At the same time, the American Team had finished their exhibition match. Even though the Republic of Natsu no Kwan used underhanded tricks, Ryōma still completely crushed them with the help of a staff member.
Aside from the first match, where Ryōma deliberately dropped a few games to buy time, the next two matches were both ended quickly by the furious American Team with 6-0 victories.
After the match, at Ryōma's suggestion, everyone headed to watch the Japan vs. Germany match. However, Ryōga said he had something to take care of and didn't go with them.
When Ryōma and the others arrived, they didn't even have time to see the current situation before the umpire's voice rang out.
"GAME! Japan! 2-0!"
"Looks like they're doing pretty well~" Ryōma smirked, his tone playful and smug.
"Hey, hey! Did you guys see who's actually on court now? Volk is playing himself!" Chico exclaimed excitedly.
"Not only that! His partner is Bertie! Germany actually sent out two pros at once! Are they trying to crush Japan completely?" Hopkins frowned as he spoke.
"Right now the score is one-all between Japan and Germany! This third match is critical. Still, it's amazing Japan has managed this much already!" Dodo looked at the scoreboard, sighing.
"Did you forget? Japan Team is the one in the lead now! We'll have to beat Germany sooner or later anyway, so this is the perfect chance to study their strength!" Ryōma's voice carried confidence. Besides, he didn't believe Volk could easily overcome Akashi-senpai.
On court, Bertie walked to the baseline to serve. In the last game, even though they noticed Akashi's guidance, they hadn't found any good countermeasures in time.
Even when Volk and Bertie shifted focus onto Akashi and tried to cut down their attacks on Tanegashima, the match still seemed to flow according to Akashi's control.
'So the original Pseudo ZONE is actually this useful in doubles? I didn't expect that…' Akashi thought to himself as he prepared to receive serve.
Just as Akashi was pondering the ability, Bertie launched the ball quickly. Akashi snapped out of thought, flashed into position, and swung fast.
Volk's eyes sharpened as the ball flew in. His feet moved swiftly, and he smashed it before the bounce. The shot carried an intense spin, flying straight toward Akashi.
Akashi's eyes shifted subtly, but he didn't hesitate. He swung to meet it head-on. The instant his racket touched the ball, a violent vertical spin tore at his wrist as if to rip it apart.
Akashi only showed an expression of 'just as expected.' Instead of forcing it, he relaxed his grip, letting the spin carry his racket right out of his hand. The racket spiraled through the air and landed outside the court.
"Wirbel Taufe!"
"15-0!"
"I don't know how you guide the match, but as long as I hit balls you can't return, it doesn't matter," Volk said calmly, his voice steady as he looked at Akashi.
"Oh~ is that so? Wirbel Taufe isn't exactly some unreturnable move, you know!" Tanegashima cut in before Akashi could reply.
"Even if it were truly unreturnable, all I need to do is stop you from using it again," Akashi said flatly as he picked his racket back up.
"Seems Volk's Wirbel Taufe is a lot stronger than yours, Krauser~" Kite teased from the player's seats.
"He's the strongest pro right now. It's not surprising his move's stronger than mine. But Volk just used a basic forehand motion to launch Wirbel Taufe. His control of spin might even surpass Tezuka's," Krauser said calmly, more impressed than annoyed.
"No matter how strong Volk's Wirbel Taufe is, it can't break through Halt Destruction Nothingness. You should know that well, right, Liliadent-san?" Irie smiled as he walked over to Krauser.
"We'll see soon enough," Krauser replied lightly, focusing back on the court.
Bertie had already fired off another high-speed serve. But it meant nothing to Akashi. The moment Bertie swung, Akashi was already in position, meeting the rising ball with a smooth backhand.
A streak of yellow light shot from Akashi's racket to Germany's left baseline. Volk rushed and caught up instantly, countering without hesitation with Wirbel Taufe again, sending the heavily spinning ball straight back at Akashi.
