freenovelworld Chapter 690: Balentin's defense is broken, and his defeat is inevitable
Chapter 690: Balentin's defense is broken, and his defeat is inevitable
To know.
This requires not only extreme familiarity with the "lifeline noose", a skill that targets the opponent's joints, ligaments, bones and other almost impossible to deal with absolute blind spots - the kind of hitting method that seems to be able to forcibly twist the human body structure and force the opponent to lose balance in extreme distortion, is like an invisible net, once entangled, it is difficult to break free.
It also requires extraordinary psychological quality and on-the-spot reaction ability, as well as the firm will to accurately execute tactics under high pressure.
These are not acquired overnight, but are the result of countless sweat and failures.
What Chico Balentin didn't know was that this kind of ball skill that specifically exploited the human body's extreme blind spots was not the first time that Tokugawa Kazuya had seen it. It could even be said that he was already familiar with it.
Whether it is Kitagawa's breathtaking rhythm control, Atobe Keigo's majestic "Atobe Kingdom", or the many similar moves he encountered after stepping onto the world youth tennis arena, he has accumulated valuable experience in one confrontation after another.
Therefore, Tokugawa Kazuya and Sanada Genichirō had made sufficient preparations long before the competition.
They know very well that although skills such as "Lifeline Noose" are deadly, they are not unsolvable.
As long as you adjust your center of gravity at the moment of catching the ball, predict the direction of the opponent's force, and pull in the opposite direction as quickly as possible, you can resolve the crisis at the critical moment.
As Beichuan once said: "The real strong person is not the one who is born strong, but the one who stands up again and again after failure."
This is exactly the case with Tokugawa Kazuya and Sanada Genichirō.
They possess the spirit of perseverance, and also the kind of reckless belief that even if they know that the enemy is strong and they are weak, they will still move forward bravely and not retreat a single step.
Let me ask you, is such a person strong?
The answer is: it can be very strong or very weak.
Tennis is ultimately a sport that relies on both talent and hard work. Especially in the youth stage, when skills are still not fully developed, physical condition and explosive power are the key factors that determine victory or defeat.
Talent plays a very important role. Even if you work hard, it is difficult to reach the top without a certain basic support.
However, if a person is both talented and has the spirit of not giving up and not accepting his fate, then he may be able to break through his own limits and reach the other side that he has longed for in his heart.
There is no doubt that Tokugawa Kazuya and Sanada Genichirō are such people. Their spirit is as tough as steel, and even when facing powerful opponents, they can face difficulties head-on and never retreat.
At this moment, in the center of Citi Field, the sun was shining obliquely on the red clay, and the air was filled with a tense atmosphere.
The stadium is located in the heart of a modern sports center, surrounded by towering stands with seats stacked on top of each other, like a huge bowl-shaped theater.
The surface of the court is made of standard red clay, which is fine and elastic. When players run, they leave clear marks on the ground, as if every drop of sweat is recorded.
The surrounding fences are made of silver-gray metal, the surface of which reflects the sunlight. Occasionally, referees and technical personnel can be seen moving through it.
The audience stands were filled with fans from all over the world, they held their breath, their eyes fixed on the four players on the field.
Some people were so nervous that they bit their lower lips, some clenched their fists, and some prayed in low voices. The whole stadium seemed to be shrouded in an invisible force.
The sky was azure blue, with a few white clouds drifting slowly by. Sunlight shone through the transparent dome, giving the entire venue a golden glow.
The wind blew from the southeast, bringing a slightly dry breath, occasionally blowing up fine dust on the edge of the field, which sparkled like stardust in the sunlight.
The host's deep voice was heard from the broadcasting system from time to time, and the commentator's passionate voice was transmitted throughout the venue through the loudspeaker, so that the progress of the game could be clearly heard in every corner.
Chico Balentin stood behind the baseline, with a hint of frenzy and anxiety in his eyes.
His fingers trembled slightly, beads of sweat oozed from his forehead, and his breathing became rapid, as if he had just experienced a mental storm.
"It must be a coincidence, it must be a coincidence, it must be a coincidence!!!"
He suddenly raised his head, as if his sanity was torn apart by some invisible force, and shouted wildly.
His voice was hoarse and roaring, as if he wanted to pour out all his resentment and anger.
Then, without hesitation, he started serving again, his movements swift and mechanical, as if he had completely forgotten that this was a doubles match, not a singles duel.
As for Kintaro Toyama, he could only stand there and watch all this with a confused look on his face.
His physical strength had long been overdrawn to the limit. In the past period of time, he almost used all his strength to maintain the state of "perfect limit". Every second seemed to be burning his life.
And now, with Chico Balentin's emotional collapse, Yuanshan's heart gradually sank to the bottom.
He is not good at dealing with complex emotional fluctuations, and he doesn't know how to find his position in doubles.
Now that his teammates have lost control, he has fallen into unprecedented confusion.
Just like that, one ball, two balls, three balls...
Tokugawa Kazuya just kept using his "other-dimensional field". Every swing of the racket seemed to stretch time and compress space, trapping his opponent in an illusion from which he could not escape.
They worked together as one, so well-integrated that they barely needed to communicate verbally.
Their footsteps were light and powerful, making a slight friction sound on the red soil, and every sprint was accompanied by dust flying.
Sweat slid down his forehead, sparkling in the sunlight.
Until the last ball drops.
"Minibus!"
“Calm down!!!”
A roar pierced the air, shattering Chico Balentin's self-imposed isolation. It was Kintaro Toyama's voice, deep yet powerful, like a hammer striking his heart.
Chico suddenly woke up, a glimmer of clarity in his eyes. He stared blankly ahead, his lips trembling slightly.
"What did I do? This is..."
He looked down at his sweaty palms, a wave of indescribable emotions welling up in his heart: confusion, shame, regret, and a deep sense of powerlessness.
It was not until the referee announced that his serve had timed out that he realized how ridiculous his behavior had been.
"Chico Balentin, the Free State U-17 team, please serve as soon as possible."
"This is the first time-out violation."
"A second serve time violation will result in a one-point penalty."
"If the third serve exceeds the time limit, the opponent will be declared the winner of the game."
The referee on the podium held a yellow card and issued a stern warning. Each cold pronouncement seemed to remind him that he had gone too far.
Listening to the noisy sounds around him, thinking back to his almost insane performance just now, and looking at Kintaro Toyama who looked fierce but still offered a helping hand, Chico Balentin's mood became extremely complicated.
"What an idiot..."
He murmured softly, as if he had finally come to some kind of reconciliation with himself.
He gently lifted his bangs, revealing a pair of slightly tired but still bright eyes, with a wry smile on the corner of his mouth.
Then he tossed the tennis ball into the air again, ready to continue playing.
After an unknown amount of time, the game finally came to an end.