"What… what did you give Hirakoba to drink?"
Kai and the others immediately turned to Ishikawa with a mix of shock and anger.
In response, Ishikawa calmly replied, "Like I said, just a regular drink. Nothing special."
"Also," he paused, then smiled at Kai, "you mentioned earlier that we could continue challenging each other. Since I just won, I shouldn't have to pay any extra fees, right?"
"Uh…"
Hearing Ishikawa's words, Kai and his group instinctively tensed up, their hair standing on end like startled cats.
*What a joke!*
*Compete against this terrifying guy?!*
But as Kai noticed the growing crowd of spectators around them, he realized that while this was dangerous, it was also an opportunity. If they could defeat this guy, it would definitely boost their reputation.
Moreover, the racket Ishikawa was using didn't seem to be of high quality. That last shot probably nearly broke it.
"Alright!"
After considering everything, Kai finally agreed.
As for Ishikawa, his goal wasn't to teach these small fries a lesson. He wanted to meet the so-called "killer," the captain of Higa Chuu, Kite Eishirou, who had a significant presence in the original story.
Unfortunately, even after defeating all the Higa Chuu members, Kite still hadn't shown up.
"Whatever."
Looking at the Higa Chuu members lying scattered on the ground, Ishikawa shook his head. "Senpais, let's go."
"W-wait a second…"
At that moment, Hirakoba, who had recovered slightly, weakly called out, "Who… who are you guys?"
He didn't want to be beaten up without even knowing who his opponents were.
"Don't worry," Ishikawa glanced at him and smiled. "We'll meet again at the Nationals."
"The Nationals…"
Hirakoba muttered to himself, watching their retreating figures, his gaze gradually hardening with determination.
---
"Ishikawa-kun," Ootori asked curiously after they left, "you said we'd meet those guys at the Nationals?"
"Yeah," Ishikawa nodded. "If I'm not mistaken, they're members of Higa Chuu from Okinawa."
"Higa Chuu?"
Shishido raised an eyebrow. "The school that recently defeated last year's semifinalists, Shishigaku, and dominated Kyushu?"
"Exactly," Ishikawa confirmed.
"That's strange," Shishido frowned. "Even though Tachibana and Chitose left Shishigaku, their team shouldn't have lost to those guys, right?"
It was true. Hirakoba and Kai were strong, but the Kyushu tournament was a team event. Individual strength couldn't compensate for the overall team's weakness.
"It's simple," Ishikawa explained. "The captain of Higa Chuu, the one called the 'killer,' Kite Eishirou, wasn't there today."
"The killer?"
Ootori looked surprised. "A player with that kind of nickname?"
"Yes," Ishikawa continued. "Kite's tennis style is different from others. He's someone who will do anything to win. During the Kyushu tournament, he defeated the aces of various schools, leading Higa Chuu to dominate Kyushu."
"I see…"
The two nodded, their curiosity about Higa Chuu growing.
---
Meanwhile, shortly after they left, a boy with slicked-back hair, wearing a purple vest and glasses, approached the beach court with a racket in hand.
"Huh?"
As he got closer and saw his teammates lying on the ground, his expression darkened.
"Hirakoba," the boy, Kite Eishirou, the captain of Higa Chuu, asked in a low voice, "what happened here?"
"K-Kite…"
Seeing Kite, Hirakoba immediately perked up, as if seeing a savior. "Three guys showed up and beat all of us."
"Three guys?"
Kite raised an eyebrow. "Explain in detail. Tell me everything about the match."
Hirakoba then recounted the events.
"Hmm…"
After listening, Kite picked up the racket Ishikawa had used and examined it closely. A cold light reflected off his glasses. "With just this racket, he easily defeated all of you… Nationals, huh?"
"Hmph!"
"No matter who you are, if you dare to mess with me, be prepared to face the consequences!"
Kite's eyes flashed with a dangerous glint.
---
That day, Ishikawa didn't return to the beach court. His goal had been mostly achieved. Although he hadn't met Kite, he had learned the application of the *Shukuchi* technique from the Higa Chuu members, greatly enhancing his *Enbu* footwork.
