txolops Chapter 101 Three Acquaintances from U-17
Chapter 101 Three Acquaintances from U-17
Wang Yueling paused her wrist movement for a moment.
He turned around, his azure eyes landing on the three boys standing outside the fence.
All three were dressed in formal, custom-made business suits, with simple and elegant designs and subdued color schemes, indicating that they were accompanying their elders to today's business negotiation meeting.
However, the three of them had very different temperaments, and the differences could be distinguished at a glance.
The boy on the far left has light silver-white, fluffy curly hair, and his chocolate-colored skin makes his features stand out. His eyebrows and eyes have a natural air of nonchalance and laziness, and the sleeve of his suit jacket is casually slipped down to one side, giving him an unpretentious yet relaxed aura.
He had just put down his clapping hand, and the corners of his mouth were still turned up.
The boy next to him had long, thick, dark red hair and was much taller than the boy before him. He was looking at him with bright, sparkling eyes.
She leaned against another boy next to her, her posture lazy and natural, like a clingy big cat.
The boy leaning against the far right was strikingly tall. He was at least 2.2 meters tall, with short white hair accented by a streak of icy blue, bangs covering one eye, and a cold, expressionless face.
The three stood there, each with a distinct temperament, yet all exuding the sharp aura of top tennis players.
Wang Yueling's gaze swept lightly across the three faces, and clear information about the characters instantly appeared in his mind.
Familiar faces from the DVDs of my past life, the powerful fighters of the U-17 training camp.
Shuji Taneshima, Gekko Echi, and Jusaburo Mori.
The one who just clapped was Shuji Taneshima. Judging from his appearance and age, he completely matched the son that the Taneshima family head had mentioned, the one who played matches with the coach.
It is likely that the three of them took advantage of a business negotiation to sneak out of the U-17 training camp to have some fun, and happened to pass by the tennis court and saw themselves playing.
Shuji Taneshima looked at the blond boy who had turned around, his eyes filled with curiosity and admiration, and took the lead in crossing the net and entering the court.
A pure Kansai accent slowly rang out, spoken in a casual and humorous tone, exuding natural friendliness.
"Oh my, this young boy is something else!"
He walked to the sideline of the court and stopped, casually putting his hands in his pockets. He looked the other person up and down, his lips curling into a casual smile, his eyes full of amusement.
"To be able to hit a shot like that while wearing a tight suit is truly impressive. Your power generation looks so simple, and your swing is so casual."
"But the effect it produced was frighteningly strong."
As Shuji Taneshima spoke, he tilted his head playfully and scratched his fluffy curly hair, his tone relaxed and natural, without the slightest hint of awkwardness.
"I never expected to come to such a boring business meeting with my husband and run into tennis like this. It's really interesting, this trip was worthwhile."
"My name is Shuji Taneshima, a third-year high school student from Maiko Hill."
He offered his name, his demeanor casual and unpretentious. While he spoke, his tone was relaxed and nonchalant, as if he were simply joining in the fun, but inwardly, a considerable turmoil was brewing.
The three of them had been standing outside the court and had watched the entire process of Mochizuki Ryo hitting the ball.
From single-ball exchanges to two-ball, three-ball stacks, and finally ten tennis balls launched simultaneously, the boy's composed demeanor was all captured in his eyes.
With the insight honed over many years of competition.
Shuji Taneshima could clearly see every detail of Mochizuki Ryo's power exertion and swing technique.
The boy's movements were extremely simple.
There are no fancy or unnecessary moves. Every swing is precisely controlled in terms of power and angle. It seems effortless, but the power contained within is ridiculously strong.
His basic ball skills, dynamic vision, and power generation rhythm are all far beyond those of high school students.
This was achieved while wearing tight suit pants and having limited mobility.
What would it be like if he were given a suitable racket and loose sportswear to play in a formal match?
More interesting.
He sensed a kind of pressure from this boy that he had never felt from anyone else before, the kind of aura that only those who stand at the top of tennis can exude.
