However, Taki Haginosuke thought about it for a moment and felt this actually matched Ryohei Rin's arrogant personality.
After all, the motivation of this new freshman to join Hyotei's tennis club was so outrageous—he actually wanted to make Atobe his junior!
He even dared to look down on Coach Taro Sakaki's training program.
…In a way, it almost seemed reasonable.
On the other side, Ryohei Rin noticed Taki Haginosuke's doubtful expression and instantly saw through his thoughts.
After hesitating briefly, Rin decided to explain.
"Taki Haginosuke… there are ways to train. Simply practicing blindly without thought only leads to low efficiency."
"It's like this—why do you think Coach Sakaki makes a daily training plan?"
"Of course, it's to make us stronger?" Taki Haginosuke answered, confused.
"Yes. Developing a training plan makes the routine more complete and deliberate. That kind of targeted training can really achieve twice the result with half the effort. But…"
Rin's eyes sharpened.
"That still isn't enough. I need a plan that's more detailed, one that is truly actionable. A plan that can be combined with my own growth to constantly test and push myself. Only then can training efficiency be maximized."
"Combined with yourself? Meticulous and detailed? Actionable?"
Taki Haginosuke froze on the spot.
Ryohei Rin's explanation was something he had never heard before. Too novel, too advanced.
"Combined with yourself…"
Taki's eyes turned dull. It was as if he had grasped something, yet the key point slipped away like mist. The feeling made him restless, as if thousands of ants crawled across his chest.
"This… Rin, isn't your idea too idealistic? Isn't that the kind of thing only top coaches are capable of designing? And what do you even mean by 'combining with yourself'? Do you mean basing training on your five-dimensional values and improving weaknesses first?"
"…"
The barrage of questions gave Rin a headache.
Was this guy some kind of endless quiz machine? Why did he have to dig into everything?
After a pause, Rin sat down on a nearby bench. He continued, "You're wrong. Tennis isn't formulaic. You can't become strong by following a routine alone."
"If you really want to become stronger, it depends on your own understanding. Right now, Taki Haginosuke, your tennis has become too rigid. You believe that as long as you have higher numbers than your opponent, you'll definitely win. But that's not what 'integration with yourself' means. It's not just about covering weaknesses in your five dimensions."
"Ah?!"
Taki Haginosuke's mind went blank.
If both players on court were reduced to numbers, then obviously the one with better stats should win… right?
"Isn't it?" he muttered weakly.
"Yes… but also no."
"Numbers are fixed. People are alive. Even a player with lower stats can make a comeback if they know how to maximize what they have. Find your own tennis path, understand your skills, and allocate your strengths reasonably. If you do that, you'll realize something…"
Rin's eyes gleamed.
"Reaching the so-called 'national level'… is just the first step."
"National level… just the first step?"
Taki Haginosuke's mouth hung open.
National level was already the peak in his eyes! Yet Ryohei Rin described it as if it were nothing more than eating and drinking.
"You… don't believe me?" Rin asked, noticing his expression.
"I believe… I don't believe…!"
Taki kept grumbling in his heart, but wisely shut his mouth. If he asked more, this guy's strange logic might twist his entire view of tennis.
It was outrageous! Completely off the mark!
National level… just entry-level?!
"What's that look for?" Rin raised an eyebrow, seeing through him instantly. "If you think I'm lying, don't look at me like that. At least hide your doubts better."
"W-well…" Taki stammered, "No, you're right. I was just a little distracted… thinking of something happy."
"…Happy? What, did your wife give birth?" Rin's mouth twitched.
"Ah… yes—wait, no! I'm still in junior high, how could I have a wife? Rin, I'm wrong, I just slipped up… I'm fine now. Totally normal."
"…"
Rin let out a long sigh, exhausted by this back-and-forth.
He picked up a small branch from the ground and began sketching. Words alone sometimes lacked power—better to show directly.
"Rustle—"
"You understand the concept of the five basic dimensions, right?"
"Yeah," Taki nodded, leaning closer. He didn't understand what Rin was doing, but he looked carefully.
On the dirt, Rin drew two equilateral pentagons.
"…Visualizing data?"
Taki had never seen such a method before.
"Speed, strength, stamina, skill, and spirit correspond to the five points of the pentagon."
Though it was his first time seeing this, Taki quickly caught on. After all, Rin had already marked it out clearly—if he still couldn't understand, he'd be an idiot.
"Yes." Rin nodded approvingly, continuing to draw.
Next, he sketched two more pentagons. Both had the same total—twelve points across the five dimensions—but their distributions were different.
The first: Speed 3, Stamina 2, Skill 2.5, Strength 2.5, Spirit 2.
The second: Speed 2.5, Stamina 2.5, Skill 3, Strength 2, Spirit 2.
"Connect these together. This graph is what I call the five-dimensional stats. Now… which side has the larger area?"
When Rin put down the branch, he asked the question calmly.
"…The first one?"
Taki blurted out the answer almost instinctively. Then he froze.
Wait… the total points were the same.
So why was the first pentagon's area visibly larger?