Prince of Tennis: Shocking! Hyotei's Demon King is a Yukimura fangirl!

Chapter 183 Desperate Measures, Unexpected Injury

Just as Yukimura and Yanagi predicted.

After scoring another small point, Seigaku's comeback momentum weakened.

Kikumaru's initial drive seemed to have vanished; his breathing became increasingly heavy, and his steps faltered again. His movements became so distorted that he couldn't even perform basic acrobatic jumps.

That burst of energy just now was like a final burst of energy before death, completely exhausting his remaining strength.

Momoshiro was also exhausted, his shoulders were slumped, and the power of his signature smashes had dropped significantly.

Their previously seamless teamwork began to falter again. Collisions during runs and delayed cover for each other resurfaced.

However, the two members of Hyotei remained as steady as Mount Tai.

Taki's real-time data calculations precisely captured every movement and shift in the center of gravity of the two, working in tandem with Mukahi to gradually narrow the space. The "Hundred Flowers Flying" technique was used sparingly, yet it hit crucial points every time.

With Momoshiro's interception error, the third round ended.

"Game, Hyotei, 3-0. Hyotei is in the lead."

The referee's score announcements carried clearly throughout the stadium.

The cheers of the Hyotei support group rang out, with support flags and fans fluttering and shining brightly, and the cheers rising higher and higher.

Xiang Ri glanced around at the stands, raised his chin in satisfaction, swung his racket, and raised an eyebrow at the two players opposite him who had lost their momentum, his lips curling into a wide smile:

"Hey, Seigaku, is this all you guys are good at? I thought Seigaku's doubles team was some kind of amazing team. You guys keep bragging about being the 'Golden Duo,' but I guess it's about the same level as this..."

Kikumaru, already seething with anger, nearly choked on his own breath upon hearing this. The veins on his hand gripping his racket bulged: "Don't get cocky!"

Taki stood behind Mukahi, his tone calm yet sharp as needles: "Gakuto is right. You have too many weaknesses, like a sieve. If you can't keep up, it's no big deal to admit defeat sooner rather than later."

Momoshiro felt a surge of anger rising within him. He gritted his teeth and repeatedly told himself, "Calm down, don't be impulsive," before he could barely suppress the urge.

After the two members of Hyotei finished throwing the "Provocation Attack Pack" and left.

Kikumaru was completely deflated, collapsing to the ground, panting heavily, too exhausted to even stand up. Sweat streamed down his face, dripping onto the ground and soaking a large area.

His vision was blurry, and he was severely exhausted.

Momoshiro was also bent over, supporting himself on his knees, unable to straighten up for a long time. The words on his arm were already soaked in sweat and were no longer legible, just a dark blur.

The two men dragged their heavy steps toward the referee's bench.

On the sidelines of Seigaku.

Daishi was already standing in the stands directly behind the referee's table, waiting for them.

Seeing how exhausted the two of them were, his eyes were full of heartache, but he knew he couldn't do much to help, so he could only clench his fists and praise them.

"Eiji, Atao played very well."

Kikumaru slumped in the chair, a cold towel draped around her neck. Hearing this, she looked up at him, her eyes red and a little aggrieved.

"Oishi..."

His voice was slightly nasal, "They're so strong... I think... I really might not be able to beat them."

"Don't say that."

Daishi squatted by the fence, looking into his eyes, and gently comforted him in a calm voice, "You've done very well. From now on, just play freely, don't think about winning or losing, just play your own tennis, and you'll have no regrets."

Kikumaru looked at Oishi, nodded, and held back his tears.

Momoshiro sat beside him, feeling anxious, flustered, and a little guilty as he watched his senior. He muttered, "I'm sorry, Kikumaru-senpai. I made a mistake on that last shot; I promised to score."

Kikumaru shook his head, his voice hoarse: "It's nothing... I don't blame you..."

Long Qijin glanced at the scoreboard, handed over the water, her brow still furrowed. But seeing how tired the two looked, her tone softened considerably.

"Take a break and drink some water," she said, her tone encouraging. "Once you've rested enough, bring Seigaku's fighting spirit to the next game."

Qian pushed up his glasses. His notebook was filled with densely packed data curves, and the curve showing a sharp decline in physical strength, marked in red, was alarmingly steep.

"Kikumaru and Momoshiro are currently consuming 2.7 times their usual stamina." His voice was calm and even, revealing no emotion. "The opponent is deliberately prolonging each round, so... it will probably be even more difficult to fight later on."

