vncnus Chapter 169 Hyotei vs. Seigaku: Who Has the Biggest Prestige?
Chapter 169 Hyotei vs. Seigaku: Who Has the Biggest Prestige?
Mochizuki Ryou took the pen, glanced at Atobe, and then quickly made several changes on the paper. He moved swiftly, erasing several places, writing a few names in blank lines, crossing out the originals, and rearranging them.
He changed half of the list.
After making the corrections, Mochizuki Ryo handed the form back to Atobe. Atobe took it, his gaze falling on the paper, his eyebrows twitching slightly before returning to normal.
Mukahi in the back row craned his neck to look, Shishido leaned forward, Jiro stood up from his seat, and Kabaji took a half step.
None of them saw the specific words, but Atobe's subtle change in expression had already aroused curiosity in everyone.
Wang Yueling glanced at the list she had revised, a meaningful smile playing on her lips.
Atobe paused on the paper for a moment, then looked up at Mochizuki Ryo, his icy blue eyes filled with inquiry.
"You've included Seigaku in your calculations too."
"Hmm." Wang Yueling capped her pen. "This list will be very useful in case they make any possible changes to their tactics."
Are you sure they'll change?
"uncertain."
Wang Yueling lifted Luna from the empty seat, carefully straightened her straw hat, and said casually, "But... when the opponent's strength is vastly different, many people will choose to go all out."
"The Seigaku coach and captain aren't stupid. Knowing that their regular lineup wouldn't fare well against us, they'll definitely take a gamble."
"We're betting that we can't predict their tactical changes, and that we can play to their rhythm."
He paused, looked down at Luna in his arms, and gently stroked her fur with his fingertips. "Then let's let them bet. They bet we'll play the conventional way, and we'll play the unconventional way. Let's see who has the stronger hand."
Atobe stared at him for several seconds without saying a word.
"Let's just wait and see." Mochizuki Ryou lifted Luna up and pressed her face against Luna's.
Atobe folded the match schedule and put it back in his coat pocket. He leaned back in his chair, tapped the corner of his eye with his finger, and didn't ask any more questions.
He pondered the meaning behind Wang Yueling's words, his fingertips rubbing his cuffs a few times.
Oshitari leaned over from the back row to steal a peek at the paper in Atobe's hand, but couldn't see it clearly. However, after seeing Atobe's expression, he leaned back in his chair and whistled.
"interesting."
Xiang Ri twisted and turned behind him, finally unable to resist sticking her head out and shouting, "Ling, what exactly did you change to? Give us a hint!"
Wang Yueling waved to him, "You'll find out when we get there."
"You're really teasing us," Xiang Ri muttered, leaning back in his seat with his chin on his arm. "It's like reading a manga that just cuts off at the crucial moment."
Cilang chimed in, "Exactly! You didn't tell us after you finished revising it, so we weren't confident."
"It's good that you're unsure."
Wang Yueling bent down and stroked Luna's tail. The kitten purred softly, its eyes half-closed, completely oblivious to its surroundings. "It's no fun if there's a bottom line."
-
Tokyo Tennis Sports Park.
When Hyotei's bus arrived at the entrance of the sports park, the entrance was already packed with people.
The support group for Shonan City had completely surrounded the entrance. The girls held up light boards and banners with the name "Wakatohiro" printed on them. They were pink and sparkly, dazzling in the sunlight.
Several banners reading "Chengcheng is the strongest in southern Hunan" swayed gently in the wind. Many people were also sitting on the steps, taking pictures of the queue for entry with their phones.
As the bus slowed down and came to a complete stop, a cacophony of noise rushed in the moment the doors opened. The girls surrounding the Shonan support area were drawn to the commotion caused by the Hyotei bus.
The sound paused for a moment, then turned into a buzzing discussion.
"Hyotei... it's Hyotei's bus."
"Is that Atobe Keigo over there? He's even more handsome than the rumors say... He has such a strong presence."
