fictionpage Chapter 93 Don't overthink it, this is just motivational talk.
Chapter 93 Don't overthink it, this is just motivational talk.
The wind rustled through the pine branches, and a swan on the distant lake cried out, as if sighing for the group of boys.
The Rikkai students stopped looking at Yue Ling and instead lowered their heads to look at the grass at their feet.
Wang Yueling is right.
Hyotei alone is far stronger than before in this training camp. The other opponents are not standing still either. Rikkai is aiming for a three-peat this year, and they will need to compete not only in terms of technique but also in terms of mentality.
Their mindset is precisely the biggest problem they've exposed today.
Before the challenge, they firmly believed that as the champion team, winning a point would be a piece of cake.
But the reality is that their kingly arrogance crumbled in the face of absolute strength.
Looking at the dejected boys, Wang Yueling slowly lost the teasing smile on her face.
"Alright, stop hanging your heads."
He placed the remaining peaches on the table, slowly wiping his fingertips with a handkerchief, his azure eyes sweeping over everyone, his tone more serious than ever before.
"Five balls, ten balls, it's not really anything special. You can do it too in the future."
All around was quiet.
Everyone looked up at him, their eyes filled with disbelief, never expecting him to say such comforting words.
"It's only a matter of time before you can handle multiple balls at the same time. It's not some extraordinary talent; it's a game that comes from a lot of training."
Wang Yueling crossed her arms in front of her and solemnly gave the group of kids a pep talk, "You have a long way to go, and your training has only just begun. The reason I was able to catch ten of your balls on the court today is not because I was born much stronger than you."
"It's because my foundation is more solid than yours, and I've sweated more during training."
He paused, his gaze falling on Kirihara, the innocent little seaweed staring at him with wide, round eyes full of admiration.
They became even more enthusiastic about giving him chicken soup.
"What you lack now is not talent, but accumulation." Wang Yueling's voice was soft, yet it carried a convincing power. "As long as you are willing to practice, one day you will be able to stand in my position. You might even be stronger than me."
"You all still have a long way to go in your cultivation."
"Cheer up, young people! A bright future is beckoning you."
"Wangyue Ling's Supreme Chicken Soup" – just one whole can, and the effects are immediate.
Although no one spoke, the frustration and disappointment that had been permeating the air dissipated without them even realizing it.
Instead, a fighting spirit slowly began to ignite.
They all stared intently at the blond boy standing in the center of the court, confidently pointing them in the right direction.
Just moments ago he was like an arrogant demon king, toying with them. Now, he's earnestly saying that they can become as strong as him, and it's not too late, as long as they're willing to work hard.
Kirihara clenched his fist excitedly, his seaweed-like head tilting slightly upwards. Marui peeled a new piece of chewing gum and popped it into his mouth. Niou remained leaning against Yagyu, but his fox-like eyes had lost some of their usual nonchalant air.
Liu Lian'er opened the notebook and wrote a few words in the blank space of a certain page.
Sanada gripped his racket tightly, an unprecedented fighting spirit igniting in his dark eyes. He had always thought he was good enough, but today he realized that the gap between him and Mochizuki Ryo was much greater than he had imagined.
But so what?
One day, he will catch up.
Atobe crossed his arms, his icy blue eyes fixed on Mochizuki Ryo, a slight smile playing on his lips. He had seen what Mochizuki Ryo looked like when he was "serious," the same tone he used when he said "Hyotei is worth it" in the study that day.
This is not encouragement, nor is it feeding people chicken soup.
I wanted to tell them a fact, a fact that can be verified in the future.
Of course, these are all thoughts that Atobe has overthought. If Mochizuki Ryo knew, he would definitely criticize him directly.
Keigo, I didn't expect you to have such a strong bias towards me, sob sob... Unfortunately, this is just some motivational talk, something I said to make amends for what I said before that was too harsh.
The slaps have been delivered; it's time to offer some sweet treats.
Seeing the light return to their eyes, Wang Yueling nodded in satisfaction and turned to wave to the butler of the wilderness.
The butler pushed the familiar cart over. This time, instead of peaches, the cart was piled high with tennis rackets and a bunch of dark gray wristbands.
The rackets all had the same frame shape, but each one had a name tag on the grip. The wristbands were neatly stacked, with the school emblems of Hyotei and Rikkai printed on them.
"These are for you."
Wang Yueling walked to the cart, picked up the top racket, weighed it in her hand, and nodded in satisfaction. "Starting today, your rackets will be replaced with weighted rackets. You will also each wear a weighted wrist and ankle brace."
"Weighing down?!" Jiro's face instantly fell as he stared at the heavy pile of equipment. "We have to wear this too?"
Xiang Ri frowned as well. He stepped forward, picked up a wristband, weighed it in his hand, and his expression darkened further. "It's so heavy, Ling. Can we not wear it?"