A calm, reserved, and domineering presence that overlooks the arena.
He has fought in international youth tournaments for many years and has seen countless top players, including Phoenix Byodoin, who is recognized as the number one tennis player in Japan at the U-17 training camp.
His aura was not as profound and deep as the young man in front of him.
How could someone so young, only fifteen or sixteen, possess such a spirit?!
When did the Japanese tennis world produce such a talented and skilled young man, yet not a single word about him reached the U-17 training camp?
It's both puzzling and intriguing.
Mori clung to Yueguang's side, his arm affectionately wrapped around her like a clingy big cat, his eyes sparkling and his face full of undisguised excitement.
Seeing that Taneshima-senpai had taken the initiative to strike up a conversation, he couldn't suppress his curiosity, slid off Echi's shoulder, grabbed his "personalized cat tree," and followed him forward.
He was tall but had a childlike vitality, and spoke a Kansai dialect different from that of Shuji Taneshima.
"Wow, that's really amazing."
He first walked to the spot where the tennis ball landed, squatted down and measured the depth of the mark with his finger, then stood up, patted the dirt off his hands, and straightened up to look at Wang Yueling, his eyes full of sincere admiration.
"Little guy, your dynamic vision is amazing! You can predict the trajectory of ten balls at different angles and speeds in an instant, and control the landing point of the ball so skillfully and accurately."
"Many people have tried in different training camps, but they might not be able to control the ball so accurately."
"That's incredible."
As he spoke, Mori leaned closer, smiling as he sized up Mochizuki Ryo. His outgoing personality made him seem completely at ease with her.
"My name is Mori Jusaburo, and I study at Rikkai University High School."
Yuezhi followed Maoli to the landing mark, looked down at it several times, then raised his eyes, his cold gaze falling on Wangyue Ling, without any extra expression, but also with a hint of surprise.
He remained silent for a long while before uttering a few words.
"Ten balls, all landing in the same spot. That's pretty impressive so far."
His tone was cold, but those who knew him well knew that for him to speak up was already a very high recognition of his skills.
He and Mori teamed up in doubles, their tacit understanding was ingrained in their bones, and they didn't need to say a word, their thoughts were in sync.
In their understanding, it's not difficult for the top ten players in the U17 training camp to catch ten balls at the same time when they are at full strength.
However, if you wear fitted suit pants, which restricts large strides and jumps, you can still bring all the balls together to the same landing point.
They couldn't find more than two or three people in the entire training camp.
Even top-tier powerhouses like Byodoin Phoenix and Onijuro would likely be hesitant to move freely due to the constraints of their clothing under such restrictions.
But knowing those two's personalities, they'll definitely tear their pants to catch the ball!
Their eyes met, and they both shared the same thought.
The blond boy in front of me is about the same age as Tokugawa. He has not experienced the hellish training of Coach Mifune, but he has the hard skills to rival the top players in the training camp.
Their talent and skill ceiling are not to be underestimated.
It's truly amazing.
Faced with the three people's praise, Wang Yueling's lips curled up slightly, and her azure eyes held a hint of self-satisfaction.
With two lifetimes in tennis, including Olympic and Grand Slam victories in his previous life, he naturally possesses an overwhelming foundation as he picks up his racket again in this life. Facing the talented U-17 seniors, he is full of confidence.
He straightened his posture slightly, his elegant demeanor was natural, and his tone was lazy but carried a hint of youthful arrogance.
"It's just basic ball control, nothing surprising."
Shuji Taneshima crouched down, picked up a tennis ball from the court, twirled it between his fingers, and squinted at Ryo Mochizuki: "By the way, little guy, what's your name?"
Before Mochizuki Ryo could answer, Mori leaned close to him, tilted his head, and stared at him for a long time, his deep red curly hair swaying gently with the movement, his face full of doubt.
He slowly circled Wang Yueling twice more, scrutinizing her from head to toe, from her blond hair and eyebrows to her figure and demeanor, and the more he looked, the more familiar she seemed.