"Hey, who's that blonde? I've never seen her before, she's so pretty... and she seems to be holding a cat?"
"Haven't you seen the school forum? That's Hyotei's new acting coach, Mochizuki Ryo. He's got a lot of interesting stories about him."
"Does Hyotei really not select players based on looks?"
"Can you focus on the important points?"
"I've followed them, they're all very handsome."
……
Mochizuki Ryo slung the cat bag across her shoulder and followed Atobe off the train. One by one, the regulars of Hyotei stepped out of the train, their greyish-white uniforms gleaming cleanly in the sunlight.
Several people stood in a row, backs straight, walking at a leisurely pace.
The surrounding chatter grew louder, interspersed with a few hushed gasps and the clicks of cell phone cameras.
"The one with red hair, he jumped really high, especially when he got off the bus just now."
"That bag is shaped like a cat's head...and there really looks like there's a cat inside."
"It's black! Look at its ears."
"It really is black! Could that rumor be true?"
Luna seemed to hear someone talking about her. She rested her chin on the edge of the windowpane, glanced outside, and then pulled back inside.
Listening to the discussions about the kitten, Wang Yueling continued walking forward. She had only taken a few steps when a cheerful voice came from beside her.
"Mochizuki-kun."
Hanamura Aoi stood a few steps away.
Today she was wearing a light beige fitted business suit with a white inner layer, which made her look capable and neat.
Her long, wine-red curly hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her gaze, emanating from behind her thin-rimmed glasses, fell upon Wang Yueling, scanning her from head to toe.
"Finally, I've met you in person. I'm Hanamura Aoi from Shiroi Shonan."
Huacun adjusted his glasses, smiled, took a step forward, and extended his hand. His smile was polite yet carried an indescribable eagerness. "I've looked into the daily training program you developed for Hyotei; it's very innovative."
"Coach Huacun. I've heard so much about you." Wang Yueling stopped and politely shook her hand before quickly letting go.
"I've been wanting to find an opportunity to talk to you."
Hua Cun's gaze lingered on his face, his words filled with undisguised admiration. "I've studied tennis training systems for many years and have watched many professional players. But your aura is truly unique... your technical foundation and tactical awareness perfectly match my standards for a 'perfect work.'"
She excitedly took another half step forward.
"Would you be interested in visiting Chengcheng Xiangnan? I can customize a training system just for you."
She paused, then added, "It's such a waste to keep a player like Mochizuki-kun on the coaching bench."
The moment those words were spoken, the surroundings fell silent.
The Hyotei members all looked rather grim. Atobe's face darkened, and the atmosphere around him seemed to drop several degrees. To poach Hyotei's members right in front of them was a blatant disrespect to Hyotei.
The players of Shonan Roma were also a little surprised, not expecting their coach to be so direct and poach players in front of everyone.
After listening, Wang Yueling smiled.
The smile was very light and faint, but there was no smile in the blue eyes.
"Coach Huacun, I appreciate your kindness."
He adjusted the strap of the cat carrier. "I do have some experience with training methods. But I'm not interested in creating other people's 'works'."
Hanamura Aoi's expression paused slightly.
Wang Yueling put her hands in her pockets, took a half step back, and relaxed her posture. "And to be honest, I have pretty high standards for my tennis opponents, and I don't plan to play against junior high school students right now."
"Besides, my value has never been defined by others. What perfect work? That's too boring."
Atobe stood beside him, and upon hearing this, the corners of his lips curled up almost imperceptibly, and the oppressive atmosphere around him dissipated slightly.
Hiroto, standing a few steps away, turned his hat brim to a different direction. Hearing this, he scoffed and turned to Kajimoto, saying, "I told you, they look down on us."
The Tanaka twins stood next to Wakato.
Upon hearing "not interested in playing against junior high school students," they exchanged a glance. Tanaka Yohei frowned slightly: "Coach Hanamura personally invited you; he's giving you face! Don't be ungrateful! Right, Kohei?"
