My system allows me to copy talents

Chapter 462  Nature of the test

It was a test to gauge their attitude. Yet, none were aware of it. Well, it wouldn't have been an attitude test had they known about it. There wouldn't be any meaning to it. Were they aware of it?

Hiro thought as he noticed the unchanged reaction of the veteran players. Now that he thought about it, before starting the game, Kenji Fujimoto was discussing something with the coach. "Kenji, don't intervene when they make mistakes. Let them handle their affairs. It doesn't matter whether they perform well or not. Just don't intervene."

These were Nanami's instructions to Kenji before the kickoff, which Kenji had quietly relayed to his fellow veterans.

That's why for the entirety of the game, despite their numerous blunders, they kept their mouths shut. As he recalled, everything began to fall in pieces. 'It'd only make sense to judge our abilities without any third-party influences. So, he must have asked them to turn a blind eye to our mistakes.' The buzz in the field was growing increasingly loud. "Silence!" Unable to tolerate their complaints any further, one of the coaching staff stepped up. His voice echoed like the sound of thunder, immediately grasping everyone's attention. It even startled many. At once as they heard him, they immediately stopped their complaints. "It wasn't a test to gauge your performance. From the beginning, the purpose of the match had been to gauge your mental fortitude and self-reliance in high-pressure situations," he began steadily, revealing the true nature of the test. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Then he swept his gaze disdainfully, "And, do I need to tell you how you performed?"

The players who until a moment ago were complaining about the unfairness lowered their heads in shame as they heard him. They couldn't even refute it. Suddenly, it got eerily silent as the buzz died down. After saying that much, he quietly stepped back to his position. "As coach Akira said, it was a test to gauge your mental fortitude and your ability to cope in high-pressure situations. But it isn't the end of the training. There are a lot more tests left to be conducted. So, be prepared," Nanami said, attempting to cheer up the players. Initially, he wasn't planning on revealing the nature of the test. But now that his compatriot had revealed it, he couldn't remain silent. "With that being said, let's continue the training," he added. Though the match had come to an end, the session had yet to come to an end. Rather it had only begun. But at least, they were glad to hear that they had many more chances to redeem themselves.

However, one thing became clear to the players after this encounter— they couldn't lower their guard for the entirety of the training camp if they wanted to secure a spot in the team.

They had to take every drill seriously. The training then progressed. While the players continued to train, Nanami turned to Akira, one of his assistants. "Sorry coach," Akira apologized for his earlier behavior. It wasn't his place to speak. But he spoke anyway. So, it was only right for him to apologize. However, Nanami wasn't there to find faults with him. So, he revealed a subtle smile before saying, "You don't have to apologize. In fact, I should be rather thankful to you for stepping up. If you hadn't stepped up, I might have not been able to stabilize the ongoing riot."

Akira felt a little taken aback when he heard him. It wasn't what he was expecting from him. Previously, he had heard that he had a rather strict personality. And, he disliked others intervening in his matters. But it was the opposite. So, he was left dumbfounded by his response. Unlike other coaches, he and Nanami were new to the team. So neither were familiar with each other's personalities. So, despite his reluctance to accept his apology, he still felt the need to apologize. But before he could put his words in voice, Nanami began to inquire him about something.

"Have you heard anything from Dr. Haruki? I'm pretty sure that he said that he'd be here by today."

Upon the mention of Haruki, he began to check his phone. "Ah right, he has left a message saying that he might be a little late due to some issues regarding the Athlete Insight," Akira conveyed the message.  Upon hearing the news, Nanami couldn't help but frown. "If only he were here we would have been able to track the performance of the players even better," murmuring so, he paused before turning to Akira again, "What about the computers? Has it been installed already? If not the training would get even more delayed."

Nanami appeared rather concerned when he asked him. "Yes coach, we've already installed the computers. Now, we only need Dr. Haruki to operate it. We can begin it as soon as he arrives. So, if everything goes as planned we can start the program by evening's training," Akira answered obediently. Satisfied, Nanami nodded. Then he shifted his focus to the players who were training with a renewed sense of vigor. He could vividly see the seriousness in their face. Seeing the effectiveness of the training, he couldn't help but reveal a satiated grin. 'I guess it was indeed better to reveal the purpose of the test.' he thought, feeling grateful to Akira for helping him out. 'The federation must have spent a hefty sum of money to persuade Dr. Haruki. Otherwise, how could they convince someone of his stature to assist the team? At least, I'm grateful that they spared some funds to fulfill my wishes.' Originally, it was Nanami who had requested the help of Dr. Haruki. However, he wasn't sure that the federation would be able to convince him. But when he found out that the federation had managed to convince him to assist the team, he was overjoyed to hear the news. Dr. Haruki was someone who had introduced a new revolutionary sports technology to the market called the Athlete Insight. As the training progressed, it soon became known to the players that Coach Nanami's coaching methods were rather eccentric. And, the match before was proof of it.