The next day, Nanjirou brought Yoru and Ryoma aboard a private jet headed for the Lighthouse Country.
It was only when they arrived at the airport that Yoru got his first real glimpse of the Echizen family's wealth.
The seemingly carefree Nanjirou actually owned a private plane!
Yoru had known Nanjirou was one of Asia's wealthiest athletes, but he hadn't expected this level of extravagance.
Buying a plane wasn't the shocking part—after all, Nanjirou was the pride of Asian tennis, and in this world, tennis was the most popular sport. His earnings were undoubtedly measured in "small goals" (billions).
No, the real shock was the maintenance cost.
Annual upkeep for a jet was roughly 20% of its purchase price—and that was for low flight frequency.
And Nanjirou's plane? A top-tier Boeing model.
No wonder people say frugal rich guys spend money in the weirdest ways.
Yoru never would've guessed that the same man who pinched pennies over grilled mackerel would drop a fortune on a luxury aircraft.
After over ten hours in the air, they arrived in Los Angeles the following day.
As soon as they stepped into the arrivals area, a sharply dressed foreigner in sunglasses approached them—speaking fluent Japanese.
"BOSS, long time no see."
Without another word, he took their luggage.
BOSS?
Yoru's eyebrow twitched.
So Nanjirou had overseas business too.
No wonder the forums called the Echizens the richest hidden family in Prince of Tennis.
Nanjirou lazily scratched his head. "Joel, I'm just here to get these two brats settled in school. Tell the others not to bother me."
Joel blinked, then nodded. "Understood, BOSS. No disturbances for you or the young masters."
He led them to a sleek black SUV.
Yoru didn't bother asking questions.
If this were a drama, Nanjirou was probably the majority shareholder of some shadowy conglomerate.
Los Angeles lived up to its reputation as the second most prosperous city in the Lighthouse Country.
Skyscrapers towered like a futuristic skyline, yet blended seamlessly with classical architecture—like a movie scene come to life.
(Though Yoru knew the darker side of this glamour—crime lurking in every glittering corner.)
After an hour's drive, they entered an unmistakably wealthy neighborhood, finally stopping at a lavish estate.
Joel turned. "BOSS, young masters—we're here."
As they stepped out, the sound of tennis balls echoed from inside.
Through the fence, Yoru spotted a boy who looked just like Ryoma practicing against a wall.
Same hair, same features, same eyes—but where Ryoma's gaze was earnest, this boy's held a sly glint.
Before Yoru could study him further, a large hand settled on his and Ryoma's heads.
Nanjirou grinned. "Let's go meet your brother... Well, actually, Yoru, you're a few months older—so you're the big brother."
Ryoma tilted his head. "Brother?"
Echizen Ryoga.
Yoru glanced at Nanjirou.
In the original story, Nanjirou once told Ryoga: "Even if you can't live with Ryoma, the blood ties won't change."
Coupled with their near-identical looks, it was clear—Ryoga and Ryoma were definitely brothers.
Same father, probably different mothers.
From what Yoru remembered, Ryoga later left the Echizen household after his aunt (his birth mother's sister) won custody.
Likely a "surprise package" from Nanjirou's pre-marriage days.
(Though fan theories also suggested Ryoga might be a cousin—the son of Nanjirou's brother.)
Nanjirou led them into the estate, calling out: "Ryoga~"
The boy caught the rebounding ball and turned—
For a split second, his eyes flickered with uncertainty before settling into a bright smile.
"Father! Are these my brothers?"
Yoru was impressed.
Despite being the same age, Ryoga carried himself with unnatural maturity.
Guess single-parent upbringing does that.
Nanjirou ruffled Ryoga's hair. "This is your older brother, Yoru, and your younger brother, Echizen Ryoma!"
Yoru stepped forward, extending a hand. "Nice to meet you, Ryoga. I'm Yoru."
The last trace of hesitation vanished from Ryoga's eyes as he shook it.
Childhood friendships form fast—especially with the "brothers" label attached.
Within a day, Ryoga and Ryoma bonded over tennis.
Yoru didn't join in much but grew familiar with Ryoga too.
One rule, though—
Nanjirou forbade official matches. Only casual rallies.
Yoru's eyes narrowed as Ryoga's stats materialized before him:
[Name]: Echizen Ryoga
[Age]: 8
[Techniques]:
Base Stats (Lv. 4) Tennis Fundamentals (Lv. 4) Twist Serve (Lv. 3) Two-Handed Style (Lv. 3) Bullet Serve (Lv. 4) Violent Drive (Lv. 3) ...(10+ more)
[Talent]: Theft (Uncontrolled)
[Power Level]: 4 Stars
Dozens of techniques—far beyond normal for his age.
At first, Yoru assumed Ryoga had learned them himself.
Then he saw the explanation for [Theft]:
[Theft (Uncontrolled)]:
If the user's stats/fundamentals reach 80% of the target's, they can steal techniques/playstyles. Subconsciously imposes the user's rhythm, disrupting the opponent's tempo. (Note: Cannot permanently affect opponents 2+ stars stronger.)
Yoru's breath hitched.
No wonder Ryoga's arsenal is so stacked—he's beenstealingfrom others.
This also explained why Nanjirou banned matches between Ryoga and Ryoma—and why Byoudouin later barred others from playing Ryoga in U-17.
Losing your rhythm was catastrophic for a tennis player.
Not career-ending, but recovery could take years—if it happened at all.
No wonder Ryoga's feared.
Fortunately, the system noted the ability had limits—it couldn't permanently cripple opponents two tiers above him.
Yoru wasn't worried.
If anything, he was excited for a match.
Nanjirou never explained the family dynamics—maybe thinking them too young to understand.
After a day of play, Ryoga and Ryoma fell asleep quickly.
Yoru, ironically the laziest of the three, lay awake—jet lag gnawing at him.
Giving up, he slipped outside for fresh air.
As he reached the garden pond, a voice called out:
"Can't sleep, Yoru?"