As dusk fell, the setting sun cast dappled light through the forest. Two figures walked through the woods, their shadows stretching long on the ground.
It was none other than Oni and Ishikawa.
Like Oni, Ishikawa had changed into an Ice Emperor jacket, with a bag slung over his shoulder that held his tennis racket.
"Aren't you curious where we're going?" Oni suddenly broke the silence, his voice cutting through the quiet.
"Probably some training ground, right?" Ishikawa replied with a smile. "Before coming here, I heard that the most impressive part of U17 isn't the base itself, but a place outside of it."
"Oh?" Oni looked surprised. "Seems like you've done your homework before coming here. That's good."
He nodded, glancing ahead at the nearing end of the forest path. "But the place I'm taking you to isn't exactly pleasant. You'd better prepare yourself mentally."
Oni had no doubts about Ishikawa's abilities, but he wasn't exaggerating. The place they were heading to wasn't for the faint-hearted. The so-called "training" there was more like a struggle in hell, fighting for even the slightest chance of a breakthrough.
"No problem," Ishikawa said with a grin. "I think I can handle it. Besides, I'm curious about what kind of training you'd consider worthwhile."
Oni paused, then shook his head inwardly. He had almost forgotten that the guy beside him was U17's infamous training maniac. Just today, Ishikawa had single-handedly stirred up the competitive atmosphere within the entire U17.
But before Oni could say more, the forest path came to an end. The two of them stepped into an open area, but what lay ahead wasn't the usual path to the mountain's peak. Instead, they were faced with a sheer cliff.
The cliff was almost vertical, incredibly steep.
Half of the setting sun had already dipped behind the mountain, casting a golden glow over the landscape. The towering cliff seemed to declare that this path was forbidden, that it led nowhere.
Yet, neither Oni nor Ishikawa hesitated.
They chose their climbing spots almost instinctively and began scaling the cliff. Oni, with his bulky frame, wasn't as agile, but Ishikawa moved with ease. Still, he slowed his pace to match Oni's, ensuring they could support each other if needed.
As evening deepened, the sun disappeared completely behind the mountain. From a distance, the two figures on the cliff looked like ants, steadily and determinedly making their way upward.
Meanwhile, outside the forest, Saito, dressed in a white lab coat, spoke into his phone. "Yes, Ishikawa followed Oni. He seems to have his own plans. And honestly, a player like him isn't someone we can control anymore."
"Understood," Kurobe replied from the other end of the line. "I'll inform the head coach. You can come back now."
"Alright."
After hanging up, Saito glanced toward the distant cliff, where the two figures were nearing the top. A glint of excitement flashed in his eyes. "This is going to be interesting. When those two return from that place, things are going to get lively."
He couldn't help but smile, imagining the look on Byoudouin's face during the next shuffle match.
About half an hour later, Ishikawa finally reached the top of the cliff.
To his surprise, the summit was a relatively flat platform. A winding path stretched out ahead, leading into a dense forest. In the distance, barely visible in the fading light, was another peak.
"That's the Cliff of the Heart," Oni said, catching up behind Ishikawa. "That's where we're headed."
Ishikawa glanced at the time. "It's around 6 PM. Let's try to get there before midnight."
"Agreed," Oni said, and the two set off again.
After about an hour, as darkness began to envelop the landscape, they arrived at a deep canyon. A rickety wooden suspension bridge connected the two sides, with a stream flowing far below.
Unlike in the original story, Ishikawa and Oni crossed without incident.
But as they entered the forest on the other side, they exchanged uneasy glances. The woods were eerily quiet, and their heightened senses picked up something unusual.
After walking a few dozen meters without incident, most people would have relaxed. But Oni and Ishikawa only grew more alert.
Suddenly, a sharp howl pierced the air.
From the shadows, a gray wolf with glowing green eyes lunged at them, baring its fangs.
Thud!
But before the wolf could reach them, a tennis ball shot through the air, striking the beast and sending it crashing to the ground, unconscious.
Oni calmly lowered his racket.
However, another wolf emerged from the bushes, this one even more ferocious.
Whoosh!
A silver streak flashed through the air, and the second wolf collapsed.
"Strange," Oni muttered, frowning at the unconscious wolves. "This is the path all the defeated newcomers take to the mountain. The coaches would never allow something like this here."
"Maybe they migrated from somewhere else?" Ishikawa suggested, kneeling beside one of the wolves. "By the way, Oni, what do you know about wolves?"
"Wolves are pack animals... Oh, I see," Oni realized.
Ishikawa pulled out some spare racket string from his bag and began tying up the wolf's limbs and muzzle.
Oni raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"
"Preparing a gift for our host," Ishikawa replied with a smirk.
