The Prince of Tennis, Talent Replication

"Minister, a reporter from the Youth Monthly has arrived."

A club member ran in and whispered the message to Natsume Tsukiya.

The image of that upright and stern middle-aged man flashed through Natsume Tsuki's mind. He paused for a moment, knowing Inoue Mamoru's fondness for new things, and then said:

"Please come in!"

"yes!"

After a while

Wearing a pink fitted jacket, Shiba Saori was led nervously into the training room on the second floor of Hyotei University. As soon as she stepped into the training room, she heard whooshing and banging sounds, which puzzled her greatly.

After passing the support pillar, I saw two people standing in the middle of the court. Their eyes were covered by black cloth, and they were holding rackets and carefully identifying the incoming ball. They were playing fiercely.

Her beautiful big eyes blinked, and Shisaori thought to herself:

"What is that brat from Hyotei doing now?"

Natsume Tsuki also turned his head and caught a glimpse of Shiba Saori's bright red lips and large eyes, and couldn't help but laugh:

"Miss Shizuka, what brings you to Hyotei Academy? Are you looking for a date with me?!"

"Hey, don't talk nonsense."

Shiba Saori blushed, glanced at the others, and clenched her fists indignantly. This guy was too awful, asking such a question in front of so many people, and Inoue-senpai wasn't even here. It was so embarrassing.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that everyone acted as if it were nothing out of the ordinary, and the shyness in her heart lessened a bit, leaving her with a sweet feeling.

A sweet and clear voice rang in my ears, saying:

"Miss Zhi, don't be angry. 'Dating' is just my senior's catchphrase."

"what?"

Shisaori turned her head and saw a stunningly beautiful woman, sweet and clear-headed, like the bright afternoon sun.

When I came to my senses, a pang of loneliness washed over me. I'd been asking her out for so long, thinking it was all because of my charm, but I never expected...

Is it just a slogan?!

Shiba Saori muttered to herself, "No wonder this brat hasn't contacted me for so long, how annoying!"

Shiba Saori's inner turmoil flared up.

I really want to punch someone!!

Shisa's face was puffed up, while the girl beside her gently covered her mouth and smiled.

Although she was very resentful, Shiba Saori still needed to complete the task assigned to her by Inoue Mamoru.

This time, she volunteered to come to Hyotei for an interview, so she naturally took it seriously. Seeing the strange behavior on set, she couldn't help but ask:

"What are they doing?"

"As you can see."

Natsume Tsuki also chimed in, shrugging his shoulders.

"Secret training!"

"Secret training?" Shizusa blinked her big, round eyes. "Blindfolded training counts as secret training?"

"If you can't even see it, isn't it a secret?" Natsume Tsuki raised an eyebrow and smiled.

"..."

Miss Zhi was dumbfounded. This brat was really annoying; he was still in the mood to joke at a time like this.

"uh-huh!"

Shizusa immediately cleared her throat, composed herself, and said:

"I'm here for an interview, please be serious."

"What?" Natsume Tsuki also looked at her suspiciously, and asked in surprise, "I'm not serious enough? This isn't serious enough? What's not serious enough about it?"

The barrage of three deadly questions left Shiba Saori momentarily at a loss for how to respond.

"Hiyoshi, the side stadium."

Natsume Tsukiya suddenly spoke up.

"yes!"

Hiyoshi is like a block of ice, completely devoid of emotion. Since being recruited by Natsume Tsukiya, he seems to have become a completely different person, as steady as can be, probably on par with Tezuka of Seigaku, only with a bit more sharpness.

Given time, he will surely become a great general for Hyotei.

"Ms. Zhi, don't you need to take photos?"

Natsume Tsukiya asked.

Shiba Saori was stunned for a moment, a little flustered, all because this guy in front of her had gotten her into a state of confusion. She let out an "Ah!" and then asked:

"May I take a picture?"

"Why not?"

"Isn't this Hyotei's secret?"

"That's our secret, not yours. Go ahead and take pictures!"

Natsume Tsukiya had just finished speaking.

Mukahi Gakuto asked, "Is this really alright, Minister?"

"Whatever, go ahead and take the picture."

Upon hearing this, Shiba Saori felt a surge of goodwill.

"Remember to take good pictures of me; I'm looking forward to going on dates with lots of girls!"

As soon as Shiba Saori picked up her camera, Natsume Tsuki started taking pictures.

She was speechless for a moment. She had just developed feelings for him, but now those feelings were gone.

"Is that right, my new wife?"

He also asked the pretty girl next to him.

"Yes!" The girl nodded with a smile.

Shiba Saori was completely dumbfounded.

Shiba Saori spent an afternoon at Hyotei, taking many photos, including a group photo of the entire Hyotei team. In the photo, Natsume Tsuki was all smiles, while Atobe Keigo maintained his aristocratic demeanor. Shiba Saori especially liked this photo.

