School Responses and Disrupted Groupings

At the Hyotei Academy, Sakaki Tarou also informed everyone about the selection process. ☮♕ 💘ඏ

"Hmm? Fudomine Saeki Muneyoshi, Tachibana Kippei, and Keith didn't go?"

Atobe looked at the message he had received, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Hmph, since they're not participating, there's no point in me going. Neither Oshitari nor I Oshitari go this time. Shishido, you and Kabaji take everyone!"

Rikkai Dai's Yukimura Seiichi and Sanada also learned that Fudomine Muneyoshi and others would not be participating in this exchange tournament.

"Renji, why don't you take them? Sanada and I won't go!"

In the Seigaku Tennis Club, Tezuka picked up the list of participants and crossed out his name, along with those of Akutsu Fuji, from the list of those who were going to participate in the exchange tournament.

"Oishi, this time you'll lead the team and go to training with Coach Ryuzaki and the others!"

These guys from different schools weren't particularly interested in this kind of intensive training.

After being tempered by the training camp, this ordinary amount of training is meaningless to them.

Nowadays, what's more important for them is to explore their own abilities and cultivate a healthy balance between work and rest.

Having experienced a Kanto Tournament of a level far exceeding any previous one, even with their physical condition, necessary rest is essential.

Following Muneyoshi's voluntary withdrawal, and the tacit follow-up by the heads of several other schools,

The "star power" of youth talent shows seems much dimmer.

However, in terms of pure ability, the junior high school students who have entered the selection process are actually quite strong.

Thanks to Muneyoshi, who acted as a catalyst and allowed junior high school students to experience the world earlier, their overall strength has improved significantly.

People from several schools gathered together and took a bus to the training camp.

As soon as everyone got off the bus, they were greeted by a standard tennis court, complete sports facilities, and luxurious accommodations.

"As expected of a youth training camp."

"Indeed, it looks quite good."

"Hey, Shishido, even if this isn't as good as the one at the Atobe last time, it's still pretty good."

The group discussed amongst themselves as they headed towards the assembly point at the main entrance, where contestants from Kanagawa and Saitama prefectures had already gathered.

Then Seigaku, St. Rudolph, Fudomine, Hyotei Academy, and Yamabuki also came in.

Everyone already knew in advance that there would be three coaches for this selection tournament: Ryūzaki Sumire from Seigaku, Hanamura Aoi from Fudomine, and Sakaki Tarou from the Hyotei Academy.

If Muneyoshi were here, he would find that some subtle things have changed. The original head coach was Ryūzaki Sumire, but this time it is Hanamura Aoi.

After all, Fudomine's results are simply too good, and they just won the Fudomine Kanto Tournament.

If it weren't for Seigaku, Ryūzaki Sumire probably wouldn't have been among the coaches invited this time.

After all, there are quite a few good coaches in the Kanto region. Even if Rokkaku's coach is too old to be considered, Yamabuki's Banrō is better than her.

In terms of training methods and tactical configurations for doubles, among junior high school coaches today, perhaps none can Banrō.

Just then, Echizen suddenly felt a sharp gaze fixed on him, as if someone was watching him. Kikumaru, who was beside him, patted him on the shoulder and said:

"Hey kid, look at Coach Hanamura of Fudomine, he seems to be looking at you again."

Echizen hearing this, Echizen looked up at Hanamura Aoi, and indeed, it was her gaze just now.

Echizen pulled his hat brim down Echizen; he realized she was staring at him again...

Although Echizen is not as glorious as he was in the original story, he often loses matches.

However, these discerning coaches were well aware of the potential he possessed, even with skilled coaches like Saeki Muneyoshi and Tachibana Kippei under their command.

Hanamura Aoi also greatly admires Echizen Ryoma, and Muneyoshi and the others are already in their third year, while Ryoma is only in his first year.

She also had to consider Fudomine's future.

Therefore, during a break in the match against Seigaku, when Ryoma and Hanamura Aoi went to buy water, she followed her heart and extended an invitation to Echizen.

