Chapter 218: Chapter 217: The Fusion of Motion and Stillness – A Vessel for Breakthrough (Part 3)
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
On the court, the three players were locked in an intense battle.
No matter how hard Mitsui and Mukahi attacked, they couldn't break through Marui's defense. As the relentless attacks continued without results, their fighting spirit began to wane.
"His defense is just too terrifying!" Hiyoshi from the Hyotei side exclaimed in shock.
Facing two opponents alone without losing a single point—such defensive prowess was something he had only seen in Ishikawa during the early stages.
"Marui Bunta," Atobe remarked with narrowed eyes, his tone full of admiration. "Not only does he possess exceptional scoring ability, but he can also transform his talent into a defensive fortress. The genius of Rikkai Dai… truly lives up to his reputation!"
After all, his opponents were no ordinary players.
"This must be his innate talent," Ishikawa chimed in. "He doesn't have dynamic vision or domain-like techniques, yet he can instantly transition from observation to action the moment his opponent attacks."
"Indeed," Atobe nodded. "With such talent, he'd excel in any sport he chooses."
Swish!
At that moment, Marui made his move.
He had been using his [Perfect Fortress] to wear down his opponents' morale and block their momentum. Now, seizing the opportunity, he decisively struck the ball.
Tap!
The ball hit the net and bounced lightly.
"It's Tightrope Walk!" Mukahi's expression shifted as he immediately activated his agile footwork, dashing toward the ball.
Tap!
He managed to flick the ball back just before it hit the ground.
Whoosh!
But then, a figure leaped into the air—Jackal. With a fierce glint in his eyes, he had been waiting for this moment.
Boom!
A powerful smash came crashing down.
"Beautiful! Direct point!" the Rikkai team cheered.
"No," Yanagi frowned. "It's not that simple. That guy anticipated this."
Swish!
On the Hyotei side, Mitsui turned his back, crouched low, and swung his racket forward in a sweeping motion.
Boom!
Jackal's smash was deflected.
"Bear Hunt?!" Kikumaru's face paled.
The rest of the Rikkai team was equally stunned. No one expected Mitsui to maintain such incredible reflexes amid such a heated match.
Swish!
But then, another figure leaped into the air.
Marui raised his racket high, aiming at the high ball Mitsui had returned, and slammed it down with a fierce smash.
Boom!
A bright yellow flash erupted near the baseline.
"15-0!"
"Nice shot!"
"That smash was perfectly timed!"
"As expected of Marui-senpai. He probably saw this coming."
The Rikkai team praised him enthusiastically.
On the Hyotei side, Mitsui and Mukahi looked visibly frustrated.
"Marui Bunta… you're truly impressive," Mitsui muttered, his gaze fixed on his opponent. "Using defense to block our attacks, then seamlessly switching to offense. Facing an opponent like you is my good fortune!"
Hum!
Suddenly, a faint blue aura enveloped Mitsui's body.
"This is…" Yanagi's eyes narrowed. "Shadow Moon Mode?"
Shadow Moon and Daylight—Mitsui's two abilities. One allowed him to enter a state of absolute calm and rationality, while the other unleashed his full explosive power.
Clearly, Mitsui was preparing to break through Marui's [Perfect Fortress] head-on!
Boom!
Soon after, Marui served again and quickly moved to the net.
Jackal, understanding his partner's intentions, shifted back, leaving the front to Marui.
Standing at the net, Marui was an impenetrable fortress. If you couldn't break through his defense, scoring was nearly impossible. Meanwhile, he could launch attacks at any moment.
Boom!
From the baseline, Mukahi returned the ball.
Marui intercepted it and adjusted his position to the center of the court.
Swish!
At that moment, Mitsui activated his ability. His clear, cold eyes locked onto Marui.
Every subtle movement of Marui's body became crystal clear to Mitsui. With his keen insight and analytical skills, he could observe even the slightest changes in his opponent's actions.
However, at first glance, Mitsui found no openings.
"His movements are too fast. Even if there's a gap, it'll only appear for an instant."
Not finding a weakness immediately didn't faze Mitsui. Like a seasoned hunter, he continued to probe with various shots, observing Marui's reactions with each return.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
One shot, two shots, three shots…
Despite the relentless attacks, Marui's defense remained flawless.
Most players would have grown frustrated by now, but Mitsui remained patient.
Swish!
Suddenly, Marui moved.
In an instant, he shifted from defense to offense.
Tap!
The ball struck the pole and ricocheted toward Mitsui's backhand.
But Mitsui didn't react. Mukahi, seeing this, quickly covered for him, using his nimble footwork to return the ball.
Tap! Tap!
