Time shifted back slightly—just as Akashi was about to serve in the sixth game, Sanada Genichirō felt a wave of confusion. He didn't know what else he could do to defeat Akashi. Even his secret techniques, honed over years, were completely ineffective.
At that moment, Sanada sank into his memories. He could still recall the fire in their hearts back in sixth grade—how full of ambition and confidence he and Yukimura Seiichi had been.
"Yukimura, we're about to enter middle school. With our strength, even in junior high, we'll be unmatched. Let's achieve the national three-peat—something no one has ever done before!"
"Don't get cocky, Genichirō. We still don't know how many strong players exist across the country. Someone who can match us might show up at any time," Yukimura replied with a smile.
Then the scene shifted. Sanada stood with his head lowered, speaking solemnly to his grandfather. "Sorry, Grandfather. I lost today's match... and I lost to Tezuka Kunimitsu."
"Oh? That's the grandson of the Tezuka family? Looks like he raised a fine young man. Sanada, losing a match isn't what matters—what matters is that you don't slack off in your training. Whether it's kendo or tennis," his grandfather said seriously.
"Rest in peace, former King of Kantō," Akashi said coldly.
"A Zero Shiki Drop? Impressive, Tezuka," Sanada muttered, voice heavy.
"If you thought you could beat me with just Lightning, then you're far too naive, Sanada Genichirō," Akashi's icy voice rang out again.
"Genichirō, even though my condition is under control for now—and Dr. Takahashi said it's likely not a problem—if something does happen, I'm leaving the team to you," Yukimura's tone had never been so serious.
"We promised a national three-peat. And now, two years have passed, and all we've got is runner-up. Doesn't that feel a bit ironic?" Yukimura said under the starlit sky, his voice tinged with loneliness.
Scene after scene replayed in Sanada's mind. He watched himself transform from a bold, high-spirited youth to the strict and hardened person he'd become. Only Sanada knew how much effort he and Yukimura had poured into chasing that elusive dream.
But today, facing Akashi's transcendent strength, it all felt like a cruel joke. Even awakening the Divine Path of the Asura mid-match couldn't help him win a single game.
'Maybe... Akashi was right. My defeat was set from the beginning. No matter how hard I struggle, the ending won't change,' Sanada thought as a wave of despair started rising within.
"ACE! 40-0!"
The umpire's voice suddenly snapped him out of it. Sanada returned to reality, startled to realize he'd been so lost in thought during a match. He scolded himself—how could he be so careless?
Just as Sanada tried to refocus, Akashi's final serve came flying toward him. At the same time, he heard his teammates calling out his name. Empowered by the Divine Path of the Asura, Sanada's mental force suddenly surged and shifted dramatically. A strange new power began to stir within him.
Sanada suddenly looked up, his body wrapped in dazzling silver light from the Divine Path of the Asura. From the pitch-black aura surrounding him, two beams of blood-red light shot out like a pair of giant lanterns.
In the blink of an eye, Sanada vanished and reappeared directly in the ball's path. Lightning crackled wildly around his body as he slammed his racket into the ball, the crimson light behind him pulsing once before fading.
"Lightning Ball—Thunderclap!"
The tennis ball transformed into a massive sphere of lightning, roaring across the court toward Akashi with terrifying power. It wasn't any weaker than his previous shot—and for the first time, Akashi's expression shifted noticeably.
'That brief flash of spiritual energy—was that another dimension? But with Sanada's current strength, he shouldn't be able to fully access it yet. So it's just a prototype, like what Akutsu and Tachibana showed... I underestimated you, Sanada,' Akashi murmured under his breath.
As he spoke, Akashi prepared to return the ball. But his Emperor Eye detected something odd—the massive lightning sphere suddenly deflected mid-air, changing direction. Even Akashi was caught off guard.
'That's... Black Dragon Slash? But there was no swing motion. Could this be Sanada's dimensional ability? If that's the case, then I'll just let you taste what a true other dimension really is,' Akashi thought silently.