Although he was rejected, Hanamura Aoi's admiration for Echizen Ryoma did not diminish.

Echizen was well aware of Hanamura Aoi's feelings for him, and although he was secretly pleased, he still arrogantly avoided looking at Hanamura Aoi.

"I've heard that the coach at Fudomine is really good at training athletes. If I get assigned to her team this time, it would be great to see how she trains..."

Echizen pondered to himself that although none of the people he wanted to defeat had come to this training camp, he didn't find it boring.

Soon after, people from other colleges gathered around.

Those who came here, apart from those who voluntarily refused, were all selected by the three coaches based on their performance in the Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament and the Kanto Tournament.

Rikkai Dai, Yanagi Renji, Marui Bunta, Yagyu Hiroshi, Niou Masaharu and Kirihara Akaya.

On the Seigaku side, there are six members: Oishi Shuichiro, Kikumaru Eiji, Inui Sadaharu Momoshiro Takeshi Kaidou Kaoru, and Echizen Ryoma.

Aside from Kawamura Takashi, who is recovering from injury, and Tezuka and the other two who voluntarily withdrew, Seigaku's current strength is not bad either.

Fudomine consists of four people: Lin Xiu, Ishida Tetsu, Kamio Akira, and Ibu Shinji.

Fudomine was originally invited in its entirety, but Muneyoshi declined, making the originally powerful Fudomine appear much weaker.

The team from the Hyotei Academy consisted of Shishido Ryo, Ohtori Choutarou Mukahi Gakuto, Chotaro Ootori, Hiyoshi Wakashi, and Kabaji Munehiro.

The rest include Rokkaku's Saeki Kojiro, Aoi Kentaro, Amene Hikaru, and Kisarazu Ryo.

The Jōsei Shōnan Kajimoto, Kamijo, and Wakato Hiroshi in Shonan.

St. Rudolph's Mizuki and Fuji Yuta.

Yamabuki is led by Sengoku Kiyosumi, and currently they don't have any better players besides doubles.

So the Potato Soldiers trio also arrived.

There were a total of 32 people, which was quite a lot. The three coaches each formed a group of ten people. Among them, Inui Sadaharu and Yanagi Renji were separated and served as advisors and assistants.

After everyone had assembled, Hanamura Aoi stepped to the front and said, "Everyone, I am Hanamura Aoi, the head coach for this training camp. Nice to meet you!"

"I think everyone understands why you were selected this time. Soon, the participants for the Japan-US Friendship Match will be chosen from among you."

"Your opponents this time are a team from the West Coast of the United States. Originally, this competition was supposed to be held after the National Tournament, just like last year's Four-Nation Exchange Tournament, but it has been moved up this time at the request of the West Coast."

"This early competition, which limits the selection to the Kanto region, is a great opportunity for you to strengthen yourselves. Although you are not the strongest in each school, we have great confidence in your abilities. Here, you will be matched against teams that will be completely disrupted. After intensive training, I believe you will experience a dramatic transformation."

"Are you confident in representing the Kanto region against the US West Coast team?"

"Yes!" everyone shouted in unison.

"Alright everyone, please pack your things first. Your coaching group assignments and dormitory arrangements are posted on the bulletin board. Please check them yourself. Meet up in your respective coaches' offices in one hour."

Hanamura Aoi's gentle gaze sharpened as it swept over everyone. Finally, she pushed up her glasses and said, "Dismissed!"

Upon hearing the dismissal notice, everyone immediately rushed to the bulletin board in the training hall.

They all wanted to see their groups; from now on, the participants from each school would be completely shuffled.

Everyone except themselves should be regarded as an opponent.

This small selection process began, while those who remained at the school embarked on even more grueling training.

P. S.: Please vote for me!

Only two chapters today. There's a lot to do at work. These days, the company provides dinner every night, and then reimburses transportation costs after get off work. With this kind of benefit, I don't get home until 10 PM.

So I'm writing a transitional chapter after the Kanto Tournament ends. Don't worry, I won't go into detail about the tournament; it's not very interesting. When the actual tournament starts, it might only take two chapters at most.