naaapseattle #196 - Best Actor, Kanata Irie
#196 - Best Actor, Kanata Irie
“Impossible!”
“Yeah! How is this possible?”
“Really? Is that true!? Irie Kanata is losing by so many points?”
“Even Irie is being suppressed this much; that middle schooler is strong.”
Everyone watching exclaimed in disbelief.
Irie Kanata, a regular on Court 3 and a member of the first-string team, was losing to Atobe Keigo by a score difference of five games!?
Moreover, Irie Kanata was utterly powerless.
Everyone present stared in disbelief at the scene before them.
On the court.
“Wh… why?”
“Impossible…!”
Irie Kanata gasped for breath and shouted.
“How could I possibly lose to a middle schooler!”
Irie Kanata looked pained as he received the ball.
“When you’re still hung up on that, you’re already destined to fail!”
With that, Atobe Keigo struck another powerful tennis ball!
“Atobe! Atobe! Atobe!”
“King Atobe!”
At this moment, the middle schoolers could no longer contain their emotions and shouted loudly!
Bang! The tennis ball flew out like a cannonball, leaving a trail of smoke in its wake.
Irie Kanata was astonished by the power of the approaching tennis ball!
He ran to the receiving point, panting, and barely managed to hit the ball back!
Immediately following that.
Atobe Keigo didn't give Irie Kanata any chance to catch his breath, quickly smashing the tennis ball back!
“Tennis is only about strength and weakness, nothing more!”
Atobe Keigo, maintaining a smile, identified the next landing point and said, “When we first arrived, you were indeed stronger than me, but that’s already in the past!”
“This great one’s evolution is improving every day!”
Irie, covered in sweat, barely managed to return the ball again, then shouted excitedly, “I won’t lose!”
Seeing this, Yukimura suddenly smiled.
“Irie-senpai’s acting is so realistic.”
Irie Kanata enjoys crushing his opponent's morale in this kind of situation.
Just imagine, the opponent's confidence, the cheers from the court, are all the greatest motivation for a player to win.
And Irie Kanata’s method is to amplify that motivation, and the moment he shatters it at its most inflated point is what Irie Kanata wants to see the most!
But Yukimura also saw a different possibility; Irie Kanata’s act should be to allow Atobe Keigo to grow once more.
This kind of guidance method is something others would never think of; only Irie Kanata would do it.
“What happens next will be interesting.”
Thinking of this, Yukimura’s lips curled up slightly, thinking to himself.
Inside the court.
“The final blow!”
Atobe Keigo’s pupils constricted: “Freeze!”
In an instant, countless ice pillars filled Irie Kanata’s side of the court.
Immediately following that, Atobe Keigo’s eyes darted around quickly, searching for the weakness on Irie Kanata!
Suddenly, Atobe Keigo’s expression changed drastically.
No blind spots!
Don't mention blind spots! He couldn't even find a single gap!
Immediately, all the ice pillars shattered!
Only then did Atobe Keigo react: “Damn it, he was faking it!!!”
Suddenly!
Irie Kanata, who had been looking pained a moment ago, revealed a smile.
“Did I give it away?”
Then, he rotated his wrist, swung his racket, and smashed the tennis ball out!
Bang! The collision between the racket and the tennis ball produced an explosion, flying towards the opponent's court like an arrow released from a bow.
“15:0!”
The referee immediately announced.
A major reversal!
Only then did everyone realize that Irie Kanata was acting.
“Was Irie acting just now?”
“Too much! I really believed it.”
“I really thought that Irie wouldn’t be able to beat a middle schooler.”
The high school students once again exclaimed in disbelief, shocked that he was acting in such a serious match.
This was a team reshuffle battle!
And still the most crucial match.
Once they lost, everyone on Court 3 would have to go to Court 5.
This would undoubtedly be a disgrace.
But.
Irie Kanata still acted.
This showed that Irie Kanata’s strength allowed him to do as he pleased.
On the court.
Irie Kanata was no longer pretending to be panting, smiling as he waited for Atobe Keigo’s serve.
“Don’t underestimate me!!”
Atobe Keigo gripped the tennis ball in his hand.
Then.
The tennis ball was tossed high, and after a low shout, at the moment the tennis ball fell, his arm rotated, hitting it with force!
Bang! The tennis ball was attached with a strong spin, bringing a burst of air-splitting sound.
A gleam of light flashed in Irie Kanata’s eyes.
His figure suddenly disappeared from the court, and in the next second, he appeared at the landing point.
He aimed at the tennis ball and, seeing through Atobe Keigo’s movement, swung his racket at the blind spot!
“30:0!”
The referee announced.
At this moment, Atobe Keigo felt a sense of oppression from Irie Kanata, the oppression from a world-class powerhouse!
But Atobe Keigo did not give up!
He widened his eyes, pushing his insight to the extreme!
Not daring to have any missteps!
Then, after Irie Kanata once again hit a tennis ball at the blind spot, Atobe Keigo aimed at the landing point and hit the tennis ball back!
The tennis ball once again increased in power, flying towards Irie Kanata’s court.
“Getting stronger during the match?!”
Irie Kanata looked at Atobe Keigo with some surprise.
Then, he ran to the landing point and swung his racket at the bouncing tennis ball!
Atobe Keigo immediately seized the opportunity, leaping up!
The tennis ball flew out! Instantly crossing the half-court.
“Useless.”
Irie Kanata’s eyes flashed with a gleam of light as he said in a deep voice.
His arm exerted force, aiming at the opponent's blind spot, and swung over!
The tennis ball, like an arrow released from a bow, passed through the net and went straight to the baseline, leaving a mark on the ground before bouncing out of the court.
“Game, Court 3! Irie Kanata, score 5:1!”
The referee announced.
Irie Kanata revealed a faint smile.
“Game, Court 3! Irie Kanata, score 5:2!”
As the referee announced.
Irie Kanata won another game.
“Irie is indeed the opponent I least want to encounter.”
Taneshima Shuji suddenly said.
“Irie-senpai is really strong.”
Yukimura smiled.
“Game, Court 3! Irie Kanata, score 5:3!”
The referee announced.
“Game, Court 3! Irie Kanata, score 5:4!”
“That high school student named Irie is really a liar.”
“But he really is overwhelmingly strong!”
All the middle schoolers discussed, watching Atobe Keigo continuously score points.
“You should be clear about Irie’s strength.”
Kito Jūjirō, hearing the middle schoolers’ discussion, said in a deep voice, “This is only just the beginning.”
Instantly, all the middle schoolers were shocked!
How much had Irie Kanata been hiding before?
If this was only just the beginning, it proved that there was even more power that he hadn’t used.