As for Kite, Ishikawa was confident they'd meet at the Nationals. Even if Hyotei didn't draw Higa Chuu in the tournament, someone like Kite would definitely come looking for him.
As for Kite's mastery of the *Shukuchi* technique, with Ishikawa's current understanding of ancient martial arts, he already had a direction in mind.
Later, the three reunited with Atobe and the others. They explored the island's scenery, visited famous spots, and by evening, they had dinner. Atobe then invited everyone to karaoke, and they didn't sleep until 1 a.m.
The next day, Atobe organized a trip to some of the more distant islands to experience their local culture.
The sea was blue, the sky clear.
Sitting on the ferry, Ishikawa felt an unprecedented sense of relaxation.
"So this is what the ocean is like!"
Leaning back on the deck chair, Ishikawa stretched comfortably. His mind was at ease, and his spirit felt refreshed.
Basking in the warm sunlight, he seemed to merge with his surroundings.
Then, a seagull landed on his shoulder and closed its eyes to rest.
This scene surprised the Hyotei members, but no one disturbed him. Ishikawa slept soundly until they arrived at the island.
---
"Huh?"
However, when Ishikawa woke up and felt the sea breeze and the change in the environment, he suddenly said, "A storm is coming."
"What?"
Hearing this, Mukahi couldn't help but twitch his mouth. "A storm? In this weather?"
If it weren't for his usual respect for Ishikawa, he might have openly mocked him.
"Just be careful," Ishikawa didn't explain further. He simply said this and disembarked.
Later, under the guidance of a local tour guide, they explored the island's various sights.
To their delight, they discovered an open-air tennis court on the island.
Excited, they played a few matches.
The guide explained that the court had been around for decades. It was said to have been built by a renowned figure who taught martial arts and tennis on the island.
However, the locals weren't particularly talented in tennis, though they excelled in martial arts. Some even created a new style by blending Okinawan ancient martial arts.
Later, this person took in a disciple, saying the boy had great tennis talent. After careful training, the disciple gained some fame in Japan and even went abroad, though he eventually disappeared.
Over a decade later, the man, now in his sixties, brought another young man to the island. This young man had long hair and would tie it up when playing tennis.
The guide reminisced, "Back then, his appearance shocked me. He didn't look like the usual perverted, sneaky guy. Instead, he was like a sharp sword unsheathed!"
"Later, I heard he went overseas to play tennis and made a name for himself."
"Young man, since you play tennis too," the guide encouraged, "take a good look around. You might find something unexpected."
"Oh?"
Hearing this, Ishikawa's interest was piqued.
An old man?
A disciple?
Martial arts, tennis, and a pervert?
Immediately, an image flashed in his mind: a scruffy, black-robed monk flipping through adult magazines.
"So, he trained here before?"
As for the master-like figure, Ishikawa had an idea of who he might be.
By then, the others were tired from playing and decided to explore elsewhere. Ishikawa, however, glanced at the clear sky and reminded them to be cautious of the impending storm.
After everyone left, Ishikawa picked up his racket and walked onto the moss-covered, cracked court.
"It's a miracle those guys could play so happily here," Ishikawa muttered.
Looking around, he noticed overgrown weeds and the nearest house at least 500 meters away. This place seemed to be a rest stop for hikers, with only the benches kept clean.
"Hmm?"
At that moment, Ishikawa spotted something in the weeds.
"What's this…"
Pushing aside the grass, he found a moss-covered, weathered wall. Most of the wall was worn away, but there were clear marks of something hitting it. In the center was a fist-sized, deep hole.
It looked like a drainage pipe, but Ishikawa was certain it had been made by someone striking it repeatedly.
"So, this is where he trained?"
The wall's material was far tougher than ordinary walls or floors.
In Ishikawa's mind, an image appeared: a young man with tied-up hair, relentlessly hitting tennis balls against the wall.
"Huh? What's that?"
Noticing something else, Ishikawa picked up a stick and scraped away the dried moss on the wall.
Then, a line of crooked, faintly carved words came into view:
"Do not limit yourself to what you see on the surface. Perceive the true essence of things."
---
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*(Chapter end)*