271-275

Chapter 271: The Theory of Mind, Technique, and Body (Part 3)

No!

That’s not it!

But soon,

Irie realized something.

The Mitsuya he knew was definitely not the kind of person to be so generous.

“Is this a trap?”

Irie’s heart tightened, and he quickly composed himself.

“Irie, calm your emotions. Don’t let yourself be swayed by extreme highs or lows.”

Mitsuya looked up at Irie, his eyes seemingly piercing through his very soul.

“Ah… I understand.”

Irie nodded.

He didn’t deny it because, to someone like Mitsuya, his acting was nothing more than a clumsy performance full of holes.

Rather than trying to hide it, it was better to admit it openly and avoid an even more awkward situation.

“The so-called Asura Shinto, in simple terms, is about cultivating the mind!”

Mitsuya, sitting cross-legged on a rock, spoke in a deep voice. “If we view tennis as a form of cultivation, it can be divided into three aspects: Mind, Technique, and Body.”

The three of them nodded.

Before entering U-17, they had already heard of this concept. In fact, compared to the five-dimensional data theory, the theory of Mind, Technique, and Body had emerged much earlier.

However,

this tripartite theory had never been quantified.

At this point,

Mitsuya continued, “What we call Technique represents skill, experience, and talent. Body represents physical strength, speed, reflexes, and explosiveness. Finally, Mind represents spirit, willpower, and mentality.”

The three nodded again.

What Mitsuya was explaining was straightforward and easy to understand.

“In the theory of Mind, Technique, and Body, the Body determines the lower limit. A player’s physical天赋 largely determines whether they can become a top-tier player.”

Mitsuya’s tone softened. “However, to truly become a top-tier player, Technique and Mind determine the upper limit. Especially the Mind, which represents infinite possibilities!”

“Therefore,”

“to truly master power, one must first cultivate the Mind!”

“Oni.”

At this point, Mitsuya turned to the red-haired young man beside him. “Your Asura Shinto evolved during your match with Ishikawa, didn’t it?”

“Yes.”

Oni nodded.

The match against Ishikawa had brought him immense pressure, which in turn fueled his desire to grow stronger. It also awakened a deep-seated craving for power within him.

In the end,

his Asura Shinto had evolved.

“According to the head coach’s explanation, I did feel tremendous pressure during that match.”

Oni spoke up. “After the match, I could sense that my mental strength had indeed grown.”

As a super power-type player,

Oni’s daily routine included carrying a one-ton boulder and doing squats.

This kind of training had given him a body as tough as steel.

Before facing Ishikawa,

Oni had been confident that he could still defeat someone like Byoudouin.

However,

his defeat the previous day had made him realize that his training method of solely focusing on physical strength might not be the right path.

That’s why

he had come here to seek answers from Mitsuya.

And now,

from Mitsuya’s explanation, it seemed that Asura Shinto relied not on brute strength, but on spirit and willpower!

“The Mind represents infinite possibilities.”

After Oni finished speaking, Mitsuya added, “When someone breaks through their limits, the power of the Mind is released. However, very few people can truly harness this power!”

“In the early days, people didn’t understand how to control this power. They thought it was the body’s strength that opened the door to a new level.”

The Realm of Selflessness?!

Hearing Mitsuya’s words, Ishikawa quickly thought of this concept.

“No.”

But he quickly dismissed the idea.

Even if Mitsuya and Echizen Nanjiro were connected, Mitsuya was much older. The “early days” Mitsuya referred to couldn’t have been during Echizen Nanjiro’s active period.

“During that time, because the power of the Mind was unstable, players with stronger physiques dominated the world of tennis.”

“Later, as techniques were developed, pure power players were overshadowed. This led to the rise of a group of top-tier technical players.”

Hearing this,

the three of them nodded silently.

Mitsuya’s explanation provided a different perspective on the history of tennis over the past century.

As he said,

the early tennis world was dominated by pure power players with exceptional physical abilities.

But later,

around twenty years ago, it became the era of technical players.

“So…”

At this point,

a thought flashed through Irie’s mind, and he blurted out, “The next era should be the era of the Mind, right?!”

“You’re close, but not entirely correct.”

