Chapter 88

Night fell, and the bright moon rose into the sky.

Crackle, crackle.

A slight electric current sound rang in the lines, and the street lamps lit up.

Through the wire fence, black shadows were cast on the court, and a slender figure stood upon it.

"Coach, their tests are all over."

Yuuki Satoru lowered his eyes, holding his racket, wisps of lightning flashing between them.

"Then, for my test, is it..."

"Can it start too?"

The trembling voice exposed the excitement and fighting spirit he had been trying to suppress all day.

Soon, soon...

He would be able to see the world's top tennis level with his own eyes; thinking of this, blue lightning couldn't help but jump on the surface of his body.

However, the night wind blew, and the court was silent; no one responded.

Not long after.

Clatter!

The sound of a lighter being flicked came from the corner of the court.

A red spark lit up, the flame flickering, exceptionally dazzling in the darkness, and then, accompanied by a long sigh containing complex emotions, a circle of smoke dispersed into the light.

"Smoking?"

Seeing this scene, Yuuki Satoru frowned slightly; for a tennis player, such behavior was no different from self-destruction of the future.

Sssss...

Waiting for the spark to extinguish, Ji Le Taizao walked out of the darkness.

"Want to have a match with me?"

A sharp gaze swept over the racket in Yuuki Satoru's hand, feeling the exuberant fighting spirit of the opponent, and his eyebrows raised slightly.

"You're still far from it right now!"

Yuuki Satoru's gaze sank.

"Since it's not a match, then why did the coach leave me behind alone?"

Ji Le Taizao reached his right hand into his jacket pocket and asked as if casually.

"For you, where do you think the end of tennis is in your heart?"

"The end..."

Hearing this, Yuuki Satoru didn't answer immediately, but after pondering, he raised his eyes and asked back.

"Coach Ji Le, why would you use such a word that symbolizes an end?"

Crackle!

The Thunder Beast Stance dissipated, and Yuuki Satoru grinned with a smile full of ambition, his eyes flashing with confident brilliance.

The next moment, words that were resonant and decisive were spat out from his mouth.

"The end?

No, my tennis road will not end!"

The short answer carried an incomparably firm will.

Ji Le Taizao's movement of fumbling for cigarettes in his pocket paused, looking deeply at Yuuki Satoru, who seemed to be radiating light.

A brief silence.

A look of self-mockery flashed across Ji Le Taizao's face.

"Heh, is that so!"

Afterward, the aura, which was as deep as an abyss, suddenly became sharp; his gaze shot straight at Yuuki Satoru, his tone crisp and decisive.

"If you want a match, then follow me to a place.

As long as you come back from there, I will accept your challenge."

Yuuki Satoru was stunned.

Before he could think, Ji Le Taizao walked out of the court on his own, and that indifferent voice continued to come.

"If you've decided, come here at seven tomorrow morning.

Remember to bring a change of clothes; I'll help you ask for leave at school~"

The voice gradually became ethereal.

When the last two words "ask for leave" came, Yuuki Satoru could no longer see the other person's figure.

The next morning.

Yuuki Satoru arrived as promised, carrying a backpack with clothes in his hand and a tennis bag on his shoulder.

He had explained the situation when he went home last night.

Although his mother was a bit reluctant, his father was very supportive, and coupled with his own willingness, finally, under his mother Michiko's instructions, Yuuki Satoru prepared the clothes he needed to bring.

Where was Coach Ji Le taking him?

Could it be the U-17 training camp? Professional players should be able to be brought in, right!

Thinking of this, Yuuki Satoru couldn't help but feel a burst of excitement; that was a gathering place for tennis experts, and if it were there, it couldn't be better!

Honk! Honk!

Suddenly, two light honks interrupted Yuuki Satoru's reverie.

He turned his head to look; a green car was parked on the side of the road, and Ji Le Taizao's head poked out of the car window and shouted.

"Get in!"

Boom!

After putting away his belongings, the trunk lid fell with a dull sound.

After Yuuki Satoru sat in the car, he realized that Ji Le Taizao was dressed very neatly today, and even his usually messy dark green hair was groomed meticulously.

"Where are we going?"

After Yuuki Satoru fastened his seatbelt, he asked with some anticipation.

"Chiba, Ryoushi-machi!"

"Chiba?"

Yuuki Satoru searched for this name in his mind; in the Prince of Tennis world, what could be related to Chiba...

Rokkaku Middle School!

Ji Le Taizao didn't have too many words; with a step on the gas, the car sped away.

The distance between Chiba and Tokyo was much closer than he had imagined.

Soon, Yuuki Satoru saw the blue sea, and opening the car window, he could smell the salty sea breeze.

On the beach by the sea, he could see people playing there.

A group of children took tennis rackets and started playing on the beach just like that; the soft sand couldn't bounce the tennis ball, so they treated the tennis ball like a badminton shuttlecock.

No court restrictions, no rule restrictions, not even a net!

But everyone's face was filled with the most sincere joy.

"We're here!"

Ji Le Taizao parked the car at the foot of a small hill.

The hill was short, but trees grew densely, and only a long blue stone staircase led straight to the top of the hill.

"Go up."

Silently looking at this ancient staircase for a few seconds, Ji Le Taizao first solemnly tidied his attire, then walked upward.

Yuuki Satoru didn't ask much, carrying his luggage and following closely behind.

The mountain was quiet and isolated from the world; there were no human voices, only the wind blowing the leaves, and occasionally a few bird calls.

The steps were very high; there was no feeling of walking on flat ground, it was completely "climbing" the stairs.

However, this was simple for Yuuki Satoru; his breathing was steady, his footsteps were light, and he even had the leisure to appreciate the surrounding scenery.

On the blue stone steps, a vermilion torii gate was erected.

In Japanese mythology and legends, the torii gate represents the entrance to the divine realm, and it is the dividing line between the divine realm and the human world; stepping into the torii gate means stepping into a place of the gods.

Yuuki Satoru looked curiously at the bottom of the torii gate; the brown turtle-belly stone pillars were weathered, covered with messy carvings and patterns, from which he could smell the taste of history.

Before long, the two approached the top of the mountain.

A melodious bell rang, echoing in the mountain path, and an ancient temple was located on the summit.

Yuuki Satoru looked from afar.

What he saw was a temple that was as old as could be; the walls and buildings had been eroded by time, some of the outer skin had peeled off, and there was no momentum to speak of.

Only the vermilion temple gate carried a bit of Zen.

And Ji Le Taizao seemed to be very familiar with this place; he didn't knock on the door and walked inside with ease.

Walking into the temple gate, crossing the threshold.

Yuuki Satoru seemed to have entered another world.

The bird calls in his ears disappeared, the air was fresher than in the mountains, it was quiet and peaceful, and looking up, there was an endless sky.

In the center of the courtyard.

There was also a statue of a god whose name he didn't know; it looked ugly, was in a strange posture, and was majestic and solemn.

Ji Le Taizao stopped in front of the statue and bowed devoutly.

Although Yuuki Satoru had no faith, he followed the local customs and bowed slightly, paying his respects.

They had just finished bowing.

A skinny old man walked over; he was wearing red clothes, his eyebrows were snow-white, and his long white beard dragged to his chest.

"Taizao, long time no see~"

Maguto hunched his waist, his hands behind his back, saying kindly.

Ji Le Taizao's gaze was a bit complex, as if there were a thousand words hidden in his heart, and then he clasped his hands together in front of his chest and bowed solemnly.

"Grandmaster, long time no see."