MM Racing Chapter 189: The appetizer is over, the real suppression begins.
Chapter 189: The appetizer is over, the real suppression begins.
"That sounds exhausting..."
Qie Yuan, thinking about the doubles training plan that the department head, vice-department head, and senior Liu had set for him after the training camp, sighed and came over.
After saying that, he ran his fingers through his curly hair, looked at the arrogant Shishido on the court, and his chuunibyou spirit resurfaced: "But Shishido-senpai isn't wrong... this so-called snake shot is just a curveball, only with a bigger arc. I could catch it if I received a few more shots; it's nothing to brag about."
"Indeed, once you figure out the direction of rotation, cracking it isn't too difficult."
As Liu replied to Kirihara, he placed his notebook on his lap, glanced at his childhood friend who was struggling with his junior on the field, and sighed almost imperceptibly, "Seigaku's Kaidou's mentality is already in disarray, and the later rounds will be even more difficult for them."
Sanada sat silently to the side, but his gaze remained fixed on Shishido.
He saw that when Shishido lost the ball earlier, he wasn't anxious, frustrated, or even changed his expression. He just glanced at Ootori, then at where the ball had landed, and then readjusted his receiving stance.
"A steady mindset," Sanada offered a sincere assessment.
Yukimura had witnessed Shishido's entire hair extension process and listened to his teammates' discussion before offering his own perspective. His voice wasn't loud, but it quieted the previously noisy group. He said:
"Double is not just about technique, but also about mentality. The side that loses its composure first will stumble."
"The core of the doubles system that Ling designed for Shishido and Ootori is 'integrated offense and defense, with mutual support and cooperation.' Shishido's net play is used to disrupt the opponent's rhythm, while Ootori's solid baseline play is used to provide a solid foundation."
Hearing the familiar voice, Luna in his arms curiously raised her head, shook her little ears, and after confirming that Yukimura wasn't talking to her, she lowered her head again and started pawing at her little fish plush toy, grinding her teeth vigorously.
Yukimura was amused by its little antics and gently took out a small chew biscuit from the cat carrier, replacing the wrinkled little cloth fish.
Then, in conclusion, he said something.
"Therefore, Hyotei's doubles first team isn't just about frontcourt and backcourt roles, but also about dynamic rotation. Whoever is best positioned to receive the ball goes in."
"No wonder it looked so smooth, now I understand." After listening to the minister's analysis, Liu Sheng adjusted his glasses, the lenses reflecting the light. "It's the same principle as the gradient formation in the last match, without a fixed division between the net and baseline, allowing for flexible coverage and very few weaknesses."
"Puri~" Niou spread his shirt off his head, grinning mischievously, "Then Seigaku's Inui's stats will be a real headache. His model is all based on fixed positions; against this kind of dynamically rotating doubles, he'll probably burn a lot of brain cells."
Sanada crossed his arms, glanced at his teammates, and said in a deep voice, "Hyotei's doubles formation is indeed very effective against statistically-driven players. But the data shows that Inui Sadaharu's adaptability shouldn't be underestimated. The next few games will be crucial."
"Genichiro is right."
Yukimura nodded slightly, glanced down at the kitten in his arms who was happily munching on a teething cookie and meowing, and smiled. "Ryo won't just prepare one tactic. There should be more to come."
"Mwah~" Luna finally stopped grinding her teeth until Xiao Mi's teeth stopped itching, and contentedly rubbed her head against Yukimura's arm, softly agreeing with his point of view.
At the viewing spot in Shonan City, Wakato Hiroshi whistled loudly, raised an eyebrow with a smile, and said, "That's cool. I like that kind of personality. It's much more interesting than those fake polite people."
Kajimoto nodded slightly, his voice tinged with approval, "The foundation is also quite well-polished, so it's normal for it to be a bit arrogant."
Hanamura Aoi pushed up her thin-rimmed glasses, her gaze falling on the positions of the two Hyotei players on the court, a subtle, enigmatic smile playing on her lips.
"This is the dual-mobility gradient formation..."
She murmured a sentence, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the chibi-style doll keychain on her phone, "So he used this system in doubles too. Only the executors were Shishido and Ootori."
Kajimoto sat beside her, his purple eyes fixed on the court, his voice steady: "Coach, are you saying that Hyotei's dynamic rotation formation also falls under the 'double-mobility gradient formation'?"
"Um."
Huacun nodded, glanced down at the "Hyotei Tag Team 2" match playing on his phone screen, and said with a hint of admiration.
"The core of this formation is 'gradient layering'. Adjust the spacing between the front and back positions according to the opponent's ball movement characteristics, so that the coverage of the two players forms a gradient overlap, rather than a simple division of labor and complementarity."
"In the previous doubles match, Hikaru and Taki used a variant version, while Shishido and Ootori used a different version in this match."
"Different people executing the same tactical system?" The man turned his hat back to block the sun, then whistled lightly. "That Coach Wangyue, his tactics are brilliant. The same formation can adapt to different combinations; that requires a thorough understanding of each person's characteristics."
"That's why I said he was the perfect choice for the project." Huacun smiled slightly, then added, "It's a pity he's not from our Shiroshige Shonan."
Shencheng sat to the side, secretly grinding his back teeth, his cold gaze falling on the blond boy on the Hyotei coaching bench.
Wakato and Kajimoto exchanged a glance, then Wakato sighed, "The next game will be a service game, and Hyotei's Chotaro Ootori's 'Heavy Cannon Serve' is something even I can't counter. And with Mochizuki Ryo's coaching from the sidelines, the next few games will only get faster."
