thefictionvixens Chapter 44 The Substitute Coach Unleashing Full Power 3
Chapter 44 The Substitute Coach Unleashing Full Power 3
Shinobu pushed up his glasses, his eyes squinting slightly behind the lenses.
He was trying to figure out Wang Yueling's physical limits, but after a long time, he couldn't figure it out.
The reason is that Wang Yueling's rhythm has remained unchanged from beginning to end. Whether he was playing against the first person or against countless other groups, his swing speed, running speed, and hitting power are almost the same.
This shows that he didn't give it his all at all.
This thought sent a chill down Renji's spine.
Atobe watched the game on the field with little change in expression, but his fingers kept rubbing the cuff of his jacket.
He was thinking about something.
In yesterday's match, how much of his strength did Mochizuki Ryo actually use?
At the time, he thought the other party had used at least 70% of their strength, but now it seems that it may not even be half.
This guy...
too frightening.
It's not his skill that's terrifying, it's the feeling of being completely unpredictable. You never know how much more he has to offer, and you never know where his limits lie.
When the last group of players walked off the court, a bunch of them were already lying on the sidelines, panting and looking utterly defeated.
Mochizuki Ryou lightly flicked her wrist, her azure eyes sweeping across the entire arena, her tone as cold as ice: "Over two hundred people, and you couldn't even get a single point. You've completely disgraced Hyotei! Don't even mention you're from the Hyotei tennis club when you go out; I'd be ashamed of you!"
The team members all lowered their heads, not daring to utter a sound. They were genuinely angry, but being less skilled, they didn't even have the right to speak.
The sun was already setting, and its orange light cast long shadows across the field.
The somber atmosphere continued to spread.
Just then, a figure stepped out.
Ryo Shishido gripped his racket tightly, his long hair falling to the side of his face, his whole body tense. He walked to the opposite side of Ryo Mochizuki and stood ramrod straight: "I'll go."
His voice was a little hoarse, but his eyes were very serious.
Mochizuki Ryo raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes. He looked at Shishido, recalling the image of that person kneeling on the ground and smashing his racket in the abandoned court, and the image of that person gritting his teeth and running desperately during the extra practice sessions later on.
Yes, the people he mentored.
He smiled slightly, said nothing more, and simply turned his head to look at the field, wanting to see how much this person had improved after these few days of extra training.
"bring it on."
Wang Yueling assumed a pose, her tone calm, "Let me see what kind of skill you've developed from that stubbornness."
Shishido didn't say anything and started serving.
He tossed the ball up, leaned forward, and snapped his wrist. The ball was fast, with a noticeable backspin, and bounced up in the service court, reaching just to his knees.
This is a new serve he's been practicing recently, sacrificing a little speed for a lower bounce.
Ryo Mochizuki received the ball, and the return shot landed on Shishido's backhand side.
Shishido ran over and swung his wrist backhand. His movements were much cleaner than before; the point of force was lower, and his wrist didn't rotate excessively outward.
Wang Yueling saw this and nodded in agreement.
Significant progress has been made.
But he showed no mercy with his racket, gently pushing the ball into Shishido's forehand corner.
"15-0".
Shishido gritted his teeth and was about to run over to catch the ball when he heard the score announced, and he froze on the spot for a moment.
The second ball.
Shishido changed tactics this time, moving directly to the net after serving to prepare for a volley. Mochizuki Ryo's return shot landed on her backhand again, but this time the ball was slower and the angle wasn't as sharp.
Shishido intercepted it.
He hit the ball back to Mochizuki Ryo's backhand side; the landing point wasn't deep, but the angle was off enough.
Ryo Mochizuki took a step, held his racket horizontally, and sliced the ball. The ball grazed the net and landed near Shishido's feet, bouncing very low.
Shishido bent down to catch it, his racket touched the ball, but the ball went straight into the net.
"30-0".
Shishido straightened up, shook his wrist, and took a deep breath.
He knew he couldn't score easily, but he didn't expect that even getting the ball over the net would be so difficult.
Watching his movements, Mochizuki Ryo assessed the situation in her mind. Shishido's progress was indeed obvious; his footwork was more stable than before, and his power exertion was much more reasonable, but there was still one problem.
What's his special move?
