novelnext Chapter 161 The next one is you!
Chapter 161 The next one is you!
Chapter 161 You're next!
"Oh?"
Byodoin Phoenix's pupils contracted slightly, suddenly startled. He was being expelled from the list like that?
His thick eyebrows were furrowed and drooped heavily. He disapproved of this approach from the bottom of his heart, and the reason was simple:
Ryoga Echizen's strength is too formidable. Letting go of such an opponent would undoubtedly cause trouble for himself in the future.
But since things have come to this, there is no other way.
He had seen through it all long ago. Ryoga Echizen came to the U17 training camp not to be selected for the national team, but from beginning to end, it was all for that Ryoma Echizen.
Moreover, the other party did indeed commit an error that could not be overlooked, and it is reasonable and justifiable to remove them from the list according to the law.
"Little one, let's go."
Ryoga Echizen withdrew his cold gaze from Tsukiya Natsume and turned to Ryoma Echizen, his tone devoid of any lingering affection.
"Where to?"
Ryoma Echizen subconsciously looked up, his tone carrying a hint of confusion and a barely perceptible wavering.
"He's wanted to leave for a long time, hasn't he?"
Guan Yuechu leaned against the railing, chuckled, and spoke with absolute certainty about her judgment.
Fuji Yuuta immediately frowned and asked in confusion, "Mitsuki, how did you know?"
If he didn't intend to leave, would he subconsciously ask, "Where are you going?"
Guan Yuechu fiddled with the stray hairs on her forehead, explaining confidently with a hint of boasting about her intelligence.
"Guan Yue, your explanation is too far-fetched."
2
Fuji Yuta curled his lip, clearly disagreeing with his statement.
"Echizen Ryoma isn't the kind of person who would truly care about us."
Ignoring his rebuttal, Kanzuki continued, "Yuta, have you forgotten? During the National Tournament, he went to the United States to compete. If there's a time conflict between the two, he'll definitely choose the United States... I bet he'll go this time too."
"You should stop now!"
Momoshiro Takeshi clenched his fists and angrily rebuked, his anger spreading. He couldn't stand anyone slandering Echizen like that.
Kaoru Kaidou stopped him, coldly saying with disdain, "Momoshiro, let him talk. He has a mouth, let him say whatever he wants."
Guan Yuechu was momentarily speechless, then chuckled awkwardly and said, "If you guys from Seigaku think I'm wrong, then just wait and see."
"Representing Team USA."
Ryoma Echizen spoke casually, casually throwing out a sentence as if it were just a trivial matter.
"I refuse."
Ryoma Echizen tilted his head, his tone resolute, without the slightest hesitation.
"Beautiful, little one!"
Kikumaru Eiji immediately cheered and even stuck his tongue out at Mizuki Hajime, making a face at him.
Guan Yuechu's eyebrows twitched violently, his face turning pale and then red. Echizen Ryoma's answer had clearly exceeded his expectations, causing him to lose face.
"Kanzuki, you really have no face to lose," Fuji Yuuta took the opportunity to complain.
"What did you say, Yuta?"
"No, no!"
Ryoga Echizen remained calm, casually juggling a tennis ball with his fingertips, his posture so relaxed that it seemed as if this wasn't a strict U17 training camp, but rather a casual market.
"I heard you also have someone you'd fight to the death to defeat?"
He paused, glanced at Natsume Tsukiya, and continued, "If you stay here, you'll only be shut out forever. Only by leaving and experiencing the wider world across the ocean will you have a chance to take revenge."
"Hey, what nonsense are you spouting!"
Kikumaru Eiji braced one foot on the railing, leaned forward, and shouted urgently into the arena, "Little one, don't listen to his nonsense!"
Takeshi Momoshiro also shouted, "Yeah, Echizen, joining Team America is just a trick of his. Don't believe him!"
"Echizen, think about it again!"
Takaya Kawamura called out with a worried expression.
"snort!"
Ryoma Echizen glanced contemptuously at the crowd outside the arena, then his gaze returned to Ryoma Echizen: "Do you still want to be constantly suppressed by that guy? To live in his shadow forever, without even the right to raise your head?"
""
These words struck a nerve with Ryoma Echizen.
Since the Kanto Tournament, all the glory he had accumulated had been taken away by Natsume Tsukiya one by one. He could no longer bear the feeling of powerlessness and being completely suppressed.
He is Echizen Ryoma, a boy known as a genius. How can he be trampled underfoot and powerless to fight back?
Ryoma Echizen's gaze gradually changed; the hesitation in his eyes faded, replaced by intense fighting spirit and determination.
"Let's go."
Seeing this, Ryoga Echizen smiled triumphantly, flicked his finger, bounced the ball on his racket, and swung it backhand towards Tsukiya Natsume.
The shot came unexpectedly; everyone's attention was focused on the conversation between the two, and no one anticipated that he would suddenly make a move.
