"Since when?"
Nanjiroh wasn't surprised by Yorus question.
He already knew Yoru had the ability to see through others' talents. "It's been a while. I just didn't mention it earlier since you were busy with the Kanto Tournament."
"..."
QP listened to their conversation in confusion.
Yoru brows furrowed tightly.
Just moments ago, the data for the two Ryomas had appeared before him.
Ryoma hadn't changed much.
But Ryoga...
[Name]: Echizen Ryoga
[Age]: 12
[Techniques]: Personal Five Dimensions (Lv. 7), Tennis Fundamentals (Lv. 7), Twist Serve (Lv. 7), Two-Sword Style (Lv. 7), Bullet Serve (Lv. 7), Violent Drive (Lv. 7); 121 other techniques folded.
[Talent]: Devour (Out of Control)
[Combat Power]: 8 Stars
[Devour]: Ignores Five Dimensions and fundamentals. Gradually consumes everything from opponents, including talents. (Note: Cannot devour talents from opponents with 3+ Stars higher combat power. Permanent devouring also fails against such opponents.)
"So it's evolved into the same 'Devour' from the original story..."
Yoru took a deep, cold breath.
He never expected that after evolving from "Plunder," it would become this terrifying.
Ignoring Five Dimensions and fundamentals was one thing, but now it could even steal talents.
He'd always found it strange.
In the original storyline, during Ryoga's match against Ralph, Ralph lost his talent—"Weakness Correction"—and could never play tennis again.
Then, in the U-17 arc, when Phoenix tried to hit Ryoga with his "Lightning Strike Ball," Ryoga returned it.
Instead of catching it with his racket, Phoenix used his bare hands, willingly injuring himself.
Because he knew—if he returned that shot, he'd never be able to use the Lightning Strike Ball again.
Given these events, Yoru had always wondered why Ryoga's original talent, "Plunder," didn't seem strong enough to explain those feats.
Now he understood—it simply hadn't evolved yet.
"Wait… if Ryoga's talent can evolve, what about Ryoma's?"
A flicker of curiosity rose in Yorus mind.
But right now, the priority was dealing with Ryoga's out-of-control ability.
According to the description, anyone who played against Ryoga would suffer—even Nanjiroh himself.
The skill explicitly ignored Five Dimensions and fundamentals.
Nanjiroh cut straight to the point. "I called them back for two reasons. One, it's their vacation. Two… I wanted to see if you had a solution."
"It's difficult. I still can't manipulate 'consciousness' yet." Yoru sighed.
[Tenth Sense Manipulation]: Can control the ten senses of a selected target.
(Unlocked: Sight, Hearing, Touch, Smell, Taste, Premonition, Time Sense, Spatial Sense // Locked: Consciousness, Thought)
"Right now, I can manipulate the five senses, the sixth sense, and even time and space perception. But 'consciousness' is still out of reach."
Nanjiroh's expression shifted slightly, looking at Yoru like he was staring at a monster.
This kid's talent is even scarier than his mother's.
Nalane could only manipulate six senses, but her control was far more brutal.
Nanjiroh had experienced it firsthand—even he couldn't resist it in his normal state.
But Ryoga's situation was critical.
If left unresolved, everyone who played against him would become 'disposable'—losing their talents and potentially their ability to grow.
Unless Ryoga embraced the same self-destructive nature he had in the original story.
After a long silence, Nanjiroh finally asked:
"Yoru… how does your talent grow?"
"Growth? ...I don't know."
Yoru shook his head.
It wasn't that he didn't know—he just couldn't explain it to Nanjiroh.
He'd asked the system before.
The answer was: "Unlocking new senses requires reaching certain mental thresholds, but it stops at spatial perception."
He couldn't explain how he knew this.
When Nanjiroh first asked why he called it "Tenth Sense Manipulation," Yoru had dodged the question, saying he could "feel the next sense" every time he unlocked one.
But lies required more lies to cover.
He didn't want Nanjiroh digging deeper, so "I don't know" was the safest answer.
"So… you can feel that 'consciousness' is the next stage?"
"I can sense it. But it's… close yet far. Different from before."
Yoru nodded.
According to the system, consciousness and thought required his own efforts to unlock—or waiting for a reward like an "Talent Evolution Card."
But the system had no idea when such a mission might appear.
That's why Yoru always told Nanjiroh he was "just a step away."
What he really lacked was that damn card.
Yet before the mission could arrive, Ryoga's talent had already spiraled out of control.
"So that's how it is..."
Nanjiroh took a deep breath, remembering how Nalane had described hitting a bottleneck the same way.
He never found out how she broke through.
The atmosphere grew heavy.
QP, sensing the gravity of the discussion, quietly excused himself to resume training.
After a long silence, Nanjiroh finally spoke again—this time with unusual seriousness.
"Yoru… do you want to know about your mother?"
"What?"
---
### Meanwhile… U.S.A.
U-17 Training Camp – Junior Division
"Captain, why are we going to a wasteland like Japan for an exhibition match?"
The speaker was a dark-skinned player with a natural afro. The one he called "Captain" was none other than Ralph Reinhardt.
Not long after Yoru left, the U.S. U-17 had restructured its program, establishing a junior division.
Ralph was its undisputed leader, having handpicked every member.
After months of grueling training, only four elites remained—Ralph included.
Recently, the coaches had proposed an overseas exhibition match—ostensibly for show, but really a test of their strength.
They let Ralph choose the location.
Most expected him to pick Switzerland, Germany, or France—tennis powerhouses.
Instead, he chose Japan.
To many, Asia was a "tennis wasteland."
Was he afraid of facing real competition?
That was the only explanation the afro'd player could think of.
But Ralph just laughed, his voice bright and confident.
"I'm going to meet an old friend. And I want him to see just how strong I've become—hahaha!"