My Prince of Tennis has a high proficiency level

Chapter 84: Reactions from Various Schools, New Semester Arrives

In the blink of an eye.

It's late February.

This is the quietest period for all the teams. Veterans have left, new players haven't arrived, and with spring still not here, the cold winds on the courts make it hard to muster any enthusiasm for playing.

Hyotei, in particular, which has over 200 registered players, has lost more than half of its tennis team members.

but.

Despite the smaller number of players, Hyotei still maintains a great training atmosphere as a top-tier team.

Especially with the gradual departure of third-year team members, the competition among ordinary team members for the starting spot is more intense than ever before.

"Hurry up, I'm going to run five more laps today."

"Hmph, no matter how many laps you run, I'll still beat you by one."

"Kobayashi, are you crazy?"

"Are you crazy? My goal is to qualify as a representative for the second team!"

"Hmph, I won't lose to you either!"

Inside the vast sports field, several close teammates were doing extra practice. There was no other way; Hyotei Academy had too many players, and more players meant more intense competition and greater pressure.

Everyone wants to stand out, but there are only a few spots available for the final selection.

However, because of its large number of players, Hyotei's situation is somewhat unique compared to other teams. In addition to the eight regular players, the team has also established a talent pool, and after each school selection tournament, players who are not selected will be given a second round of selection.

The eight players selected in the second round are known as Hyotei's second team. But don't underestimate the second team; Hyotei easily made it to the semifinals of last year's Metropolitan Tournament with the second team as their main force.

In other words, the second-team members who couldn't even get close to the starting lineup at Hyotei would be a game-changer for other teams.

Therefore, Hyotei's position in Tokyo is now virtually unshakeable.

Unfortunately, even powerhouses like Hyotei and Atobe could only manage second place in the Kanto region, unable to advance any further. Rikkai was simply too strong; even the arrogant Atobe harbored deep fear of their roster.

But Atobe's ambition did not disappear. On the contrary, after suffering two defeats last year, he took a different approach, using his financial power to lead the regulars of Hyotei to fly all over the country and even the world.

The purpose is to completely transform Hyotei and wipe away their previous humiliation.

Australia.

Melbourne.

Flemington Horse Ranch.

Unlike the chill of early spring in the Northern Hemisphere, Melbourne, located in the Southern Hemisphere, is experiencing the transition from summer to autumn. The pleasant temperatures make people more inclined to go outdoors.

now.

Atobe is leading the Hyotei regulars in equestrian training at this world-renowned horse racing track. In Atobe's view, equestrianism is a very effective sport for training balance.

It has been proven that the power of money is remarkably effective.

After two weeks of intensive training, the Hyotei team members' balance has been greatly improved.

On a low slope.

Several figures rode forward slowly on tall horses. The long-haired boy, riding a black steed and wearing black-rimmed glasses, spoke up: "Atobe, I heard you beat Fuji from Seigaku in the last autumn youth selection tournament?"

"It's just a contest of smashes."

Among the group, Atobe, wearing a light white knitted short-sleeved shirt and possessing a handsome face, spoke up: "Moreover, Fuji's special move is [Giant Bear Counterattack]. With Oshitari around, I have a very deep understanding of this move, so it's normal for me to be able to beat him."

Upon hearing this, the group couldn't help but smile knowingly.

One of the boys, with his burgundy bangs, laughed and said, "If that's the case, then that guy named Fuji is really unlucky."

"Don't underestimate others."

Just as everyone was about to laugh and agree, Atobe's expression turned slightly cold, and he shook his head, saying, "That Fuji has a lot of talent. Although I countered his [Giant Bear Counter], he has two other counter techniques. Even Yanagi from Rikkai University lost to him."

柳？

Upon hearing this name, everyone present tensed up.

Two years have passed since they joined the tennis club. During that time, Hyotei dominated the two national leagues, initially sweeping all before them and reigning supreme on the court.

However, since the Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament was upgraded to the Kanto Tournament, Hyotei has never won first place again. In two years, they faced Rikkai University from Kanagawa four times, suffering crushing defeats each time.

As a result, many people have developed PTSD from the name Rikkai University.

The name Liu is one of the obstacles standing in Hyotei's path to becoming king.

"Even Yanagi lost to him, Fuji of Seigaku is indeed not simple."

Everyone immediately suppressed their arrogance.

Only the boy with black-rimmed glasses felt a slight stirring in his heart. He glanced at Atobe, whose expression remained unchanged, and subconsciously tightened his grip on the reins.