I've been playing for so long, but I still haven't seen it.
Wang Yueling deliberately slowed down the pace of her third shot, returning it higher and at a lower speed than before.
Shishido's eyes lit up, and he seized the opportunity to swing his racket with all his might.
He smashed the ball out with tremendous speed and intense spin, heading straight for Wang Yueling's backhand. Moreover, the ball bounced strangely; after landing, it didn't bounce upwards but instead lurched forward, almost skimming the ground.
Wang Yueling watched the trajectory of the ball, her eyebrows curving with interest.
That's interesting, but unfortunately it's not a perfect move.
He moved quickly, extended his racket, and scooped the ball up just before it hit the ground. With a flick of his wrist, the ball was lifted high and landed back in Shishido's backcourt.
Before Shishido could react, the ball had already hit the ground.
"40-0".
There was a moment of silence on the sidelines, then it erupted.
"What was that just now?!"
"Shishido-senpai's ball was so fast!"
"That bounce... it was a forward leap? I'm not seeing things, am I?"
Upon seeing his best friend's new signature move, Mukahi Gakuto excitedly exclaimed, "Ryo! When did you learn this move? That's impressive!"
Chotaro Ootori stood on the sidelines, his eyes shining. He had seen it clearly; the trajectory, speed, and spin of that ball were unlike anything he had ever seen before. Shishido-senpai had truly improved a lot under Mochizuki-senpai's guidance.
Atobe narrowed his eyes slightly, a hint of approval flashing in his icy blue pupils.
He noticed that the landing point and bounce of this unfinished version of the special move were clearly designed to target the opponent's backhand. If executed perfectly, most opponents on the court would be unable to return this ball.
Even if it succeeds.
His opponent is...
Standing on the field, Mochizuki Ryou looked at Shishido opposite her, and the corners of her mouth curved slightly.
"A new trick?"
Shishido gripped his racket, his chest heaving, and said nothing, but a glimmer of light appeared in his eyes.
Wang Yueling bounced the ball in her hand and continued, "But your shot just now was poorly executed, like undercooked spaghetti."
Shishido paused, clearly not understanding. What did he mean? How did he suddenly switch to talking about food while playing ball?!
"Hard on the outside, soft on the inside." Wang Yueling tossed the ball up and swung her racket. "Looks intimidating, but it breaks as soon as you bite into it."
The ball flew out, bounced up in Shishido's court, and Shishido, hearing the taunts around him, held his breath, quickly moved to the net, and with a sudden burst of power from his wrist, let out a low growl.
"Meteorite interception!"
Shishido's special move this time was clearly more perfect than the last one. The tennis ball whistled through the air and crashed into the ground like a meteorite, its speed leaving afterimages.
The ball slammed heavily onto the opposite side of the court, and the moment it bounced, everyone thought the ball was in the bag.
But the next second, Mochizuki Ryo moved lightly and appeared at the ball's landing point, simply blocking with her racket. Still no skill, no fancy moves, just the most basic backhand return.
The tennis ball flew swiftly over the net and landed in a corner behind Shishido; he didn't even have time to turn around.
"game...Mochizuki Ryou".
Shishido stood frozen in place, the color draining from his face. The new move he had painstakingly honed over the past few days couldn't even cause a ripple in his opponent's eyes.
Wang Yueling put down her racket and faced her half-disciple, still sharp-tongued and merciless: "That's it? Your tennis technique is still a mess, your willpower is half-hearted, so you've been stuck in the same place these past few days?"
After he finished speaking, the entire room fell silent again.
Shishido shuddered, gritted his teeth, slumped his shoulders, and walked silently toward the group with his head down, his back view full of frustration.
Chotaro quickly went to greet him, handed him a towel, and whispered, "Shishido-senpai..."
Shishido took the towel, wiped his face, and mumbled a "hmm." He walked back to the line of prospective regulars with his head down, stood there, and didn't say anything more.
But his eyes looked different than before.
It's not about feeling defeated, it's about what I'm thinking.
Mochizuki Ryou watched his retreating figure, a hint of a smile flashing in her eyes. Shishido was a smart man; he understood the situation with a single curse, no further explanation needed.
Wang Yueling glanced at the remaining prospective mainstays, her tone unwavering, her voice icy: "Next."