Byōdōin Hōō and the First String Shuffle, Final Tournament Spots

"Long time no see, you bunch of good-for-nothings!" a low voice called from the plane's exit.

"Who's that? He looks like a big deal!"

"That voice sounds familiar."

"That's Coach Mifune! I had no idea Coach Mifune even had a plane!"

The middle schoolers who had seen Mifune Nyudo before began passing the news about the newcomer around.

"I'm Mifune Nyudo, head coach of the U-17 Japan Team!"

"No way!"

"That guy's the head coach?!"

Just then, the three coaches in charge at the training camp came out, their expressions solemn.

"Head Coach! You've finally arrived. We can't stop Muneyoshi and Byōdōin without you!"

As a large crowd watched in astonishment, Kurobe and the other two stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Mifune Nyudo.

The coaches' words struck like a heavy blow, leaving those who had never met Mifune Nyudo dazed.

"Hm? Sanada, you know him?... He's the head coach of the training camp?!"

With his keen eye, Atobe noticed Sanada's pupils contract the instant he saw Mifune Nyudo. He concluded that they must know each other.

Sanada merely nodded in silence, without saying a word.

Mifune Nyudo's identity was simply too hard for the group of returning players in black to believe.

The other middle schoolers gathered around Sanada and Tachibana Kippei.

After they confirmed it was true, the students looked at the scruffy, bearded man with complicated expressions.

Mifune Nyudo had been summoned by Kurobe and the others to stop Saeki Muneyoshi and Byōdōin Hōō from fighting today, but he paid no attention to the good-for-nothings he looked down on.

He went straight to the court.

The training camp rules forbade anyone from interfering with opponents who were in the middle of a match.

But those rules didn't apply to Mifune Nyudo!

"What are you two doing? The