Fudomine —

The two reporters split up and went their separate ways. As two strong teams in Tokyo, they will face off tomorrow. Inoue Mamoru was the first person to glimpse the secret of Fudomine. At that time, he was shocked by the story, especially the spirit of unity and progress after falling down and starting from scratch.

So much so that when Fudomine faced off against Seigaku, he had a vague worry that Seigaku wouldn't be able to survive.

Fudomine, as immovable as a mountain.

The story of Fudomine sounds like a great legend of the protagonist's rise to power. A young man who accidentally injured his teammates due to his youthful passion and obsession with winning, felt guilty and left for a foreign land. From then on, he became restrained and resilient. After experiencing several provocations and bullying, he not only did not resort to violence, but also advised his companions to be patient. Finally, after his teammates were humiliated, he chose to challenge the coach - using boxing!

Afterwards, with his face covered in bandages, on a sunny afternoon when the sun was shining brightly through the window, he pushed open the door to the principal's office, bowed deeply, and presented a handwritten petition with both hands, requesting the formation of a brand new team, a team that was as resilient as Mount Fuji, with a cool exterior but a powerful potential.

Since then,

This man, once known as the Lion, shaved his head and started afresh, taking on the roles of captain and coach. He devised training plans, personally instructing his teammates, and transformed those broken and defeated willow leaves that could only be punched into corners to pick up balls into a small but tall tree. He listened to thunder in silence, and with the appearance of a dark horse, he was neither arrogant nor discouraged, and fought his way from the very first court to the Metropolitan Tournament and then to the Kanto Tournament.

They even used appropriate strategies to defeat last year's champion team in three matches.

When faced with injuries to his teammates, the man's first thought was not to fight for so-called honor, but to never forget his roots and prioritize his teammates, believing that none of them could be missing. The team withdrew from the competition, which was ultimately picked up by Yinhua, who advanced to the Kanto Tournament as one of the top four teams, making history for the team.

Such a man,

If it were a typical script, he should have led all the underdogs to fight his way through and aim for the championship!

However, fate is not in our control.

This is the era of the Celestial Dragons.

The place where the protagonist is located is the shore of eternal victory.

In terms of prestige, there is the son of a former professional prodigy who was halfway to a Grand Slam; in terms of status, there is Rikkai, who was arrogant and won two consecutive championships.

Under such a climate of admiration for the strong,

The Black Legion, like a young boy, becomes nothing more than ants once they enter society.

Are you so arrogant and conceited that you can deceive even the heavens?

A fleeting moment, then faded into obscurity.

This is Fudomine, built entirely on hard work, without any foundation of destiny.

Young man, everything was destined long ago. You can only become a loser, a loser who will never be the same again.

Inoue and Fudomine share a certain connection.

Looking back, wasn't Inoue once young and ambitious, with a heart as bright as the sun in the sky, trying to spread his light to every corner of the world?

When will the masses be bathed in my holy light, so that we may not fail our youthful aspirations?

However,

As the competitions gradually approached Inoue, he suffered defeat after defeat, and eventually, as time took its toll, he could only retreat to the sidelines and watch others shine with the light he admired.

That shining person is famous—Echizen Nanjiro!

At that time, upon hearing that the son of his idol had returned victorious after conquering the West Coast, he was very excited and hurriedly visited the person he had admired in the past.

Later, I unintentionally discovered the secrets of Fudomine. The stories and the feelings of the young people who came together were just like my own back then.

I admire him greatly.

now,

Hyotei has produced another prodigy, a genius who seems to be able to master every technique imaginable.

Inoue,

This young man, who lacks natural talent and is already old, still has a very young dream rooted in his heart, which is why he chose a profession related to youth and became a reporter for a youth tennis monthly magazine.

The new Hyotei,

The new king

A new journey

Faced with this brand-new god-like being, how can the Black Legion remain unmoved and advance relentlessly?

Inoue Mamoru was unaware,

I no longer have the same deep trust in him as I did when we first met. It's not that I don't want to, but reality has brought me to this situation.

In the battle against Seigaku, the Black Legion was restrained at every turn, as if Seigaku was born to restrain all opponents. No matter what kind of flower you are, you will be crushed by the blue flower.

No matter what tricks they use, Seigaku will take action.

The team managed to exploit loopholes in the tournament rules and Hyotei's strategy during the major competition, which was due to the wisdom of their captain. However, Hyotei has learned from its mistakes and is now determined to improve, so such luck will no longer be available to them.

What will the Black Legion do then?

Inoue Mamoru's thoughts were in turmoil.

When two strong forces clash, one is bound to lose. It remains to be seen what mindset this commander of the Black Legion will adopt in dealing with the situation.

The car door slammed shut.

Inoue Mamoru arrived at the familiar school.

Fudomine Junior High School

The self-motivated training truly deserves the title of "hard-working".

