My Prince of Tennis has a high proficiency level.

really.

Upon hearing this, Shibukawa nodded inwardly. The selection method for coaches and department heads was based on merit, without any ranking or other superficial things.

"but."

After a pause, Uesugi's sharp gaze swept over the crowd: "Don't think you've passed the selection just because of this. Let me tell you, there's no end to this intensive training unless no one can keep up with the pace of the regulars."

"understood."

Everyone nodded solemnly.

It's clear that this intensive training isn't just empty talk; it's serious.

In fact, not only the regular team members, but even the regular players felt the pressure. They knew that Uesugi was still reeling from the brutal reality of his defeat to Atobe.

Then.

The ten players selected, including Shibukawa and Muromachi, began warming up with the regular players. After that, it was time for practice matches.

Shibukawa, playing his first live match, had a mediocre performance, completely lacking the brilliance of Muromachi. The latter ran around the court, appearing very active, and even when facing the starters, he dared to launch attacks without hesitation whenever he had the opportunity.

Such an outstanding performance amazed everyone, and even the regulars on the mountain nodded in approval.

On the contrary, Banta's attention was always on Shibukawa.

"It's clear that this is his first practice match. His movements and counter-attacks weren't very smooth, and they were even a bit stiff."

If it were anyone else, Bantian probably wouldn't have given them another second glance. But he had extraordinary patience for this steady, meticulous, and methodical team member.

On the field.

Shibukawa also thought quickly during the practice.

At first, he was indeed a bit flustered, because tennis matches are continuous, and your opponent doesn't give you time to calm down, analyze, judge, and react.

However, due to the transmigration, Shechuan's mental fortitude was not as weak as the original owner's.

Taking advantage of the gap in positioning after the opponent scored, Shigekawa, having calmed down, proactively broke down the game model and simplified it into three stages: watching, running, and attacking.

That is, to see the movement clearly, run and move, and swing the racket to counterattack.

While using formulas for problem-solving may seem rigid, it can help beginners like him eliminate other complex and interfering factors.

then.

To Banta's astonishment, Shibukawa's actions suddenly became swift and concise.

Chapter 13 First Victory

"Hmph, does this kid Shibukawa really think that just because he's doing well in training, he's ready for real combat?"

One side of the stadium.

A bespectacled boy with short, light gray hair and a gaunt face sneered inwardly.

His name is Honda Ryuichi, he is 14 years old, and he is in the same grade as captain Uesugi. Because of his average talent, he was not selected as a regular member, but his physical qualities were undeniable, and he successfully passed the selection for intensive training.

Despite being a regular member, Honda, a third-year player, has been eligible to practice since last fall.

In terms of competition experience, he believes he can completely crush his opponents.

In fact, at the beginning of the race, Honda did dominate the game, forcing Shibukawa into a difficult and embarrassing situation.

What annoyed Honda was that the other person was clearly a junior, and had been completely suppressed by him, but after losing points, he not only did not show respect for his senior, but also looked at him with very calm eyes.

"Then let me teach you how to respect your elders!"

Honda thought to himself, then tossed the tennis ball up, stood on tiptoe, and smashed it down powerfully.

Bang!

With a crisp sound, the tennis ball flew out.

Honda smiled smugly as he watched the tennis ball's trajectory and speed. This serve was almost a full-force strike; he could almost see the ball land and score an instant point, along with his opponent's panicked expression.

The other team members next to them also shook their heads.

"Honda has gone too far."

"Yes, if I remember correctly, this seems to be Shibukawa's first practice match."

"That being said, regular training and official matches are two different things. I just hope that Shibukawa won't be affected by this match."

The crowd was buzzing with discussion.

Without exception, in their eyes, Shibukawa could never be a match for Honda. Ultimately, there's a huge gap between a novice and a veteran with two years of playing experience and nearly a year of real-game experience.

Tap tap!

however.

No one expected that Shechuan would actually take action.

He strode forward, as if he knew exactly where the tennis ball would land, quickly approaching. Then, to everyone's astonishment, he raised his hand without hesitation and smacked it.

Bang!

A crisp sound of the ball hitting the ground rang out.

The tennis ball landed with a thud on Honda's backhand side. He was serving with all his might and couldn't react in time, so he could only watch helplessly as the tennis ball bounced away.