Mitsuya shook his head. “The era of the Mind did arrive, but it was fleeting. Compared to the previous two eras, it was like a flash in the pan.”

“W-what do you mean?”

Irie was a bit confused. “According to your explanation, there was a time when players who mastered the Mind dominated tennis, right? Wait…!”

Suddenly,

as if realizing something, Irie exclaimed, “The Samurai of Tennis, Echizen Nanjiro?!”

“That’s right.”

Mitsuya nodded. “It was that guy.”

“I see.”

Irie finally understood.

Ishikawa and Oni also looked surprised.

According to Mitsuya, the Samurai of Tennis had once reached such incredible heights.

Especially Ishikawa.

Before his transmigration, he had only known that Echizen Nanjiro was an incredibly strong player. But he hadn’t realized that Nanjiro had nearly ushered in a new era.

“Head Coach,”

Oni asked, puzzled, “What era are we in now?”

“Now?”

Mitsuya thought for a moment before answering with a sigh, “In a way, it’s an era where Technique and Body have merged.”

In today’s tennis world,

the top players have all trained their bodies to an almost terrifying level.

Moreover,

these elite professional players have also pushed their technical skills to near-insane levels.

“If that’s the case,”

Irie pondered for a moment before saying, “Was the Mind realm created by Echizen Nanjiro?”

“That guy? No way!”

To their surprise,

Mitsuya looked almost disdainful. “He just got lucky and had a bit of talent. That’s all.”

“Uh…”

Hearing this,

both Oni and Irie were stunned, while Ishikawa remained calm.

It seemed their head coach had some unresolved issues with the Samurai of Tennis.

“Let’s get back on topic.”

Mitsuya clearly didn’t want to talk about Nanjiro any further and quickly continued, “As I mentioned earlier, early players didn’t know how to harness the power of the Mind. But later, a remarkable figure emerged.”

“Through repeated study of players who had broken through their limits, he discovered the existence of the Mind realm. By organizing and summarizing his findings, he created a method to develop and strengthen the Mind.”

“That realm is what we call Asura Shinto!”

“And what I’m going to teach you is a form of mental meditation that can strengthen your spirit and unlock your body’s potential!”

Chapter 272: Is Ishikawa a Middle Schooler? (Part 1)

Mental Meditation?

Upon hearing Mitsunari's words, Oni and Irie were both stunned. Their first instinct was to think he was lying to them.

"Tennis... has something to do with meditation?"

The two exchanged glances, both seeing confusion in each other's eyes.

However, they quickly recalled what Mitsunari had said earlier—this was about cultivating the mind. And meditation was a method to strengthen one's spirit.

"Sit down and close your eyes," Mitsunari said sternly. "Focus your mind, relax your body, and don’t let external distractions interfere. When you reach this state, it means you’ve found the entrance to the Path of Asura!"

"Mm."

Both of them nodded in unison.

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Following Mitsunari's instructions, they closed their eyes, held their breath, and concentrated. They relaxed their bodies as much as possible and soon entered the desired state.

After all, both of them possessed strong mental strength, so achieving the first stage Mitsunari mentioned was relatively easy for them.

"Screech!"

But just then, a sharp cry echoed from the sky.

The chaotic sound disrupted their focus. Oni and Irie found it hard to maintain their calm and opened their eyes. They saw that Mitsunari's trained hawks, now without tasks, had started playing around.

The hawks' cries were already piercing, and with several of them squawking at once, it was like a cacophony that made it nearly impossible to concentrate.

However, when Oni and Irie looked at Mitsunari, they noticed his indifferent expression. It was clear he was allowing this to happen on purpose.

"Meditation isn’t as simple as you think," Mitsunari said, his voice deep. "Meditation is about entering the deeper layers of consciousness and unlocking the hidden power within. Both of you have strong mental willpower, but you’re still only scratching the surface."

"Mm."

Irie's expression shifted slightly.

He knew Mitsunari was right. If cultivating the mind were truly this easy, then the Path of Asura wouldn’t be accessible to only a select few.

"Take it slow," Oni said from the side. "First, calm your mind and don’t overthink things."

"Yeah."

Irie nodded.

