A Race to the Bottom, Ryūzaki Sumire's Unique Perspective

The Kaki Sports Park, venue for the sectional tournament.

After concluding his final pre-match pep talk, Saeki Muneyoshi excused himself and left.

Muneyoshi went to the vending machine and skillfully purchased a drink, chugging it down.

It seemed this was the only way to vent his anger and dissatisfaction.

He knew exactly what Tony Oki and Ohashi Miku were up to.

"If they have a plan, we have a counter-plan!" (I can't write that word, I'm afraid...)

"You, Saeki Muneyoshi, are a regular player specially approved by the vice-principal, aren't you!"

"Fine!"

"We'll give you a spot as a regular, but only as a substitute!"

"Essentially a figurehead, holding the title of regular but with no chance to play or even train."

At school, even as a regular, he still had no opportunity to even touch a racket for practice. The other third-year players ostracized him.

Whenever he wanted to practice with them, they would make excuses to leave or simply ignore him.

Muneyoshi hadn't bothered with it because he had been in a phase of rapid skill improvement, not wanting to waste a single second, so he hadn't dwelled on it or paid it any mind.

He wasn't exactly good-tempered. Now that his skill growth had slowed and he'd hit a bottleneck, coupled with the start of the regional preliminaries, his focus had gradually shifted to the team.

However, this only caused the anger simmering in his heart to surge.

By today, upon learning he was a substitute, it had reached a point where it was difficult to suppress.

He needed to vent!

But Muneyoshi still had a sliver of rationality at this moment. This rationality reminded him that this outburst might be different from any before, so he temporarily held back.

"In any case, the situation is irreversible. Everything can wait until after this match!"

As for the others in Fudomine, Tony Oki and Ohashi Miku had washed their hands of the matter, showing no concern for the match against Seigaku.

There was no competitive atmosphere at all; they had merely arranged the roster and made no other statements.

If Muneyoshi hadn't known their strength so well, he might have thought they were all supremely confident.

Unbeknownst to Muneyoshi, Ohashi Miku, who had just been plotting with Tony Oki, returned to Fudomine's resting area. He glanced around and didn't find Saeki Muneyoshi in the crowd, but he didn't pay it any mind.

Instead, he gathered all the other regulars around him and said mysteriously:

"Secret information from the coach: Seigaku's Yamato Yūdai's elbow injury is quite serious and hasn't fully healed. If we try hard this time, we might have a chance!"

"Really, Captain?"

Hearing this brainless team member, Jia, dare to question him, Ohashi Miku was annoyed. He shot the other person a sideways glance and said coldly, "The news came from the coach, how could it be fake?"

Sensing the change in Ohashi Miku's attitude, a few quick-witted team members immediately reacted and started chuckling.

The other team member, Jia, who had questioned him earlier, lowered his head, filled with fear.

"Alright, I'll deal with you all after the match. Remember our secret training methods; you can use them all this time to show Seigaku what we're made of!"

"Yes!!"

Meanwhile, on the other side, Seigaku, their opponent for the day...

"No. 2 Singles: Yakura Daiken!"

"No. 1 Singles: Yamato Yūdai!"

After announcing Seigaku's match roster, Ryūzaki Sumire continued with great spirit, "Fudomine isn't that strong. You must show your true strength in today's match!"

"Yes! Coach Ryūzaki!"

As the regulars dispersed to warm up, Yamato Yūdai paused for a moment before speaking, "Coach, aren't you going to let Tezuka play?"

"Tezuka, he's only a first-year."

Ryūzaki Sumire shook her head, then looked at Yamato with a puzzled tone, "Yamato, why do you ask? First-years only pick up balls!"

Ryūzaki Sumire certainly knew Tezuka's strength was good, as were Akutsu Jin and Fuji Shusuke.

Although they hadn't practiced against each other, she had heard about them, and their strength was likely decent.

But they were still only first-years. At Seigaku, unless you had connections like Nanjiro Echizen, first-years were only allowed to pick up balls.

How could they possibly have the authority to play in a match?

"Coach, I still want you to give them some opportunities. Those first-years, several of them have strength comparable to the regulars, or even stronger. Especially Tezuka Kunimitsu and Akutsu Jin, Fuji Shusuke!"

"After this preliminary round, I want them to participate in Seigaku's regular selection process."

Yamato Yūdai had personally witnessed the strength of Tezuka, Akutsu, and Fuji. He really wanted to secure some opportunities for them.

But Ryūzaki Sumire wasn't concerned about the first-years, her tone was very calm, "First-years are at the stage of building their foundation. There's no need for them to play in matches."

"Coach, you saw it too. Most of the regulars from Hyotei who came this morning were first-years. And then there's Rikkai Dai from Kanagawa; I heard they also have several first-years."

"This trend also shows that among the first-years, there are geniuses stronger than those regulars."

"Since Seigaku has also produced such outstanding talent, we should also discover those capable first-years. Only by doing so will we not fall behind other schools."

Hearing Ryūzaki Sumire's words, Yamato Yūdai sighed inwardly. He was already a third-year. Before, he had pushed himself through injury, almost carrying Seigaku into the Kanto Tournament. He had given it his all.

He was graduating this year and no longer had the chance.

But if Seigaku continued to stick to old ways, it might only decline further.

As the captain, he truly wanted to fight for an opportunity for those first-years.

However, Ryūzaki Sumire was stubborn and didn't pay him any mind.

After all, the rule in Seigaku was set by her, dating back to Echizen Nanjirō's era. It had been upheld for over twenty years.

If she changed it now, wouldn't that be slapping herself in the face?

Therefore, Ryūzaki Sumire remained unmoved. "Yamato, do you really think that the first-years from Hyotei and Rikkai Dai can lead their schools into the National Tournament?"

Yamato Yūdai still had a different opinion:

"Coach, whether it's Hyotei or Rikkai Dai, the fact that they could defeat all the regulars to become regulars themselves proves their strength. We can't underestimate them just because they are first-years."

"Yamato, you worry too much. Tennis is a team sport. In terms of experience, stamina, and the ability to handle pressure in tournaments, second and third-years are definitely stronger than first-years."

"As for those schools making first-years regulars, they surely lack experience. But for our Seigaku, this is the best opportunity."

Ryūzaki Sumire did not think highly of the first-years who had emerged from various schools during this period.

Moreover, she strongly disliked this trend!

In her eyes, even someone as strong as Echizen Nanjirō should have built a solid foundation in his first year.

Now, sending first-years to compete nationally, Ryūzaki Sumire couldn't help but look down on them.

Although Tennis Monthly was full of boasts about strong first-years from various schools.

In her heart, those upperclassmen who had played tennis for a few more years were more worthy of her attention.

To her, abandoning the upperclassmen in favor of first-years was more like crippling themselves.