On the same day that Ishikawa left.

In the evening.

At the U-17 training base parking lot.

A tall figure with chocolate-brown skin and wild, snow-white hair stepped off the bus. Stretching lazily, he rubbed his sleepy eyes and sighed, "Finally back."

A faint smile crossed his face as he spoke.

"Looks like the ranking matches are over, huh? Heh, good thing I was smart—showing up late has its perks."

With that, he entered the U-17 facility.

As he walked, the high schoolers training nearby noticed him and greeted him with respectful nods.

"Am I imagining things?"

The white-haired young man—Shūji Tokugawa, Japan U-17's No. 2-ranked player—felt a flicker of surprise. Something about the training atmosphere seemed different from before.

He distinctly remembered that among those who had greeted him were Kōsuke Tenjin and Junpei Taira from Court 16—two of U-17's most notorious slackers.

Yet now, they were diligently training, and with surprising focus at that.

Puzzled, Tokugawa made his way to the central training area. Below, players were scattered across every court, engaged in drills and matches.

"Interesting."

His gaze landed on one court where a match was underway, and his surprise deepened. "Even Enjō's participating in regular training now? And Ryōji… Huh, who's he playing against? A new face, it seems."

Descending the steps, Tokugawa drew curious glances from the others. Those who met his eyes showed the same respect as before.

"Kanjō."

Approaching the court where the top-ranked players trained, Tokugawa grinned. "Who's the guy playing against Ryōji?"

"Hisumi Sōzō."

Kanjō glanced at him and nodded. "This year's Autumn Tournament Rookie King. Strong player. Yesterday's ranking match, he defeated Kirihara and claimed the No. 9 spot."

"That strong?" Tokugawa raised an eyebrow. "Guess the new blood's really lighting a fire under everyone. By the way, what happened to Enjō?"

He gestured toward a purple-haired young man nearby, his face and body wrapped in bandages. "Did Byōdōin rough him up again?"

Whoosh.

The moment the name "Byōdōin" left his lips, the atmosphere shifted. The high schoolers—especially the top-ranked players—froze, their expressions darkening.

"Uh…"

Sensing the tension, Tokugawa chuckled awkwardly. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No." Kanjō shook his head. "Enjō's injuries… came from someone else."

"Someone else?"

Tokugawa's eyes widened. Then, as if realizing something, he turned back to the court where the orange-haired rookie was locked in a fierce match with Ōmagari.

"…Him?"

The No. 9 player had beaten the No. 8?

This year's rookies were on another level.

But something still felt off. It was as if he'd accidentally triggered a landmine—everyone's mood had soured instantly.

"Hmm."

His gaze drifted to a nearby court, cordoned off and utterly destroyed. His pupils contracted slightly. "Looks like yesterday's ranking matches were… eventful."

Meanwhile, in a second-floor office.

Kurobe scanned the medical report in his hands, his expression grim. "He's stable, but it'll take at least a month for a full recovery."

"I'll handle that part." Tōzō nodded. "I'll speed up his rehab as much as possible."

"Good."

Kurobe exhaled. Given the severity of the injuries, survival alone was a miracle.

"Coach."

A staff member turned from his workstation. "Just got word from the head coach. The next overseas expedition starts in four days."

"Understood."

Kurobe nodded. Beside him, Saitō sighed. "Thankfully, even without Byōdōin, we still have Ishikawa. This expedition will have to rely on him."

"It should be fine." Tōzō crossed his arms. "Given his personality, he'll manage the team well."

Unlike others who might face insubordination, Ishikawa had earned his No. 1 spot by defeating Byōdōin outright—his authority was undeniable.

"True." Saitō agreed. "But we'll need to adjust the roster. Duke, the former No. 3, hasn't left U-17, but he handed his insignia to Tokugawa."

His expression turned serious.

Duke Watanabe—once a top player from France's national team.

Technically, he could return to France anytime and reclaim his position as captain.

"Duke is Byōdōin's follower." Kurobe shook his head. "He's probably staying to look after him. No need to worry. As for the roster… let's give Tokugawa the spot. He could use the experience."

After all, Tokugawa had been personally trained by Oni and Irie.

With Byōdōin's reign ended by Ishikawa, sending Tokugawa on the expedition would be a good test.

"Then it's settled."

After finalizing the details, Kurobe made the decision official.

That night.

At Hyōtei's tennis courts.

As usual, after dinner, only Ishikawa remained, leisurely walking laps around the court under the dim moonlight.

The sky was partly cloudy, casting shadows across the grounds. From a distance, Ishikawa seemed to blend into the darkness.

Standing in the quiet, empty court, he reflected on his journey.

From the moment he first picked up a racket in this world, to defeating powerhouse after powerhouse, cementing his status as a national-level player.

Leading Hyōtei to a national championship.

Entering U-17, crushing elite players, and mastering the Asura Path and Muga no Kyōchi at the Chiba temple.

Finally—the ranking match against the monstrous "King," seizing the No. 1 spot.

Memories flashed through his mind like scenes from a film. With each recollection, his mental state refined further.

In the depths of his consciousness, he had battled his own alternate selves, undergoing a spiritual metamorphosis. Now, by retracing his steps, his already-peaking mental strength smoothly broke through its final barrier.

Whoosh.

A breeze swept through, parting the clouds.

Moonlight spilled over Ishikawa's figure.

[Ding!]

[Player's mental state has evolved. Mental strength has increased!]

Snap.

Suddenly, Ishikawa perceived the world differently—the court, the school, the distant buildings—everything seemed subtly altered.

But when he blinked, everything returned to normal.

"I see."

A faint smile touched his lips. "So this is the so-called 'seeing the mountain as the mountain' realm."