He thought that the past few days of training had already calmed his mind. But when faced with the gateway to the Path of Asura, he realized he was still too restless.

However, as Oni said, they just needed to take it step by step.

After all, considering how seriously Mitsunari was treating this and how he had explained the history of tennis, it was clear how difficult this was. Even a genius like Oni couldn’t completely block out distractions... Huh?

Swish!

Suddenly, as if struck by a thought, Irie turned his head sharply to look at the spot next to Oni.

There, he saw Ishikawa sitting cross-legged on the ground, his eyes lightly closed, appearing completely undisturbed and at peace.

"No way...?"

Even the usually composed Irie couldn’t help but let a hint of disbelief seep into his voice.

Since when had this been happening?

He hadn’t even noticed Ishikawa’s presence!

"Coach," Oni whispered, "Ishikawa, he..."

"Yes," Mitsunari nodded. "He’s entered a deep meditative state, reaching the deeper layers of consciousness."

At these words, both Oni and Irie’s eyes widened in shock.

How was this possible?

How had he done it so quickly?

"His mental strength is unique," Mitsunari explained, seeing their confusion. "Both its resilience and intensity surpass that of an ordinary person. His mental world must be incredibly powerful."

With that, Mitsunari suddenly whistled.

"Screech!"

Responding to the signal, one of the hawks in the sky, its eyes gleaming sharply, dove down in a steep descent.

Whoosh!

A strong gust of wind swept past.

Oni and Irie’s expressions changed.

They both looked at Mitsunari, but he remained calm and composed. Meanwhile, the hawk showed no signs of slowing down.

Danger!

The two of them screamed internally.

Because of Mitsunari’s presence, they didn’t act, but they were ready to step in and save Ishikawa at any moment.

Swish!

But then, Ishikawa moved.

He instinctively gripped the pure lead racket beside him, picked up a small stone with his other hand, and stood up in one fluid motion.

"Screech?!"

In that instant, the diving hawk seemed to sense something terrifying. Its eyes flashed with fear, and with a sharp cry, it abruptly changed direction, flapping its wings as if fleeing, and flew off in another direction.

"Ishikawa?"

Irie couldn’t help but call out.

A hint of doubt flickered in his eyes. He hadn’t expected that Ishikawa’s previous state might have been a facade.

"No need to call him. He can’t hear you," Mitsunari said, shaking his head. "If I’m not mistaken, this kid has shut off his five senses."

"What?"

"Shut off... his five senses?!"

"Don’t believe me? Look closely at his eyes."

"His eyes?"

Irie focused on Ishikawa’s eyes and noticed that his pupils were unfocused. His expression shifted.

"How is that possible?!"

"That’s just how it is," Mitsunari said, shaking his head. "He’s using some method to block his vision, hearing, touch, and other senses. He can’t hear a word we’re saying right now."

"He can do that?"

Oni and Irie were both astonished.

They never imagined Ishikawa had such an ability.

"He’s indeed very clever," Mitsunari said, watching Ishikawa stand there, holding the pure lead racket with one hand. "By shutting off his five senses, he’s able to concentrate his mind and enter the deeper layers of consciousness."

"True."

Even Irie couldn’t help but praise him. "He’s the most talented newcomer I’ve ever seen."

"Mm."

Oni nodded heavily.

After all, two years ago, when he and Byoudouin had entered U-17, their epic battle had cemented Oni as the undisputed strongest in U-17.

And yet, Ishikawa, who had just joined U-17, had defeated him, the strongest player two years later.

This level of talent was something even he and Byoudouin couldn’t match!

"A newcomer?"

Hearing their assessment, Mitsunari raised an eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "Do you two really think he’s just some ordinary newcomer?"

"Huh?"

At this, Oni and Irie frowned.

Mitsunari’s words clearly carried a deeper meaning.

Irie instinctively asked, "He’s not a newcomer?"

"Well, he is," Mitsunari said, shaking his head. He looked at the slightly youthful black-haired boy in front of him and smiled. "But not the kind of newcomer you think he is."

"The kind we think..."

Oni and Irie fell into thought.

