My Prince of Tennis has a high proficiency level.

Bang!

boom!

...

on the field.

The tennis ball flew back and forth.

The two quickly got into the game and fought fiercely, with neither side gaining the upper hand.

"These two guys... have gotten stronger again."

Outside the stadium, Uesugi remarked with a sigh.

He's long behind the current meta. After all, his talent ceiling is limited, and the fact that he's still a regular starter for Yamabuki is a testament to his hard work.

Based on the current Yamabuki singles rankings, Uesugi is only ranked fifth. Even Muromachi and Yuta are very interested in playing against him.

Especially after seeing Sengoku and Mizuki go on for more than 20 rounds, Uesugi couldn't help but say, "As expected, I'm already out of touch with the times."

Have you made a decision?

Hearing him say that, Banta, who had his hands behind his back, looked at him curiously.

"Yes, it's decided."

Uesugi smiled frankly and said, "My role in the tennis club is becoming less and less. Rather than continuing to occupy a regular spot, it's better to leave the club sooner and give newcomers more opportunities."

"Alright."

Banta smiled and nodded: "You've given so much to Yamabuki, it's time for you to do your own thing."

"Yes."

As Uesugi spoke, his gaze shifted to the corner where a black-haired boy was calmly practicing his swing.

"I feel very reassured with Yamabuki around."

...

Another month has passed in the blink of an eye.

After the spring break, the third semester for second-year students in Shechuan began.

The third-year team members have basically stopped coming to the tennis club.

The first and second-year team members are training even harder to qualify for the regular season. The competition within the Yamabuki team is incredibly fierce right now; if you're not good enough, you'll be surpassed by other, better members.

soon.

Another round of school-wide selection competitions has begun.

Compared to last time, the competition is even fiercer this time. With Uesugi not participating, the four confirmed spots are held by Shibukawa, Akutsu, Sengoku, and Mizuki.

Among the four, Mizuki, who is ranked lowest in strength, is overwhelmingly superior to other members who are not in the four-person group.

However, out of personal motives, Shibukawa included Mizuki in his own group.

After the match, he gained another wave of experience. This experience was solidified through the proficiency panel, becoming an integral part of his skill.

finally.

Two players from Group A, Shechuan and Guanyue, advanced to the next round.

Just when everyone thought the result of the competition would be the same as the last qualifying round, an upset occurred.

After Akutsu advanced from Group B without any controversy, in a crucial match, the current starting player, Higashikata Masami, who formed the "Potato Army" with Minami, was defeated by Fuji 7-5.

"I...I actually lost?"

Dongfang Yamei's face was filled with disbelief.

He never imagined that he could no longer even beat a first-year student. But recalling Yuta's half-hit attack, Dongfang's eyelids still twitched uncontrollably.

Too fierce!

This first-year student with short brown hair plays basketball with the ferocity of a street thug. Yuta dares to take any opportunity to score, occasionally missing, but most of the time he manages to get points.

Especially in the final game, Yuta, leading 6-5, played with incredible ferocity. His aggressive and daring style completely intimidated Higashi, causing the latter to lose focus and allowing Yuta to seize the opportunity for a decisive victory.

"Thank you for your guidance, senior."

Yuta, who won the game, behaved very politely.

However, after leaving the stadium, he winked and made faces at Muromachi outside the stadium when no one was looking at him, looking quite smug.

"Damn it!"

Muromachi was instantly thrown into chaos.

He can lose, but Yuta absolutely cannot win! He's the type who's afraid his brother will suffer, yet also afraid his brother will drive a Land Rover.

Especially after seeing Yuta's provocative expression, Muromachi became even more resentful. Fueled by this, he didn't fight seriously during his duel with Sengoku in order to conserve his energy.

However, when Muromachi faced off against the current regular player, Shintobe Inakichi, it was as if he had flipped a switch to rage, launching a fierce and relentless offensive.

Niito's singles skills were not outstanding to begin with, and when he faced Muromachi, who was provoked by Yuta's "going ashore" behavior, he was completely stunned.

Finally, Muromachi defeated Niito 6-4, ending the match. He became one of the members of the C group, alongside Sengoku, to advance to the starting lineup.

The competition in Group D is also fierce, but there are no players like Akutsu or Sengoku who absolutely control the qualification spots.

In a crucial match, Minami and Kita were neck and neck. Ultimately, Minami, with his greater experience, secured a narrow 6-4 victory.

Although Kita lost, he still gained a valuable opportunity to advance.

This is the end.

The new round of school selection trials for Yamabuki has concluded, and the official selection list consists of Shibukawa, Mizuki, Akutsu, Yuta, Sengoku, Muromachi, Minami, and Kita.

"Is this a lie?"

Upon seeing the final score, someone exclaimed in disbelief.

Of the eight starting spots, nearly half were filled by first-year students. This not only boosted the morale and confidence of the other first-year students, but also instilled a deep sense of crisis in the second-year team members.

Shechuan was quite satisfied with this.

He wants to see Yamabuki become a team where players compete with each other and enter a virtuous cycle. For Tohoku and Niigata, losing their starting positions might not be a bad thing.

Time passed day by day.

As spring approaches, Yamabuki's overall strength and reputation are rising in tandem.

Other teams are also honing their skills.

Everyone wants to show their skills in next year's Metropolitan Tournament, Kanto Tournament, and National Tournament.

at the same time.

On the other side of the ocean.

west coast.

Los Angeles State St. Youth Elementary School.

As a well-known school in the city, it has produced many sports stars. As a result, a large portion of the sponsorship fees the school receives each year comes from various popular sports programs.

tennis court.

A group of white teenagers stood respectfully outside the court, their eyes fixed on the figure wearing a white tennis cap on the court.

Bang!

Sudden.

The boy swung his racket quickly, unleashing a sharp, arcing through ball. Under the incredibly astonished gaze of the freckled, brown-haired boy, the ball grazed the baseline with pinpoint accuracy.

"The match is over."

"Ryoma Echizen wins, score 6-0!"

"Congratulations, Echizen-kun."

The defeated freckled boy walked nervously to the net and spoke softly.

However, his opponent, the boy in the white tennis cap, looked at him calmly, even somewhat coldly, nodded, and turned to leave.

"that......"

Seeing the other person leave, the white boy took a deep breath and shouted, "Echizen-kun, can we still play basketball together in the future?"

As a prodigy who had been educated with an elite tennis mindset since childhood, the white boy was given a severe lesson by the boy wearing a tennis cap as soon as he arrived at the school.

Not just him.

These proud and arrogant young men around the court have been beaten so badly and subdued by the team over the years.

But it is precisely because they know how strong the boy is that they care even more about whether they will be able to play tennis with such an excellent player in the future.

"me?"

Hearing the question and glancing at the concerned looks from the other boys, Ryoma Echizen thought for a moment and shook his head, saying, "There's no chance."

Done.

He left the tennis club.

As he walked out of the school, the boy carrying a tennis bag looked up and gazed westward.

"Old man, I hope what you're telling me is true. Otherwise, it'll be too boring."

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 do one more."

"Kobayashi, have you gone mad?"

"You're 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 people, and more people 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 take the regulars of Hyotei 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.