Chapter New Prince of Tennis Chapter 346, 347, 348, 349, 350 and 351 Discussion

Hardy · Nov 17, 2021

Chapter 346
Chapter 347
Chapter 348
Chapter 349
Chapter 350
Chapter 351

Handsome Friss' links of 349/350/351 here

This Summary is based on machine translated content and comments by @Sai @Waterlinkedgirl Genichiwwo and @Holycow . Special thanks to the latter for enduring my questions and providing a lot of info. There's no summary without her :Saeki

And thanks @Demonspeed for your impeccable supermod actions

Golden age 346: Thunderbolt.

Amadeus' recognises Byoudouin's tennis. The Phoenix rises once again!
Mifune wonders if Byoudouin has finally found someone to fight that is strong enough to actually break his heart, remarking that he managed to get out of the time loop thanks to the his sheer mental strength.
Volk rushes to the net trying to keep the momentum... only to be stunned by a gunshot, product of the Pirate's evolution. Byoudouin then does a return ace.
Back to the Amadeus vs Byoudouin flashback, it's set before Amadeus turned pro. He had a match with Duke and Byoudouin (not at the same time). As he easily dominates Byoudouin, leaving him on the ground, when the Japanese rep begins to stand he now has a Pirate behind him. Byoudouin comfortably wins 4 games in a row, leaving the score 2-6 5-5
Amadeus then decides to fight the Pirate head on, starting to step into darkness. He threatens to end Byoudouin's tennis life...
...but then he is attacked by the Pirate! Byoudouin roars saying he is willing to give up on his humanity.
In the present, Byoudouin manages to break Volk's serve. The set is now 1-3.
Volk tells Byoudouin that he looks like a different person. The latter replies that he's back from the dead.
Mifune comments yet again on Byoudouin's mental strength. He says he never felt any regret in the training he gave him, and now everyone can see that man that went around the world with Duke battling the best of the best.
The Swiss reps ask Amadeus how their match from 2 years ago ended.
Amadeus replies that it never ended because Byoudouin... died struck a lightning!

Golden age 347: The Immortal.

Still in the flashback, the game's called off and Byoduouin is taken away by an ambulance.
The Japanese rep is deemed clinically dead, and even a death certificate is written. However, 13 hours later... Byoudouin revives!
In the present, Byoudouin ties the set 3-3. Volk remembers that Amadeus had told him about a man that grew stronger every time he came back from the dead. He decides to see if it's true with his own eyes.
Byoduouin notices that the pace has increased and moves accordingly... just as the ball curves towards his backfoot! On top of that, Volk is rushing towards to the net!
The Japanese rep counters with a new move, Libya's Gargantual Hail (it may be some reference to a real storm from a year ago). Several balls fly towards Volk.
Volk uses "10 balls at once" to gather all the balls and returns them all as a single one with a powerful smash... that Byoudouin counters with a Higuma Otoshi!
After scoring, Byoudouin remarks that he's finally made Volk sweat. The latter replies that it was about time, given the rapid growth of his opponent. Byoudouin then concludes that it's because Volk is just a human.

Golden age 348: When the flame of life burns out.

For the following games, both players keep their serves, leading to a tie breaker.
Once the tie breaker starts, it's remarked how important it is to keep your serve. Byoudouin manages to hit an ACE past Volk and then... manages a return ACE, as the ball touches the net and (with luck) barely passes.
As Volk didn't see the last point coming, he then decides to once again increase the pace. He moves left and right with great speed, but Byoudouin doesn't match him... he actually goes beyond the German's speed!
Byoudouin roars, Japan celebrates. Tokugawa however, notices something else. He recognises that Byoudouin is about to put his life on the line.
As Japan leads 6-0, Byoudouin displays the side effects of The Eight Consciousnesses.

Golden age 349: Destroyed... and resurrected.

