Chapter 168: The Return of the 1st String

Kurobe sipped his coffee and continued, "But I didn't expect Takahashi to have such high prestige among the middle schoolers."

"With him sitting on the sidelines, this group of middle schoolers has actually started training seriously and diligently."

"Moreover, most of these middle schoolers are upperclassmen older than him; Takahashi is only in his first year of middle school."

"I really can't understand it!"

Tsuge said, "Takahashi is truly a mysterious person. He doesn't train, yet his strength is so formidable!"

"When others are training, he slacks off on the side, yet the others actually have no objections!"

"How on earth does he do it? Whether it's tennis ability or management skills, he is so excellent!"

"Creeeak!"

The sound of a door being pushed open rang out.

Saito walked in with a rush.

"The 1st String, who have been on an overseas expedition, will be returning soon."

An evening a few days later.

Several members of Rikkai were playing a practice match on Court 16.

Takahashi stood on the sidelines, watching Kirihara and Sanada competing on the court.

Without a doubt, Kirihara was completely defeated.

But what is gratifying is that, after the U17 training, Kirihara seems to be able to control his emotions while in the state of Demonization.

"That counts as a small improvement!"

"It's getting late, I'm heading back now."

Takahashi said to the group.

Just as Takahashi lifted his foot to leave.

An anomaly occurred.

It was dusk, the setting sun had already dipped below the horizon, and darkness was gradually swallowing the entire sky.

A dazzling golden light whistled toward Court 16 with astonishing momentum.

That blinding golden light shone brightly in the darkness, like a golden sun.

Everyone on the court was startled by this sudden golden light; they could only stare blankly as it surged toward them, with no room to react.

At the same time, Takahashi, who had been preparing to leave, turned around, snatched a tennis racket from the hand of Yanagi Renji nearby, moved forward a few quick steps, raised his arm, and swung the racket.

"Bang!"

Accompanied by the crisp sound of the ball being struck, the golden light changed its direction and flew away from the crowd.

"Boom!"

The sound of the explosion caused by the tennis ball hitting the ground followed immediately.

"To return my Light Strike so easily, your strength is indeed quite good, Takahashi Yanichi!"

A low voice came from the billowing smoke.

After the smoke gradually dissipated, a deep crater with a radius of about half a meter appeared right at the point where the tennis ball had landed.

And the person who had hit this Light Strike revealed his face.

Golden hair, a white headband—it was none other than Byodoin Houou.

"Too lax! To actually hit such a terrifyingly powerful ball at us."

Sanada scolded angrily.

Seeing the clearly visible cracks on the ground, Sanada's anger grew even more intense.

If not for Takahashi stepping in, if that ball had hit someone, that person would certainly have been seriously injured.

"Brat, this isn't your place to speak!"

The aura emanating from Byodoin was even more powerful than Sanada's.

"What?"

Sanada furrowed his brows tightly.

"I heard that the captain of the U17 Japan Representative Team, Byodoin Houou, has rude manners; hearing of him is truly not as good as meeting him!"

Takahashi spoke up.

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere became even more tense.

"Sanada, Yukimura, it's been a long time!"

"The Light Strike is just a special way for Byodoin to say hello!"

Beside Byodoin, a high schooler with curly reddish-brown hair smiled and said, trying to ease the atmosphere.

"Mouri Jusaburo!"

Sanada's pupils shrank slightly.

Yanagi Renji and Yukimura were also startled when they saw him.

Mouri Jusaburo was once a student at Rikkai, one grade above the Three Giants, and possessed outstanding tennis strength.

They had heard that after Mouri entered high school, he was successfully selected for the Japan Representative Team.

Even Mouri was following behind the person who had arrived, and combined with what Takahashi had just said, then this person who had hit the Light Strike at them was...

Mouri continued, "Besides, Byodoin knew that this underclassman could catch it, so this Light Strike wouldn't hurt anyone."

"Takahashi, let me introduce myself; I was also once a member of Rikkai, so I suppose I can barely count as your upperclassman!"

Yanagi Renji interrupted Mouri's words with some anger, "Even if Captain Takahashi is here, you shouldn't have hit a Light Strike at us!"

A gentle voice rang out.

"Don't be angry!"

"You can interpret this ball as a test from the captain of the Japan Representative Team to the team's No. 2!"

Irie Kanata walked over slowly, with Oni Jujiro following by his side.

"The Coaches are really quick to act."

Byodoin saw the two of them, his tone radiating strong dissatisfaction.

"Byodoin, long time no see!"

"Takahashi being able to return that Light Strike can be considered him showing you his strength."

"Let's stop here! The Coaches won't allow the two of you to fight amongst yourselves!"

Oni Jujiro's steady voice rang out.

Byodoin frowned upon hearing this.

He had originally been leading the 1st String on an overseas expedition; because the original 1st String No. 2, Tanegashima Shuji, hated flying, only Tanegashima had remained at the Training Camp.

One day, Byodoin learned that a middle schooler with powerful strength had entered the Training Camp and had successively defeated Tokugawa Kazuya and Oni Jujiro, which left Byodoin, who was far away overseas, very surprised and curious.

Because he understood the strength of Tokugawa and Oni very well.

Especially since Byodoin had even lost to Oni when he first entered the Training Camp.

So, at this moment, hearing that a middle schooler, and a first-year student at that, could actually defeat Oni, he felt it was truly incredible.

Before he could even digest this fact, news came from the Training Camp that the middle schooler had defeated Tanegashima Shuji and become the No. 2.

It seemed that in the days he was away, the Training Camp was about to be turned upside down!

Byodoin was on one hand angry that Tanegashima had lost the No. 2 position so easily, and on the other hand, he was very interested in this Takahashi.

He wanted to have a match with Takahashi personally to see if Takahashi had truly crushed those who remained at the Training Camp with his strength, or if those few had all neglected their training and seen their strength decline significantly, which was why they had lost to a middle schooler.

Therefore, this afternoon, as soon as the 1st String returned to the Training Camp, Byodoin wanted to go find Takahashi for a match, but he was stopped by Coach Kurobe.

So, he took advantage of the time in the evening when the Coaches were all resting to specifically come to Court 16.

He didn't expect that before he could even start, the Coaches would already know.

"Being able to return a Light Strike proves he indeed possesses World Level strength, but whether Takahashi is worthy of the No. 2 position, I still need to see for myself!"

"After all, this is the number two spot for the entire Japan Team."

Byodoin said.

"According to the rules of the Training Camp, since Takahashi defeated Tanegashima, he is the 1st String's No. 2; he does not need your approval."

"And this has also been approved by all the Coaches."

Oni replied.

Byodoin ignored Oni; he turned toward Takahashi and said, "I don't know how you defeated Tanegashima, but does you hiding behind this group of people mean that you don't dare to compete against me?"

Takahashi smiled faintly and said, "Provocation doesn't work on me!"

"However, since you are in such a rush to fail, I can satisfy your wish."