The tennis ball, enveloped in a faint halo, hurtled towards Natsume Tsukiya with deadly force; anyone else would surely be unable to dodge it.
However, Natsume Tsukiya remained calm and composed. Suddenly, a dazzling halo appeared in his palm, and he swung his hand back to strike.
"Bang!"
Two tennis balls, enveloped in light, collided violently in mid-air, sending shockwaves through the air and causing those around them to instinctively take a half-step back.
Ryoma Echizen was clearly at a disadvantage. His body swayed slightly, and he hurriedly pulled Ryoma Echizen away. His tone was somewhat unwilling, but he still stubbornly said, "I'll settle this score with you at the World Championship!"
"Why not settle this right here?"
Natsume Tsukiya's tone was cold, his gaze sharp as he stared at him: "I believe everyone here is eager to see this showdown."
Ryoma Echizen scoffed, his tone arrogant: "I hope you can make it to the world championships, I hope you can achieve glory. Only then will it be more enjoyable for me to crush you."
People who say "wait until the future" are just making excuses for their own cowardice.
Natsume Tsuki, carrying his racket, turned and walked off the court, his tone full of disdain, not even giving Echizen Ryoga a second glance.
The crowd outside immediately erupted in a frenzy, with murmurs rising and falling: "Natsume Tsukiya's strength is terrifying! Echizen Ryoga is no match for him!"
"But he's not wrong either. Why wait until the future to decide the winner? The court is right here, the racket is in your hand. If you want to play, play now. Talking about the future is just an excuse."
"Maybe Ryoga Echizen was scared and didn't dare to fight Natsume Tsukiya here, so he made an excuse to slip away!"
"That's exactly what I see. A lot of people are very stubborn, saying they'll compete another day, but in the end it all just fizzles out. They're simply afraid of losing!"
As Ryoma Echizen listened to these discussions, his face instantly darkened, his aura turned cold, his knuckles clenched so tightly they cracked, and his eyes were filled with anger and resentment.
Seeing his expression, Ryoma Echizen said softly, "Let's go."
Ryoga Echizen's expression softened slightly, and the anger in his eyes gradually faded.
Although Natsume Tsuki was indeed powerful, he still didn't take him seriously. His Devouring Skill could easily devour the tennis skills of people of similar strength. He didn't believe that Natsume Tsuki could be stronger than him.
However, the reason why the Devour skill failed when facing Akutsu remained a knot in his heart that he could not get rid of.
The two walked side by side toward the edge of the field without stopping at all.
"Echizen?"
Momoshiro Takeshi watched their retreating figures, his face filled with anger, and shouted at Echizen Ryoma, "Are you really leaving?"
Kawamura Takashi's eyes were slightly red, his tone full of reluctance and confusion: "We promised to stay on the team together and fight side by side, how could you go back on your word?"
"Yes, little one!"
Kikumaru Eiji was at a loss for what to do: "Losing to Natsume Tsuki isn't anything shameful! Who here can beat him? Let's stay here, work hard together, and one day we'll surpass him!"
Kikumaru Eiji's words, though seemingly comforting, unintentionally stung many people present.
Especially the Phoenix of Byodoin.
His brows furrowed, and the fighting spirit in his heart grew stronger. The name Natsume Tsukiya sounded particularly grating at this moment, making him furious.
It seems it's time to teach these arrogant newcomers a lesson and let them know who the true kings of the U17 team are.
"I'm sorry, Kikumaru-senpai."
Ryoma Echizen didn't even raise his head, his tone so calm that it was as if everyone present was just an insignificant outsider, and he didn't pause in his steps at all.
Natsume Tsuki also stood not far away, watching the figures of the Seigaku group, pondering to himself:
Seigaku is a really strange place, with two particularly special people: Ryoma Echizen and Kunimitsu Teie.
Their emotions seem to always be detached from the team.
But given that this is Kunimitsu's nature and that he has always cared about Seigaku, it is understandable.
But Ryoma Echizen is different.
Natsume Tsuki had always found it strange that this person seemed to have never truly integrated into the Seigaku team, but only now did he realize why:
In Ryoma Echizen's world, there was never the word "Seigaku"; there was only himself, only his pride and his victories and defeats.
"Echizen, do your best when you get there!"
Fuji Syusuke remained smiling, his tone gentle, without a trace of blame, only sincere blessings.
"Fuji-senpai!"
Momoshiro Takeshi was both anxious and angry, his voice filled with resentment: "Once he's on the American team, he's our enemy!"
With tears welling in his eyes, Kawamura Takaya pressed, "Echizen, do you really want to be our enemy?"
Ryoma Echizen remained silent, simply following Ryoga Echizen as they walked out of the training camp gates without looking back or responding.
As soon as he finished speaking, Kurobe's cold and firm voice came over the loudspeaker, piercing through the noise of the entire venue: "Ryoma Echizen has voluntarily left the training camp, and his eligibility to represent the team has been revoked and will not be retained."