Others might not have noticed, but he understood Atobe's subtle warning.

Hyotei may seem glamorous now, but their true top-tier strength lies solely in Atobe. The team is good at beating weaker opponents, but they crumble when facing top-tier teams.

Especially when they faced Rikkai, they lost all four matches, which demoralized many players. Of course, this doesn't mean Hyotei wasn't strong; it's just that Rikkai's lineup was far too overpowered compared to other schools.

But competitive matches must ultimately have winners and losers.

If Hyotei wants to reach the top, Rikkai University is an opponent they can't bypass no matter what.

therefore.

Hyotei's most pressing need is to strengthen the development of its top-tier players. And for the wealthy and powerful Atobe, as long as the talent is good enough, he can provide the highest-level training roster from any team in the world.

"Speaking of which, it's definitely him."

At this moment, the brown-haired boy at the end of the group suddenly spoke up: "While I was gathering information, I heard something quite interesting."

"What is it?"

The boy with wine-red hair, Gakuto Mukahi, one of the regulars at Hyotei, asked curiously.

Upon hearing this, the brown-haired boy, Taki Oginosuke, one of the regulars of Hyotei, said, "About a month and a half ago, Fuji went to Yamabuki."

"Yamabuki?"

Atobe raised an eyebrow slightly. He vaguely recognized the name, but not in a deep sense.

The person next to him, Shinobu, explained: "Last year, they were among the top four teams in the tournament, but they lost to Seigaku in the semifinals. Kanto was eliminated after just one round."

"Seriously? This team isn't even a second-rate team, is it?"

The brown-haired boy, Ryo Ashido, a regular player for Hyotei, looked on in surprise.

"Yamabuki?"

Mukahi frowned, as if he had thought of something, and said uncertainly, "If I remember correctly, we ran into them near the end of last year's national tournament. Their captain was instantly defeated by Atobe."

"It's him."

"I remember now."

"If I remember correctly, Atobe didn't even use 60% of his strength in that match. For someone like that to become captain, Yamabuki's strength is really quite average."

Most people showed disdain to varying degrees.

Hyotei is, after all, a private school with very high entry requirements, and the wealthy Atobe has raised Hyotei's minimum strength to a level that most teams can only look up to.

To put it bluntly, Hyotei's second team was able to sweep all the way to the semifinals in the Metropolitan Tournament. In their eyes, Yamabuki's lineup was no different from Hyotei's second team.

"Go on."

Atobe glanced at Taki expressionlessly, who shuddered and quickly said, "That Fuji went to Yamabuki and got defeated."

Ok?

This statement came out.

Everyone present, except for Atobe, had a change in expression.

Fuji's ability to defeat Yanagi from Rikkai University demonstrates his undeniable strength. Even at Hyotei, he would be a strong contender for the second-best stunner.

Yet, this very person was defeated by someone else in Yamabuki, and the information contained in that defeat is enough to make many people no longer dare to underestimate Yamabuki.

Just when they thought the matter was over, Taki continued, "Moreover, according to my inside information, Fuji not only lost, but he lost badly, losing 0-6 to that person."

"0-6?!"

Everyone's expression changed upon hearing this, and Mukahi blurted out in disbelief, "Do you even know what you're saying? Fuji lost 0-6? You must be kidding me!!!"

Among them, even Atobe, who had a very strong mental fortitude, showed a barely perceptible look of disbelief in his eyes after hearing Taki's rumor.

Atobe's gaze shifted, and he said in a cold tone, "Are you sure?"

"The probability is over 90%."

Taki nodded firmly: "According to the information I've gathered, the one who defeated Fuji was the current captain of Yamabuki."

"The head of Yamabuki? Who? That Sengoku guy?!"

"It wasn't him."

Taki shook his head and said, "That person's name is Shibukawa Shin. It is said that he defeated the former captain, Uesugi Kenichi, in a head-on battle to become the captain of Yamabuki."

"Shibukawa letter?"

The group looked at each other, their faces blank.

They had never heard of this name before. But if the opponent could defeat Fuji, their strength would definitely be at the national level.

"This is interesting."

Atobe raised an eyebrow slightly: "I originally thought that only Seigaku could compete with us in this year's Metropolitan Tournament, but I didn't expect that Yamabuki would have someone with decent strength."

For Atobe now, the Kanto-level players are simply not qualified to be his opponents. Given Yamabuki's doubles strength, if they were to add a national-level player whose strength remains a mystery, they would pose a considerable threat.

"Taki".