In their eyes, Ishikawa was a newcomer. Like Mouri and Genichirou, he had just entered high school and joined U-17 in the fall. That was all, right?

"Wait!!"

Suddenly, as if realizing something, Irie’s pupils contracted sharply.

"Coach," he said, looking up at Mitsunari, his voice trembling slightly. "Don’t tell me... he’s a middle schooler?!"

A... middle schooler?

Oni was dumbfounded.

He also turned to look at Mitsunari. When he saw the faint smile of confirmation on the coach’s face, his heart skipped a beat.

Swish!

Then, he turned back to look at Ishikawa, his expression as if he’d seen a ghost.

"This guy... is just a middle schooler?!"

Chapter 273: Because It’s Too Powerful (Part 2)

At this moment, Ishikawa returned to that dark, pitch-black world.

There was no light, no temperature, no sound. Only someone with a mental fortitude as strong as Ishikawa's could remain calm in such a desolate environment.

"Coach Mifune mentioned that meditation can strengthen the mind and pave the way forward," Ishikawa pondered. "Right now, I must be in the deep layers of my consciousness. But that path... it hasn’t appeared yet."

In the original story, Byoudouin had achieved the ability to freely control his mental power through deep meditation, completely detaching himself from his surroundings. Only after that did he truly unlock the spiritual pathway to the Asura Divine Path.

Thinking of this, Ishikawa calmed his mind and once again entered a meditative state within his consciousness.

Buzz...

As his mental power continued to grow, he faintly saw flickers of light before his eyes.

"Hmm?"

With a slight shift in his focus, the light before him dimmed.

"Again."

He quickly regained his composure, focusing his mind and entering a state of complete concentration.

Buzz...

Soon, faint specks of starlight reappeared.

But Ishikawa didn’t pay them any mind. Instead, he maintained his focus and attempted to channel his mental energy, using his deeper consciousness to reach out and touch those glimmers of light.

Clang!

Suddenly, a crisp sound, like the clash of swords, echoed through the previously silent space of his consciousness.

At the same time, a sharp, piercing sensation spread throughout his mind.

"Is this... the way of the sword?"

Ishikawa’s spirit was invigorated.

But due to the fluctuation in his emotions, the light before him rippled like water and then vanished.

In that brief moment, Ishikawa had observed four distinct glimmers of light. And he had already guessed what they represented.

"So," Ishikawa thought within his consciousness, "the secondary skills I’ve learned represent different paths in tennis?"

The way of the sword, the way of chess, ancient martial arts, and yoga—four secondary skills, each representing a different path. Four Asura Divine Paths?

"Perhaps... I should ask Coach Mifune."

With this thought, Ishikawa released himself from the state of having his five senses deprived.

Whoosh!

When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing. Beside him, Oni and Irie were seated, deep in meditation, their minds highly focused.

"Hmm?" Coach Mifune frowned as he saw Ishikawa regain consciousness. "Kid, did you fail?"

"Coach," Ishikawa nodded respectfully, then glanced at the other two before asking, "I sensed something like a path, but I couldn’t fully open it."

"Uh..."

Hearing this, Mifune was momentarily stunned.

A look of surprise flashed across his usually stern face. Then, with a slightly strange expression, he said, "You... you actually managed to get that far so quickly?"

"Well, not exactly," Ishikawa shook his head. "About half a month ago, I had already figured out how to enter the deep layers of my consciousness."

Mifune narrowed his eyes. "By depriving yourself of your five senses?"

"Yes," Ishikawa nodded.

Though Mifune’s expression remained unchanged, his heart trembled slightly.

"This kid is a freak!"

He had seen talented players before, but none as monstrous as Ishikawa. To be able to deprive himself of his five senses, and not only remain unaffected but also figure out how to enter the deep layers of his consciousness on his own? In other words, he was just one step away from the Asura Divine Path!

Thinking this, Mifune couldn’t help but feel a sense of defeat. He had wanted to use this trump card to earn the kid’s respect as the head coach. But now, it seemed he had been too naive.

With a sigh, Mifune shook his head. "Kid, don’t joke around. The threshold to the Asura Divine Path isn’t something you can cross so easily. Even Oni only stumbled into it by accident back then."

This was the truth.