"That's true. Judging from Wang Yueling's tactical layout in the last game, he has always been a master of gradual, progressive attacks."
Kajimoto replied, his words tinged with admiration, "He rarely reveals his full strength right away. He always uses a basic system to suppress the opponent first, and then changes the pace once the opponent adapts. This style of play is especially deadly to data-driven players, just like your 'transformation strategy'..."
"Once you get used to the rhythm, he'll change again."
Kiriyama Daichi scratched his head and mumbled, "Then won't this match against Seigaku be even harder?"
"A tough fight makes for a more exciting match." Ruo Ren chuckled, leaning back with his hands behind his head. "Anyway, we're just here for the spectacle; it doesn't matter who wins."
……
In the Seigaku rest area, everyone's expressions were somewhat subtle.
Oishi frowned and muttered, "Shishido wasn't this arrogant before. He was quite low-key back in the capital."
"A player who gets dropped from the starting lineup but then makes it back changes their mentality." Fuji opened his eyes, a glint of his brown pupils flashing across them before he narrowed them again. "He's playing with the drive to prove himself now. His words may be harsh, but every single one hits the nail on the head."
"And he's right."
Ryoma Echizen raised his head, his gaze falling on Shishido's back. He paused for two seconds, then looked towards the Hyotei coaching bench, still speaking with his usual arrogance, "The essence of a snake shot is indeed a curveball. As long as you figure out the direction of the spin, it's not difficult to break."
"The problem is that he not only solved it, but he also said it out loud on the spot. This had a much greater psychological impact on Kaido than losing points."
Long Qijin sat on the coach's bench, his hand gripping the mineral water bottle so tightly it was deformed.
She stared at Shishido on the court for several seconds before slowly exhaling and glancing at Mochizuki Ryo on the opposite Hyotei coaching bench.
The other person was looking down and adjusting the school badge patch on their wristband, looking as relaxed as if they were on vacation on a Hawaiian beach.
Ryuzaki Jin withdrew his gaze and addressed Inui and Kaido, who were switching sides on the court, his voice slightly deeper: "Inui. Hyotei will serve in the next set, your tactics..."
Inui stopped, his mind racing through Chotaro Ootori's serve data: speed, angle, spin, and landing point preference—all recorded during the tournament.
"I have all the data. As long as the changes are similar, I can break their serve."
Kaidou stared at the racket in his hand, remaining silent.
In contrast to the somber mood on the Seigaku side, Mochizuki Ryo sat on the Hyotei coaching bench, glanced up at his teammates on the other side, and raised an eyebrow.
"Well done." He tapped the metal armrest lightly with his fingertip and uttered a low voice, "We've figured out Snakeball's strategy. We don't need to leave them any room to maneuver from now on."
"Understood." Shishido and Ootori responded simultaneously without stopping.
After the two of them left, Mochizuki Ryo shielded her eyes from the sunlight, turned her head to look at the Seigaku referee's box not far away, her gaze swept over Ryuzaki Jin's solemn profile, and a very soft laugh escaped her throat.
The first game was just an appetizer.
The real dominance only began in the second game.
……
The time for switching sides was very short; the referee blew the whistle almost immediately.
In the second set, Hyotei serves.
Feng stood behind the baseline, stretched her wrists and shoulders, and looked through the net onto the opposite side of the Seigaku half of the court.
He usually wears a gentle smile, but the moment he stands at the service line, his entire demeanor changes. His back straightens, his eyes become focused, and even his breathing becomes steady.
He took a deep breath, gripped the tennis ball in his left hand, and felt the texture of the ball with his fingertips.
Toss the ball, bend your knees, and pull your whole body back like a fully drawn bow. Then, engage your core, driving your shoulders, upper arms, and wrists, and slam the racket down heavily on the ball.
The entire set of movements looked as if it had been polished countless times, smooth and fluid.
"One goal to the soul!!!
"Bang!"
With a muffled thud, the ball streaked across the court like a yellow lightning bolt, flying out with a shattering sound, landing on the outside corner of Kaido's backhand side, its spin still intact after bouncing.
The moment Qian saw the ball fly out from the baseline, his prediction of its landing point was half a step too early. He had barely moved his foot when the ball bounced off the ground, grazing the edge of his racket.
He turned his head to look at the ball's new landing spot, his pupils contracting slightly.
"wrong."
The data doesn't match.
That ball is moving too fast.
"ACE, 15-0".
At the net, Kaidou's hand holding the racket trembled slightly. Although he hadn't intercepted the ball, the wind pressure generated by the ball flying past his ear had made him feel its weight.
He glanced back at Qian's position, and Qian gestured to him. Understanding the gesture, he quickly stepped back half a meter, turning sideways to prepare to receive the ball.
On the second ball, Feng delivered another powerful and deadly serve.
However, the moment the racket touched the ball this time, the force traveled from the soles of the feet through the waist and abdomen to the wrist, and the force on the ball was nearly 30% greater than that on the first ball.
With a whooshing sound, it headed straight for the inner corner of Seigaku's half of the court.
Inui Sadaharu's mind raced through the old data. Ootori Chotaro's shot was faster than the previous one, definitely no less than 200 kilometers per hour. At that angle and speed, the probability of it going out of bounds was very high.
"Haitang!" he shouted immediately, turning his head. "That's out of bounds!"