Recognition

After unleashing a single strike, Muneyoshi felt a wave of dizziness and nearly collapsed.

He knew this was a sign of mental exhaustion.

He was severely depleted when he was trapped in Irie Kanata's mental field.

But he had to deliver this blow, or he wouldn't be satisfied!

Moreover, after Muneyoshi, who was already at his limit, unleashed this attack, he felt sore all over, and the muscles in his legs began to twitch.

He's almost at his limit...

Whoosh!

The sound of the iron mesh shaking caught Muneyoshi's attention, and he insisted on standing up to look at the other side.

At this moment, Irie Kanata had also stood up, but his facial expression changed very quickly.

From shock to fear...

From fear to terror...

In an instant, Irie Kanata's face turned deathly pale.

"Ah! Ah!"

A distorted roar followed.

"No... no... impossible! You're only a first-year middle school student, how could you play tennis like that?"

"I absolutely refuse to believe it!!!"

Snap...

His racket fell straight from his hand, Irie clutched his right hand with his left, collapsing to the ground in agony.

"But I've already experienced it myself... Could there really be such geniuses in this world...?"

As she spoke, Irie Kanata tears.

The stadium fell silent for a moment, save for Irie's shrill screams as he put on his acting.

Even though Muneyoshi knew his personality, he was still completely exasperated by him.

"Irie... senpai, your voice is so full of energy... you don't seem like someone who's truly been defeated..."

Muneyoshi mercilessly exposed the flaws in the other party's performance.

"Oh?"

"I see. It seems my acting skills still have a lot of room for improvement."

Irie Kanata, who was seen through by Muneyoshi, did not feel embarrassed. Instead, she stood up again and her expression returned to normal.

He sized Muneyoshi up and down, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.

"Saeki -kun, what I just said wasn't entirely a lie. To have such strength in the first year of middle school... you're a true genius!"

Irie Kanata seemed somewhat sentimental.

"I never imagined that Saeki -kun could have mastered the art of darkness to this extent on his own. He must have truly stepped into the first stage of the realm. I really want to see what other techniques Saeki -kun hasn't used yet!"

"Um?"

Upon hearing Irie's words, a hint of doubt flashed in Muneyoshi's eyes. What did he mean?

"Alright, your body has probably reached its limit. Let's end the match here!"

"Is he giving up? Doesn't he want the high-ranking badge anymore?"

Irie picked up the racket with a large hole in it, smiled at Muneyoshi, and said, "Let's get acquainted formally. Irie Kanata the First String."

Muneyoshi paused for a moment, then remembered that Irie didn't seem to care much about the numbers on the badges, and that he had indeed reached his limit.

Since Irie Kanata was willing to do him this favor, and Muneyoshi wasn't one to be ungrateful, he breathed a sigh of relief, then put down his racket and said with a smile, "Saeki Muneyoshi, court number three!"

"Haha! Saeki -kun, you've already won two badges, so talking about the court doesn't represent your true ability!"

Irie Kanata adjusted her glasses and smiled gently.

"Does Irie- senpai's ranking really reflect your strength?"

Upon hearing this, Muneyoshi's facial muscles twitched, and he retorted.

Upon hearing this, Irie's smile widened even more.

"Ah~ I'm really weak, Muneyoshi, you even broke my racket! That's why we couldn't continue the match."

Just as the two on the court began to talk amicably.

Boom!

A loud roar came from the woods not far from them.

"That is?"

Saeki Muneyoshi's expression shifted as he watched the massive plume of smoke rise.

"It seems they've reached the final stage over there too."

Beside him, Irie Kanata also looked on with curiosity.

"Yes, it's them..."

The only ones capable of causing such a commotion right now are those two terrifying men.

Seeing the curiosity in Muneyoshi's eyes, Irie also said at the right moment, "Saeki- kun, would you like to go and take a look? I'd like to go too, let's go!"

After saying that, the two walked together toward the basketball court.

In the woods, on the sports field.

Oni Jūjirō stood there, somewhat shocked.

There was a deep, sunken pit in the soil beside his foot.

