Byōdōin trudged back to the sideline.
The break before the third set finally gave him a chance to catch his breath after that suffocating vortex of repetition.
"That man is a handful, isn't he? He's probably in the same state Muneyoshi is. They may both look like they're at the pinnacle of Stage Three, but he's taken a step beyond you."
Mifune Nyudo glanced at Byōdōin and spoke evenly.
There was no scolding, nor any comfort.
Mifune simply and calmly pointed out the problems Byōdōin had faced in the match.
Byōdōin gave no sign of whether he'd taken it in, but the sweat dripping from him slowed, and his breathing gradually steadied.
Once Byōdōin had calmed down, Mifune said no more.
As the captain of the Japan Team, he had always trusted Byōdōin.
That was why he had established Byōdōin's leadership before the World Tournament even began.
To be honest, even Mifune Nyudo hadn't expected some of the developments that came with entering the World Tournament.
Muneyoshi's improvement, for instance.
At the exhibition match, seeing him force his way into Stage Three under Polk's pressure had already delighted Mifune.
But after the match against Echizen Ryoga, Mifune had no idea what had happened to make Saeki Muneyoshi's strength surge so dramatically.
He had even utterly destroyed Echizen Nanjirō's eldest son, making Nanjirō develop murderous intent toward Saeki Muneyoshi.
And after the match against Switzerland Team, Saeki Muneyoshi had advanced yet again.
Of course, with Mifune Nyudo's eye for the game, he could tell that Muneyoshi hadn't actually grown stronger. He had simply gained complete control over the strength that had surged for some unknown reason.
And he had crossed into a new stage.
Muneyoshi's performance against QP in the second singles match had been nearly identical to Polk's against Byōdōin