Chapter 161: The Coach Arrives, Is Takahashi Going to Be Punished?

Oshitari Yuushi said: "These glasses of mine are non-prescription; I am not nearsighted."

Inui Sadaharu:...

Kikumaru was a bit angry and said: "We are... so... ex... hausted, yet Taka... hashi... is sitting... on the side reading... manga."

Oishi said with a face full of worry: "Eiji, you had better stop talking and focus on regulating your breathing first!"

Kintaro said excitedly: "The boss of Rikkai is sitting on the side, not training, reading manga."

"How interesting! I want to go too!"

While speaking, Kintaro prepared to run out of the formation.

Shiraishi hurriedly stopped him and said: "Kintaro, you saw the people who were late yesterday, right! They had to run as punishment and write reflection letters."

Kintaro said: "But Takahashi isn't training! I don't care, I'm going."

Fuji followed up by persuading him: "Takahashi has been to the U17 before and understands the Coach better than we do. Besides, Kintaro, haven't you noticed that the high schoolers here are very unfriendly toward us middle schoolers, but are very respectful toward Takahashi?"

"So you had best not compare yourself to him."

Kintaro's childish temper flared up, and he said: "I don't care, the worst that can happen is getting punished."

"I'm not afraid of being punished with running; I love running!"

Seeing that Kintaro would not listen to reason and was stubbornly trying to leave the formation, Shiraishi sighed helplessly and said: "Kintaro, if you are going to be this disobedient, then don't blame me!"

While speaking, Shiraishi's gaze instantly turned sharp.

He raised his right hand, which was wrapped in white bandages.

Kintaro jumped up all at once, his entire person becoming exceptionally terrified, and said: "Are you going to unwrap the bandages?"

Shiraishi said in a sinister tone: "That's right, who told Kintaro not to listen?"

Kintaro's originally arrogant momentum vanished instantly, and he said aggrievedly: "I don't want the Poison Hand, Shiraishi, I was wrong! I won't go!"

"I've seen it in manga; the Poison Hand is when you stick your hand into boiling sand and poison, the toxins slowly seep into your arm, and anyone touched by this hand will surely die without a doubt!"

"I don't want to die, I will train properly."

While speaking, Kintaro accelerated and ran forward.

Watching Kintaro's figure darting away in a flash, Kikumaru sighed and said: "His... stamina... is truly... strong, to think he... can still... accelerate!"

Kirihara looked at Shiraishi's hand, also feeling a bit of fear, and said: "Poison Hand? Is that for real!"

Yanagi Renji was a bit speechless and said: "Kirihara, you really are simple to the point of stupidity!"

Shiraishi explained: "This is specifically used to scare him, otherwise it's very hard to manage that wild kid!"

Sanada nodded and said: "Although it is a bit childish, it is unexpectedly effective for dealing with a child like Kintaro."

Atobe looked at this chaotic scene and said: "How unrefined! They are both first-years, so why does it feel like Toyama Kintaro is on a completely different level from Echizen and Takahashi."

Yukimura smiled and said: "Toyama is just an innocent and simple child."

Niou sighed and said: "We are training, and Captain Takahashi is on the side reading manga; it really feels like we are back at Rikkai."

Fuji asked with some confusion: "What?"

Yanagi Renji explained: "The Captain was like this back at Rikkai; he did self-directed training and never participated in our training."

"When we were training, he was always on the side reading manga or playing games!"

Atobe said: "Are you kidding me? Self-directed training?"

"He doesn't even participate in the team's unified training, and you still expect him to train on his own."

"Isn't that a pipe dream?"

Hearing Atobe's tone, which lacked respect for Takahashi, Kirihara became dissatisfied and said: "Atobe, watch your tone."

"Even if Master doesn't train, his strength is still the strongest."

"Think about it, if Master can crush you without training, if he actually started training, would you even be able to see his back?"

Atobe was momentarily unable to retort.

Yukimura praised: "Not bad! Kirihara, that was very well put!"

Kirihara was immensely proud and said: "That's right!"

Fuji asked with some seriousness: "Does Captain Takahashi really not train?"

Seeing the dissatisfied gaze Kirihara cast his way, Fuji changed his wording: "Does he always do self-directed training?"

Kirihara said: "The purpose of training is to become stronger, but Master is already quite formidable."

Shiraishi said with some surprise: "A genius? Without training—no, can he reach this level just through self-directed training?"

Yanagi Renji explained: "Yes, the Captain might have astonishing talent in tennis."

"When he first joined the Tennis Club, his application form said '0 experience,' but in less than three months, he challenged Sanada and Yukimura in succession, and won both matches."

Upon hearing this, Atobe could not suppress his surprise and said loudly: "Three months? Are you saying Takahashi had never touched a tennis racket before, and after learning for only three months, he was able to defeat Yukimura and Sanada?"

Sanada said with some dissatisfaction: "Could you not put emphasis on the part about defeating me and Yukimura."

"Saying that to our faces is very impolite!"

Yanagi Renji said: "Yes, I even went to investigate the Captain's elementary school days; he never touched a tennis racket during elementary school."

Three months, defeating Yukimura and Sanada?

These few words suddenly rushed into their minds like cannonballs, causing a massive impact on their brains.

For a time, everyone fell silent.

Only the sound of footsteps running and rapid breathing could be heard.

After a long while, Shiraishi said: "I originally thought Kintaro's talent was very strong, being able to reach such a level after only learning tennis for half a year; now it seems Takahashi is the truly gifted genius!"

Yukimura and Sanada are, after all, figures standing at the pinnacle of the middle school tennis world.

Even for the current Kintaro, winning against Yukimura would be very difficult.

Let alone learning for only three months; that is simply impossible.

Fuji asked, "So, is Takahashi's position as Captain earned through his own strength?"

"I previously thought that you, Yukimura, wanted to groom him and intentionally gave him such a heavy responsibility."

Yukimura said, "The position of Captain at Rikkai has always been held by the capable; as long as a team member demonstrates the strength to defeat everyone else, then the position of Captain is theirs."

Hearing Yukimura's words, the members of Seigaku fell silent once again.

Atobe said, "So Takahashi relies entirely on his innate tennis talent, and it has nothing to do with Rikkai's training!"

Sanada frowned and said, "Atobe, everything you've said today is very strange; could it be because of that match against Takahashi at the National Tournament where you lost by default?"

"Your capacity for tolerance couldn't be that small, could it?"

Atobe said, "No, I just wanted to lament that you at Rikkai are lucky; just as the Three Giants are about to graduate, a super-strong first-year actually joins."

"Why don't we at Hyotei have such good luck?"

Oshitari exclaimed, "Look, look!"

"The Coach is walking over to Takahashi."

Momoshiro said, "The Coach here is so strict with management; Takahashi is openly skipping training in broad daylight and got caught red-handed by the Coach. I reckon he'll be running laps here for the whole afternoon!"

Inui Sadaharu said, "The probability of Captain Takahashi being punished by the Coach is 100%."

Hearing this, Kirihara felt a bit worried for Takahashi.

Master is really something; if he wanted to skip training, he should have found a more hidden spot instead of sitting by the roadside reading manga.

Isn't this just walking right into a trap?