Sitting cross-legged on the ground, Ishikawa focused on stabilizing his mental energy to a steady threshold. This was a skill he had mastered through countless hours of practice. In the realm of the mind, time was irrelevant. He couldn't tell how long it had been, but gradually, he felt the pressure on him begin to dissipate.
Finally, he returned to the state he had been in when he first entered this mental realm. Outside his body, a dark, smoke-like substance began to fade away, much like ink washing off in water.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, as if sensing something, Ishikawa's eyes snapped open. The crimson gate representing the Asura Shinto had completely vanished, and the fork in the road symbolizing Alaya Consciousness was nowhere to be seen. Before him lay a dead end, with the only light coming from behind, where he had entered.
"You're awake?"
A voice echoed from the darkness. Ishikawa looked up and saw a figure in a black coat emerging from the shadows. There was something faintly familiar about the person.
"Who are you?"
As the figure stepped into the light, Ishikawa's expression changed. Standing before him was someone who looked exactly like him—same height, same features.
"Surprised?" the figure said with a smile. "I think someone as clever as you can probably guess who I am, right? The embodiment of your dark thoughts, your inner demons, or what you might call a second personality. That's how you'd understand it, isn't it?"
The figure's lips curled into a smirk. By now, Ishikawa had calmed down. He realized that this being was likely the manifestation of the pressure he had shed, much like an insect shedding its exoskeleton. This "other self" in the black coat was his darker side—a being that could indeed be called his "inner demon."
"Your path has ended," the black-coated Ishikawa said, shaking his head. "You didn't choose the Asura Shinto or the Alaya Consciousness of Byoudouin. You overestimated yourself. To others, you're a prodigy, a tennis player even more talented than Echizen Nanjiro. But I know the truth—you're far from it. Your strength is built on external forces. Strip those away, and what are you left with?"
As he spoke, his eyes gleamed with a piercing coldness, as if he could see straight through Ishikawa's soul.
But Ishikawa remained unfazed. Calmly, he replied, "If you're my inner demon, then all I need to do is crush you, right?"
The black-coated Ishikawa chuckled. "I knew words wouldn't affect you. That's why I've come prepared to completely destroy your spirit."
Crack.
The ground beneath them began to shake violently. The earthen floor transformed into a hard court, and a net materialized between them. White lines marked the boundaries, and in an instant, a standard tennis court had formed.
"It all comes down to a match, huh?" Ishikawa thought, his heart steady. He knew that whether this was his dark thoughts, his inner demon, or a second personality, they would have to settle this through competition.
"Let's begin," the black-coated Ishikawa said coolly. "There's no need for us to argue over who serves first."
With that, he turned and walked to the baseline. Ishikawa did the same.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
At the baseline, Ishikawa lightly bounced the tennis ball. He glanced at his opponent, tossed the ball into the air, and served.
Crack!
The ball landed precisely on the service line.
"A high-speed serve at 50% power?" the black-coated Ishikawa sneered. "Do you really think I'm as weak as the opponents you've faced before?"
Swish!
His racket moved so fast it seemed to distort the air.
Crack!
The ball shot back with incredible speed, carrying the force of Ishikawa's signature move—Draw Slash: Mind Shift.
Crack!
Ishikawa intercepted the ball, his expression calm. "As I thought," he murmured. His inner demon had mastered all his techniques. A conventional match wouldn't be enough to decide the winner.
Hum.
A blinding white light erupted from Ishikawa's body. Drawing on the power of his swordsmanship, he swung his racket with increased speed, sending the ball flying like a razor-sharp blade.
Hum.
In response, the black-coated Ishikawa's body glowed with a fiery red aura. The flames of martial intent surrounded him as he stepped forward, his stance resembling that of an archer drawing a bow. With a powerful swing, he unleashed a devastating shot.
Boom!
The ball tore through the air, carrying the force of Four Gods Martial Arts: White Tiger. The sheer destructive power was enough to pierce through walls, and the shockwave alone would intimidate most players.
But Ishikawa remained composed. His eyes, now shifting between black and white, analyzed the ball's trajectory, landing point, and the destructive energy it carried.
Crack!
In an instant, he raised his racket and blocked the shot. The ball spun violently, trying to break through, but Ishikawa held firm.
After all, these were his own techniques. They couldn't harm him.
But the same was true for his inner demon. No matter what move Ishikawa used, his opponent would find a way to counter it.
"So..." Ishikawa's gaze sharpened, and his aura surged.
Feeling the pressure, the black-coated Ishikawa responded in kind, his own aura rising to match.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In the mental realm, the two figures clashed with terrifying intensity. Perfect Harmony against Perfect Harmony. Swordsmanship against martial arts. Light Strike against Awakening.
As their powers continued to collide, the mental space began to crumble. Dust filled the air, and debris flew everywhere.
Boom!
With a final, earth-shattering impact, the ground beneath them caved in, forming a massive crater.
Cough!
Both Ishikaws spat blood.
"What's this?" Ishikawa's eyes widened.
The black-coated Ishikawa smirked. "That's right. In this mental space, both of us are part of the same consciousness. If this place is destroyed, the damage will reflect on both of us."
Ishikawa's expression darkened. If this continued, even if one of them won, the destruction of the mental space could have irreversible consequences for his real self.
"Scared?" the black-coated Ishikawa taunted. "Of course you are. You represent reason, while I have no such limitations. I'm the embodiment of your negative emotions!"
Hum.
A dark, oppressive aura erupted from the black-coated Ishikawa, one that Ishikawa had never encountered before.
Whoosh!
The air around him seemed to warp as his power surged.
"Surprised?" the black-coated Ishikawa said with a sly grin. "You're still too weak. You have no idea what kind of terrifying power lies within this body."
Crack!
Ishikawa responded with another high-speed serve.
Thud! Thud!
But the black-coated Ishikawa moved instantly, positioning himself perfectly to intercept the ball.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
In the next moment, five identical figures appeared around him, each adopting a different stance to strike the ball.
"What?!" Ishikawa's eyes widened in shock.
This wasn't a simple multi-ball technique. It was the true Muga no Kyouchi—Fivefold Counter!