The power of the "heart" was the hardest to develop. Unlike the tangible skills of "technique" and "strength," this almost metaphysical power was incredibly difficult to grasp.

In Mifune’s eyes, no matter how talented Ishikawa was, breaking through this barrier wouldn’t be so simple.

"Actually, you’ve misunderstood me," Ishikawa said, seeing Mifune’s reaction. "In fact, I can even sense the direction of the path I need to take. But the light guiding me isn’t pointing in just one direction, so..."

"What did you say?" Mifune’s composure cracked. "You’re seeing more than one path?!"

At this moment, even the usually unflappable Mifune couldn’t hold back his shock.

"Let me take a moment," he said, waving his hand and sitting down on a rock. Rubbing his temples, Mifune asked, "Ishikawa, let me ask you something."

"Go ahead."

"Since you started playing tennis, have you ever lost a single match?"

"No," Ishikawa replied without hesitation.

From the moment he picked up a racket in this world, he had never lost to anyone. Whether in official matches or practice games, Ishikawa maintained a perfect record of total victories.

"I see," Mifune sighed. "If I’m not mistaken, it’s because your mental power is too strong. An undefeated record has forged an invincible belief within you. Such a strong will and spirit make it incredibly difficult to break through your limits!"

"The Asura Divine Path is essentially about seizing the moment when you break through your limits, opening the door to the deep layers of your consciousness."

"But your mental power is so strong that breaking through that limit is much harder for you than for others. And according to what you’ve said, your Asura Divine Path isn’t just one path."

"So, to cross that threshold, you’ll need to concentrate even more mental power than others!"

"Even more power?" Ishikawa raised an eyebrow, then nodded in gratitude. "Thank you, Coach, for clearing that up."

Now that he knew the direction, all he needed to do was accumulate enough mental strength to break through the barrier holding him back.

With this in mind, Ishikawa prepared to sit down and continue focusing his mind.

"Wait," Mifune suddenly spoke up. "I’m curious—aren’t you worried about losing someday?"

An invincible belief is built on an undefeated record. From Mifune’s experience, players like this were often the most fragile. A single loss could shatter their powerful belief, leading to a complete collapse.

After all, the history of world tennis was filled with stories of such geniuses falling from grace.

"Not at all," Ishikawa replied with a smile. "I’ve never worried about losing. In fact, I’ve always been searching for the player who can defeat me!"

With that, he sat down, closed his eyes, and focused his mind. Depriving himself of his five senses, he used the meditation technique taught by the old man from Rokkaku to continuously strengthen his mental power.

"This kid..." Mifune’s lips twitched as he looked at the black-haired boy before him.

He was so similar! The way he spoke, the tone of his voice—it was almost identical to that guy from back then!

But after a brief moment of shock, Mifune’s gaze toward Ishikawa became even more appreciative.

After all, it had been over a decade since Japan—or even the world—had seen a player who could reach the level of that legendary tennis samurai.

Two hours passed.

After their meditation training, all three of them felt noticeably more refreshed.

However, Ishikawa noticed something strange. Oni and Irie kept giving him odd looks. Every time he made eye contact with them, they would quickly look away, almost as if they were guilty about something.

But he didn’t pay it much mind.

Because next up was the highlight of the afternoon training—climbing the waterfall!

Unlike the original losers’ group, Ishikawa and Oni were wearing what felt like full-body armor, making each step up the waterfall incredibly strenuous. Several times, they nearly fell.

Fortunately, they both made it to the top safely.

After completing this stage of training, all three felt that their strength and stamina had improved significantly.

And so, they continued this rigorous training for three straight days.

Under such intense conditions, all three could feel their skills growing rapidly.

However, when it came to stepping onto the Asura Divine Path, they were still struggling.

That threshold was simply too high!

Chapter 274: Mifune's Advice, Reuniting with Old Man Rokkaku

Three days had passed.

The three of them seemed like completely different people now.

Irie had matured, his once frivolous demeanor replaced by a calm and composed presence. His eyes now carried the depth of a wise man.

As for Ishikawa and Oni, they too had become even more enigmatic.

Especially the latter.