"Of course not." Mochizuki Ryou held up a finger and waved it at them. "These rackets and wristbands are custom-made according to each of your physical fitness data. Don't worry, they won't be too heavy, but they're not light either."
The Rikkai University members didn't react much; they just exchanged glances.
They usually add weights during training, especially the regular players, who wear them during official matches. However, they removed their weights this time to show respect to Hyotei.
Marui chewed gum and tilted his head: "I thought Ling didn't know we usually wear weights. Sanada specifically told us to take them off before we came, saying we shouldn't put pressure on anyone on our first training camp."
Kuwabara nodded silently beside him.
Sanada adjusted his hat brim, his voice deep: "The Rikkai regulars wear weights during training and official matches. This time, it was Captain Yukimura who instructed us that since it's a training camp exchange, we don't need to reveal our hand from the start."
"Seiichi is quite protective of you guys."
Wang Yueling smiled and shook her head, putting the racket back on the cart. "But you don't need to hide it from me. According to your usual habits, these new weights are just around 75% of your maximum load. You won't get injured."
Niou fiddled with the wrist guard in his hand, a hint of curiosity flashing in his fox-like eyes. "Ring, you even have our stamina data?"
"Of course." Mochizuki Ryo pointed to Liu standing next to her. "Liu provided the data for Rikkai. I measured Hyotei's data myself."
Liu nodded slightly, opened her notebook, and said, "The data doesn't lie. This weight distribution is very scientific."
He closed his notebook, picked up his weighted tennis racket, examined the thickness of the frame, weighed it in his hand to check the balance point, and nodded slightly. He then checked the weight of the wristband, opened his notebook, and began writing furiously.
"The weight is evenly distributed and conforms to human biomechanics."
Liu spoke calmly, stating her data: "If you can wear it consistently for a week, your muscle endurance and hitting power will improve significantly. Preliminary estimates suggest an endurance increase of approximately 12% to 15%, with the exact figure depending on each individual's basal metabolic rate and training intensity."
"What's a little weight?"
Kirihara picked up his own wristband and quickly fastened it to his wrist. He then picked up his new racket and swung it around, his eyes lighting up. "It's not heavy at all! It doesn't feel like it's affecting anything!"
That's because you're standing still.
Marui spoke up quietly from the side, fastening the weighted wristbands to his wrist and flexing his fingers, "You'll see how powerful it is once you start running. Don't come crying to me later, begging to take them off, you're just talking big now."
Niou pulled his clothes out of his wristband, shook his wrist, and squinted at Kirihara: "Piyo~ Akaya, I hope you can still smile when physical training starts later."
"No way! I'm Rikkai's ace." Kirihara snorted defiantly and swung his racket a few more times.
Niou, too lazy to pay attention to Kirihara, retied his braid, leaned close to Yagyu, and whispered, "Hiro~ do you think Ryo had prepared all this a long time ago?"
Yagyu adjusted his glasses and nodded slightly. "He should have been preparing since the day he decided to hold the training camp."
"What a terrifying person." Niou clicked his tongue, but there was no fear in his eyes, only excitement. "But that's what makes it interesting."
Kuwahara smiled innocently beside him, saying nothing, but quietly helping Urayama and Koizumi, who were wearing the wristbands for the first time, adjust their tightness.
Sanada stood to the side, adjusting his wristband and feeling the weight on his wrist and ankle.
This racket was a bit heavier than the ones he usually wore, so he picked it up and tested the power of his swing. He swung it twice into the air, feeling the resistance as the frame cut through the air.
I feel that this kind of training camp is really intense.
Atobe fastened the wristband to his wrist, raised his arm, and examined the racket against the sunlight. The frame of the weighted racket was slightly thicker than his usual one, and the matte finish gave it a subtle sheen in the sunlight.
He lowered his hand, his icy blue eyes looking at Wang Yueling, a smile playing on his lips.
"Hmm, a weighted racket that's worn all day long, that's a pretty fancy idea."
"It is my honor to receive your approval, sir." Wang Yueling bowed slightly, her tone light and cheerful.
Then he stated another condition.
"Also, these wristbands and ankle braces aren't something you can just wear this afternoon and call it a day. During the training camp, you can't take them off, whether it's for training or daily activities..."
The people from Hyotei and Rikkai were both stunned for a moment.
I thought it was only for wearing during training, but it seems like it's for wearing all day.
Several people were already whispering to each other, their expressions a mixture of surprise and curiosity. A few second-year students from Rikkai University were also talking quietly, but no one dared to protest loudly.
"You can't even take it off when you're taking a bath?!" Jiro stared wide-eyed in horror.
"You can take it off when you shower." Wang Yueling glanced at him speechlessly, her lips twitching slightly. "But you have to wear it at other times."