Tezuka didn't speak, his lips pursed, his expression behind his glasses unreadable. He just silently looked at the figure on the Hyotei coaching bench opposite him, and the atmosphere around him seemed even more oppressive.

Fuji smiled faintly, his eyes crinkling as he gently traced the edge of the railing with his fingertips. His smile was so faint it was almost invisible.

The fourth and fifth games were, of course, without any suspense.

Hyotei maintained firm control of the game.

The two Seigaku students, however, seemed to be going all out.

The two players played with increasing freedom, producing many beautiful shots. Kikumaru gritted his teeth, running as fast as he could despite being exhausted. Momoshiro's smashes grew increasingly powerful, displaying a do-or-die spirit.

Even so, the gap in strength still cannot be bridged.

The two from Hyotei didn't give Seigaku any chance.

Although Seigaku occasionally managed to score a small point, the overall score trend still leaned towards Hyotei.

The "Flowing Clouds and Flying Flashes" technique seemed like an unstoppable killing move. As long as Seigaku dared to lob the ball high, Hyotei could immediately follow up with a combination attack to score. Momoshiro and Kikumaru were forced to play cautiously, not even daring to lob the ball, and could only passively defend, resulting in more and more mistakes.

One point, two points, three points...

The announcements of scores grew clearer with each passing moment, and Kikumaru's footsteps became increasingly heavy.

On the sidelines, Mochizuki Ryo leaned back in his coach's chair, his azure eyes following the ball's trajectory. Sunlight fell on his blond hair, casting a warm glow. His fingertips tapped lightly on the armrest, the rhythm subtly matching the number of rounds on the court.

"Bien joué. (Beautiful!)"

He whispered a compliment in French.

Hyotei won the first two games without much trouble.

"Game, Hyotei. 5-0."

As the referee's voice faded, Hyotei secured match point.

If Hyotei wins one more game, they will take the lead in this doubles match.

The audience erupted in enthusiastic applause, cheering for Hyotei's brilliant performance and applauding Seigaku's perseverance.

The two Seigaku players walked to the rest area without saying a word. Although they had expected the outcome, they still felt uneasy when the match point actually arrived.

Long Qijin patted the two on the shoulders, "It's the last round, don't hold back, just play freely."

Kikumaru nodded without saying a word. He took a sip of water, and his eyes slowly hardened.

Even if you lose, you should lose gracefully.

Momoshiro clenched his fists, his eyes burning with fighting spirit.

Let's give it our all in the final round!

We need to win at least one game; we can't afford to get swept.

In the Hyotei rest area, Mukahi hummed a song, stretched his wrists, and was eager to try.

"This is so awesome! Flowing Cloud Flash is so easy to use! Those two from Seigaku can't even react!"

Taki stood beside him, wiping the sweat from the grip of his racket with a soft cloth. His breathing was steady, and there was only a thin layer of sweat on his forehead, making it impossible to tell that he had just finished a high-intensity five-game match.

Hearing Xiang Ri's words, he nodded, a faint smile on his face: "The effect is very stable."

Wang Yueling looked at the two of them, the curve of her eyes softened a little, and her gaze was much gentler than usual.

"Play steadily in the last game. Don't be reckless, and don't force anything. Don't try to win every point; your opponent will definitely go all out in the match point game. Safety first, don't be reckless, and don't try to return dangerous shots, understand?"

"Don't worry, Ling!" Mukahi waved his hand with a smile and patted his chest. "I'll definitely keep an eye on Oginosuke and win the victory."

Looking at his carefree attitude, Wang Yueling chuckled helplessly, rubbing her forehead, and then raised her hand to give him a hard tap on the head.

"Oginosuke has never worried me. What I just said was for you, Gakuto."

Hiki, in pain, covered his head and scurried behind Taki to hide.

Atobe stood up from his seat, glanced at them, tapped a fancy rhythm on the railing with his fingertips, and said with his usual arrogance, "Hmm~ Not bad. Don't let your guard down later."

"Roger that! Captain Atobe!" Upon hearing the order, Mukahi peeked out from behind Taki, gave a cheeky salute, and then skipped off to the side to do some stretching.

Atobe watched his retreating figure and scoffed softly, "How old are you? Still acting like a child."

Despite saying that, there was no blame in his tone.

Upon hearing this, Taki nodded to Atobe while facing the stands, held the cleaned racket in his hand, and respectfully said, "Understood, Captain."

The sixth inning, Hyotei's match point in the game, has officially begun.

As the players from both sides took to the field one after another, the air was thick with the smell of gunpowder that could ignite spontaneously.

The cheers from the audience gradually faded, and everyone stared intently, not wanting to miss a single detail on the field.