The next moment, a massive golden throne appeared behind Akashi. Lavish gems of every color were embedded into its surface. At the same time, a figure slowly emerged, sitting casually on the throne. He wore an extravagant robe, one leg crossed over the other, his right hand resting against his head, and his ruby-like eyes full of disdain for everyone around him.
"Another Dimension—Gilgamesh."
"Zasshu." A voice filled with contempt and scorn echoed in everyone's mind—but it also felt like a hallucination.
By now, the massive lightning ball had already begun its second refraction. But right then, Gilgamesh lifted his left hand and pointed into the air. A rift suddenly tore open in the space ahead of the lightning ball. A short dagger-like weapon shot out, attached to a long chain, and instantly wrapped around the ball.
"Gate of Babylon! Enkidu!"
The lightning ball, bound by the chain, instantly lost all momentum. Akashi swung his racket at just the right time, returning the ball—still entangled in Enkidu—back toward Sanada. The shot flew across the net with blazing speed. Just as Sanada tried to move and intercept, something completely unexpected happened.
His body was suddenly wrapped up and locked in place by Enkidu. Unlike Atobe's World of Ice, this was total paralysis. He couldn't move a muscle—not even shift his eyes.
The ball soared past him, struck the ground, and bounced out of bounds. Sanada couldn't even track the ball's path—he could only stand there, completely frozen.
"Game! 6-0! Match over! Winner—Fudomine!"
As the umpire declared the end of the match, Akashi dismissed his dimensional space, and Sanada regained control of his body. His expression was complex as he looked toward Akashi. He didn't say anything—just gave a small nod before turning away and walking back to Rikkai's bench.
Akashi, too, had returned to his usual calm smile. He nodded slightly toward Sanada, then turned and walked toward his own team bench. Honestly, Sanada had really surprised him today. Akashi used to believe Sanada's talent was far below that of Tezuka or Yukimura—but it turned out Sanada had clawed his way up this far through sheer hard work.
"Looks like you've realized the gap between yourself and Akashi, huh, Genichirō?" Yukimura didn't blame him for losing. Instead, he smiled and offered gentle encouragement.
"Yeah... I lost pretty badly this time. But now I know the path I need to take. Next time, I won't lose," Sanada said in a low voice, but it was full of determination.
"I believe in you, Genichirō." Yukimura replied with a smile, fully assured Sanada would be fine.
Meanwhile, over at Fudomine's bench, everyone stared at Akashi as he returned with a smile on his face. Their reactions were... interesting—even Tezuka was no exception. This was his first time seeing Akashi's other dimension directly. During past practice matches, Akashi had never used it.
Even players like Kite and Krauser, who had seen Akashi's dimensional space before, looked surprised. Back then, all they saw was a massive silhouette in golden armor—none of the details had been clear.
"What's wrong? Why are you all staring at me? Shouldn't we be thinking about the upcoming Doubles Two match?" Akashi asked with a smile.
The Fudomine team glanced at each other, then returned to normal. But whether their hearts were as calm was another matter. Up in the stands, Mifune chuckled and shook his head.
"In the end, you couldn't hold it in, huh, Akashi-kun," he muttered, then took another swig from his flask.
By this point, the staff had finished cleaning the court. As for the crater left by Akashi's earlier serve—it couldn't be fixed for now. Luckily, it didn't affect the match, so they decided to just leave it. What else could they do?
"Up next, we begin the Doubles Two match! Representing Fudomine: Tōyama Kintarō and Akutsu Jin! Representing Rikkai: Niō Masaharu and Yanagi Renji! All players, please enter the court!"
At the umpire's call, the four players walked onto the court, each with a different expression. Akutsu wore his usual scowl. Kintarō was beaming with excitement, clearly itching to start. Niō had a crafty smirk, which stood in stark contrast to Yanagi's calm and composed face.