpire announced.
The high schoolers grew tense.
It seemed like Irie was on the verge of losing. They had expected some kind of dramatic comeback, but instead, this was the result.
Of course.
It wasn't that Irie wasn't strong.
Being able to mimic his opponent's techniques and even unleash the light sphere had already redefined everyone's understanding of his abilities.
If he wanted to, Irie could easily secure a spot in the U-17 team's lineup.
However.
Compared to the formidable Irie, this newcomer named Ishikawa was simply on another level!
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Ignoring the reactions from the sidelines, Ishikawa calmly tapped the ball.
Boom!
Another shot.
The ball landed precisely on the service line and ricocheted off Irie's backhand side.
"Advantage, server!"
Finally.
Ishikawa had reached match point.
The high schoolers shook their heads in disbelief. They knew Irie was done for.
"So... Irie's strength only goes as far as the light sphere?"
Saito mused, stroking his chin.
He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Irie's strength seemed to fluctuate, making it hard to grasp.
"Perhaps."
Kurobe replied noncommittally.
But his gaze remained fixed on Ishikawa, searching for any clues in his expression.
Whoosh!
Under his watchful eyes.
Ishikawa changed his serving position and tossed the ball once more. Then, rising onto his toes, he extended his body and, with the power of the Heavenly Garment, swung his racket down with incredible speed.
Crack!
The crisp sound reverberated.
The ball shot out at a speed that was almost imperceptible to the naked eye.
"This guy is way too cautious!"
On the court.
Facing this shot, Irie, who should have been showing despair, instinctively narrowed his eyes.
His opponent's excessive caution was making it hard for him to adapt.
But.
The situation no longer allowed him to keep up the act.
This shot would decide the match.
If he kept pretending, he'd truly become the fool—something completely against Irie's philosophy of tennis.
"Sigh..."
A soft sigh escaped him.
To everyone's astonishment, a dark, ominous aura suddenly erupted from his body.
Hum!
Then.
It was as if an ancient bell had tolled.
Everyone felt their eardrums vibrate, and a buzzing sound filled their ears. In that moment, they seemed to see the shadow of a ferocious, fanged Asura.
"How is this possible?!"
In the coaches' room, exclamations of disbelief erupted.
Boom!
Under the stunned gazes of the three coaches, Irie's racket made contact with Ishikawa's serve.
Black and white light exploded simultaneously.
A powerful shockwave burst forth, scattering dust and debris in all directions.
Whoosh!
Faintly.
Everyone saw a black streak shooting back.
"He returned it?!"
The crowd gasped in unison.
"The Path of Asura!"
In the coaches' room, Kurobe's eyes locked onto Irie. "He's actually mastered this technique... No, wait!"
But then.
The U-17's tactical coach seemed to realize something, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.
"Is this the power of acting?"
Ishikawa, radiating the aura of the Heavenly Garment, watched the incoming ball with a sense of awe. "If you believe strongly enough, even the light sphere and the Path of Asura can be unleashed!"
In the original story.
Among Irie's recorded five dimensions, his strongest was his mental strength. And the mind was the most mysterious of the five dimensions.
The Heavenly Garment.
The Path of Asura.
At their core, both were special powers awakened through the transformation of mental strength. For example, it was through his immense mental power that Byoudouin had defeated the world's top high school player!
"Finally, a worthy opponent."
A spark of fighting spirit ignited in Ishikawa's eyes as he charged toward the ball.
Boom!
His racket swung.
The ball shot out like a cannonball.
The intense pressure from the ball caused the smoke on the court to thicken, swirling like a vortex as the ball spun.
Boom! Booom! Boooom!
The two clashed.
Heavenly Garment versus the Path of Asura.
The entire court was engulfed in an indescribable pressure. The high schoolers watching from the sidelines felt their scalps tingle.
They hadn't expected Irie to possess such strength.
Even more surprising was that this newcomer, Ishikawa, had been holding back his true power all along!
