Chapter 167: The Formation of an Involutionary Atmosphere

Atobe looked at Sanada, who was in a full-health state and full of vigor, then looked at Takahashi, who was sitting to the side, lazy and scattered.

"I really don't understand you guys at Rikkai!"

"The Captain takes the lead in slacking off and lying flat, yet the members are all acting like they've been injected with adrenaline."

"Don't you guys have even the slightest opinion about this behavior of Takahashi's?"

Yukimura explained: "We at Rikkai have always spoken through strength."

"As long as one's strength is strong enough, there is great freedom."

"If one's strength is weak, then practice more!"

"Instead of having time to stir up emotions, it's better to spend that time on how to improve oneself."

The other Rikkai members also nodded, following along in agreement.

Atobe, standing to the side, watched this scene with a face full of black lines!

Rikkai, a slacking Captain! Involution-driven members!

Two completely opposite, contradictory states could actually appear in one team at the same time.

He really didn't understand it at all!

At this moment, Shiraishi, who was next to Atobe, also spoke up.

"What you said makes a lot of sense! I didn't expect the Rikkai members to have such high awareness; they are truly worthy of being a team that has won the National Tournament three years in a row."

"We are here sweating through training, while Captain Takahashi is off to the side enjoying life; honestly, seeing this, my own mindset also collapsed a bit."

"But now, hearing your words, Yukimura, I have suddenly realized."

"Strength, only strength is the hard truth! With strength comes the freedom of choice; without strength, one can only practice more. Thinking about this and that is just a futile waste of time, causing internal friction."

"Instead of using this time for internal friction, it's better to use it to 'involutionize' one's own tennis technique."

Fuji also highly approved of Shiraishi's words and said: "Yes, but I don't think we should treat Captain Takahashi as a negative example."

"He should be a role model for our efforts!"

Kikumaru exclaimed in disbelief: "Huh? He doesn't even train, and he's still a role model for our efforts?"

Fuji explained: "Because Takahashi successfully defeated high school students, he earned the freedom of self-directed training."

"We are all middle school students; why can't we do what he can do?"

"Even if we can't do it now, can't we do it in the future after arduous training?"

"This sets a concrete goal for us, and Captain Takahashi's current state is physically demonstrating to us the wonderful life we can have once we reach that goal."

"With such a goal and such a role model, what reason do we have not to work hard?"

Shiraishi nodded repeatedly and continued to add: "Fuji said it well!"

"Not only is he a role model, but shouldn't we also treat Takahashi as a touchstone to temper our will?"

Chitose, to the side, also exclaimed: "What? A touchstone?"

Shiraishi explained: "If everyone is training together and suffering together, then everyone's mindset is the same."

"But if some are training while others are enjoying themselves, the mindset of those training will definitely change, and they will have emotions."

"If those training can manage to remain undisturbed by anyone or anything from the outside and focus solely on their own training, then their willpower and concentration will be greatly improved."

"Remaining unaffected by the outside clamor and always maintaining inner peace has a very positive effect on our mindset during matches."

Fuji said: "Shiraishi, your insight is profound."

Shiraishi continued: "This is also from my own personal experience. Just now, my mindset had changed a bit, but after Yukimura's guidance, I can now completely adjust myself."

"Do not be jealous of Takahashi's lack of training; use his lack of training to exercise your own mindset."

"Treat him as a touchstone to temper your own strong willpower."

"I think everyone at Rikkai thinks the same way! Only in adversity can such willpower be forged, and Captain Takahashi has artificially created such an environment for his members."

"That is why the Rikkai members have no weak points in doubles or singles and have won the championship for three consecutive years. Behind this, they have experienced tremendous sacrifice and effort."

Listening to the conversation between Shiraishi and Fuji, Sanada was very excited; he didn't expect these two to have such high awareness.

He felt as if he had found like-minded people.

He excitedly said: "To quote a classic saying from the Dragon Kingdom that the Captain loves, to encourage everyone: 'When Heaven is about to confer a great office on a man, it first exercises his mind with suffering, and his sinews and bones with toil...'"

Chitose was very surprised and said: "Is Captain Takahashi actually interested in the culture of the Dragon Kingdom?"

Sanada said: "Of course. Don't look at the Captain as being a bit lax at times; his vision and knowledge are far above mine!"

Fuji pondered and said: "So that's how it is."

Kikumaru asked again: "What do you mean by 'so that's how it is'?"

Fuji explained: "A person who only knows how to slack off cannot reach the top position in any field. Captain Takahashi looks lazy and scattered, but as Sanada said, his cognition is far beyond ours."

"It is precisely because he has a sufficiently powerful cognition, combined with his actions, that his tennis technique is so powerful."

"Being casual and lazy may just be his exterior; we cannot be so superficial when looking at people. We must look through the phenomena to see the essence!"

"There is still much about Captain Takahashi that is worth us learning."

Shiraishi concluded: "Yes, this training camp has taught me a lot. I will continue to temper my willpower and play Perfect Tennis."

"Everyone, no more chatting. I'm going to train properly!"

Fuji said: "Yes, we must cherish every minute and every second of training!"

Atobe watched the scene before him, dumbfounded.

It was one thing for the Rikkai members not to resist Takahashi's behavior.

After all, he was their Captain, and in front of outsiders, they had to defend their Captain.

But Atobe never expected that Fuji and Shiraishi, as students from other schools, would actually be speaking well of Takahashi's lack of effort.

All this chicken soup being poured!

He really couldn't take it!

However, he suddenly realized a serious problem.

That is, if everyone is caught in an internal arms race, and he alone does not train seriously, then the one who will make the slowest progress in the end will be him, Atobe Keigo.

He pursues magnificence so much, how could he allow himself to be left behind by others?

Thinking of this, Atobe also began to devote himself wholeheartedly to training.

……

In the Monitoring Room.

Tsuge crossed his arms, looking at the screen in front of him, feeling very satisfied.

"Although the middle schoolers had poor discipline during the first few days of training and were always talking."

"But today it is already much better. Their movements are standard and precise, without the slightest bit of slacking off."

"This level of seriousness and diligence is much better than that of the neighboring Court 14 and Court 15."

Kurobe took a sip of coffee and said slowly: "It seems that my decision to let Takahashi be the temporary Coach actually hit the mark by accident."

Saito was curious and said: "How did you think of letting Takahashi be the temporary Coach for the middle schoolers?"

"However, Takahashi does indeed have the strength to sit in that position."

Kurobe sighed and said:

"Originally, I just couldn't stand Takahashi's lax behavior. Although we had an agreement before that after entering the Training Camp, he could choose not to train and not to compete."

"But his behavior was a bit excessive. At 9:30 in the morning, I actually ran into him in the cafeteria, and at 10:30, I saw him sitting by the side of the road reading manga."

"I asked him to be a temporary Coach originally to make him restrain his behavior a little and not be too outrageous. I didn't expect that he wouldn't change in the slightest; while others are training, he can actually sit on the sidelines completely indifferent, reading manga and playing games!"