Kohei Tanaka chimed in, "Exactly! Yohei. He's just a substitute coach, what's so great about him? Does he really think he's some kind of genius..."
The rest of the sentence was left unsaid.
Because Luna poked her entire head out of the net window. Her little straw hat was askew, a bread roll was stuck around her neck, and her heterochromatic eyes were staring straight at the Tanaka brothers.
"Meow!!!"
It cried out, the last syllable of which was very forceful.
The voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable force, like a small warning.
The Tanaka brothers were so frightened that they took several steps back.
"A black cat..." Kohei's voice lowered a few decibels, "Did the substitute coach at Hyotei really keep a black cat?"
"They say they'll be keeping watch..."
"They even said they could transform into human form..."
"They will track down those who slack off during training..."
Kiriyama Daika instinctively moved aside, and Ota Sho had already held his racket horizontally in front of him, as if ready to block something at any moment.
Ruo Ren suppressed a laugh, her shoulders twitching slightly: "Are you guys really that serious?"
"You've retired too," Reiji Kamishiro said coldly from the side.
"That was a tactical retreat."
If the person stood up straight, lowered their voice and complained to Kajimoto, "But seriously, after the last draw, I heard a rumor that Ginka drew Rikkai because they talked badly about Hyotei and were cursed by Hyotei's coach's black cat, which is why they were so unlucky to be drawn..."
"You believe in that kind of thing?" Kajimoto's voice was steady.
"Whether you believe it or not is irrelevant." The man pointed to his arm. "I have goosebumps."
Reiji Kamishiro stood at the very back of the line, his dark brown hair gleaming coldly in the sunlight.
His gaze first fell on Huacun, then on Wangyue Ling, and finally on the little black cat that poked its head out of the cat carrier.
He remained expressionless, but his fingers tightened their grip on the racket strap.
Wang Yueling almost burst out laughing, and comforted Luna, saying, "Alright, baby, don't scare her. We're civilized cats, we don't argue with people."
Luna obediently rubbed against his palm against the net, meowed, and then shrunk back into the bag, only the tip of her straw hat sticking out, acting like nothing had happened.
Seeing his team's reaction, Aoi Hanamura's smile faded a little, but he still maintained the composure expected of a coach.
She glanced at Wang Yueling, her tone regaining its professional calm, "Then I wish you all the best in today's match. See you in the next round."
Wang Yueling nodded slightly, and Chao Huacun bowed slightly: "Thank you for your kind words, then... excuse me."
After saying that, he turned around and followed Hyotei's group at a leisurely pace.
I had only taken a few steps.
He heard someone behind him whisper, "This is too arrogant, they don't take us seriously at all."
Luna poked her head out of the bag again and called out in that direction once more.
The moment that voice rang out, the whispers behind them instantly ceased. Wang Yueling glanced down at Luna in the cat carrier, a slight smile playing on her lips, but she didn't turn around.
Hanamura Aoi stood there, watching the greyish-white figure walk further and further away. She took off her glasses, wiped them with a cloth, put them back on, and muttered, "What a pity. Why isn't he a student at Shiroi Shonan University?"
Someone leaned closer and asked, "Coach, are you disappointed?"
"Of course." Hanamura adjusted his glasses. "Let's get ready to go in. If we win the preliminary round, we'll all go watch Hyotei vs. Seigaku. After all, the team they beat will be our next opponent."
Kajimoto walked to Hanamura's side, his purple eyes also falling on the departing gray-white figures. He remained silent for a few seconds before speaking: "Hyotei's overall aura is different from before."
Huacun nodded: "This coach might be even more capable than we imagined."
"What you just said..." Kajimoto paused, "was he genuinely uninterested, or was he pretending?"
Hua Cun thought for a moment, then a slight smile curved his lips: "It's probably true. He really has no interest in fighting us."
……