Non-existent Campus Ranking

As Hyotei Academy and Rikkai Dai were undergoing their transformations.

Saeki Muneyoshi was still playing the role of a "good student" at Fudomine.

However, no matter how patient Muneyoshi was, the whispers he heard from his classmates began to instill a sense of urgency in him.

"Koji, did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"About the tennis club's reform!"

"Ah! Is the Fudomine tennis club going to reform?"

"What are you talking about, I meant Hyotei! With our tennis club the way it is, how could it possibly reform..." a nameless classmate A said with a tone of exasperation.

"Hyotei? What's wrong with Hyotei!"

Just then, another classmate B chimed in.

Seeing the growing crowd around him, classmate A said with no small amount of pride:

"I heard that at Hyotei Academy's tennis club, the first-years are now in charge, and even their captain is a first-year!"

"What! A first-year? How is that possible?" classmate Koji asked incredulously.

"This is from my neighbor's sister's best friend's sister's school, how could they not know?"

Classmate A rolled his eyes, displeased by Koji's doubt.

"And this all happened just a few days ago!"

"It's not just Hyotei Academy, I heard Rikkai Dai also has a first-year as captain and many first-years on the team," classmate B added, picking up where classmate A left off.

Such news spread like wildfire among the first-years at Fudomine. After all, in Fudomine, where the senior-junior hierarchy was strictly enforced, the idea of first-years overthrowing their seniors was simply unacceptable.

However, even with all the rumors flying around the school, it didn't matter to the tennis club.

As long as their coach Tony Oki and the third-year regulars were on the same page.

Whatever storms raged outside wouldn't reach them.

On the rooftop, Saeki Muneyoshi pondered the news he had just heard from his classmates, his gaze gradually sharpening from indifference.

"Hyotei, Atobe, huh!"

He recalled the boy with unparalleled charisma from the original story, who at this point should indeed be at the pinnacle of Hyotei.

As for Rikkai Dai, he wasn't surprised; Yukimura and Sanada had been dominating since their first year.

Still, the news had a profound impact on Muneyoshi.

"I can't just wait around anymore..."

With that, Muneyoshi jumped off the rooftop and headed towards the vice-principal's office.

He had received word from his father yesterday, and this vice-principal was someone who had already exchanged opinions with the people his father had arranged. To support Muneyoshi's work, he had been temporarily promoted to a useful pawn.

Saeki Muneyoshi had actually prepared his materials for reforming the Fudomine tennis club long ago.

He hadn't just been idly passing the time during his first few weeks at school.

From the very first day he enrolled, he had been paying close attention to the school's various clubs, with the tennis club being his top priority.

Through his observations and visits, he had already discovered something.

It wasn't just the first-year students in the tennis club; other clubs in the school, such as basketball, volleyball, soccer, and baseball...

These other clubs were all dissatisfied with the tennis club.

The Fudomine tennis club had consistently failed to even pass the regional qualifiers, achieving no results.

Yet, due to the unique nature of tennis and the world's general favoritism towards it, the Fudomine tennis club received no less funding, and in fact, more, despite its lack of achievements.

This caused considerable dissatisfaction among the other clubs.

Furthermore, Muneyoshi learned from the vice-principal that many of the school's leaders were also quite critical of the Fudomine tennis club's lack of performance.

If Muneyoshi could convince the principal, things would be much easier.

Understanding this, the vice-principal took Saeki Muneyoshi to the principal's office.

He presented the materials he had prepared beforehand.

These included the glory of tennis in this world, the reputation it could bring, and its impact on the academy's development and its ability to attract excellent future students.

However, to achieve this, the Fudomine tennis club absolutely had to produce results, at least reaching the Kanto Tournament, or even the National Tournament.

This, in turn, would highlight the tennis club's consistently poor performance, which had always stagnated at the regional level.

Such results brought no glory whatsoever.

He also provided an analysis and interpretation of coach Tony Oki, the club's atmosphere, the current members, and the rules and regulations.

Subsequently, Saeki Muneyoshi also presented his philosophy and future plans for the tennis club to the principal.

In the end, the principal was persuaded. However, he couldn't immediately dismiss the tennis club's coach.

Because Tony Oki and one of the Fudomine board members are related as uncle and nephew.