"I'm sure I've seen you somewhere before...it must have been recently."
Suddenly his eyes lit up, as if he remembered something, and he immediately took out his phone and swiped the screen.
My fingers flew across the social media app, quickly opening a private chat group for Rikkai University tennis enthusiasts.
Scroll to the top of the list of tennis news and oddities.
His eyes slowly widened, and an exaggerated smile appeared on his lips as he shouted loudly.
"Found it! Found it!"
He held the phone screen close to Taneshima and Kochi, and continued reading what was on the screen:
"Shocking! The Demon King of Hyotei has appeared! He single-handedly slaughtered two hundred members of Hyotei without losing a single inch!"
"Latest news from the Strange Tales Group: A tragedy is bound to happen if this person smiles for more than three seconds. Rumor has it that this person is 90% a wizard, capable of splitting iron balls with a tennis racket and casting spells on tennis balls with candles at night!"
"Hyotei players have set his photo as their phone wallpaper to toughen up their mental fortitude!"
……
After reading it aloud, Mori laughed so hard he couldn't stand up straight. He turned his phone screen towards Mochizuki Ryo: "There's another line of small print below—Acting Coach of Hyotei Tennis Club, Mochizuki Ryo."
"It's you, isn't it?"
Wang Yueling's lips twitched. How come the things on these forums are getting more and more outrageous? Things like "a smile that lasts more than three seconds will inevitably lead to tragedy" and "setting it as a screensaver to train your mental fortitude."
Mon dieu, what kind of image does he have online?
"It's me." He shrugged helplessly. "But what was written in that post..."
Mao Li didn't listen to his explanation at all. He put away his phone, his interest growing even stronger, like a big cat that had discovered a new toy, circling around Wang Yueling.
He reached out and curiously ruffled Wang Yueling's fluffy blond hair, then playfully lifted the wolf tail at the back of his head to take a look, before pinching his wrist as he held the racket. His actions were so familiar they were almost absurd, and he kept muttering to himself:
"So it was you."
"Let me see if it really has three eyes and four hands, or if there's something hidden under its hair."
"No, he has normal hair and only two hands. He looks like a normal, handsome young man. Where did these rumors come from?"
Wang Yueling pulled her hand back, both amused and exasperated: "That's all made up."
Mori hadn't given up on his research yet. He leaned against him and used him as a new "cat tree." He then turned and excitedly called out to Yuezhi Yueguang.
"Moonlight-san, Moonlight-san. He's from Hyotei Academy, and he's your direct junior!"
"We're so lucky today! We just wandered around and bumped into such an amazing and interesting little guy."
Wang Yueling was being held by the big cat, her shoulders feeling heavy, and she tilted her head helplessly.
The Mori cat's outgoing nature is almost on par with Jiro's, no, even more exaggerated. At least Jiro only sticks to Marui, but this guy will turn anyone who interests him into a cat tree.
Like Jiro's clingy and somewhat oblivious manner, Mori's clinginess carries a natural intimacy that doesn't make him unpleasant.
Seeing his partner's happy expression as if he had found a new toy, Yuezhi's cool eyes flashed with a hint of helplessness. He stepped forward, reached out and grabbed his arm, gently pulling him off Wangyue Ling.
The movements were gentle and indulgent, as if the owner had no way to deal with their own pet.
He spoke slowly and softly, using concise sentences, maintaining his taciturn style, polite yet distant.
"Shou Sanlang, don't be so rude."
After speaking, his gaze fell on Wang Yueling, and he remained silent for a moment before speaking, his voice cold and his pace slow:
"Kochi Tsukiko, Hyotei Academy High School".
"How is Hyotei doing now?"
As the former captain of Hyotei Academy, he still pays more attention to Hyotei.
Mochizuki Ryou put away her earlier playful tone and spoke with a natural air of respect to the former captain of Hyotei.
"Senior Kochi."
"Atobe has led Hyotei very well. The regulars' strength has steadily improved, and the non-regulars have also made significant progress. Overall, the team is much stronger than during the Metropolitan Tournament."
