*Chapter 168: Beast Mode’s Second Stage—The Terrifying Four Gods Martial Arts: Azure Dragon! (3rd Update)*

“So… so strong!”

Outside the court, Ootori couldn’t help but exclaim in awe as he watched the tennis ball land perfectly on the baseline.

“Four Gods Martial Arts: Vermilion Bird!”

Shishido’s face was filled with shock. Just moments ago, when the ball descended from the sky, he could’ve sworn he saw a phoenix swooping down from the heavens.

“Is this the true form of martial arts tennis?”

Mukahi and Akutagawa were equally stunned, their hearts unable to calm down. No one had expected their opponent to take Hyoutei’s signature playstyle to such an extreme level.

Black Tortoise, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird—each move was no less impressive than Rikkai’s Sanada’s Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain. In fact, in terms of sheer power, they far surpassed it.

Meanwhile, Oshitari’s gaze fell on the stiff figure on the court. He couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, “Even if he gives it his all, can’t Akutsu Jin even score a single point against him?”

Oshitari knew he wasn’t a match for Akutsu Jin’s strength. Yet, here was someone who could make Akutsu Jin look so helpless. It was hard to imagine just how far their vice-captain, Ishikawa, had progressed on this path of tennis.

“Let’s continue, senpai.”

On one side of the court, Ishikawa smiled as he spoke. The crowd noticed that Akutsu Jin, who had been full of fiery determination earlier, now seemed visibly subdued.

In contrast, Ishikawa stood calmly, exuding an undeniable presence even without any visible aura.

“Is this the power of martial arts momentum?”

Hyoutei’s eyes gleamed. His father had once told him that when top martial artists face off, the first clash is always between their auras. This intangible force, known as momentum, couldn’t be seen with the naked eye. It could only be sensed through one’s instincts or even a sixth sense.

In a battle between experts, their momentum would collide first. If one side overpowered the other, it would feel as if one aura had completely consumed the other.

Although Hyoutei couldn’t see the changes in Ishikawa and Akutsu Jin’s momentum, it was clear that Akutsu Jin’s had been completely overwhelmed by Ishikawa’s.

This match was already decided.

Thud!

Boom!

Thud!

Boom!

Just as Hyoutei had predicted, as the balance of their momentum shifted, Ishikawa, wielding the Four Gods Martial Arts, gained absolute dominance.

The score widened rapidly.

In the blink of an eye, Akutsu Jin was pushed to the brink.

Boom!

“40-0!”

The referee’s voice rang out. This was the sixth game. Ishikawa had already won five games, and now he was on the verge of securing the match point in his own service game.

Huff… huff…

On one side of the court, Akutsu Jin was gasping for breath. Throughout the match, he had felt as if an invisible force was suppressing him, preventing him from unleashing even 70% of his strength.

Meanwhile, Ishikawa’s every shot, even the most ordinary ones, carried an absurd level of spin and power. Akutsu Jin had to use both hands just to return them.

Drip… drip…

Beads of sweat the size of peas rolled down Akutsu Jin’s forehead. The scorching summer sun burned his skin, and the salty sweat stung his eyes.

Akutsu Jin’s heart was heavy with frustration. If he had known the match would turn out like this, he would’ve never challenged Ishikawa in the first place.

But now, his pride wouldn’t allow him to back down. He couldn’t let himself retreat in front of so many people.

“Just one point… even if it’s just one point!”

Akutsu Jin gripped his racket tightly, his eyes locked on Ishikawa. In this final moment, his focus reached its peak.

Boom!

Ishikawa served. The ball shot like a scalpel, landing precisely on the service line at Akutsu Jin’s backhand side.

Tap! Tap!

Akutsu Jin moved, chasing the ball and slamming it back with all his might.

“Huh?”

The crowd was surprised. In the final moments of the match, Akutsu Jin had returned to his earlier strategy—trying to break through Ishikawa’s defense head-on.

“But with the Four Gods Martial Arts: Black Tortoise, Akutsu Jin’s attacks are futile,” Shishido said, shaking his head.

Hum!

Sure enough, Ishikawa’s martial arts aura erupted. His racket met the ball like a rotary accelerator, sending the already powerful shot back with even greater force.

Tap! Tap!

But Akutsu Jin charged forward again, his determination unshaken. The grayish-white aura around him grew stronger, and a dangerous, beast-like energy radiated from his body.

The spectators instinctively took a step back.

Boom!

Akutsu Jin swung his racket with all his might, sending the ball hurtling back.

“Is he crazy?” Mukahi exclaimed. “With Black Tortoise’s ultimate defense, there’s no way to break through Ishikawa’s line. Why isn’t he sticking to his earlier strategy?”

To Mukahi, Akutsu Jin seemed to have lost his mind. In the final moments, he was like a cornered animal, lashing out wildly.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Akutsu Jin launched a relentless assault. Despite Ishikawa’s increasingly powerful counters, Akutsu Jin only grew fiercer, his fighting spirit burning brighter. The spectators felt a chill run down their spines.

“W-what’s happening?” one of the more timid team members stammered.

Coach Sakaki narrowed his eyes. “Akutsu Jin’s condition… is changing.”