On Seigaku's side, Kikumaru stood at the net, his face pale, his lips bloodless. He was only able to grip the racket through sheer willpower. Momoshiro stood at the baseline, his brows furrowed, his eyes filled with a desperate, all-or-nothing intensity.

On Hyotei's side, Taki and Mukahi took their positions, like a well-equipped hunter team, staring intently at their wounded prey.

At the start of the game, the two Seigaku players showed even more morale and tenacity than in the previous two games.

Perhaps driven to desperation, or perhaps inspired by the eager gazes of their teammates in the stands, the two gritted their teeth and fought with all their might to defend.

Da Shi, gripping the railing in the stands, was nervously sweating. He kept muttering "Go Da Shi!" to himself, his voice a little hoarse.

"Eiji! Momo! Hang in there! Just a little bit more!"

Momoshiro's eyes were bloodshot from the fight, and the veins on his forehead were bulging. He completely forgot about doubles positioning, jumping up to smash any ball he saw that was shallow, and his playing style became increasingly selfish.

Surprisingly, they managed to keep the score very close by sheer brute force.

They've really reached a stalemate with Hyotei.

The score went back and forth, from 15-15 to 30-30, and then from 30-30 to Deuce.

They went back and forth for more than twenty rounds, neither side willing to give in, locked in a tight battle.

"You're quite tenacious." Xiang Ri took a breath and wiped away his sweat. "Even in this situation, you still won't give up."

Taki stood at the baseline, his eyes focused: "Don't underestimate them. They're holding on by sheer willpower right now. Just a little more bite and they'll break."

Xiang Ri nodded and gripped his racket tightly.

Another round, the two fought for over thirty shots, and the score remained evenly matched.

With a do-or-die determination, the two Seigaku players withstood Hyotei's offensive and managed to level the score several times.

From the stands, Kawamura began waving flags and loudly cheering for his school. Hyotei's support team was naturally not to be outdone, though they didn't wave their dazzling fans to distract from the game, but their cheers were just as loud.

The sound made everyone in the stadium's ears ring.

The air was thick with the smell of sweat and the tense atmosphere, making it hard to breathe.

Go Seigaku!

"Hyotei is the winner!!!"

The atmosphere in the stands reached its peak, with cheers and shouts mingling together, making the entire stadium erupt in cheers.

In Seigaku's rest area, everyone stood up, clenched their fists, and stared nervously at the field.

Their three first-graders were shouting so hard their throats were practically hoarse, but they were still shouting desperately.

Oishi gripped the railing, shouting along. Tezuka and Fuji stared intently. Even Ryuzaki Kin on the coach's bench stood, his brow furrowed, his eyes glued to the trajectory of the tennis ball.

The rest area of ​​Hyotei.

Atobe sat up straight, his fingertips resting on the armrest, his gaze fixed lightly on the field, no longer displaying his usual languid demeanor. Oshitari also dropped his smile, his expression becoming much more serious.

Jiro clung to the railing, his eyes wide open, forgetting even to yawn. Hiyoshi and Kabaji immediately stood up, their gazes resolute.

Shishido Kazuo was holding his racket, preparing to warm up, when he stopped at the highest point of the stands, watching the game below.

The Rikkai University players looked at the close score on the field with serious expressions.

"I didn't expect Seigaku to be so resilient..."

Marui spat the tasteless gum into a piece of paper, leaned on the railing, and whispered to his teammate beside him, "It's the last round, why are you still chewing so tightly?"

Kirihara watched with great interest and nodded in agreement, "Yeah, they were so tired, yet they could still fight."

"Seigaku has already gone all out." Liu's pen hovered over the notebook. "Anyway, we've reached match point, there's nothing to lose, so we can play with more freedom."

Yukimura held Luna in his arms, his gaze falling on Momoshiro, who was still fighting back fiercely. "Momoshiro Takeshi has good explosive power, but he lacks doubles experience."

Luna, clinging to the little fish and holding onto Yukimura's arm, tilted its head to watch the scene. When it saw Xiang Ri leap into the air, its heterochromatic eyes reflecting the sunlight, it meowed excitedly, as if cheering.

Sanada glanced down at it, a slight smile playing on his lips, and sighed softly, "These two from Seigaku have decent willpower, but their fundamentals are weak. They're still too lax."

……

On the court, the final point of the Hyotei match has finally arrived.

Kikumaru's steps faltered for a few steps, and he was completely exhausted. He closed his eyes in front of the net, slowly calmed his breathing, and waited for his strength to recover.