With his goal of defeating Atobe of Hyotei, Akira Kamio is doubling his pace and speed, and his commander, Kippei Tachibana, is also displaying the demeanor of a great general.

Inoue Mamoru approached, just during a break in his rest.

"Captain Orange!"

"Mr. Inoue!"

The commander of Fudomine remained as composed as ever.

On the contrary, Ju Xing, standing to the side, seemed unsure how to speak, her delicate brows furrowed in a somber mood.

"Captain Orange..."

The team members all gathered around.

"I came to Fudomine to take a look. Tomorrow, Fudomine's opponent is Hyotei."

Inoue Mamoru spoke without a smile, his tone filled with sorrow.

"No matter what kind of opponent we face, we, Fudomine, will not be afraid in the slightest."

Ju Juping's gaze was firm.

Inoue Mamoru was taken aback; his style was completely different from that of the new captain of Hyotei.

It's hard to say which style is better; they're all very individualistic. Inoue Mamoru couldn't quite put his finger on it, but if we're talking about the demeanor of a strong person, he preferred the style of Echizen Nanjiro, or even the style of Hyotei Natsume Tsukiya.

If he were to speak according to his own desires, he would prefer someone like Tachibana Kippei, who is always as steadfast as Mount Fuji.

But eventually, a winner must be decided. Shiba Saori's call indicated that Hyotei was conducting secret training, which piqued everyone's curiosity, so she inquired:

"So, how will Captain Tachibana deal with the entire regular lineup of Hyotei?"

"We were able to beat Hyotei once, and I believe our team can achieve a second victory. Hyotei's starting lineup doesn't necessarily put in much more effort than ours."

Juju Pinglang returned with a resolute expression.

"Brother!" Ju Xing's worry was evident.

"Xiao Xing?" Tachibana Yoshihira turned his head.

"Captain Tachibana, Anzu is very worried about us," Kamio Akira said. "Especially the second-year students at Hyotei, they seem quite strong?"

"Natsume Tsukiya?" The name immediately popped into Inoue Mamoru's mind.

"Natsume Tsukiya?" Tachibana Kippei was preoccupied with matters within his team and rarely concerned himself with the trivialities of other teams. He wondered where he had heard this name before.

"Captain Tachibana, the one who represented Hyotei in the lottery." Kamio Akira reminded him. He had always had Atobe in his mind, and since the name wasn't well-known, he wouldn't have remembered him if Tachibana An hadn't mentioned it.

"So what?" Tachibana Yoshihira asked.

"Natsume Tsukiya..." Inoue Mamoru murmured to himself.

"We just need to keep an eye on Atobe from Hyotei," Kippei Tachibana said. "Just make sure he shows up in singles number three."

"Singles number three..."

Inoue Mamoru frowned, deep in thought.

"Singles number three, if Hyotei appears in singles number three..."

There may be many in each.

"Brother, be careful of that Natsume Tsukiya," Tachibana An said. "He beat Yamabuki's Sengoku Kiyosumi 6-0 today."

"I heard that Sengoku Kiyosumi lost to him because he suffered cramps on the field?"

Ju Juping had only heard people say that, so he didn't really care about the match.

"Captain Tachibana should also keep a close eye on Natsume Tsuki, a second-year student at Hyotei," Inoue Mamoru said.

"What suggestions does Mr. Inoue have?"

Although Tachibana Yoshihira said this, he only wanted to hear it, not wanting to offend Inoue Mamoru. He didn't necessarily need to take it into consideration when implementing it.

"Natsume Tsukiya defeated Hyotei's Atobe after the Metropolitan Tournament and has become Hyotei's captain. Captain Tachibana needs to know about this," Inoue Mamoru said.

"What?!"

The members of Fudomine were stunned and extremely shocked.

"Yes, not many people know about this."

The fact that Natsume Tsukiya defeated Atobe Keigo was revealed by Mukahi Gakuto of Hyotei. He privately verified that many people did not know about this, including St. Rudolph Academy, Yamabuki Middle School, not to mention Fudomine. Only Seigaku was good at investigation, so they knew more about it.

Fudomine shouldn't have lost like this.

This was Inoue Mamoru's thought at that moment, so he shared the information he had obtained without hesitation, saying:

"Natsume Tsukiya, a second-year student, defeated Atobe of Hyotei with his strong presence and powerful influence, becoming the current captain of Hyotei. This was an indisputable fact even before the loser's bracket revival match."

Ju Xing blinked her beautiful eyes.

The streetball incident happened a few days ago, so does that mean he was already the captain of Hyotei at that time?

She thought about it briefly and was greatly surprised.

No wonder he seemed so strong; I never imagined he was the captain of Hyotei...

Ju Xing thought to herself, feeling both shocked and angry. What on earth was that guy up to?

Why didn't they tell me?

When this thought popped into her head, Tachibana An was stunned for a moment. Why should she?

Is it all because of those countless dates?