"Hyotei should be able to achieve results that will satisfy their seniors at this year's Kanto Tournament."
Yuezhi nodded slightly, said nothing more, and stood quietly to the side, listening silently.
Shuji Taneshima crossed his arms, squinted at Ryo Mochizuki, and chimed in with a Kansai accent, his tone slightly teasing.
"Speaking of which, given your outstanding skills, why do you stay on the coach's bench instead of personally playing in junior high school tournaments?"
He tilted his head, his white hair swaying slightly in the wind, his tone tinged with a mixture of confusion and curiosity, "With the level of those ten shots you just hit, securing the top singles spot in junior high shouldn't be difficult at all, right?"
"It should be the one standing on the court."
Mori nodded in agreement, his face full of curiosity.
"Yeah, yeah, you would definitely sweep everyone in the game, it's such a waste that you're a coach."
"And how come I've never seen you in an official match? It's like you suddenly popped out of a rock!"
His tone was somewhat humorous and teasing, but his eyes were full of serious inquiry.
Wang Yueling placed the racket in her hand on the rest chair next to her, a smug smile on her lips, and spoke slowly.
"I just returned from France last month and recently moved to Hyotei."
"I've been focused on my studies abroad and have never participated in any junior high school competitions, so it's perfectly normal that you haven't heard of me."
He paused, his azure eyes sweeping over Taneshima, Mori, and Kochi, his tone languid yet tinged with a mocking arrogance.
"As for why I didn't become a player but a coach."
He chuckled, raised one eyebrow, and his tone became increasingly irritating.
"Asking me to compete in a junior high school tournament is far too unchallenging."
"It's like an adult running a race against a child; there's no sense of accomplishment, and even if you win, it feels like an unfair victory."
"That's why being a coach is more interesting. Watching a group of rookies go from knowing nothing to becoming capable players, the sense of accomplishment is much greater than crushing novices on the field."
He paused, raised his chin, and spoke with increasing arrogance.
"After all, if the world's number one coach is there, the players he trains will all be the world's number one talents..."
Shuji Taneshima's lips twitched slightly after hearing these words. Looking at the blond boy in front of him, whose arrogant and narcissistic expression was completely self-righteous, he didn't know what to say for a moment.
After a long silence, he turned to look at Yuezhi Yueguang.
"Are all students at Hyotei this narcissistic and immature?"
Yue Zhiyue shook her head and replied calmly, "No. Only he's like that. Maybe the students he teaches will also..."
Mori laughed so hard he leaned against Moonlight's back, his shoulders shaking with laughter: "Well, this little guy is really interesting! I like him! So what if he's a chuunibyou? Anyway, he definitely has the ability."
Shuji Taneshima was the first to come to his senses, raising his hand to rub his temples, a helpless smile playing on his Kansai accent: "You're really arrogant, aren't you? You're as cocky as our boss."
However, he implicitly agreed with what he said.
Judging from the skill level of those ten balls, this person's statement that "middle school competitions are no different from bullying kids" isn't exactly an exaggeration.
As for being the best in the world...
He pretended not to hear it.
Shuji Taneshima quickly composed himself and stared at Ryo Mochizuki for a while.
"Ling. May I call you that?"
Shuji Taneshima picked up the racket that Ryo Mochizuki had placed aside and twirled it in his hand. His tone was still that lazy Kansai accent, but his eyes became a little more serious.
"I've been wanting to ask this for a while now."
"You didn't seem like a stranger at all when you met us. Even though it was the first time I'd met you, you gave me the feeling that you'd known us for a long time."
A hint of surprise flashed across Wang Yueling's eyes; she hadn't expected him to be so perceptive.
Shuji Taneshima's sharp eyes are truly remarkable; he could see right through Kanata Irie's acting skills, so naturally, he couldn't hide his own superficiality either.
He sighed inwardly, but his face remained impassive. He smiled faintly, his tone subtle and profound, without directly revealing the origins of the plot.