Thinking of this, Atobe said, "When we get back, we need to investigate this guy named Shibukawa thoroughly. Also, we need to get the data on Tezuka from Seigaku as soon as possible."

Atobe is a very proud person.

But he was arrogant, not stupid. He knew very well that in a team-based competition, going it alone was meaningless. The hidden strength of Yamabuki and Seigaku had made him realize that the undercurrents were more turbulent than he had imagined.

The saying goes, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated."

If Hyotei doesn't understand the strength of their opponents and doesn't field their strongest lineup before the semifinals, instead sending out their second team to face them, they might very well suffer an upset.

Intuition told Atobe.

This new season will probably be even more interesting than he imagined.

at the same time.

Tokyo.

Youth Academy Tennis Club.

While the team members were actively preparing for the competition, a new management structure for the tennis club was also selected. Teya became the club president, and Oishi, who excels in doubles, became the vice president.

Thanks to the extraordinary charisma of the team's leader, the team's cohesion is stronger than last year.

Of course, what made Coach Ryuzaki even happier was that Fuji, who had previously shown little interest in training, seemed like a completely different person since returning from the autumn youth selection tournament, with a significantly higher level of enthusiasm for training.

"If this trend continues, Seigaku will likely have at least two players with national-level skills before the start of this year's tournament."

Looking at the people training on the court, Ryuzaki stood outside the court and thought to himself.

"In singles, the combination of Teya, Fuji, and Inui is well-structured and capable of handling most national-level opponents. However, in doubles, we are lacking in many areas."

Ryuzaki rubbed her temples, feeling somewhat conflicted. According to her plan, the best arrangement for Inui, who excelled in data-driven tennis, would be to play doubles.

However, Seigaku's singles system is not yet perfect, and Inui's presence is equally indispensable.

Drop drop drop.

Just then, Ryuzaki's phone rang. She picked it up, glanced at the caller ID, paused for a moment, and then a playful smile appeared on her face.

After the call connected, Ryuzaki said with amusement, "You actually have time to call me. What's up? Trans-Pacific travel isn't cheap."

"Hmm? A newbie who's only in middle school?"

"Is that the kid? Okay, I got it."

After hanging up the phone, a glint of light flashed in Ryuzaki's eyes. The lineup that had been finalized in her mind had changed.

"If he's that guy's son, he should be able to easily handle the singles 3 position, right?"

Although Ryuzaki had never seen the boy, who was not yet 12 years old, compete in person.

But she trusted the person on the other end of the phone.

Especially when he thought about the boy's current achievements, Ryuzaki couldn't help but feel even more excited.

"No matter what, someone who has won the national junior championships consecutively can't be that bad at all."

Kanagawa.

Rikkai University Tennis Club.

While other teams were training hard, Rikkai University, which had won two consecutive national championships, was in a somewhat sluggish state.

First, their minister, Yukimura, suddenly fell seriously ill last October and has not been able to play since being sent to the hospital.

In addition, one of the team's core players, third-year regular player Jusaburo Mori, has officially left the tennis club. Rikkai University has suffered a significant loss of strength.

Under Yukimura's entrustment, the team is currently managed by Vice-Captain Sanada.

At this moment, Sanada Masahiro and Yanagi, who are also among Rikkai's three giants, exchanged views: "Seigaku's danger level will be raised in next year's Kanto Tournament."

"Because of Fuji?"

Liu raised an eyebrow upon hearing this: "If that's the case, then we can raise the bar a little. But our opponent is still Hyotei."

"Hyotei?"

Sanada shook his head noncommittally.

Before this, he didn't take any team seriously. But ever since he heard about Yanagi, especially after finding out about Seigaku's starting lineup from Fuji and seeing that name, Sanada no longer dared to underestimate Seigaku.

Fuji is very strong and can completely suppress Yanagi.

What about yourself?

Especially when Sanada thought about the match he had with that person two and a half years ago, he couldn't calm down.

Mori left the team.

Yukimura fell ill.

Rikkai University's golden armor has already been broken by half. As the current de facto manager, Sanada dares not be careless in the slightest.

Under his leadership, Rikkai University's already rigorous training has become even more intense.

at the same time.

Shishiraku in Kyushu, Shitenhoji in Kansai, and an unknown team in Tokyo are all experiencing changes that could influence the course of competitions at the prefectural, Kanto, and even national levels.

In the blink of an eye.

Early spring has ended.

Cherry blossoms are in bloom.

Shechuan and others also ushered in their first semester of junior high school.

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