"A gift?" Oni shook his head in disbelief.
After securing both wolves, Ishikawa was about to carry one when Oni stopped him. "Find a sturdy branch. I'll carry them."
With the wolves slung over a branch, the two continued their journey toward the mountain peak.
Deep in the forest, two figures in black coats reported back to the U17 base. "The two wolves have been dealt with."
"Understood," Kurobe's voice came through the phone. "Clean up the scene."
"But, sir," one of the men hesitated. "They've taken the wolves with them."
"What?" Kurobe rubbed his temples in frustration. "Alright, just come back for now."
After hanging up, Kurobe turned to Saito and Tokugawa. "As expected, they handled the situation easily. But they took the wolves with them."
"Took them?" Saito and Tokugawa exchanged puzzled looks.
"That doesn't sound like Oni," Tokugawa said with a wry smile. "This has Ishikawa written all over it. They're probably planning to give the head coach a little surprise."
"Exactly," Kurobe sighed. "Our head coach loves his little games. He's always messing with the so-called geniuses. But this time, he might be the one getting a taste of his own medicine."
"Should we inform him?" Kurobe asked, reaching for the phone.
"Not yet," Saito stopped him. "I think it's better to let this play out. Knowing the head coach, he'll double down and give those two an even tougher time."
Kurobe nodded. "You're right. If this is going to be a special training session, the more unconventional it is, the better the results."
From the perspective of the U17 coaches, they were eager to see Mifune mold Oni and Ishikawa into players of Big Four caliber. That would significantly boost their chances in the upcoming World Cup.
On the mountain path, Ishikawa and Oni pressed on under the pale moonlight. About an hour later, they reached the base of another cliff.
Compared to the earlier one, this climb was much easier. In less than twenty minutes, they reached the summit.
In the distance, a campfire burned. A burly figure lounged in a chair, occasionally taking a swig from a bottle. Beside him, another person practiced his swings.
It was Inui and the U17 head coach, Mifune.
"Not bad," Mifune said, tearing into a chicken leg. "Your strength has improved, but don't let it compromise your agility."
Inui nodded solemnly. Over the past few days, he had come to appreciate the depth of Mifune's training methods. Though the coach seemed rough around the edges, his insights were invaluable.
"By the way," Mifune said, turning to Inui, "you knew Oni was coming, right? Any idea why?"
Inui nodded. "From what I heard, he lost to someone."
"Tell me," Mifune continued, "what do you think of that new kid, Ishikawa?"
"He's strong," Inui said, his expression serious. "His speed, power, technique—I couldn't find any weaknesses. He's a complete player, with a deep understanding of tennis."
"Elite level, huh?" Mifune raised an eyebrow. "Seems like he was holding back when he played you."
Inui agreed. He knew the gap between himself and Oni. If Ishikawa had defeated Oni, his true strength was far beyond what Inui had seen.
"Here's a little secret," Mifune said, leaning closer. "Every country's U17 has a few top players kept under wraps. Oni is one of ours. According to the coaches, he's at a professional level."
Inui's eyes widened. "Professional level?"
Those words carried immense weight. In the world of high school tennis, only the captains of Big Four teams were considered at that level.
"Wait," Inui said, a thought dawning on him. "If Oni's at that level, then Byoudouin..."
"Exactly," Mifune confirmed. "After leading multiple overseas expeditions, Byoudouin has also reached professional level."
Inui's heart sank. He and Oni had been planning to have Tokugawa challenge Byoudouin. Now, he realized how naive that plan had been. If Tokugawa had gone through with it, the outcome would have been disastrous.
Inui made a mental note to discuss this with Oni and reconsider their strategy.
"Perhaps," Inui thought, his mind turning to Ishikawa. If Ishikawa had defeated Oni, that meant he, too, was at a professional level. Maybe Ishikawa could be the one to stop Tokugawa—or even challenge Byoudouin.
The idea sparked a glimmer of hope in Inui's eyes.
"Speaking of which," Mifune said, checking the time, "they should be here by now."
"They?" Inui caught the plural reference. Who else was coming? Oni and Tokugawa? Or... that guy?
"Maybe something happened on the way," Mifune mused. "But those two wolves were trained. They wouldn't hurt anyone. Unless those kids got lost?"
Mifune chuckled at the thought, while Inui felt a chill run down his spine. He had experienced Mifune's "welcoming gifts" firsthand. Whoever was coming was in for a rough time.
Just then, footsteps echoed in the distance.
"Finally," Mifune said, standing up and turning toward the sound.
But as he saw the figures approaching, his smirk froze.
Slung over their shoulders were the two wolves.
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