This time, Tanegashima suddenly intercepted the ball at the net. The moment the ball struck his racket, the fierce vertical spin burst out, but in the next instant, a strange wave spread from the racket. The spin visibly dropped at high speed, finally vanishing into nothingness.
Seeing his Wirbel Taufe returned so easily, Volk's face showed no reaction. He had already grasped the basics of Tanegashima's ability in the past two games. Even so, he still used Bertie as cover, blocking Tanegashima's sight, then fired off another Wirbel Taufe aimed at Akashi.
"This move's principle is nothing but strong vertical spin. There are plenty of ways to return it," Akashi said flatly, watching the ball fly toward him.
He instantly flipped his racket, slamming the butt end against the ball. Before the spin could even take effect, he had already sent it back. This was the same method Yukimura once used to counter Wirbel Taufe.
Butt return.
Unlike Yukimura's, however, Akashi's return didn't fly out. Instead, it struck precisely on the baseline. Fortunately, Bertie reached it just in time, saving the shot and aiming his counter into the gap between Akashi and Tanegashima.
No one noticed that after Akashi struck back Volk's Wirbel Taufe, his pupils suddenly turned an orange-red that didn't belong to the Emperor Eye. Then, a phantom of a blue sphere flickered in his pupils, and the golden ring of the Emperor Eye began to rotate.
Akashi dashed several quick steps, cutting into the ball's path, and swung fast. The shot carried powerful spin, shooting toward Volk.
Volk's eyes flashed briefly, but he still swung to intercept. The next second, he felt the force of his own Wirbel Taufe. His racket flew from his hand, spinning through the air and out of bounds.
"15-15!"
"Eh?! Akashi-senpai can use Wirbel Taufe too?!" Kirihara's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Because my Wirbel Taufe was originally taught to me by Akashi," Krauser said calmly from the side.
"And my Dark Side was also taught by Akashi-kun," Kite added with a serious tone.
"Hmph! So that brat Akashi really has plenty of tricks. When he played me, he didn't use any of this!" Byoudouin growled, clearly displeased.
"Even if Akashi-kun had used Wirbel Taufe or Dark Side, they wouldn't have made much difference against you, Byoudouin," Oni said lowly, casting him a sharp look.
On court, Bertie for the first time felt crushing pressure. The opponent in front of him not only used the same move as his brother but could even blast his racket away. For Bertie, this bordered on impossible.
"That guy's Wirbel Taufe is no weaker than mine. Be careful from here, Bertie," Volk warned calmly from the front court.
"Yeah, I know!" Bertie replied gravely. He tossed the ball and unleashed a sharp, high-speed serve, but when it landed, Akashi was already waiting at the spot.
Volk instantly read Akashi's return path. He knew Bertie couldn't handle Wirbel Taufe, so he had to intercept in advance. As expected, Akashi's return came loaded with heavy spin toward Volk's predicted position.
But when Volk gripped his racket to intercept, the ball suddenly slipped through the strings, vanishing like a bubble. A moment later, on the other side, Bertie's racket was blasted out of his hand, spinning in the air.
"15-30!"
"Even the philosopher of victory can choose the wrong future. Your so-called victory is nothing more than destined defeat," Akashi said coldly, his eyes gleaming with that strange, demonic light.
For the first time, Volk's expression shifted. He frowned at his racket, trying to analyze what had just happened.
But as play went on, both the spectators and players watching noticed something bizarre. Volk no longer used Wirbel Taufe at all. Instead, Akashi repeatedly unleashed it himself, overwhelming Bertie, who couldn't withstand such violent vertical spin.
"15-40!"
"GAME! Japan! 3-0!"
After Japan took the third game, Volk stared at Akashi with rare astonishment. Even he couldn't suppress the ripple in his heart. He realized he could no longer use Wirbel Taufe.
"So you've noticed. Like I said before, against an unreturnable move, all I need to do is stop the opponent from using it again," Akashi said coldly, eyes locked on Volk.
Behind him, a gray-haired figure appeared faintly—Akashi's former teammate from the kuroko world, Haizaki Shōgo.