While the others in the stands, like Ryōma, were still reeling in shock, Atobe was experiencing a whirlwind of emotions on the court. He knew there was a gap between him and Akashi, but he hadn't expected it to be this massive.
In the third game, it was Atobe's turn to serve again. The curse from Dazetin had finally lifted, but it still felt like he was stuck in an icy wasteland, trudging through a blizzard with great difficulty.
"Hah... Alternate dimension, huh? Even so, I'm going to surpass you right here, Akashi!" Atobe exhaled deeply, his gaze sharp and determined.
Without hesitation, he tossed the tennis ball into the air. A burst of mental force far beyond anything he'd unleashed before exploded outward the moment the racket struck the ball. A violent shockwave rippled out in all directions, and this time, most of the glasses-wearing spectators suffered the consequences. Lenses shattered, and a shower of glittering shards rained down from above.
"Emperor of Ice!"
"Still using that move? Looks like you're at the end of your rope, Atobe," Akashi muttered as he saw the Emperor of Ice activate again, his brow twitching ever so slightly.
In a blur, Akashi appeared at the expected landing point. As the ball bounced up, he swung to intercept—but almost instantly, he sensed something different. This Emperor of Ice wasn't purely a mental technique anymore. It had been infused with Atobe's Waltz series footwork.
Akashi ignored the mental pressure, but the irregular trajectory caused by the spin threw off his return. The ball soared high into the air toward Atobe's side, and Atobe was already midair, leaping for the smash.
"I'm not giving up that easily. Kneel before my ultimate move! Rondo Toward Destriction!" His voice rang out as the ball was smashed down with fierce determination.
The ball shot across the net into Akashi's court, slamming the ground with a surge of force and energy. A massive cloud of dust erupted, engulfing Akashi completely. For a moment, his silhouette vanished—but then came the unmistakable thwack of ball-on-racket.
"You seriously thought a move like that would work on me, Atobe?" Akashi's figure emerged slowly from the haze, returning the ball once more.
"I've never underestimated you. But who told you that was my final move, Akashi!" Atobe shouted back, soaring into the air again.
This time, he twisted his wrist with force, dragging his racket into a sharp sweep as he hammered the ball downward. The ball came spinning with heavy rotation, distorting mid-flight as it homed in on Akashi.
It hit the court just past the net and began a vicious spin. After a slight bounce, it started skimming forward. Then—suddenly—it split in two, heading toward Akashi's left and right.
"Is this boring sleight of hand your trump card? I really did overestimate you, Atobe." Akashi didn't even glance at the ball on his right. With one sweep toward his left, he intercepted the correct target instantly. With the Emperor Eye, he'd seen through the illusion the moment the ball split.
This time, instead of lofting upward, the ball fired back low and fast like a golden beam toward Atobe's baseline. But there was no surprise on Atobe's face. Instead, a glint of icy light flickered in his eyes as he gave a cold, slight smirk.
"So you finally showed it. Freeze in place, Akashi!" Atobe growled, swinging with full force. The ball rocketed back, heading straight for the tiny ice crystal only he could see.
But the next instant, Atobe's expression collapsed. Just as the ball crossed the net, the ice crystal shattered on its own. And then, Akashi's cold voice rang out:
"I already told you—against these eyes that see the future, no move is effective. Not even your so-called 'dead zones,' Atobe."
The moment he finished speaking, the sound of the ball hitting the court rang out behind Atobe. He turned instinctively, but it was too late. The ball had already bounced and rolled out of bounds.
"0-15!"
"You bastard... that tiny opening just now—you showed it on purpose, didn't you?" Atobe asked, his expression grim as he glared at Akashi.
"I just wanted to see how far you could go. But a burst of force through Emperor of Ice won't last long. You'll be back to your original state soon enough," Akashi replied coolly, brushing off Atobe's fury with an unsettlingly cryptic statement.
The next instant, before Atobe could say anything, that familiar oppressive force surged through his body once again. The image of those eerie, mismatched eyes resurfaced in his mind, and Atobe keenly noticed that his body felt a little weaker than before.
A massive blizzard swallowed Atobe again. The sensation was far from pleasant, but with no solution at hand, he slowly made his way to the baseline to prepare for his second serve.
'This won't work. My mental strength has never been stronger than Akashi's. If I keep relying on Emperor of Ice alone, I won't last more than a few rallies. I need a different strategy!' Atobe thought silently at the baseline.
Without hesitation, he served using Tannhauser, but perhaps due to the pressure from Akashi's mental force, the ball didn't skim tightly along the ground. Instead, it bounced slightly higher than usual.
But for Akashi, it made no difference. With a casual sweep, he sent the ball flying back into Atobe's half. To Atobe, it felt like he was moving through a raging snowstorm, unable to fully exert his strength. He chased the ball sluggishly and barely managed to block it with his racket.
The ball rebounded sharply, soaring high into the air. This time, Akashi leapt toward the net, aiming another smash straight into Atobe's side. A sharp pain shot through Atobe's right hand as the racket flew from his grip.
Akashi jumped again and delivered a full-power smash. The ball turned into a yellow blur and slammed down right beside Atobe's foot. The impact caused the court to tremble slightly before the ball shot out of bounds.
"Moves like that are nothing to me. With your current ability, you don't even have the right to stand on the world stage, Atobe!" Akashi said coldly as he landed.
"0-30!"
"Hah?! Who the hell do you think I am?! You'll regret saying that, Akashi Seijurō!" Atobe's face twisted with rage. Unbeknownst to him, something strange had begun stirring inside his body—a force quietly awakening.
"0-40!"
"GAME! Fudōmine! 3-0! Court change!"
No matter how angry Atobe was, he couldn't turn the tide. The gap in ability wasn't small—he was far from catching up. After losing the third game, Atobe didn't say a word. He walked straight back to the Hyōtei bench and threw a towel over his head.
Akashi, unfazed, returned to the bench and sat calmly. His breathing steady, as if he hadn't just finished a match at all. Behind him, the Fudōmine members began whispering.
"Don't you think something's different about Akashi today? There's something off about him," Chitose said, frowning slightly.
"He's been talking way more than usual during the match. Maybe it's because his opponent is Atobe?" Tachibana offered his opinion.
"Akashi's trying to bring out Atobe's potential in his own way. You could see this as a different kind of training match," said Tezuka, who had the day off, his face calm.
"Just as I thought," Kite muttered with folded arms, sounding confident.
"Huh? But they're going all out, aren't they? Makes me wanna jump in and play already!" Kintarō said excitedly, not following the conversation at all.
"That's just how Akashi is. Don't overthink it, Kintarō. Just focus on doing your best when it's your turn," Krauser said gently.
"Yes!" Kintarō stood up straight like a soldier, full of spirit. Krauser couldn't help the slight look of helplessness that flashed in his eyes.
'Hmph… still as sharp as ever, Tezuka,' Akashi thought to himself from the bench, having overheard his teammates' conversation.
The break ended quickly. After switching sides, the fourth game began—Akashi's serve game. And again, he showed no mercy. He fired off four consecutive Alternate Dimension techniques—Dazetin. Atobe was completely helpless.
"GAME! Fudōmine! 4-0!"
"If this is all you've got, then let's just end this boring match already," Akashi said coldly after claiming his service game.