The World Cup Journey Ends

In the singles third match, Saeki Muneyoshi is temporarily unable to compete, so the Japan Team forfeited, and the Switzerland Team won directly.

Next up Irie Kanata, a singles player. Although he had hidden his true strength, he was still outmatched by Kuralaga Tasta of Switzerland Team.

Kuralaga Tasta is said to be on par with Amadeus in the Switzerland Team.

With his astonishing Insight, Irie clearly sensed his opponent's hidden strength during their consecutive battles. When Kuraraga Tasta noticed this, he stopped hiding it altogether.

Although this person had been relatively unknown before, he unleashed the power of someone who had just entered the Stage Two of the Different Dimension during the crucial moment of his battle with Irie Kanata.

This is another hidden professional-level player from the Switzerland Team, capable of defeating the Germany.

Irie Kanata was unable to compete and ultimately prevailed in a tiebreaker, but was still defeated.

With one win and three losses, the Japan Team was eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Although this result was a big surprise to everyone, their journey in the U-17 World Cup has come to an end.

The current Japan Team is just rising to prominence, and many members still need to grow. Byōdōin Hōō, Oni Jūjirō, and Tanegashima Shūji have not yet reached their peak.

However, the coaching staff believes they will have a great chance to make up for this disappointment at the Melbourne Open two years later.

Five days later.

On a plane flying from Paris to Japan.

"Saeki -kun, are you still thinking about the match against Amadeus?"

Irie put down the newspaper in her hand, turned to look at Muneyoshi.

Everyone on the Japan Team knew that the match against Amadeus had a significant impact on Saeki Muneyoshi; such a crushing defeat would be painful for anyone.

Moreover, it was an extremely dangerous Stage Two assassination attack like Amadeus's.

The Saeki Muneyoshi did not suffer a mental breakdown already demonstrates his unwavering will.

Irie nudged Muneyoshi twice before he came to his senses. Seeing the worried look on Munehiko's face, a pale smile appeared on Muneyoshi's face.

"It's Irie- senpai! Don't worry, I'm not that weak, nor will I be so easily defeated. I still have avenge myself on Amadeus!"

Muneyoshi leaned back in his seat, the light in his eyes beginning to gather, and a very faint wisp of Glowing Flame light began to flicker again.

Muneyoshi wasn't lying; he genuinely thought so.

Driven by this devastating defeat and the desire for revenge, his previously shattered spirit began to slowly regroup.

This gave Saeki Muneyoshi a splitting headache, but he didn't utter a sound, only clenching his fists until they cracked.

He endured the pain and desperately tried to gather his scattered mental energy.

Through his relentless efforts, the Mental Fluorescent Flame was finally rekindled, and what Amadeus seemed to have "erased" began to reappear...

These skills were originally the result of his hard work and training, not a gift from anyone, and were already engraved in his muscle memory.

The so-called "erasure".

It was simply that Amadeus used his overwhelming power to completely shatter Saeki Muneyoshi's own beliefs.

This caused him to doubt, and even fear and loathe, his own tennis skills.

If you can't get through this and truly lose faith in tennis, then those things that were "erased" will probably be truly lost.

However, Muneyoshi pulled through.

Feeling that familiar sensation return to his body, a smile crept onto his lips.

Saeki Muneyoshi's changes, and the intense fluctuations in his mental energy, naturally did not escape the notice of the few people on the plane.

For example, there 'Irie Kanata and Mitsuya Akito beside him, Oni Jūjirō behind him, Ochi Gekko behind him, and Byōdōin Hōō and head coach Mifune Nyudo front of him.

After noticing Muneyoshi's change, Irie and Ochi exchanged a glance and both breathed a sigh of relief, while Oni Jūjirō also relaxed and went to sleep.

As for Byōdōin Hōō, he showed no reaction whatsoever, seemingly indifferent.

However, Mifune Nyudo glanced at Muneyoshi out of the corner of his eye, and after confirming it, a hint of satisfaction appeared in his eyes.

He had seen many people in a similar state as Saeki Muneyoshi. Whether a person could recover from such a blow, and how long it would take, would reveal whether they possessed the aptitude to advance further.

In terms of raw skill, Saeki Muneyoshi is already quite capable, especially considering his current age.

However, human nature is always greedy, always thinking about whether it can go further.

The same applies to Mifune Nyudo.

Although he didn't say it explicitly, he was still very satisfied with the Japan Team's victory over the France Team this year.