The powerful impact has overturned many clods of earth, and large, outward-spreading cracks can be seen around the crater.

The tennis ball that caused all this had broken through the iron net, tearing a large hole in the bushes behind him, and had completely disappeared without a trace.

"Byōdōin, you've actually gone this far?!"

The demon's expression was very complicated. His keen senses allowed him to clearly see the figure behind Byōdōin on the other side.

The skeletal figure dressed in pirate attire.

That feeling of mental pressure, as if I had just walked through the gates of hell, was definitely real.

Byōdōin Hōō has also fully entered the realm of Asura Path, and it seems she has gone even further than him.

"Oni Jūjirō, are you surprised?"

Byōdōin's voice was as cold as steel. "I've been to hell once. Are you ready this time?"

"Arrogant! Then come on, Byōdōin!"

Subsequently, Oni Jūjirō also unleashed his Oni God, and the two engaged in a clash within the Different Dimension Realm of Asura Path.

"The ghost has actually been suppressed!"

On one side of the court, Tanegashima Shūji leaned against a small tree, looking utterly astonished.

"Has Byōdōin also reached this level?"

At that moment, Irie and Muneyoshi appeared behind Tanegashima. Looking at the stubborn expression on the demon's face and the figure behind Byōdōin, Irie felt that things were getting serious.

"You've come at just the right time."

Tanegashima Shūji glanced at Muneyoshi, who was in a sorry state, and Irie, who was carrying a completely broken racket, and a look of surprise flashed across his face.

"It seems like neither of them gained anything?"

Having been teammates and friends for many years, Irie naturally understood Tanegashima was thinking.

"Tanegashima- kun, Muneyoshi is really strong, you know. If we keep playing, I'm afraid I'll lose."

Irie shook his head, seemingly still feeling a pang of fear as he recalled the match that had just taken place.

Tanegashima Shūji ignored Irie's performance, smiled slightly, and extended his right hand, saying, "Let's get to know each other again, Tanegashima Shūji, No. 4 in the First String."

"Saeki Muneyoshi, yeah, currently ranked No. 8 in the First String."

After getting to know each other a little, the group began to focus on the two players competing.

Demons and Byōdōin showed them what a realm completely beyond their current level was like.

This also broadened Muneyoshi's horizons.

This is an area he has yet to reach.

However, knowing the outcome, he wasn't as nervous as Tanegashima Shūji and Irie Kanata.

After the Asura Path also erupted at Byōdōin, the scales of victory began to tip in his favor.

Oni Jūjirō was defeated, and Byōdōin regained his position First String.

However, the defeated Oni Jūjirō did not give up, but instead sought out a senior high school student to challenge.

He was easily defeated in the end, and the No. 5 badge that belonged to him was taken.

As Oni Jūjirō walked off the court with the No. 5 badge back on, Tanegashima and Irie were both curious.

"Oni, why don't you go find Dōmoto Shingo or Natsume Ryūichi with your strength? They shouldn't be a match for you either, and their badges..."

"Tanegashima, the badge isn't important. You're only No. 4 now, aren't you?"

Oni's resolute face didn't show much hope for ranking. He glanced at Tanegashima and said seriously:

"I learned from this expedition that if a real war breaks out, I'm not sure if I can defeat you now that you possess nothingness."

"Oh dear, this was just a coincidence. After all, you guys are already so strong. If I don't improve, I'll really fall behind."

The ghost simply shook its head, saying nothing more, and instead turned its gaze to Muneyoshi.

During their conversation, Irie and Tanegashima had already told Muneyoshi about his situation.

Originally, the ghost didn't take him seriously; he was just a junior.

But he detected a hint of approval in their tone.

Having spent some time with them, the ghost knew perfectly well how arrogant they were, and that gaining their approval was not easy.

Since he was someone approved by Irie and Tanegashima, Oni felt he should also show some appreciation.

"Demon-senpai! Saeki Muneyoshi, No. 8 in the First String."

Upon Oni Jūjirō's gaze, Muneyoshi smiled and introduced himself.

At that moment, Oni also said in a deep voice, "Number Five, Oni Jūjirō."

P. S.: "Requesting monthly votes"