Oni, with his steel-like physique, exuded an overwhelming sense of pressure just by standing there, like a demon god.

Early in the morning, the three of them, as usual, prepared to go down the mountain to fetch water.

"Ishikawa."

Just then, Mifune called out to Ishikawa, his voice low and serious. "Stay behind. I need to talk to you."

Oni and Irie exchanged a glance but didn’t linger. After a brief pause, they quickly made their way down the mountain.

Ishikawa approached Mifune. "Head Coach, what is it?"

"How’s your training been going?" Mifune got straight to the point. "Have you managed to break through one of the paths?"

"No," Ishikawa shook his head.

His mental focus had grown stronger than before, but it still wasn’t enough to break through the thick mental barrier. He believed the path he was on was more challenging than most, and breaking through wouldn’t come easily.

"Is that so?" Mifune frowned slightly.

It seemed the barrier Ishikawa faced was even thicker than he had anticipated. Following the usual training regimen, it would be difficult for him to make a breakthrough in a short time.

Moreover, Ishikawa’s unwavering confidence was both a strength and a potential weakness. If he were to face failure, the impact on his psyche could be devastating.

As the head coach of U17, Mifune naturally didn’t want to see that happen.

"Your situation has surpassed my expectations," Mifune said after a moment of thought. "If you want to break through this barrier, I can recommend someone to you."

"Who?"

"My teacher."

At this, Mifune’s stern face showed a rare hint of reverence.

"Your teacher?" Ishikawa feigned surprise. "You mean the one who developed the path of [Mental Cultivation]?"

"Exactly," Mifune nodded, a clear sense of pride in his expression.

It was obvious that he held deep respect and admiration for his teacher.

A short while later, when Oni and Irie returned with the water, they saw Ishikawa, now wearing his Hyotei jacket, preparing to leave with a cloth bag slung over his shoulder.

"Senpais, I’ll be going ahead," Ishikawa said, bidding them farewell before heading down the mountain.

"What’s this about?" Irie was puzzled.

Oni narrowed his eyes, his tone heavy. "Next time we see him, he’ll probably have reached a new level."

"Hmm."

Irie shuddered slightly.

Oni’s words reminded him of Ishikawa’s identity. It was hard to believe that a middle schooler had already come this far—and was still rapidly pulling ahead of them.

"I’ve made up my mind," Irie said firmly. "I won’t leave this mountain until I’ve broken through the path of Asura."

"Same here," Oni nodded solemnly.

He felt the weight of Irie’s determination and silently vowed the same. He wouldn’t leave until he had advanced further in his own Asura path.

Meanwhile, despite still wearing the weights Mifune had given him, Ishikawa moved swiftly down the mountain.

In just an hour, he reached the U17 parking lot. Without delay, he boarded a bus and headed straight back to Tokyo.

From there, he didn’t even return to Hyotei. Instead, he went directly to Chiba City in Chiba Prefecture.

Following the information Mifune had given him, he arrived at a coastal area.

In the distance, he could see a group of people gathering shellfish on the beach. His eyes quickly locked onto a few boys among them.

"Hello," he greeted them in a friendly tone.

"Huh?"

The boys, who had been focused on their task, looked up. One of them, a handsome boy with blue hair, was visibly surprised. "Ishikawa from Hyotei?!"

The others immediately turned their attention to him.

"Ishikawa?"

"You’re in Chiba?"

"Did the rest of Hyotei come too? Are Hiyoshi and Ootori here?"

The boys were members of Rokkaku Middle School, the strongest tennis team in Chiba.

"Guys, I need some information," Ishikawa said with a smile. "Do you know someone named Magahara around here?"

"Magahara?"

The boys exchanged puzzled glances, their expressions turning slightly odd.

"Of course we know him," said Rokkaku’s captain, Taro Kaji, with a grin. "What do you need him for?"

"I’ve hit a wall in my tennis training," Ishikawa explained. "I heard he’s a remarkable person. If you know where he is, could you take me to him?"

"Sure thing," Saeki nodded.

The other Rokkaku members, however, looked even more amused, some even stifling laughter.

What they didn’t know was that Ishikawa was already aware of the true identity of this mysterious "Magahara." That’s why he had sought out the Rokkaku team.