He paused, glanced at the others, and then his tone returned to calm, "Sleeping is one too."
"You wear it even while sleeping?!"
"Of course." Wang Yueling looked at the group of frightened little guys and put on a very gentle smile, but everyone was startled by this sudden smile. "If you want to improve your strength in a short period of time and want to take shortcuts and overtake others, it will naturally not be easy."
"Look on the bright side, this way you're training even in your dreams."
"You'll get used to it. When you pick them, you'll feel as light as a feather and run like you're flying."
Everyone was speechless at his twisted logic, but no one actually resisted.
The remaining people lined up and walked to the cart, each receiving their racket and protective gear. The wristbands were heavy, but they fit well and didn't affect their movements.
Everyone curiously picked up their new rackets and swung them around, trying out the feel of them.
Wang Yueling watched as they all put on their gear, the smile on her face disappeared, and she picked up the coach's whistle hanging around her neck and blew it loudly.
"beep!!!"
A sharp whistle pierced the air.
Everyone immediately stopped what they were doing and stood in neat rows.
"The afternoon's basic training officially begins."
Wang Yueling's voice was cold and stern. "Everyone, run five kilometers around the lake. After that, do 2000 racket swings. Do 100 push-ups, 5 sets. Now, let's go!"
As soon as the words were spoken, more than forty people ran out in unison. Their footsteps were neat and powerful, echoing in the afternoon sunlight.
Soon, the weight of the wristbands and rackets began to show its true power after they started running. Before they had even run half a lap, some people were already gritting their teeth in frustration.
Kirihara was at the forefront, running incredibly fast. A few strands of his fluffy curly hair were damp with sweat and fluttered in the wind.
"I'm going to be number one!" he shouted, quickly leaving everyone else behind.
Sanada and Atobe ran side-by-side in the second group. Neither of them was willing to admit defeat, and they were secretly competing with each other, so their speed increased.
Liu and Liu Sheng followed at a leisurely pace. As Liu ran, he mentally noted the speed and breathing rate of each person.
Marui, Jiro, and Mukahi ran in the middle.
Cilang started panting after running less than half a lap, and Xiangri grabbed his arm and dragged him forward.
"Ci Lang! Hurry up!" Xiang Ri reminded him breathlessly, "If you're slow, Ling Jia will scold you!"
"I can't run anymore..." Jiro said weakly. "It's so heavy... my legs feel like stones..."
"Who told you to never exercise! All you do is sleep," Xiang Ri scolded him irritably, then encouraged him, "Just a little longer! You'll be done in a minute!"
Kuwabara followed behind them, occasionally helping Jiro out.
Niou, Shishido, and Ootori ran together. Niou ran very easily and could even talk to Ootori while running.
"Phoenix Lord, how are you feeling?"
Feng's forehead was already sweating, and she was panting. She nodded, "It's okay. It's just a little heavier than usual."
"You'll get used to running with weights." Niou was clearly already accustomed to running with weights, his voice steady. "This kind of training is really effective."
Shishido scoffed from the side, "This is nothing. There's something even tougher coming up."
Wang Yueling stood in the center of the court, watching their retreating figures as they ran along the lake. She looked down at her own racket on the cart, a weighted racket that was more than twice as heavy as the others'.
I picked it up and weighed it in my hand.
He put the racket back, walked to the coach's bench, and glanced at the giant peach on the table that he had bitten half of.
"It's actually quite delicious."
He sighed, then picked it up and took a big bite. While eating, he took out his phone and sent a message to Yukimura.
[Ling]: Seishi, the challenge match this afternoon ended perfectly. I defeated everyone with an absolute victory; they didn't get a single point.
[Ling]: I even ate that peach king in front of everyone. They were all itching to beat me up. (Little golden retriever looking smug.jpg)
After sending the message, he put his phone back in his pocket. He strolled leisurely to the lakeside awning, sat down on a chair, and watched them jog while sipping iced tea.
Five kilometers is neither a long nor a short distance.
For the well-trained tennis team members, this wouldn't normally be a problem. But today, wearing extra weights, the difficulty level increased dramatically.
Kirihara was in the lead, but he ran out of energy after two laps. His speed decreased, and he was soon overtaken by Sanada and Atobe.
"Damn it..." Kirihara gritted his teeth, panting heavily as he watched the two men pass him. His legs felt like they were made of lead, and every step was incredibly difficult. "How can it be so heavy..."
He finally understood what Marui and Niou meant.
Sanada and Atobe were still running very fast.
The two chased each other, neither willing to fall behind. Although their breathing was rapid, their steps remained steady.
Liu and Liu Sheng maintained a steady pace and their breathing was also steady, clearly having adapted to the feeling of carrying a load.
Jiro was already too exhausted to run anymore. Mukahi and Kuwabara grabbed his left arm and his right arm respectively, dragging him forward.