"Uh...15-15!"

The referee on the sidelines paused for a moment, then spoke loudly.

The previously noisy stadium suddenly fell silent.

Even the other team members who were on the field stopped what they were doing and looked over in surprise.

"H-How is this possible?"

Honda muttered to himself.

The scene before him was utterly absurd; a beginner had actually returned his serve. And he couldn't even react?

"coincide!"

"It must be a coincidence!!"

"This guy just got incredibly lucky to return my serve!!!"

After the initial shock, Honda quickly tried to justify his actions. And the more he thought about it, the more convinced he became.

How could a mere beginner possibly hit a return shot of that caliber? He couldn't find any other reason besides coincidence.

however.

Shechuan ignored the reactions of the crowd.

He was surprised to find that his retaliation had actually earned him a notification on the proficiency panel.

[Complete an excellent swing]

[Swing Experience +4]

[Current racket swing level 5 (334/3000)]

"Experience +4?"

Shechuan remembers clearly that the experience points for this level of evaluation were only 2, but now they have doubled.

"In other words, the amount of real-world experience is twice that of regular training?"

"As expected, actual combat improves skills much faster than training!"

Shechuan thought to himself.

"That damned guy!"

On the other side, Honda originally wanted to read his opponent's thoughts from Shibukawa's face, but he found that the other party did not make eye contact with him at all, and seemed to have no interest in paying attention to him.

This immediately enraged Honda.

"It was just a coincidence that you hit my serve back, what's so great about that?"

He tossed the tennis ball up again, clearly preparing to launch an attack.

opposite.

Shibukawa also noticed the change in his opponent's form.

But he wasn't afraid; on the contrary, he felt an urge to try. Not only did his doubled combat experience boost his morale, but his successful counterattack just now also solidified his tactical ideas.

This kind of game tactic, used by complete novices, is very suitable for him.

Just like in the original work, the protagonists Echizen and Momoshiro, who had never played doubles before, created the "Hum" and "Ha" doubles tactics based on their own characteristics after suffering a crushing defeat at the hands of Izumi and Fukawa, two random players from Tamolin Junior High School.

For Shechuan at this time, the simple tactic of "watch, run, fight" was extremely effective.

...

boom!

Bang!

boom!

Bang!

on the field.

Shechuan and his opponent engaged in a fight.

Although he failed to achieve the same direct scoring return on the next few balls, and even lost points in the process.

Overall, however, he completely kept up with Honda's pace. Furthermore, as his touches and running distances increased, his familiarity with the game also improved rapidly.

Gradually, it was Shibukawa who scored more points, while Honda looked tense and on high alert.

"This kid has quite a bit of talent in competitions."

Outside the stadium.

Coach Banta, along with team members like Uesugi and Minami, all nodded in agreement.

As far as I can remember, even Muromachi couldn't have managed to go toe-to-toe with a veteran like Honda, who had been playing for two years, in their first real match.

Moreover, as time went on, Shechuan clearly gained the upper hand.

"pity."

Uesugi sighed inwardly.

If Shibukawa were a first-year student, given the talent he has shown, he would definitely become a pillar of Yamabuki in the future, even surpassing Muromachi.

But he had investigated and found that the other person was already in the second year of junior high school, in the same grade as Sengoku and the others.

In the shadow of the latter's dazzling brilliance, Shibukawa's talent seemed less impressive. Thinking of Rikkai, Hyotei, Shitenhoji, and other top-tier schools with their monstrous talent, Uesugi felt even more helpless.

"It's alright. Although it's not as good as Akutsu, it's still a pleasant surprise."

Compared to Uesugi, Banta was quite satisfied.

Although his primary goal at the moment is still to recruit Akutsu into the tennis club, the boy's sudden rise to prominence is icing on the cake.

and.

Given the opponent's demonstrated combat talent, with proper training, it's entirely possible that they could become a Kanto-level expert for Yamabuki when the season starts next year.

...

Bang!

boom!

Bang!

on the field.

Under Shibuya's counterattack, Honda was running back and forth frantically. At this moment, his face was covered in sweat, and his expression was panicked; his previous confidence was nowhere to be seen.

On the other hand, Shechuan gained valuable practical experience through this competition.

Bang!

finally.