Chapter 89

Inside the temple.

Old Man Maguto knelt on a cushion; seeing Ji Le Taizao's arrival, he seemed a bit happy, so he returned to the room and hurriedly made tea for the two.

The three sat opposite each other drinking tea.

Whoosh~~

Boiling hot water was poured into the pot, white steam rose, and the curled tea leaves spread out, emitting wisps of fragrance.

"Taizao, ever since you returned to Thus line: Saiyu Xian, we haven't seen each other."

"Ho ho ho~"

Handing the white porcelain cup containing clear tea to Ji Le Taizao, Maguto stroked his beard and said with a slow smile.

"Yes."

Ji Le Taizao respectfully took the teacup and responded softly.

Yuuki Satoru on the side stared blankly at the old man in front of him, his identity flashing quickly in his mind.

The coach of Rokkaku Middle School, known as "Old Man," real name Maguto, a living fossil character even older than Coach Banji of Yamabuki.

And besides that, Old Man Maguto also had another identity—

The head coach of the Japan U-17 training camp, Mifune Nyudo's teacher!

Just in the plot of the New Prince of Tennis, Old Man had once, at Mifune Nyudo's request, guided Byodo-in Phoenix to open the door to the Asura Divine Path.

And when Byodo-in Phoenix went to the crossroads, he appeared in his spiritual world to warn him, although in the end, Byodo-in still walked that path toward destruction.

These deeds all proved that Old Man was not simple.

There were not a few people who mastered the Asura Divine Path, but Old Man was the only one who appeared in the plot who could guide others to realize the Asura Divine Path.

Also, Coach Ji Le called Old Man "Grandmaster"...

His master was Mifune Nyudo?

Bringing me here this time, could it be that he wants me to develop the Asura Divine Path?!

No!

The Asura Divine Path must have experienced a crushing defeat as the cornerstone of entry, and I haven't suffered such a defeat yet!

No, that's not right either!

Yuuki Satoru hurriedly denied his own understanding of the Asura Divine Path again.

The experience of a crushing defeat can serve as a cornerstone to enter the Asura Divine Path, but it is not a must.

According to Mifune Nyudo, the Asura Divine Path is a powerful force born from the feeling of not wanting to lose.

When facing the Light-Hitting Ball that destroyed everything, Oni Jujiro held such determination, which was why he revealed the sharpness of a ghost god and defeated the powerful Byodo-in Phoenix.

He entered the different-dimensional level in his first year and became the NO. 1 of the entire training camp at that time.

And Oni Jujiro hadn't experienced a crushing defeat.

Before he became stronger, he had already realized his own weakness, and then fought Byodo-in, who could frustrate his heart, thus successfully realizing the Asura Divine Path.

So a crushing defeat is not a necessary prerequisite for realizing the Asura Divine Path.

Yuuki Satoru's gaze narrowed slightly; the Asura Divine Path is indeed powerful and is also the most top-tier power in the world.

However...

If Coach Ji Le hopes I walk the path of the Asura Divine Path, should I agree?

Yuuki Satoru suddenly asked himself.

And the first reaction that emerged in his heart was to refuse.

He wants to walk his own path, and the Asura Divine Path is not what he longs for.

If his tennis were only for the pursuit of powerful strength.

Then there would be no need to exceed the limits of the template, and he wouldn't have to break the limits of Wildness to make it his Thunder Beast Stance.

He also wouldn't have to specifically develop the Thunder Triple Concerto according to his own understanding of the thunder-clap dribbling, and then evolve it into a brand-new triple concerto in the Thunder Beast Stance.

He only needed to develop completely according to the character template to gain strength.

Fully overcome the bottleneck of the third movement, fuse Hayama Kotaro's abilities in a very short time, and then immediately choose a Miracle-level character template, and fly to fuse the powers of the Generation of Miracles.

When the potential of the Kuroko no Basket world was excavated to the limit.

He could also seamlessly connect, and find them one by one according to the opportunities in his memory.

Old Man Maguto in front of him, Granny Sugi in Osaka, Nanjiro in Tokyo...

Even following the steps, he could receive Mifune Nyudo's cultivation in the U-17 training camp.