This match was beyond astonishing!
So much so that they no longer cared about the outcome. Just keeping up with the players' movements and the sound of the ball was exhausting enough!
As the two continued to exchange increasingly powerful and faster shots.
Their mental energies collided.
Hum!
Suddenly.
Before Ishikawa.
A massive, spinning tennis ball appeared. At the same time, a mix of blue and green light illuminated his face, giving him an almost eerie glow.
"When the mind undergoes transformation, the body unleashes unimaginable power!"
Ishikawa stared at the ball hurtling toward him, his eyes calm and analytical.
At this moment.
In addition to the radiant aura of the Heavenly Garment, a faint black-and-white glow surrounded him—a manifestation of the wisdom and insight from the Way of the Chess.
As the match with Irie progressed.
He had gathered enough data to construct a complete profile of his opponent.
Boom!
Suddenly.
The white light flared.
The power of the Heavenly Garment erupted like a volcano, effortlessly returning Irie's shot.
"This guy is really strong!"
On the other side.
Shrouded in smoke, Irie's eyes flashed with a deep sense of wariness.
By now, he had abandoned all pretense of testing his opponent. He was going all out, determined to win.
But.
As the final rally dragged on, he began to feel the overwhelming strength of his opponent.
That white light seemed to possess a strange power, capable of devouring the energy of others.
Earlier, Irie had been engulfed by the light, losing the ability to counter. If he hadn't unleashed the power of the Asura, he would have already been crushed.
"This match can't go on any longer!"
Irie, who usually reveled in his acting and toying with his opponents, now wore an expression of unprecedented seriousness.
Hum!
In an instant.
The black aura around him condensed once more. In the depths of his consciousness, he had transformed into a red-haired, fierce-looking young man.
Boom!
This shot.
Irie poured every ounce of his acting skill and strength into it.
Whoosh!
The black light sliced through the smoke enveloping the court. The dark, menacing ball, carrying unimaginable destructive power, hurtled toward Ishikawa.
"This shot?"
Outside the court.
Tokugawa's pupils contracted sharply.
Even he felt an overwhelming sense of danger from this shot.
"But that guy..."
However.
When Tokugawa's gaze fell on Ishikawa, he froze.
Ishikawa stood motionless, as if in a daze, watching the ball land right in front of him without reacting.
Boom!!!
The ball hit the ground.
The terrifying force caused the court's surface to collapse at the point of impact.
A thick cloud of dust erupted, completely obscuring Ishikawa's figure.
"He did it!!!"
Outside the court, the third-year players, including Nakaokauchi, cheered excitedly.
Irie's shot was too terrifying!
The power of this shot had reached, if not surpassed, the level of that astonishing match two years ago!
In their eyes.
With this shot, Irie was sure to turn the tables and secure victory!
"Phew..."
Irie, too, relaxed slightly. He shared the same thought.
The power of that shot had exceeded the level of even elite players.
Even Byoudouin and Oni from two years ago couldn't compare. And Ishikawa was just a newcomer.
No matter how strong he was, he couldn't possibly surpass those two!
Hum!
Suddenly.
An unsettling ripple passed through the air.
"Hmm?"
Irie narrowed his eyes.
His nerves instantly tightened as he focused intently on the other side of the court.
Rip!
The next moment.
The thick smoke covering the court was split open by a sharp streak of white light.
Then.
A razor-sharp arc shot out at an unimaginable speed!
Fast!
Too fast!
Irie hadn't anticipated the ball to be this quick!
But fortunately, he was still under the influence of the Asura's power. His reflexes and speed remained at their peak.
"Huh? What's that...?"
But just as he prepared to return the shot, his pupils contracted.
On the other side.
In the direction of the incoming ball.
A mysterious phantom holding a long sword appeared, poised in a striking stance.
"Gulp!"
The moment Irie saw this figure, his soul trembled with instinctive fear. An indescribable terror spread from the depths of his heart.
"What... what is this?!"
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