First-Years Shouldn't Be Ministers and Vice-Ministers, I Object! I Protest!!

"What's wrong?"

Recovering his senses, Kamikawa turned his head and saw a group of people staring at him with strange looks.

There was complexity, astonishment, and more than anything, disbelief.

"N-nothing."

Shishido's expression changed the most. His eyes were wide open, completely unable to believe what he was seeing.

For the past half hour, Kamikawa had hit every ball in the exact order marked by the marker. At first, no one paid much attention.

As Kamikawa's movements continued to speed up and the time stretched on, they finally realized the vast gap between him and the others.

Whether he could actually do it or not was another matter, but just the ball control he displayed was enough to crush most of the second and third-year seniors present. These were "veterans" who had been through the crucible of the National Tournament, yet they were inferior to a freshman.

"What are you still looking at?"

"Do you have nothing better to do?!"

As they stood there stunned, a cold reprimand echoed in their ears.

Everyone turned to look and saw Atobe, who had been training moments ago, now walking over, looking at them with displeasure.

Although it was free practice, Atobe still felt the need to say something when they gathered around doing nothing. After all, he was the vice-captain.

"Let's go, let's go."

Seeing this, Mitsuya Genko and the others didn't hesitate and returned to their respective training sessions.

The remaining first-year freshmen, looking at Kamikawa's retreating back, also took out their rackets and began their training for the day.

The court, which had seemed crowded moments ago, suddenly became spacious.

Atobe raised an eyebrow and walked over with his racket, a hint of interest in his eyes. "Your ball control is very strong. Want to practice sometime?"

"Sure!"

Kamikawa nodded, not particularly concerned.

"Interesting."

Seeing Kamikawa agree so readily, Atobe couldn't help but take another look at him. He then glanced at the circles drawn on the ground, which were marked with the hitting order.

Kamikawa had been training his ball control here just now. That level of training, he could do it too.

Thinking this.

Atobe took out a fluorescent yellow tennis ball from his pocket, stood in the hitting position Kamikawa had occupied, and tried to feel the training method Kamikawa had just used.

"This guy is quite diligent."

Watching Atobe's actions, Kamikawa didn't say much. Atobe appeared somewhat arrogant and self-important, but in reality, deep down, he yearned to become stronger.

Especially on the path of tennis. Otherwise, he wouldn't have carved out a path in the English elementary school tennis scene, developing extraordinary insight, despite not excelling in speed, power, or technique.

If one were to talk about Atobe's talent, he was definitely not inferior to Sanada.

He was just too comfortable. As long as enough pressure was applied, he could transform that pressure into motivation for his own progress and become stronger.

"Tsk~"

All of this was witnessed by Nagakawa Ino, a second-year student and former regular player of the Hyotei tennis club, who was standing nearby. He sneered dismissively.

They were just a bunch of first-years. At Hyotei Academy, and even at other schools, there was an unwritten rule: first-years were not eligible to become regular players.

He believed that Coach Sakaki Taro would definitely uphold justice for them.

"What's the point of working hard?"

A cold glint flashed in Nagakawa's eyes. He had been picking up balls for a whole year. "First-years, no matter how amazing their skills, have to pick up tennis balls for me for a year and obediently be 'ball boys'!"

After a while.

Tezuka, emerging from the piano classroom, headed straight for the tennis court.

In his hand was the report he had previously submitted to Sakaki Taro for review, and he had received Sakaki Taro's tacit approval.

Upon seeing Tezuka's arrival, everyone stopped what they were doing and stood in a spacious court, filled with apprehension and not daring to be careless in the slightest.

This was Tezuka Kunimitsu, who had defeated Atobe yesterday and whose strength was clearly above theirs, subtly hailed as the new generation's leading figure at Hyotei.

"Good afternoon, everyone."

"Good afternoon!!"

No one dared to look directly at Tezuka, and they all bowed their heads and shouted.

Kamikawa, on the other hand, looked at Tezuka with a smile. Atobe, standing not far away, had one hand in his pocket and turned sideways to face Tezuka. Even Oshitari, who was usually restless, was hiding in the crowd, adopting a cunning demeanor.

Tezuka nodded gently and calmly addressed everyone, "I just met with Coach Sakaki. Coach Sakaki has also appointed me as the captain of the Hyotei tennis club. Additionally, Keigo Atobe will serve as the vice-captain."

As his words fell, the second and third-year regulars in the crowd trembled. They raised their heads, their expressions filled with disbelief. Had the positions of captain and vice-captain been decided so hastily?!

And by two first-years at that!!

"Why, this is unfair! I'm going to confront Coach Sakaki."

From the crowd, Nagakawa raised his hand in protest. Why were the positions of club president and vice-president given to first-year students?

Then what was the point of him spending a year picking up tennis balls at Hyotei last year?!

"Be my guest!"

Tezuka's gaze swept over Nagakawa. He had long anticipated that these second and third-year seniors would be restless.

Perfect timing, he needed someone to step up and establish his authority.

"Hmph~"

Nagakawa let out a soft snort and walked out from the crowd.

Just as he was about to take a step, a hand from the crowd stopped him. Nagakawa looked towards the hand and saw it was Mitsuya Genko, the former vice-president of the Hyotei tennis club.

Mitsuya Genko looked serious and subtly shook his head at Nagakawa, signaling him not to act impulsively.

But Nagakawa couldn't be bothered with that. He broke free from the restraint and said, "I want to see if Coach Sakaki is on his side, or on the side of us veterans who have fought tooth and nail for the Hyotei tennis club."

As Nagakawa reached out to push open the iron gate of the court, a cold voice reached his ears: "Senior, if you leave the court now, then from today onwards, you will no longer be a member of the tennis club."

Tezuka had one hand in his pocket, his tone unusually cold.

Nagakawa swallowed hard, the image of Sakaki Taro reappearing in his mind. He didn't believe the coach would unconditionally side with these first-year students. He was a Hyotei regular player!!

"Nagakawa, he's too impulsive."

"Can't we discuss things privately?"

"He has to do something so idiotic, I really..."

In the crowd, those second and third-year regular players were murmuring amongst themselves, all feeling that Nagakawa was brainless. Even if this matter was brought to the coach, it wouldn't end well.

Didn't they hear Tezuka just now? He had already discussed it with the coach, and he was now the president of the Hyotei tennis club. There was no doubt about that.

"Silence!"

Tezuka's gaze swept over everyone, his stern expression unwavering: "Starting tomorrow, we will implement an operation model of 'survival of the fittest'. Students of any age will be eligible to be a regular player, as long as you prove your strength is above others, you will have the right to be a regular player."

"Remember, I said students of any age!"

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions changed drastically.

Especially the group of second and third-year regular players led by Mitsuya Genko.

The implementation of this rule meant that they could very well lose their positions as regular players, as there were many among the new batch of students whose strength surpassed theirs.

Even though this rule was extremely disadvantageous to them, no one dared to voice any objections.

Since this rule had been stated, it meant that Coach Sakaki had agreed to it.

Besides...

They had already let first-year students take on the roles of president and vice-president, so what else couldn't they accept?