However, once a goal is achieved, one starts thinking about the next one.

If the BIG4 can win, can Japan become one of the BIG4, or even go further and challenge for the top spot?

However, Mifune Nyudo also knew that with the current setup, it would be extremely difficult to make further progress.

Therefore, when facing the Switzerland Team, his lineup, apart from Dōmoto Shingo and Natsume Ryūichi, did not consider any other senior students.

If he can win, that would be good; if he can't, it can be considered a test of his chosen target.

Both positive and negative aspects are beneficial.

Now that Saeki Muneyoshi has survived and his mental strength has undergone another transformation, he feels that he can start making arrangements for Saeki Muneyoshi.

Previously, Mifune Nyudo recruited Saeki Muneyoshi into the training camp, but it seems he has never paid attention to him, as if he has never cared about him.

In fact, just as he had told Kurobe before, if one is only going down the Path of Darkness, there is really not much need for Saeki Muneyoshi to provide guidance.

Because he took every step very steadily, and what limited his strength was actually himself.

His age, his physical condition.

At that time, Saeki Muneyoshi was completely immersed in the Path of Darkness, walking in the shadows, and his strength was also increasing.

While Mifune Nyudo can offer some guidance based on experience, it is quite limited.

After gaining a deeper understanding of Saeki Muneyoshi's experiences, the shrewd Mifune keenly realized that Muneyoshi did not yet have the qualifications to embark on another path.

Because he lacks something, something beyond the pursuit of his own strength.

For example, honor, responsibility, and even hatred and an unyielding obsession.

Saeki Muneyoshi lacks a true, honorable, and utterly devastating defeat, one where he risked everything for honor and responsibility!

Now, he has it all.

At this moment, Muneyoshi was also unaware that the path to the Asura Path that he had been searching for but could not find had already revealed an illusory gate to him.

However, he still needed to push it away himself with great effort.

"A single path may lead to mastery, but it won't allow you to reach the pinnacle of the world... I hope this little guy realizes this soon."

"Hmm, this little guy still has to go back to school, so let's make arrangements as soon as he gets back! As for the candidate..."

Mifune Nyudo glanced at the wounded soldier beside him and immediately passed over him.

"Let the ghosts do it!"

Without consulting anyone, Mifune Nyudo made the arrangements for Saeki Muneyoshi directly.

England, England.

"Keith, are you sure?"

Lin Xiu looked at his friend, not surprised by his decision.

"And you, Xiu, would you like to come with me?"

Keith withdrew his cold gaze from the U-14 training camp that had once brought them humiliation, a hint of gentleness appearing in his pupils.

Although his experience there was humiliating, it led him to find true friends.

"Of course, Keith, we're best friends!"

Hearing this, Keith smiled and said, "Alright, let's go to Japan then!"

A street in France, Paris.

Hanamura Aoi dismissed the strangers who tried to strike up a conversation, her mind replaying the performance of the Japan Team in this World Tournament, and even more so, the performance of Saeki Muneyoshi.

"This kid wasn't exaggerating; he actually managed to go to such lengths... I guess that's why he invited me to the Paris audience. He's a terrifying little devil who's really good at manipulating people..."

As he pondered, a smile crept onto Hanamura Aoi's lips as he murmured, "But, to coach players like these, I doubt any coach could refuse..."

Japan, sunset over the Kyushu coast.

"Huh? Big brother is giving up tennis too?" A cute girl with two buns in her hair asked a tall boy with a full head of blond hair in surprise.

"I took away my friend's right eye... which is tantamount to taking away his tennis career." The blond man's tone was low and filled with self-reproach.

"Even so..." The girl wanted to offer some advice, but the man interrupted her.

"Dad's job change is finalized; he'll be going to Tokyo next month. Anne, you should say goodbye to your friends too."

"Brother, are you sure you can do this? You clearly love tennis so much..."

At this point, the girl's eyes welled up with tears, but the blond man's expression was full of melancholy. He gently stroked the girl's head and said guiltily, "I want to atone for my sins..."

P. S.: "The World Tournament is over, and everything else is on the right track. Please vote with your monthly tickets!"

When designing the plot, this point was already considered. There was absolutely no interference with Tachibana's side; his Fate was left to continue along its original path. However, I slightly moved the timeline forward—not by much, actually. It was after the National Tournament, when Keith and Lin Xiu had no other options, and the protagonist extended an invitation, using his strength to persuade them. Hanamura Aoi did the same.