"I really can't run anymore..." Jiro's voice trembled with tears. "Let me rest for a while... just a little while..."
"No way!" Xiang Ri firmly rejected his suggestion. "If you rest, you won't be able to run anymore! Hang in there! One last lap!"
Finally, everyone finished running five kilometers.
Exhausted, they collapsed on the grass, panting heavily, sweat streaming down their faces and soaking their clothes.
Kirihara lay on the grass, feeling like his lungs were about to explode. He looked up at the blue sky above, too weak to even move a finger.
"I'm exhausted..." he said weakly. "I should have known better than to rush..."
Marui lay down next to him, also panting heavily. "Serves you right for being so cocky earlier. Now you know how powerful I am."
Kirihara didn't have the strength to refute him, he just turned his head and rolled his eyes at him, then continued to lie there panting.
Seeing that they had rested enough, Wang Yueling blew her whistle again.
"Break time! Get up, everyone! Swing your rackets two thousand times! Hurry up!"
Everyone groaned as they scrambled to their feet from the grass. They picked up their heavy rackets and began to swing mechanically.
One, two, three...
My arms felt heavier and more sore. Sweat dripped onto the grass, leaving a small damp patch.
No one slacked off. Because they knew that slacking off would mean triple the training.
An hour later, the swing practice ended.
Next up is push-ups.
Short bursts of high-intensity training take a greater toll on physical strength. By the third set, very few people could keep going.
Cilang lay directly on the ground and refused to get up no matter what.
"I can't take it anymore..." He buried his face in the grass, his voice muffled, "I'd rather die than do it again..."
Wang Yueling walked over and gently kicked his butt with her toe. "Get up. There are only two more sets left."
"I'm not doing it anymore!" Cilang protested, "Even if you give me extra training, I won't do it!"
Wang Yueling raised an eyebrow, squatted down, leaned close to Cilang's ear, and whispered, "After you finish these two sets, I'll give you an extra slice of strawberry cake tonight."
Cilang suddenly looked up, his eyes shining like light bulbs. "Really?"
"Really." Mochizuki Ryou nodded.
"I'll do it!" Jiro immediately got up from the ground, propped himself up on his arms and started doing push-ups. Although his movements were already distorted, he still gritted his teeth and persevered.
Mukahi, who had witnessed the entire process, was dumbfounded. "No way! Jiro! You were bought off with just a piece of cake?"
"That's a strawberry cake!" Cilang said as he made it. "Ling's strawberry cake is so delicious! Besides, we lost the challenge and we'll be eating boiled broccoli tonight. We can't miss this chance to eat cake."
By the time everyone had finished the last push-up, the sun had already begun to set.
Golden sunlight shone on the lake, making it sparkle.
Wang Yueling stood up from the coach's chair, took the whistle, and blew it.
Everyone instinctively stood at attention. Even Jiro, who had been sprawled on the ground, immediately jumped up and stood ramrod straight.
Looking at them, all exhausted and staggering, Wang Yueling smiled with satisfaction.
"Basic training is complete."
He put the whistle back in his pocket, his tone playful, "I was just thinking, everyone's been tired all afternoon, so you probably don't really want boiled broccoli. Since everyone likes challenges so much, I've decided to add a fun activity for you."
Everyone watched him warily.
The phrase "fun activities" coming from Wang Yueling's mouth was even more frightening than "three times the training".
The people from Hyotei were the first to disbelieve it.
The last time he mentioned "fun activities," the Hyotei team ran a 10-kilometer interval run. The time before that, when he mentioned "fun training," Mukahi practiced the lunar flip a full two hundred times.
The students from Rikkai University all had solemn expressions, as if facing a formidable enemy.
"Don't be so nervous." Wang Yueling waved her hand, looking innocent. "You lost the challenge this afternoon, so everyone has to go pick peaches, right?"
No one answered him; everyone looked at him with a "you're going to cause trouble again" kind of look.
"Simply picking peaches is so boring." He twirled the card between his fingers, a mischievous glint in his blue eyes. "That's why I'm organizing this fun activity to keep everyone young and energetic."
He had a look on his face that said, "I'm doing this all for your sake."
"And the top ten participants don't have to eat boiled broccoli that night."
Wang Yueling waved the colorful cards in her hand, slightly raising her chin, her expression perfectly smug. "How about it? Don't you think I'm a pretty humane coach?"
The people from Rikkai and Hyotei are immune to his self-promotion. But honestly, the thought of not eating boiled broccoli is tempting enough.
After a lavish lunch, no one wanted to eat boiled vegetables for dinner. Besides, they had already lost out on a delicious dinner, and all that was left was broccoli, so there was nothing to be afraid of.
The air instantly became restless.
"Senior, what kind of event is it?" Kirihara was the first to raise his hand and ask.