Nioh was put on a stretcher and taken into an ambulance.
"Nioh ... Thank you, Trickster," Atobe thought to himself.
"His career might be done for," said Ohmagari.
Before the ambulance driver could get back into the ambulance, Oni grabbed his arm and stopped him.
"Wait, don't leave yet. Duke's playing next," he said.
"But we this one's arm needs serious medical attention!"
"Yeah, but ... We're going to need another stretcher in a few."
Gin Ishida said a quick prayer before he served the ball, while Duke opened his eyes in earnest. He gave Gin's body a stern look, as if he were analyzing him.
"What an amazing body. It's easy to see why he was a contender for the strongest power player in Japan. To think that he was beaten by another middle schooler ..."
Gin served the ball, to which Duke easily returned.
"Conserving your power? You're not a very heavy server."
But Gin had already gotten into his signature position.
"Nah, Gin sets himself up for something heavy after the serve," remarked Zaizen.
"To start things off ... 23rd-Degree Hadokyu!"
Gin's intense groundstroke was easily returned by Duke.
"You can do better than that!"
"50th-Degree Hadokyu!!"
"If that's how hard you wanna hit it, then ..."
Duke returned the surge shot with a backhand as if it were nothing, " ... I can do it too!!"
However, Gin volleyed the shot easily.
"Hadokyu Neutralization!!" shouted Kikumaru.
"Right. What makes Gin a special power player is that not only can he dish out various degrees of Hadokyu power shots, he can neutralize their power completely as well," explained Shiraishi.
"But, I thought he could only neutralize Hadokyu shots?" said Kaidoh.
"It seems that now Gin's improved to be able to neutralize all kinds of power shots," Shiraishi said.
"Hey, wonder if he can neutralize my Mountain Storm now?" asked Kintaro.
The volley went in Duke's court.
"15-0!"
"He can neutralize power shots ... Didn't think someone in Japan can do something like that ... Hey, time to teach you something good about power tennis."
Gin ignored Duke and served the next ball.
"The thing about power tennis is that the first man down loses, because it's a power struggle. So, whoever has more power wins. Easy, right? You have good muscles, and your form is perfect for your technique. But, can you generate more power?"
Gin's concentration was interrupted, "What do you mean?!"
Duke stepped face-foward into the incoming ball and twisted his upper-body, smashing his racket into the ball, "DUKE HOMERUN!!"
"I .. can't neutralize this!!!"
Gin wasn't able to react in time and before everyone knew it, he was launched into the air.
"Guaaahh!!!"
"Gin!!" Kintaro shouted.
"The dynamics of Duke's power comes from the fact that he's able to use his upper-body's frame to use all the power he needs. It creates more power than that guy's Hadokyu, which uses the whole body to create power because it has the perfect follow-through stance. It all comes down to a more efficient form," explained Oni.
Gin, staggered back to the court, and was now bleeding from the mouth and gasping for air.
"Gin ..." mumbled Zaizen.
"15-15!"
"Stop the match. You won't be able to win this, and this is something you've realized. As of now, we're too different," Duke explained.
Gin served the ball once more, though he had lots of trouble doing so with his shaking arm and trying to catch his breath.
"Huahh!!"
Duke returned the ball, and Gin set himself up again, "108th-Degree Hadokyu!!!!"
"Hang in there, Gin!!!" shouted Kintaro from the stands, but it was once again futile.
"DUKE HOMERUN!!!"
Gin was now flying further in the air than last time and appeared to be a dot in the sky to the audience.
"I ... I can't beat him ..."
Before his eyes rolled to the back of his head, Gin saw Kawamura in the audience, "Kawamura ... If it's you ... maybe you can win ... You'll need ... a new style of Hadokyu ... Give birth to it ... An ultimate 'Zero-Degree Hadokyu!!'"
"Due to heavy physical injuries, the match won't continue! The U-17 declares this match a win for the 1st Stringers!" said the voice from the speakers that towered the court.
A stretcher was called for Gin, and he was put into the ambulance with Nioh.
Duke walked back to the 1st Stringers and over to Oni.
"Didn't think you'd go all-out," said Oni.
"The truth is, I'd probably lose if I didn't. I hope he recovers fast. We're going to need him, for international matches."
"You mean ..."
"Yeah, we'll need him for the one country who's overseas representative line-up is rumored to consist of nothing but power players ... Greece!!"
"Next match!!" said the umpire.
Tohno picked up his racket and stepped down to the ambulance driver's window, telling the driver to pull his window glass down, to which the driver did.
"Don't leave yet ... We'll need two more stretchers," he donned a vile grin, "A huge bloodbath is in the cards ..."
Originally Posted by LetalHawk
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