Chapter 208: The Main Gate and Crossroads of the Asura Divine Path

Half an hour later.

"Match over, Switzerland Team wins 3-1."

"Group stage concluded, Japan Team and Switzerland Team successfully advance to the knockout stage."

The broadcast announced loudly.

Irie said to Mifune with some apology: "Coach, I'm sorry!"

"I failed to take the match!"

Byodoin looked at the person walking off the court opposite and said in a deep voice: "Tasta, Switzerland Team's No. 2, whose strength is only weaker than Amadeus."

"The gap in strength between us and the world's second-ranked Switzerland Team is still too large."

Mifune comforted him: "Irie, it's fine if you lost; we qualified anyway."

"Besides, listen to the audience stands; we are clearly in second place, yet the cheers for us are louder than the cheers for Switzerland."

Indeed, the audience stands were shouting loudly.

"Japan Team!"

"Japan Team!"

"Takahashi Yanichi!"

"Takahashi Yanichi!"

"Although Switzerland beat our Japan, Takahashi beat Amadeus; in the hearts of the audience, the latter is the true victory."

Mifune said with a smile.

One evening a few days later.

The 4 coaches of the Japan Team gathered together to discuss the lineup for the semifinals.

Kurobe said: "I didn't expect us to successfully qualify from the group stage this year, and in the blink of an eye, we've reached the semifinals."

"We haven't had such good results in many years; it is truly gratifying!"

Saito said: "It's just a pity that our opponent in the semifinals is the D-Guo Team, otherwise I think we could have advanced to the finals."

Tsuge said: "The world's number one D-Guo Team, we actually encountered them in the semifinals. This luck!"

"The lineup we sent to the world tournament this year is stronger than ever, but our luck is also rarely this bad."

"We drew the world's number one D-Guo in the exhibition match, and ran into the world's number two Switzerland in the group stage."

Mifune General Coach took a sip of wine and said slowly: "Look on the bright side, if we can defeat the world's number one D-Guo Team, then the finals will be easy, and the world championship is not a dream."

Kurobe said somewhat seriously: "I heard that two professional players have recently returned to the D-Guo Team and will participate in the upcoming semifinals."

"Plus Borg, that makes 3 professional players. This lineup is almost their strongest."

Saito said: "Why don't we just give up one doubles match? The possibility of our doubles players defeating professional players is zero."

Tsuge said: "Not necessarily! If we have Takahashi and Tanegashima form a doubles pair, the probability of us winning this match is still quite high."

"After all, Takahashi defeated the Switzerland Team's captain, Amadeus."

Upon hearing this, Kurobe felt it made a lot of sense and said: "That's right, if it's the combination of Takahashi and Tanegashima, with Takahashi's Spiral Serve and Tanegashima's Metsu Mu, they have both offense and defense, and it should be easy to take the match."

Mifune listened to their discussion, took a sip of wine, and said: "Stop talking nonsense, you lot."

"If Takahashi goes to doubles, then who will deal with Borg?"

Tsuge answered without thinking: "Byodoin!"

After speaking, he froze for a moment and said: "General Coach, are you planning to have Takahashi face Borg?"

"Takahashi is only 12, while Borg is already 17; there is such a big difference between them, and Borg is the strongest active professional player!"

"Although Takahashi defeated Amadeus, who is also a professional player, in our match against Switzerland, I have heard that on the professional circuit, Amadeus and Borg are not in the same league at all."

"And didn't we previously tacitly agree that Byodoin would deal with Borg?"

Looking at Mifune's serious face, Tsuge continued to ask: "Do you really think Takahashi can beat Borg?"

Mifune pondered and said: "Not sure."

"But what I know now is that if Takahashi can't beat Borg, then Byodoin has no chance either."

As soon as Mifune said this, the three of them, including Kurobe, were all shocked.

Because, before the world tournament started, the coaches had a common understanding.

That was that this world tournament would still be centered on Byodoin, letting Takahashi first experience the vastness of the world.

The next world tournament would be the moment for Takahashi to shine.

They never expected that Mifune would be ready to entrust Takahashi with such a heavy responsibility in the semifinals.

After a pause of several seconds, Mifune continued: "I understand Byodoin's strength best; his Asura Divine Path was opened with my help."

"It was also me who formulated the path for him to become stronger, which was to go on expeditions around the world."

"So I have the most say regarding Byodoin's strength and the possibility of his evolution."

"Back at the Training Camp, I stopped the match between Byodoin and Takahashi precisely because I knew Byodoin's Dimension—Pirate could not compare to Takahashi's Dimension—Taotie."

"However, Byodoin relies on the path of destruction followed by rebirth; after evolving, he might have the strength to fight Takahashi, but I am referring to the Takahashi who was still at the Training Camp, not the Takahashi of today who has opened a second Dimension."

Tsuge said: "General Coach, do you really think Takahashi, having opened a second Dimension, can beat the evolved Byodoin?"

Mifune said: "Yes. Takahashi has not only opened a second Dimension, but his own base strength is also still rising significantly."

"I asked Takahashi before, and he said he didn't use his full strength in the match against Amadeus."

"Because he felt he didn't need to fully exert the power of his second Dimension to win that match."

Once these words were spoken, even Kurobe was surprised and said: "In that match against Amadeus, Takahashi actually hadn't used his full strength?"

Mifune nodded, and he continued, "Besides this, there is one more point that concerns me the most."

"That is, for Byodoin to continue evolving within the Asura Divine Path, the price he pays is severe injury or even his life."

"And I have asked Takahashi; he says his dimension has no such great side effects."

Saito asked curiously, "Why is that?"

Mifune's expression was somewhat grave as he said, "Because when Byodoin first entered the Asura Divine Path, at the end of that road, he did not enter through the main gate, but rather a side path."

"Therefore, his path is one of destruction followed by rebirth; to evolve, he must pay a tragic price."

Kurobe asked, "Then did Takahashi enter through the main gate of the Asura Divine Path?"

Mifune pondered and said, "His Asura Divine Path is not like Byodoin's; it was opened with my assistance."

"Moreover, his first dimensional phantom is Taotie, which is also an extremely domineering existence; this point makes even me uncertain."

"Because there are many side paths within the Asura Divine Path."

"But until the appearance of his second dimension, I can say with high probability that he has entered the main gate of the Asura Divine Path."

Saito asked, "Why?"