Asura Divine Path, the three doors of the No-Self Realm...

No matter how it developed, he could become the world's top tennis player in a short time.

But...

Is this really what he wants?

Yuuki Satoru gave a negative answer in his heart.

What he pursues is not just powerful strength, but finding his own power, self-improvement, and enjoying the joy of expanding his own path.

He wants to maintain himself under the influence of the character template.

This was the belief he firmed up during the process of exploring the Kanto-level path after fusing Hayama Kotaro's template.

"I want to play my own tennis!"

It's just that, at present, he still has some hesitation in his heart.

Compared to the Five Generals-level panel, the strength of the Generation of Miracles is more than one grade stronger.

Although the upper limit of the Kuroko no Basket world is not as good as the Prince of Tennis.

But even Kuroko Tetsuya, who looks like the weakest individual, can develop toward Tanishima Shuji's "Nothingness."

And as long as the abilities of other Generations of Miracles are well-developed, I believe they can all walk out a very bright path.

Can he really let his tennis fuse their abilities under the influence of the panel, rather than being hijacked by their paths?

"Why?

Is your heart... chaotic?"

Old Man handed the white porcelain cup to Yuuki Satoru and smiled with lowered eyes.

"Sorry."

Yuuki Satoru took the teacup, his heart trembling.

Such keen perception.

"Ho ho ho..."

Old Man chuckled, the white beard on his eyebrows shaking.

"Master Mifune... how is he now?" Ji Le Taizao sipped the clear tea and asked hesitantly.

"Still the same, but he did send an amazing child last year."

Old Man Maguto blew on the heat unhurriedly, his tone sighing lightly.

"That child eventually walked the path you gave up back then; it's really dangerous~"

"Before the World Tournament last year, I saw him." Ji Le Taizao put down the cup.

"I heard Master Mifune is an alcoholic now?"

Hearing this slightly worried tone, Old Man Maguto tasted the clear tea, closed his eyes as if savoring it, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

"Ever since you lost that match and chose to retire, he couldn't live without alcohol."

"Alcohol hurts people; you should go see him."

"Sorry..."

Ji Le Taizao had guilt on his face; he closed his eyes trembling, but the painful scene of that match back then was like a nightmare, still clear, as if it were yesterday.

He gave a bitter smile; if he hadn't seen Yuuki Satoru, he estimated he would still be hiding in Thus line: Saiyu Xian and refusing to come out.

"You came this time for this child?"

Old Man Maguto opened his eyes, looking at Yuuki Satoru.

In an instant, Yuuki Satoru felt as if he had been seen through; in front of this ordinary-looking old man, he couldn't keep half a secret.

Hearing this, Ji Le Taizao sat up straight slowly, opened his mouth, and rephrased his words.

Then he pointed at Yuuki Satoru and said solemnly.

"I hope you can guide this kid.

He has opened up a new path, independent of the No-Self Realm and the Asura Divine Path, a path that belongs solely to Wildness!"

"Hmm?!"

The aura on Old Man suddenly changed; his calm eyes became incomparably sharp, and he asked seriously.

"Under Mifune's teaching, the Onmyoji who always insists on the Asura Divine Path, Ji Le Taizao!

Have you given up the Asura Divine Path?"

"After that match, have you lost even yourself?"

"That's right!"

Facing his Grandmaster's questioning, Ji Le Taizao didn't refute.

"I don't see any hope for the Asura Divine Path to win against him! But Old Man Maguto, aren't you the same!"

"As the opener of the Asura Divine Path, why did you open a fork in the road leading to destruction within the Asura Divine Path?

Isn't it because you also don't see hope?"

"And..."

Ji Le Taizao calmed his tone; the appearance of those children with sincere smiles by the beach flashed through his mind.

"Now I'm afraid only Master Mifune is still insisting on the path of the Asura Divine Path."

"Can he imagine that you, the opener of the Asura Divine Path, are also exploring the mystery of Heavenly Seamless..."

Saying this, an unspeakable sad bitter smile appeared on Ji Le Taizao's face.

"Echizen Nanjiro..."