He summoned his status panel.

[Name: Ishikawa Shin]

[Age: 12]

[Status: Hyōtei Academy 1st Year, Tennis Club Regular, Training Advisor, Vice-Captain, Hyōtei's Demon King, Street Tennis Legend, Japan U-17 Legend, No. 1 Representative]

[Main Skill: Tennis Lv. 69 (0/45000)]

[Secondary Skills: Kendo, Go, Ancient Martial Arts, Yoga (Lv. 9)]

[Attributes: Speed 5.5, Power 5.5, Stamina 6.5, Technique 7, Mental Strength 10. Total: 34.5]

[Basic Techniques: All Lv. 8]

**[Advanced Techniques:

Lv. 9 (MAX): Black Hole Lv. 8: Photon Strike, Star Scar, Twist Serve, Gale, Awakening, Zero-Shiki Drop, Bear Hunt, Mind Shift, Daybreak, Super Volley Lv. 7: Dance of Destruction, Chaos Ball Barrage, Four Gods Formation]**

[Special Abilities: Data Nullification, Pinnacle of Perseverance – Brilliance, Ālaya-vijñāna]

[Asura Path: Sword God, Omniscience, Ultimate Path, Flawless]

[Secondary Skill Points: 0]

[Skill Points: 15]

[Items: Dry's Special Juice Recipe]

[Evaluation: Even among professionals, you stand out. A rising star with limitless potential.]

With this, Ishikawa's mental strength had officially surpassed 10—pushing his Asura Path to new heights.

Now, even among high schoolers, he had no obvious weaknesses.

Moreover, he could now sense the deeper layers of his subconscious power. Ālaya-vijñāna was just the beginning.

The world was vast.

Beyond the fierce competition of the pro circuit, even among high schoolers, there were bound to be hidden monsters.

But unlike before, Ishikawa no longer felt cautious—he was eager to seek out the world's strongest and test himself against them.

Beep.

Just then, his phone buzzed. Pulling it out, he smirked at the message:

[X/X (3 days from now), 10:00 AM. Expedition team assembles at Narita Airport. – Kurobe Yukimura]

Tucking his phone away, Ishikawa gazed up at the moon.

"Finally… time to see the world."

Three days later.

Back at Hyōtei, practice was in full swing when Coach Sakaki made a rare appearance.

He announced the selection of players for the U-17 training camp.

"Japan's U-17 is the nation's premier elite tennis training facility. As national champions, we've been granted 10 recommended spots."

Sakaki's voice was firm. "After consideration, the chosen members are Ishikawa, Atobe, and eight others—including regulars and reserve players."

The final list included all eight regulars, plus reserve members Hiyoshi and Ryō.

The latter was ecstatic—he hadn't expected to make the cut.

"U-17?"

After Sakaki left, the group huddled together. "Never heard of it," Ōshitari muttered.

"Not surprising." Atobe shrugged. "Under-17 means players below 17. Normally, it's only for high schoolers. No idea why they're making an exception for us."

His eyes flicked toward Ishikawa, who simply smiled. "Probably a rule change. More importantly, I'm looking forward to facing their top players."

Whoosh.

At that, Mukahi, Hiyoshi, and the others perked up.

They'd already defeated Rikkai and Seigaku, claiming the national title. Among middle schoolers, they had no rivals left.

But high schoolers? That was a different story.

"Heh."

Hiyoshi, freshly polished by Ishikawa's training and now a national-level player, cracked his knuckles eagerly.

"High schoolers, huh?" Ōtori bit his lip. "That place won't be easy. We should be careful."

Ōshitari and Ryō nodded in agreement.

To them, U-17 was uncharted territory—a professional training ground. Undoubtedly, it would be crawling with elite players. Caution was necessary.

Still, their eyes drifted back to Ishikawa. No matter what, with him around, they'd at least hold their ground.

After a brief discussion, they resumed training—though most were too distracted to focus.

The next morning.

8:00 AM.

The selected members boarded the bus early, but Ishikawa was nowhere in sight.

"Seriously?" Mukahi blinked. "Ishikawa's never late."

Whoosh.

All eyes turned to Atobe, who opened his eyes and shook his head. "No idea this time."

Beep.

Then, his phone lit up. After reading the message, he smirked. "He says something came up. We're to go ahead—he'll catch up."

"…Alright."

Though puzzled, no one doubted Ishikawa. If he said he'd come, he would.

And U-17? There was no way he'd pass up a chance to face Japan's strongest high schoolers.

Soon, the bus pulled out, winding through mountain roads as the trees grew denser.

"Are we really going to a tennis camp?" Hiyoshi muttered skeptically.

Most clubs were in scenic suburbs—not the middle of nowhere.

"Maybe that's why it's so secretive," Ōshitari mused.

"Hm?"

Mukahi, gazing out the window, spotted another bus passing by—packed with passengers.

"Are those… U-17 players?"

Whoosh.

Another bus zoomed past.

Atobe's eyes narrowed as they locked onto a blue-and-white-haired young man inside.

For a split second, their gazes met—and Atobe felt an overwhelming pressure.

If this was U-17's caliber, then the camp was no joke.

On the other bus.

"Something wrong, Ōchi?"

A small-mustached player tilted his head at the tall, silent figure beside him.

"Nothing."

Ōchi shook his head—though inwardly, he was intrigued.

"That uniform… Hyōtei's. So the middle schoolers are finally being recruited, huh?"

Thanks to Ishikawa, he'd been curious about this year's Hyōtei squad. And that purple-gray-haired boy just now…

There'd been a sharpness in his eyes.

Ōchi found himself looking forward to the aftermath of this expedition.

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