In the monitoring room, Sato and Takumi Ryuji were filled with shock and their expressions were solemn.
Sato hurriedly said, "Coach Kurobe, isn't this leaving too little room for maneuver? Ryoma Echizen has great potential. If we need him in the future, we might not have another chance."
Kurobe's tone was firm, without the slightest hesitation: "No one stopped Tezuka Kunimitsu when he left;
If Echizen Ryoma wanted to leave, no one could stop him.
It's okay to leave, but if we reserve a spot for everyone after they leave, is that fair to those who desperately stayed in the training camp and worked hard to qualify?
If everyone treats the U17 team as a fallback option, neglects training, and leaves at will, how can we cultivate players capable of competing against the world's strongest teams?
These words left Sato and Takumi Ryuji speechless. They could only nod in agreement silently. Kurobe's words were all reasonable, and they had no way to refute them.
"It's all time to end it all."
Phoenix Byodoin looked up at the surveillance camera, her arrogant tone and booming voice echoing throughout the room: "Before I fight that trash, I have one request."
"agree."
On the radio, Kurobe gave his answer without even thinking.
"Tokugawa, did you hear that?"
Byodoin Phoenix leaped onto the field, pointed at Tokugawa Kazuya in the stands, and shouted sternly, "Get down here right now!"
All eyes immediately turned to Tokugawa Kazuya, and the atmosphere instantly became tense.
Oni Kanjiro and Irie Kanata also frowned, their expressions grave. They both knew that Byodoin Phoenix was going to settle old scores completely.
Tokugawa Kazuya remained silent, not uttering a word, but slowly walking towards the steps, each step heavy yet exceptionally resolute.
"Go, Tokugawa!"
Oni Jujiro shouted after him, his voice full of encouragement: "Go back what you lost, go prove yourself!"
"It was my oversight that I failed to completely destroy you before."
Phoenix Byodoin threw her head back and laughed, her tone full of arrogance and disdain: "Today, I'm going to show you what regret really means in front of everyone!"
Soon, the two stood on the same court, their eyes locked in a standoff, their auras sharp as knives, a clash of titans about to erupt.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
The tennis ball flew rapidly between the two players, each impact carrying devastating force, drawing gasps and murmurs from the new recruits on the sidelines: "Is this the strength of the No. 1 player in the first team? He's too powerful!"
"Both of them have such strong presences; just looking at them is incredibly intimidating!"
"Tokugawa Kazuya is quite impressive; he managed to hold his own against Byodoin Phoenix!"
Byodoin Phoenix roared, her voice filled with impatience: "Is that all you've got? You're utterly disappointing! Show me your full power!"
"what!"
A resolute glint ignited in Tokugawa Kazuya's eyes, a dazzling sphere of light emanated from his palm, and fragments of lightning crackled around him. He swung his paddle sharply in retaliation: "I will not lose, Oni, Irie, this is my promise to you!"
"Bang!"
"Let me show you the true power of the world!"
Byodoin Phoenix, its eyes bloodshot, roared fiercely, "Fallen into the abyss of another dimension, die!"
In Tokugawa Kazuya's field of vision, a pirate skeleton captain suddenly appeared, wielding a long sword and slashing menacingly at him.
An intense sense of oppression swept over him, his mind jolted, and he was instantly knocked to the ground, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.
"Is that all you've got?"
Byodoin Phoenix pressed forward relentlessly, swinging her racket once more. A heavy tennis ball, carrying a fierce force, hurtled towards Tokugawa Kazuya: "Drowned in hell!"
Tokugawa Kazuya lay on the ground, his mind flashing back to the past.
Those grueling training sessions, those frustrating defeats, that unwavering determination to become stronger. He gritted his teeth, thinking, "This isn't a life-or-death battle; this is my only chance to prove myself. I absolutely cannot lose like this!"
"Bang!"
Tokugawa Kazuya suddenly stood up, his swing drawing a dazzling crescent moon, his tone resolute: "Every ball you hit will be stopped by my black hole!"
Byodoin Phoenix's pupils shrank, his face filled with shock. He never expected that Tokugawa Kazuya would have mastered such a powerful technique!
"!"
"Bang!"
"Go to hell!"
Byodoin Phoenix was completely enraged. He roared and swung his racket, sending a tennis ball containing terrifying power hurtling towards Tokugawa Kazuya.
Tokugawa Kazuya fought back with all his might, but was still forced back by the enormous force, and the blood at the corner of his mouth gushed out even more.
"Tokugawa!"
Kanata Irie, looking anxious, shouted towards the court, wanting to rush up, but was stopped by Jujiro Oni.
"Bang—!"
Another shot, even more powerful than before, sent Tokugawa Kazuya flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily onto the court, unable to get up again.
"it's over!"
Byodoin Phoenix wiped the sweat from her brow, her gaze sweeping past the fallen Tokugawa Kazuya and fixing fixed on Natsume Tsukiya. She said, "You're next!"