It wasn't until Ryohei Rin left that Taki Haginosuke finally dropped his professional act. His eyes sparkled with mischief.
"Normally, I should be filtering out clowns like him… but this is too good to waste."
He chuckled under his breath.
"Something this entertaining doesn't come by every day. Sharing it with the rest of the team is going to be priceless. The odds of finding a guy like that are lower than winning the lottery."
He couldn't help but wonder—what kind of face would Coach Sakaki make when he saw that outrageous application form? Even his calm, stone-faced composure might crack.
With that thought, Taki passed his recruitment duties off to a teammate and headed toward the tennis department's main office, barely hiding his excitement.
Meanwhile, Ryohei Rin strolled across the campus, completely unaware of what Taki had in mind. Not that he would have cared.
In Rin's eyes, Taki Haginosuke was just a provisional player, not even a regular. Why bother thinking about him? At most, Taki was a side character. They probably wouldn't cross paths again.
What mattered now was simple: submit the form, secure a spot, and aim for the regulars.
As he walked, his gaze landed on a lavish building in the distance. The Hyotei Tennis Club. Expanded with Atobe's sponsorship, it stood as one of the most extravagant facilities in junior high tennis. Easy to find, hard to miss.
Hyotei Tennis Club – Building 2, Second Floor.
Consultant's Office.
Behind a desk sat a tall, refined man in a brown suit, fingers interlaced beneath his chin. Sakaki Tarō, Hyotei's coach. His sharp eyes fixed quietly on Ryohei Rin, who had just stepped into the room.
A faint glimmer of curiosity crossed Sakaki's gaze.
This boy… He had appeared in front of him without the slightest sound, almost as if materializing out of thin air. It was unsettling, even for someone with his composure.
"A first-year…" Sakaki muttered. "But how strong is he really?"
Rin said nothing, simply handing over his application form with both hands. Despite his usual sarcasm, he dared not be careless before Hyotei's coach. Whether he joined the team or not rested entirely on this man's judgment.
At first, Sakaki skimmed the form casually.
"Height: 172 cm. For a first-year, impressive."
But as he read further, his expression stiffened.
"One month of tennis experience… yet you claim Kanto-class strength?"
His brows twitched. And then, the kicker—
Motivation: Take Atobe Keigo's position as a captain.
"…What?" Sakaki nearly choked on his own composure. Did this kid even understand what 'Atobe' meant in Hyotei?
Clearing his throat, he quickly schooled his features back into calm neutrality. Yet his mind kept turning.
Unlike Taki, Sakaki wasn't just reading words. He was evaluating. And what he saw was either ridiculous arrogance… or absolute confidence.
This form, so casually filled out, suggested only two possibilities:
The boy wasn't serious about joining and just treated it as a joke.
The boy possessed such unshakable confidence in himself that he didn't bother with appearances.
But how could a supposed beginner have that kind of certainty? Where did it come from?
Sakaki's eyes narrowed. "Ryohei Rin, was it?"
"…Let's go to the equipment room. We'll start with a physical test."
Data never lied. Whether this boy was a genius or a fool would become obvious soon enough.
"Physical test?!" Rin's face stiffened.
This… wasn't what he remembered from Prince of Tennis. Wasn't joining the tennis club supposed to be easier? In the anime, no one mentioned anything like this. Fill out a form, swing a racket, done. Not a full medical and athletic evaluation!
He forced a wry smile. "Coach, I'm in good health. Do I really need a test?"
Of course, Rin wasn't worried about his stamina. A month of training had hardened him, and his numbers were respectable for an entry-level player.
But still…
If his actual stats were revealed, wouldn't it ruin his cool image?
System Panel – Active
[Host: Ryohei Rin (12 years old)]
[Speed: 2 | Strength: 2 | Stamina: 2 | Skill: 2 | Precision: 5]
[Total Five Dimensions: 13]
[Template: Kuroko Tetsuya – 50% (A-Rank)]
Unlocked Abilities:
Misdirection (Sight Guidance): Suppresses the user's presence, drawing opponent and audience attention to the ball instead. Creates the illusion of "disappearing." Ineffective if overused (limit: ~40 minutes).
Accelerated Return: A flat push stroke that increases ball speed and weight, exceeding a standard return.
Overall Evaluation: Kanto-level.
[Cheering Points: 0]
Aside from his Skill stat increasing slightly, not much had changed in a month. If anything, comparing today's panel with his first one felt like playing spot-the-difference.
And yet…
Rin had no doubt his abilities, especially Misdirection, were far from normal in the tennis world. This wasn't something an ordinary Hyotei hopeful could do.
Still, facing Sakaki's sharp gaze, Rin muttered under his breath:
"If my numbers are exposed now… how am I supposed to act cool later?"