Tennis: One look can subdue me, one sword can break the clothes of heaven!

Seeing the person in front of him, Yukimura was a little dazed. He lowered his head and let his long hair cover his eyes.

"How did you come?"

"My home is also in this direction. I don't feel like training today, so I decided to go home early."

"......." Yukimura's mouth trembled slightly and he forced a smile.

“Oreki-san, you are really too cunning. Why did you come to me at this time…?”

Without the protection of the rain, the tear marks at the corners of Yukimura's eyes became particularly obvious.

In fact, the people he least wanted to see right now were everyone in the tennis club, especially Oreki Yu.

The person whom he had always regarded as a strong rival was now the person he least wanted to face.

Because he had lost everything, he had lost the qualifications to stand on the front line with him.

From now on, maybe I can only watch him from a distance and won't be able to get close to him.

"Obviously, after a while, I will be able to return to the Yukimura of the past, can't you be a little considerate of others......"

Tears as big as beans kept falling like rain outside the umbrella. It was not the first day that Oreki Yuu knew Yukimura. In the past, he always showed his gentle and polite side to others, perfect like a teenager. But at this moment, he was completely without his previous calmness. He cried helplessly, like a child who had lost his most precious doll.

Oreki sighed softly and looked up at the gray sky.

"Cry now, and when your tears stop, tomorrow will be the sunny day."

How can the road of life be smooth sailing?

Man proposes, God disposes. If Oreki Yu had known the result, he would have gotten rid of Echizen Ryouga earlier. However, he chose to ignore him because he wanted to protect his tennis ball, which eventually led to this result.

So now, he feels that all of this is his fault, and he wants to take full responsibility for it.

The two walked along this road for a long time, until Yukimura calmed down and they were almost at his house.

"Thank you... I'm sorry for making you see me so embarrassed..."

"It's nothing, I understand how you feel."

Yukimura smiled as usual and waved goodbye to Oreki.

Oreki knew that he was still forcing himself, so he smiled and said:

"Yukimura, take a good rest today. I'll wait for you tomorrow at the stadium where we had our first competition."

"Hmm?" Yukimura looked puzzled.

At this time, the rain just stopped, and a ray of sunlight came down from the sky and fell on Oreki Yu's face.

"We have to start training from scratch. From now on, there is no time to waste!"

Yukimura was startled when he heard that, and wanted to ask something else, but Oreki Yu had already turned around and continued walking forward on the wet ground. Even though there was a lot of water on the ground, it did not affect his steady steps at all. He just walked away in the light.

Yukimura was stunned for a moment, and when he came to his senses, Oreki Yu's words were still lingering in his ears.

He couldn't help but laugh, but after laughing, a serious and resolute look appeared on his face.

"Yes, how can I give up just like that? My road is far from the end. It was like this before, and it is still like this now. I am just starting over again.

The goal remains the same, still for victory, still for climbing to the top, this is what Yukimura Seiichi should be like......"

He muttered to himself, and when he turned around, he saw that the clouds had dispersed, and even though it was almost evening, the sun was still shining brightly.

Maybe we don’t have to wait until tomorrow, the weather will be clear today.

......

Day two.

Yukimura came to the seaside park near Rikkai University Junior High School early in the morning for a run.

Soon, he saw a young man wearing a baseball cap leaning against a tree waiting for him.

"Isn't it too slow?"

"You came too early."

"Stop talking nonsense and start training!"

"that......."

"Why, crybaby, do you want to keep crying?"

Yukimura smiled helplessly.

"Actually, you don't have to accompany me. You have your training..."

"What are you talking about? This kind of training is not something that most people can do."

"what?"

Oreki Yuu showed a half-mysterious and half-assed expression and said:

"This is a special training only for strong people. I'm too bored to be alone, so I'll just ask you to come and keep me company. What? Are you still not happy?"

"But I am no longer the same person I used to be..."

Oreki Yu smiled and said:

"Do you think I'm trying to appease you? You've known me for a long time, how could I do such a thing?"

Yukimura was slightly stunned, and for a moment he was a little confused about what Oreki Yu was up to.

Seeing his expression, Oreki Yu patiently explained:

"Echizen Ryouga's Tennis Devouring Skill is indeed powerful. It can devour a person's past experience and understanding of tennis and make it his own. However, he only took away a part of it. There are still some things that cannot be devoured. Do you know what they are?"

Yukimura was startled when he heard this, then he thought about it calmly and said:

"You mean, mental will and things like basketball IQ?"

"That's right!"

Yukimura raised the corner of his mouth.

"In fact, for tennis players, those superficial skills are not that important. What is more important is always the spirit born from personality and memory. As long as this does not change, tennis players will not be completely defeated."

"You mean, there's a chance that I can recover?"

“It’s not just about recovery.” Oreki Yu put his hands in his pockets, his smile looking quite mysterious.

"Even though you lost tennis, you still didn't give up. Instead, after the sadness, you decided to pick yourself up and start again. This willpower will definitely make your spirit stronger. As long as you recover properly, maybe your tennis will break through to a higher level."

Yukimura was a little surprised. It was the first time he heard such a theory.

So, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise for him, as he got the opportunity to become stronger?

"You're not saying this on purpose to comfort me, are you?"

"I'm not that boring, and what I said is true, but even so, it is based on your recovery of your tennis, which is difficult, otherwise everything is empty talk."

"Are you serious?"

"When have I ever told a lie?"

Oreki Yu was very serious, and this attitude made Yukimura, who was familiar with him, believe him a little.

For a moment, he didn't know how to describe his feelings at the moment.

From cheering up from despair to seeing hope again, such a dramatic scene actually happened to me!

"Don't get excited yet, because the next training content is the most critical, and the success rate is only about 20%. If you fail, then there is nothing I can do."

Just when Yukimura was extremely happy, Oreki Yu poured a bucket of cold water on him again.

Yukimura couldn't help but smile bitterly, but his eyes gradually became firm.

“I understand… Besides, a 20% chance is already very high. As long as there is a glimmer of hope, I am willing to give it a try. Thanks to you, Oreki-san.”

"Heh~ This is the Yukimura Seiichi I know."

Oreki Yu chuckled.

Then, he placed his hand on Yukimura's shoulder and began to chant in his heart.

"The body will eventually return to dust, and the spirit will also be worn out. Place your consciousness in the inner world and use meditation to avoid all disturbances...Pure Land with a single mind!"

The next moment, Yukimura found that the world in front of him suddenly changed.

The blue sky turned into a starry sky, the sunlight disappeared, replaced by endless wind and snow. This was no longer a park, and the ground beneath his feet was covered with ice and snow.

He actually came to an ice field!