With that, the group abandoned their shellfish gathering and led Ishikawa to a small hill nearby. After climbing a stone-paved path, they arrived at a temple.

There, an elderly man with a hunched back, dressed in a red short-sleeved shirt, was sweeping the temple courtyard.

"Old man, we’re back!" Kaji shouted excitedly as they approached. In contrast, Saeki, Kurobane, and the others were much more reserved.

As they entered the temple, the group quieted down. Even Aoi, who usually loved to joke around, stayed silent.

"Welcome back," the old man—Rokkaku’s coach, known as "Old Man"—greeted them with a smile.

But when his gaze fell on Ishikawa, a glint of recognition flashed in his cloudy eyes.

"It’s you," the old man said, his smile widening.

In a way, he and Ishikawa shared a connection. During the Kanto Tournament, it was the old man who had taught Ishikawa the basics of yoga, which indirectly led to Ishikawa unlocking his fourth sub-profession.

And during the Nationals, Ishikawa had stepped in to protect the old man from being harmed by the players of Higa Chuu.

Now, following Mifune’s advice, Ishikawa had sought out the old man once again.

Yes, this "Old Man" of Rokkaku was none other than Mifune’s teacher, the legendary Magahara, the one who had pioneered the path of [Mental Cultivation].

"This is our second meeting, isn’t it?" the old man said, his eyes twinkling as he observed Ishikawa’s growth. "Young man, you’ve done well."

"You’re too kind," Ishikawa replied with a smile. "Actually, if we’re counting, this would be our third meeting."

"Third?" The others looked confused.

Even the old man seemed surprised.

Only Ishikawa knew the truth. Between the Kanto Tournament and the Nationals, during a team-building trip with Hyotei, he had encountered the old man’s presence on a small, unnamed island.

Though the old man hadn’t been physically present, Ishikawa had found traces of his teachings—specifically, the stone carvings that had once guided the samurai, Echizen Nanjiro.

From those carvings, Ishikawa had gained deeper insights into his own power.

And now, guided by Mifune, he had returned to seek the old man’s guidance once more, determined to break through the barriers of his Asura path.

Chapter 275: The Final Cultivation, Asura Divine Path and Alaya Consciousness (Part 1)

"I already know why you're here."

Under the surprised gazes of the Rokakku team members, the old man nodded at Ishikawa.

Ishikawa was taken aback. "Did he tell you?"

"No," the old man shook his head. "Your powerful spiritual energy is evident. Clearly, you're here to walk that path as well."

"As well?"

Before Ishikawa could respond, Saeki and the others seemed to realize something, their eyes widening in astonishment.

"I knew it!" Amachi Mitsuya gave Ishikawa a deep look. "There couldn't possibly be so many people who know the old man's name."

"So that means..." Saeki, Kurobe, and the others suddenly understood. "Ishikawa, you're like that senior who came here two years ago."

Indeed, about two years ago, a blond-haired young man had appeared near the beach. He had approached them, also asking about "Magatou."

"That senior..." Aoi's mind flashed with the image of a tall, blond figure, and a look of reverence unconsciously appeared on his face.

"I never expected you to have reached that level, Ishikawa," Aoi Kentaro said, his eyes filled with admiration.

The others, coming to their senses, also looked at Ishikawa with newfound respect.

"Come with me," the old man gestured for Ishikawa to follow him to a nearby pavilion.

Seeing this, Saeki and the others couldn't help but feel envious. However, none of them dared to ask about the secret. The old man had once warned them that attempting to unlock it without sufficient spiritual energy could lead to severe consequences.

Besides, they had all been raised by the old man. Opportunities to grow stronger were plentiful. As long as their spiritual energy was strong enough, the old man wouldn't hesitate to teach them that cultivation method.

"How far have you progressed in your yoga practice?" the old man asked as they sat facing each other in the pavilion.

"I'm at a passable level," Ishikawa nodded. "Following Coach Mifune's method, I've been able to enter the realm of consciousness."

"I see," the old man nodded, then said, "The problem you're facing now is likely not knowing how to delve deeper into that realm, right?"

"Exactly."