At that moment, Jackal, who had been waiting for his chance, sprang into action. Moving swiftly, he raised his racket and unleashed his signature move—Fire Rat Shot!
Boom!
The ball landed, scoring another point.
"30-0!"
"Damn it… he took advantage of the opening," Mukahi grumbled, glancing at Jackal as he walked away. Then, he turned to his partner. "Mitsui, haven't you found his weakness yet?"
"I've seen it!"
At that moment, Mitsui's eyes narrowed.
Just as Marui transitioned from defense to offense, Mitsui had caught a glimpse of a flaw.
But as he had suspected, the window was incredibly brief. If Marui completed his attack, the momentum of the match would shift in his favor.
"My time is short… just a split second."
Mitsui took a deep breath.
His opponent was unlike anyone he had faced before.
Of course, if this were a singles match, he had other ways to defeat Marui. But this was doubles, and Marui had Jackal backing him up.
So, Mitsui had to break through the [Perfect Fortress] first!
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
The match continued.
Marui, now at the net, activated his [Perfect Fortress] once more, blocking Hyotei's attacks.
The two sides clashed fiercely.
Believing he had found an opening, Marui suddenly accelerated, shifting from defense to offense.
Hum!
At that moment, the blue aura around Mitsui turned red. With a burst of explosive power, he charged forward and unleashed a fierce shot.
Boom!
However, Marui's adaptability was just as quick. Sensing the danger, he immediately switched back to defense.
"Did I fail?" Mitsui's heart sank.
His two abilities had to be used sequentially. Once he activated Daylight Mode, he would miss the best opportunity to attack.
"It's no use!" Marui, chewing his bubblegum, said firmly. "Mitsui, your killing intent is too strong. I won't let you break through this defense!"
Killing intent?
Mitsui was momentarily stunned.
Marui's words made him realize that his intentions had been exposed all along.
"Of course," Mitsui thought to himself. "He must have known I was looking for his weakness. If my attacks are too obvious, he'll catch on."
At this point, he couldn't help but feel a bit helpless.
He seemed trapped in a paradox. His Shadow Moon Mode allowed him to hide his emotions and maintain calm, but Daylight Mode was too intense and easily revealed his intentions.
"So what!" Mukahi suddenly interjected. "Why not use both abilities at the same time?"
"Use both at the same time?" Mitsui shook his head helplessly. "Mukahi, you don't understand. These two abilities aren't compatible…"
But Mukahi grinned. "You won't know unless you try, right?"
"Huh?"
Mitsui was taken aback.
Then, looking at his optimistic partner, a smile spread across his face. "You're right. If I don't try, how will I know if it's possible?"
With that, Mitsui began his attempt.
However, as he had said, the two abilities were incompatible. When he entered the calm Shadow Moon Mode, his emotions stabilized, but his explosive power vanished.
Similarly, when he activated the intense Daylight Mode, his calmness disappeared, and his insight and judgment weakened.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
The match continued.
Mitsui tried again and again, but to no avail. Instead, he kept losing points, allowing Rikkai to secure the 7th game and even dropping three consecutive points in his own serve.
"It's no use," Chitose shook his head as he watched Mitsui repeatedly attempt the impossible, his aura flickering between blue and red. "Instead of wasting energy on this, he should focus on how to disrupt Marui's rhythm."
"Exactly," Shiraishi agreed. "When offense isn't working, switching to defense is a viable option. If he can hold off Marui's attacks and prolong the match, he might find a way."
In their eyes, there were multiple ways to score. There was no need to obsess over merging the two abilities.
"Mitsui…" Kenya, watching his cousin, sighed softly. "You're as stubborn as ever."
Back then, Mitsui had insisted on leaving Osaka to study in Tokyo, despite his family's objections. Now, faced with an insurmountable challenge, he was once again stubbornly pushing forward.
Kenya's eyes filled with concern.
"Motion and stillness?"
At that moment, Mitsui's mind raced as he pondered the nature of his two abilities.
How could two distinctly different attributes coexist?
Fusion? Compatibility?
Perhaps he needed a vessel to bridge them?
Wait!
Suddenly, Mitsui's thoughts turned to Ishikawa's match against Akutsu, where Ishikawa had used the third technique of the Four Gods' Martial Arts—a unique circular motion.
"It's no use," Kikumaru sneered from the sidelines. "Marui-senpai's [Perfect Fortress] is unbreakable!"
Swish!
At the same time, Marui activated his [Perfect Fortress] once more.
In this state, his judgment was flawless, allowing him to intercept any ball that tried to breach his defense.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a faint purple light flashed past him.
"Huh?!"
Watching the ball sail past him, Marui's pupils contracted. "What was that?!"