“Yes,” Akutsu Jin agreed. “His speed and strength are increasing. The power of his shots has surpassed his previous peak.”

“What?” Mukahi gasped. “You’re saying Akutsu Jin is even stronger now? Is this guy even human?!”

Akutsu Jin’s talent left everyone in awe.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t break through Ishikawa’s defense. The rebounding power of Black Tortoise’s spins grew more terrifying with each shot, surpassing even White Tiger and Thunder.

“Should we stop them?” Oshitari asked uncertainly. “If this continues, something bad might happen.”

“No, it’s fine,” Coach Sakaki said calmly. Beside him, Akutsu Jin showed no intention of intervening.

“The match is still under Ishikawa’s control,” Akutsu Jin said, watching Ishikawa’s calm expression. So far, Ishikawa hadn’t even used his more terrifying Sword Intent. It was clear that Akutsu Jin’s changes were within his expectations.

“Wait!!” Mukahi suddenly shouted. “Look at Akutsu Jin’s eyes! His pupils are gone!”

What?!

Everyone’s expressions changed. They looked closely and saw that Akutsu Jin’s face had turned ferocious. His once-sharp eyes were now empty, devoid of light.

“Hmm,” Oshitari muttered, his voice low. “His condition… it’s similar to the Muga no Kyouchi (State of Self-Actualization).”

“Muga… you’re right!”

Shishido and Mukahi took a closer look and were equally shocked. Akutsu Jin’s current state, aside from the lack of a milky-white aura, was almost identical to Rikkai’s Kirihara and Seigaku’s Echizen when they entered Muga no Kyouchi.

“So… has Akutsu Jin also achieved Muga no Kyouchi?” Ootori asked, bewildered.

“No,” Akutsu Jin replied. “His condition is different. I can feel an overwhelming amount of negative emotions.”

Akutsu Jin’s speed was visibly increasing. Even his erratic movements were now keeping pace with Ishikawa’s martial arts footwork.

Moreover, the grayish-white aura around him was now tinged with black swirls, filled with intense negativity.

“Is this… the second stage of Beast Mode?”

On the court, Ishikawa felt the increasing power of Akutsu Jin’s returns and was genuinely surprised. “Under the influence of negative emotions, he’s entered a state of complete focus.”

However, this version of Akutsu Jin wasn’t calm or composed. On the contrary, driven by instinct, his playing style grew more and more violent.

As the black swirls merged with the grayish-white beastly aura, this effect became even more pronounced.

Whoosh!

Ishikawa served again. The speed of his shot was now beyond what the human eye could follow.

“Hah!”

Akutsu Jin roared, charging forward like a cheetah. A trail of black afterimages followed him.

“This speed?!”

The crowd was stunned. The overwhelming sense of violence emanating from Akutsu Jin filled them with unease.

Swish!

Akutsu Jin caught up to the ball. Gripping his racket with both hands, his face twisted into a snarl, veins bulging on his forehead.

“Hmm,” Akutsu Jin mused. “If this continues, it’ll put too much strain on his body. His mind might even be affected.”

An excess of negative emotions could indeed impact one’s mental state. Akutsu Jin’s inherently violent nature made this even more dangerous. If the darkness within him was fully unleashed, the consequences would be catastrophic.

Swish!

Akutsu Jin swung his racket with all his strength, channeling every ounce of power into the shot.

Boom!

The ball tore through the air like a black streak, hurtling toward Ishikawa with terrifying speed.

Just as Akutsu Jin had predicted, Akutsu Jin was now completely controlled by his instincts. If this continued, he would become a machine driven solely by violence.

The spectators anxiously turned their eyes to Ishikawa. The power of this shot was horrifying—even Sanada’s Thunder paled in comparison.

“It’s about time to end this.”

But unlike the others, Ishikawa remained calm. A look of seriousness crossed his face.

Hum!

His martial arts aura surged. He shifted into a stance, raising his racket as if drawing a bow.

“A martial arts move!”

Hyoutei’s eyes lit up. Ishikawa’s posture was strikingly similar to his own. The only difference was the overwhelming martial arts aura radiating from Ishikawa, creating a powerful visual impact.

“Four Gods Martial Arts: Azure Dragon!”

Ishikawa’s eyes sharpened as he swung his racket.

Boom!

The collision between ball and racket produced a deafening explosion.

Whoosh!

A spiraling azure light shot forward, its speed far beyond anything the spectators had ever seen.

Tap! Tap!

On the other side, Akutsu Jin, driven by his heightened beastly instincts, tracked the ball’s trajectory. He lunged forward like a predator, kicking up clouds of dust as he moved.

Then, he raised his racket.

His eyes were empty, his body enveloped in a mix of beastly and negative energy. With a fierce roar, he slammed his racket into the azure light.

Crack!

A sharp sound echoed as Akutsu Jin’s racket shattered. His face, once filled with ferocity, now showed a flicker of disbelief and… pain.

Rip!

The spiraling ball tore through the racket strings and shot past Akutsu Jin, smashing through the wire fence with a loud clang.

Thud… thud…

The ball rolled to a stop outside the court.

The entire stadium fell into complete silence.

After what felt like an eternity, the referee finally spoke. “Game, set, and match! Ishikawa wins, 6-0!”

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(Chapter end.)