"It seems your issue is that your spiritual energy is too powerful," the old man chuckled. "Mifune probably forgot to tell you the key to freely controlling your spiritual energy."

If the U-17 high schoolers or even the coaches had heard this, they would have been shocked. After all, it was hard to imagine someone referring to Mifune as "that kid."

In fact, if Mifune had been present, he would have been extremely respectful, likely shocking everyone even more.

"Spiritual energy isn't always better when it's stronger," the old man explained. "While powerful spiritual energy can indeed impact the realm of consciousness, making it easier to enter than usual, to truly step onto the Asura Divine Path, you need to find the balance point of your spiritual energy."

"The... balance point of spiritual energy?" Ishikawa looked puzzled.

"Yes," the old man continued. "A person's spirit fluctuates based on their circumstances. When things are going well, the spirit is high and energetic. But when faced with difficulties, it can become weak and listless. To delve deep into the realm of consciousness, you need to master the balance between strength and weakness."

"I see," Ishikawa felt a spark of understanding.

He then sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and used his ability to shut off his five senses, focusing his spiritual energy intensely.

At that moment, Ishikawa's presence became overwhelmingly strong. But as he delved deeper into meditation, his presence suddenly diminished, alternating between intense and faint.

Gradually, his presence grew fainter, to the point where he seemed like an ordinary passerby on the street.

"Not bad," the old man smiled with satisfaction. "This kid's comprehension is almost on par with that brat Nanjiro."

Echizen Nanjiro was the old man's most accomplished disciple, the one who had gone the farthest on the path of tennis. And Ishikawa was the one most likely to surpass Nanjiro's achievements.

Meanwhile, in Ishikawa's realm of consciousness...

As he maintained the balance between strength and weakness in his spiritual energy, the once pitch-black world began to emit a faint light. The light grew brighter, and a passage appeared before Ishikawa.

"Is this the cave of the spirit?" Ishikawa nodded slightly as he observed the grayish-brown passage.

He then walked slowly toward the source of the light. The further he went, the more he felt a growing sense of heaviness, as if the gravity inside was different from the outside.

However, Ishikawa, who was accustomed to wearing weighted training gear, remained calm. His gaze steady, he continued to walk deeper into the passage.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally reached a spacious area at the source of the light.

"This is..."

Not far away stood a vermilion gate, with a wooden torii-like structure in front of it. The gate was open, one side blocked by a stone, preventing it from closing. The light spilled out from within, illuminating the entire cave.

"So... this is the gate that Byoudouin opened, right?" Ishikawa narrowed his eyes.

If he remembered correctly, in the original story, Byoudouin had eventually opened this gate through relentless training. After him, Tokugawa had also arrived here. However, lacking Byoudouin's mental trials, Tokugawa had easily entered the gate, which was why his appearance hadn't aged as dramatically as Byoudouin's.

Facing the gate, Ishikawa paused.

He glanced at the gate representing the Asura Divine Path, then turned his gaze to a dark cave on his left.

"The depths of this cave are where Byoudouin ultimately obtained the Alaya Consciousness!"

Yes, Byoudouin had opened the gate to the Asura Divine Path, but he had followed his inner calling and chosen the abyss representing Alaya Consciousness instead.

"So... which should I choose?"

Standing at the crossroads, Ishikawa fell into deep thought.

Both the Asura Divine Path and the Alaya Consciousness, which represented the ultimate power of the depths, were incredibly potent.

The former represented the final path of mental cultivation pioneered by the old man of Rokakku. The latter, however, was the path of death and rebirth that Byoudouin had discovered.

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The former had no known drawbacks, while the latter came with the terror of death.

Which path should he take?

After a moment of contemplation, Ishikawa neither entered the Asura Divine Path nor walked toward the Alaya Consciousness cave. Instead, he sat down right where he was.

He closed his eyes.

Continuously adjusting his spiritual energy, he maintained the necessary balance.

For Ishikawa, both the Asura Divine Path and the Alaya Consciousness were paths others had walked. Since Byoudouin and the old man of Rokakku had forged their own paths, it would be a waste for him to simply choose one without attempting to create his own.

He, too, would carve out his own path!

(End of Chapter)