It was precisely because of this connection that even though the tennis club had been in chaos in recent years, the principal did not intervene.

However, the principal still gave Muneyoshi his support, and he planned to communicate with that board member.

Muneyoshi, meanwhile, would enter the tennis club first and become a regular player.

As for subsequent arrangements, all decisions regarding a complete overhaul would be made after the regional preliminaries.

This was already the best outcome that Muneyoshi and his father could have achieved.

After all, he wasn't a pampered young master from a wealthy family like Atobe, with a strong backing.

This outcome was already quite good.

The school day ended, and the time reached four in the afternoon.

The youths brimming with youthful energy also began to enter their respective clubs, participating in today's activities.

The Fudomine tennis club had only eighteen members in total, a stark contrast to Hyotei Academy's large club with over two hundred members, making it incredibly meager.

And even with only eighteen members, not all of them were present. Only a few second-year club members were on the court, cleaning and collecting tennis balls.

The entire club lacked any vitality.

In the coach's office next to the club, the burly Tony Oki was nestled in a dark corner, watching a colorful movie and occasionally letting out strange chuckles.

He was accompanied by the Fudomine tennis club's captain, Ohashi Miku.

They were shoulder to shoulder, completely oblivious to the knocking at the door.

Tony Oki inside the room wore a smile of inexplicable amusement.

Ohashi Miku, on the other hand, had a blank expression, as if she were criticizing.

Just then.

With a "clang," the office door was kicked open.

Startling the two inside.

Tony Oki immediately became furious.

Bang!

"Bastard, don't you know how to knock? Today, I won't let you..."

Seeing the two figures entering the room, Tony Oki cursed without thinking.

However, as soon as he clearly saw who it was, his expression changed instantly, and he chuckled with a face full of smiles:

"Oh my, it's the vice-principal! Why didn't you send someone ahead to announce your arrival? We've been negligent, terribly negligent!"

The vice-principal ignored Tony Oki's laughter, his face stern. He pointed to Saeki Muneyoshi beside him and said, "Apologies for disturbing Coach Tony's enjoyment. I have no other business here today; I've only come to arrange a regular player for the tennis club!"

Upon hearing this, Tony Oki's brow furrowed. He glanced at Muneyoshi and said, "Him? Vice-principal, if I'm not mistaken, he should be a first-year, right?"

"Yes, student Saeki is indeed a first-year, but his skill is sufficient to be a regular player at any school!"

"However, Fudomine's rules..."

Tony Oki was displeased. He had painstakingly established these rules, so how could they be broken so easily?

"Coach Tony, this is the principal's directive!" the vice-principal interrupted Tony Oki, saying with a meaningful look.

"The principal's directive." Tony Oki's eyes shifted, and he reluctantly nodded. "In that case, he is a regular player for Fudomine."

After saying that, he gestured to Ohashi Miku beside him: "This is the tennis club captain, Captain Ohashi. Please take this new regular player to meet the other club members."

After the vice-principal arranged for Muneyoshi, he left. Although Ohashi Miku was clearly reluctant, she still introduced him to all the members of the Fudomine tennis club.

Everyone was surprised that Saeki Muneyoshi had become a regular player.

And knowing that he was still a first-year student further caused considerable dissatisfaction among the third-year and even second-year members.

However, neither Tony Oki nor Ohashi Miku offered any explanation.

This made others even more displeased, and they seemed prepared to unite and resist him.

Muneyoshi was well aware of the undercurrents at play, but he had neither the mood nor the inclination to correct them.

What concerned him was the matter of the upcoming regional preliminaries that the principal had mentioned.

A few days later, he found Coach Tony and Captain Ohashi to inquire about the school ranking matches and the arrangements for the regional preliminaries.

"What school ranking? Fudomine doesn't have such a thing!"

"I say you're a regular, you're a regular. I say you're ranked number X, and you're ranked number X!"

Hearing Saeki Muneyoshi's inquiry, Tony Oki replied impatiently, "As for the regional preliminaries, that's none of your business!"

After saying that, he dismissed Muneyoshi.

Watching Muneyoshi's retreating figure, Tony Oki spat, while Ohashi Miku wore a mocking smile.

ps: This is the early stage of a new book, so please give it your support. Thank you.