Momoshiro, however, was completely engrossed in the game and went to his singles position, staring intently at the incoming ball. He could feel his stamina draining away and a burning pain in his lungs.

But looking at the two people opposite him, he felt a surge of anger.

He didn't want to lose.

Oishi-senpai is still watching, and Kikumaru-senpai is still fighting hard; he can't just lose like this.

In that instant, all I could think about was scoring, winning, and not letting my senior down; I couldn't care less about anything else.

Watching the ball fly towards him, he took a deep breath and swung his racket with force. The ball was incredibly fast, with a powerful spin.

Taki appeared instantly at the landing point and returned the ball with a backhand gravity shot. The angle was a bit shallow, and it landed right on Momoshiro's forehand forecourt.

An excellent opportunity for a smash has arisen.

Momoshiro's eyes lit up. Without the slightest hesitation, he strode forward, concentrating all his weight on his front foot, and leaped into the air. He stretched his body in mid-air, raised his racket high with both hands, poured all his strength into his right arm, and slammed it down hard.

"Jack Knife!!! (Vertical jump attack)"

The ball hurtled through the air, heading straight for the corner of the Hyotei court. It was so fast it left afterimages, and so powerful it seemed to tear the air apart.

Everyone held their breath.

That shot... was too fast, too tricky, too powerful; it was almost a guaranteed win.

No one on the field could catch it.

Even Momoshiro himself showed a relieved expression. He knew that the ball was saved.

Taki watched the ball from the baseline, frowned, shifted his foot slightly, then stopped. He glanced at Mukahi, shook his head slightly, and gave him a look.

It means: Don't accept it, it's okay to lose this point.

Mukahi received Taki's signal, stood in front of the net, watched the trajectory of the ball, and held his racket tightly without letting go for a second.

Wang Yueling, standing on the sidelines, felt a sudden jolt when she saw Xiang Ri's posture. She instantly guessed what he was planning to do, her expression changed drastically, and she stood up abruptly, raising her voice.

"Yue Ren! Don't answer!"

His voice cut through the noisy stadium and reached Xiang Ri's ears clearly, carrying an undeniable warning and an easily understood anxiety.

Should I not answer?!

Xiang Ri gritted his teeth, his eyes fixed on the rapidly approaching light and shadow, while also knowing very well that he probably couldn't catch this ball.

But... how will we know if we don't try?

The key is that he doesn't want to lose this point.

We've reached match point, how can we just give up points like that?

He gritted his teeth, pushed off the ground with his feet, and lunged towards the sideline. In mid-air, his hands, veins bulging from the effort, gripped the racket tightly, blocking the ball's trajectory.

I wanted to block that shot head-on.

Atobe frowned, gripped the fence tightly, and shouted at the court, "Idiot! Don't push yourself!"

"Don't catch it! You'll get hurt!" Taki shouted as he ran from the back of the field to the front, trying to stop Mukahi.

But it was too late.

A loud "bang" was heard.

The ball slammed solidly onto the racket.

A tremendous force traveled through the racket, and Xiang Ri's hand suddenly went numb, unable to hold on at all. The racket was sent flying with a "crack".

Xiang Ri was also thrown to the ground, his elbow scraping against the plastic floor, leaving a red mark.

The racket flew out and slammed hard into the metal tennis post next to it.

A loud "bang" was heard.

The sound was so loud it made people's ears go numb.

The racket then bounced back, flying directly towards the sun.

Xiang Ri had just gotten up and hadn't even stood up properly when he saw a dark shadow hurtling towards his face. He tried to dodge, but his body didn't have time to react and he couldn't avoid it at all.

A muffled thud.

The racket frame hit Xiang Ri squarely on the forehead.

Xiang Ri let out a muffled groan, his body swayed, everything went black before his eyes closed, and he fell straight to the ground, motionless.

"Yue Ren!"

Taki on the field and Mochizuki Ryo on the sidelines had visibly changed expressions and rushed over.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment.

The audience was silent.

You can even hear the wind blowing through the netting.

Apart from the members of Hyotei, everyone else stood there dumbfounded, staring at Mukahi lying on the ground, forgetting to react.

A few seconds later, a clamor erupted like a tidal wave, sweeping across the entire arena.

"Holy crap! Something's happened!"

"The racket bounced back and hit his head?!"

"Is it serious? Why aren't you moving?"

"Call a doctor quickly!"

……

The stands erupted into chaos, a cacophony of whispers and gasps that gave everyone a headache. Reporters on the sidelines were snapping photos like mad, their shutters clicking incessantly.