"I've had the privilege of watching a few of their matches in international tournaments before, and they left a deep impression on me."
Just this one sentence.
There was no further explanation.
Shuji Taneshima raised an eyebrow slightly.
Mori and Echi exchanged a glance, and all three of them suddenly realized something.
This person said he had seen them play matches. Most U-17 matches are open tournaments, so it's not that surprising that he had seen them play.
It's clear that Yue Ling's familiarity with them goes beyond simply watching the matches. However, judging from his reluctance to elaborate, pressing him for more information would likely be pointless.
Mori rested her chin on Echi's shoulder and changed the subject, her tone playful yet tinged with nostalgia.
"Oh right, kid, you're a coach at Hyotei, so you know the junior captains from Rikkai, right? Like Yukimura, Sanada, Yanagi..."
"I was a former Rikkai University regular player, and I played in the national tournament for two years with Yukimura and the others."
Wang Yueling nodded.
"Yes, I know them all."
"This week, Hyotei and Rikkai are having a joint training camp at a manor nearby."
"Training camp?! Wow, that's great. I haven't seen the club president and the others much since I went to high school."
Suddenly, Mori remembered something, slid off the moonlight, stood up straight, and moved closer to Wangyue Ling, his tone revealing a hint of worry.
"I heard some bad rumors the other day that the junior minister was sick. Is he better now? Did he come to the training camp with us?"
The moment Yukimura Seiichi was mentioned, Mochizuki Ryo's arrogant demeanor vanished, her expression softened, her eyes filled with a gentle warmth, and her tone became lighter.
"Seiichi is still undergoing rehabilitation at the hospital and hasn't been able to come to the training camp yet. However, his recovery is progressing very well, and he'll be fully back on the team and ready to play soon."
This tenderness was undisguised, and when it fell into the eyes of Tanejima and the other two, their gazes met, and they all saw the understanding in each other's eyes.
Anyone could see that Mochizuki Ryo's attitude towards Yukimura was completely different from that towards others; his care and favoritism were particularly obvious.
The three of them refrained from making any jokes and listened quietly to what Wang Yueling had to say.
Mori's eyes lit up after hearing his explanation, and he patted his chest: "That's good, that's good. The little minister never disappoints. I'll definitely go back to see them when I have the chance."
Then he inquired about the recent situations of Sanada, Kirihara, Marui, Niou, and others one by one.
Wang Yueling answered patiently one by one, speaking in a relaxed and natural tone, chatting about the daily training and interesting stories of the joint training camp between the two schools.
Mori laughed so hard he couldn't stand up straight; Taneshima leaned against the fence, laughing so hard his shoulders shook; Oshichi's expression didn't change much, but the corners of his mouth seemed a little softer than usual.
The atmosphere of their conversation was relaxed and friendly, like a group of old friends catching up after a long time apart.
After chatting for a while, Shuji Taneshima picked up a tennis ball, tossed it into the air, caught it, took two steps forward, and laughed, "Hey, Ryo. I've never seen you play a proper match before. How about we go for a game right now?"
His tone was casual, but there was a clear hint of serious expectation in his eyes.
Wang Yueling glanced at their suits, then looked down at her own equally crisp trousers: "How can we fight dressed like this?"
"That's what makes it fun," Shuji Taneshima tilted his head, his Kansai accent trailing off lazily. "Suit tennis, it sounds really interesting."
Wang Yueling was about to answer.
A kitchen worker poked their head out from the back door and called out, "Young Master, it's ready!"
Mochizuki Ryou glanced at the time, then at the earnest light in Taneshima Shuji's eyes, and remained silent for a moment.
This person is not joking.
"it is good."
Wang Yueling remembered the peanut milk she had specially made for Yukimura in the kitchen. She raised her hand to the three of them, gesturing for them to wait a moment, and smiled, "Please wait for me for a few minutes. I'll go to the manor's kitchen and be right back."
Before the three could respond, Wang Yueling turned and slowly walked towards the kitchen.