Now under the effect of The Eight Consciousnesses, Byoudouin takes control of the point. Amadeus notices that it's just like Akutsu, but wonders if it's different.
Volk tries to match the pace, even if he's fighting against several attacks at once. Amadeus managed to win because his opponent was just a middle schooler, but the story is different now.
Even though Byoudouin hits a smash right in front of the net, a furious Volk declares that he'll return back anything that comes his way, as clones seemingly appear on the court. Indeed, the German manages to catch the ball... but it's no use, the ball goes through his racket's gut!
Japan takes it 7-6 and enters the final set against the best pro in the world.
An exhausted Byoudouin is helped by Duke to reach the bench. "We told each other no regrets, right?"
A concerned Oni comes close and asks Byoudouin if he's ok. He noticed that he's way past his limit.
Byoudouin replies that now that the fire is burning, there's no use trying to stop it.
Flashback to Byoudouin's training in "the cave" with Ojii. Byoudouin seems scared, as his master speaks. Ojii, now levitating, acknowledges that Byoudouin has gained some mental strength, but that this is the end of the line and only a fool would choose going towards the path.
Byoudouin asks why. Once again, Ojii insists that Byoudouin should turn back because otherwise he'll be destroyed and resurrected. Only those that come back to life can continue towards The Eight Consciousness. If he goes forward, unlike those that follow Asura's path, he might actually be hurt.
Houou ignores his master's advice and accepts his fate.
Back in the present, Byoudouin is still exhausted, resting on the bench. He calls Tokugawa and Ryoma. He tells them that no it doesn't matter if you have fallen, you have to get up or you are done for. Japan is on his back now.

Golden age 350: Something a pro can't do.

The final set starts. The Eight Consciousnesses is so strong that Byoudouin thinks he can feel every single movement in the stadium. Some of his veins start bursting.
Volk still fights back, trying to adapt to infinite attack patterns produced by conscious and subconscious working together as one. Eventually, this combination leads to an absolute strategy, and that's the real power of The Eight Consciousnesses.
Mifune explains to the middle schoolers the basics of his story with Byoudouin. He instructed him to join the Shinto to control his mind at will, but he didn't just do that, he opened the gate and, instead of going in, found a dark side passage, where he learnt immortal knowledge and came back. Akutsu was showing glimpses of it, because he's exactly the kind of idiot who would cut his life short. The kind that is now leading Japan.
The gate appears only for those who are struggling with their own strength. Byoduouin had left it open with a rock, but that wasn't enough for anyone to pass through it. This is why Byoudouin dared to absolutely break Tokugawa's spirit, he was just creating a wall.
Konomi's new unreleased single plays in the background. Buy it when it comes out, he needs more tennis courts in his mansion.
Byoudouin gets a cool point inspired by the music I guess.
Coach Lendoll is shocked to see Volk smile. The German rep says that he had no idea someone like this existed in the world of tennis, and that it's impossible to have a fight like this in the world of pros.

Golden age 351: Demise.

Flashback from some days ago, at the German athletes' village. Bismarck is surprised to see Volk training doubles and asks if it's just to switch up things a bit. Q.P. says that Volk has actually been trying this for two weeks not wasting any time.
The persistance of their opponents makes the Pro Doubles play seriously, as they say that in Doubles, they are much stronger. They activate their Howling. Volk instructs Tezuka to observe carefully.
Tezuka attempts to control Schneider's smash with his Tezuka Zone, to no avail. However, Q.P. is shocked as he notices some sort of resonance between Tezuka and Volk.
The Pro doubles wins in straight sets. Q.P. tells Volk that he doesn't know what he's aiming for, and remarks that Tezuka didn't even notice what was happening.
Back on the present, the ball changes its path straight towards Volk... Tezuka Zone!?
Q.P. says that this is different. Volk combined his own Wirbeltaufe with the technique he acquired from Tezuka and is now performing Howling on his own! Q.P. finally understands what Volk was looking for.
The tornadoes are constantly damaging Byoudouin's body... and yet, the Japanese doesn't back down. As he tries to return Volk's shot, he thanks his teammates and puts his life on the line to take Japan's flag to the top... but then the Pirate disappears! He's been overwhelmed!
Volk notices that Byoudouin, who just flew several metres into the air, is racket-less and seemingly unconscious. He says he had no choice or they would be done for. As a pro, he never had a chance to take a risk like this, whereas amateurs can simply enjoy tennis. He asks the Japanese rep to promise him not to let this defeat disappoint him and become a pro instead.
But Byoudouin still has a final breath!

RadicalEdward · Nov 17, 2021