Kanagawa Gymnasium.
Inside the B group showdown court.
The noisy crowd buzzed like a rising tide.
As tip-off approached, excitement and tension filled the air. Faces lit up with eager anticipation.
The stands were packed. Players from different high school basketball teams had all gathered here. That alone showed how much attention this match was drawing.
After all, the winner of this match would go on to face the reigning champion, Kainan.
Just as everyone waited with bated breath—
Suddenly, two teams walked out from the upper tunnel entrance of the court.
Sharp-eyed spectators immediately recognized them.
"It's Ryonan and Kainan."
"They came to watch this game too."
"Well, of course. The winner here faces Kainan next—unless Kainan loses first."
"No way that's happening!"
…
At the very top of the stands.
The Ryonan and Kainan squads ran into each other at the tunnel. Both sides stopped, staring silently across the space between them.
In that moment, no one spoke. But their eyes said it all.
Then, both sides unleashed a heavy wave of pressure, an invisible force rolling at each other like a crashing tide.
These two waves collided in midair. The nearby crowd could feel the shift in the atmosphere. The once lively section suddenly turned heavy, as if the air itself froze.
But the tension faded as fast as it came.
Both teams looked away and passed by each other without a word, as if nothing had happened.
The Ryonan and Kainan teams moved to their seats.
They had come here today for one reason—to watch Shohoku versus Shoyo.
In the other court, the D group match between Takezato High School and Ookita was taking place.
Why didn't either of them go watch that game? The reason was simple.
To Ryonan and Kainan, those two teams weren't worth their attention. Both sides agreed silently—they didn't care.
It might be rude, but that was the truth.
In their minds, those two D group teams were already out of the picture.
Worth noting, Ryonan's Coach Taoka Moichi and Kainan's Coach Takato Riki had both come in person.
The two stern-looking middle-aged men sat in their seats. One crossed his arms. The other fanned himself silently. Both waited for the match to begin.
Bang…
Bang…
In the noisy gym, the sound of two heavy iron doors slowly opening cut through clearly. It instantly drew everyone's attention.
People all turned toward the source of the sound.
Shohoku and Shoyo's players walked out steadily from the tunnel, focused and composed.
"Whoa! It's Shohoku. They're coming out."
"Look! That's Akagi in front—one of the top centers in Kanagawa."
"The cool-looking one's Rukawa Kaede. They call him the super rookie."
"That's Mitsui Hisashi! We went to the same junior high."
"The short one's Miyagi Ryota, right?"
"That red-haired guy—I remember him. He's the one who always fouls out!"
…
Because of Shohoku's sudden rise, many fans had started paying close attention to them. They knew every player by name.
And the reason so many followed Shohoku? Just one man—Aoi Kunisaku.
No exaggeration—they were here today just to see him play.
Right after, Aoi Kunisaku finally stepped out from the tunnel. His figure appeared before the crowd.
Boom…
In an instant, it was like a bomb went off in the gym. The place exploded with cheering, roaring into madness.
"Look! He's here—Aoi Kunisaku!"
"Ahhh! Finally! My idol!"
"I came today just to see him play!"
"I wonder how many points he'll score this time?"
"After seeing his last game, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Now I finally get to watch again!"
…
The crowd shouted his name like fanatics at a concert. Their voices thundered so loud, it nearly drowned out the entire Shoyo cheer squad.
Even the basketball players from other high schools were shocked by the fever-pitch energy of the crowd.
They couldn't help but be amazed at how popular Aoi Kunisaku had become.
The players from both Ryonan and Kainan also turned their eyes to the figure walking out from the players' tunnel.
Aoi Kunisaku still had that lazy look, his eyes half-open as if he hadn't fully woken up yet, with a dazed expression.
But on closer look, you could see a sharp gleam flickering beneath that sleepy gaze, like a blade.
Coaches Taoka Moichi and Takato Riki also fixed their attention on Aoi Kunisaku, quietly sizing up the player everyone was talking about.
However, their thoughts couldn't have been more different.
Taoka Moichi: "Just how much are you still hiding?"
Takato Riki: "So this is the guy even Maki is wary of?"
…
On the other side.
Shoyo's players stepped out from the tunnel in neat order, showing themselves one by one.
After Shohoku entered, another loud wave of cheering exploded in the gym, no less intense than the one before.
"It's Shoyo! They're out!"
"Whoa! They look so sharp."
"There's Fujima and Hanagata. Fujima's so cool! Hanagata's not bad either."
"Everyone on their team is tall."
"They're going against Shohoku—this is gonna be good."
…
Both teams returned to their benches.
Soon, they began warming up.
Time ticked by in this tense atmosphere.
Tweet…
No one knew how long had passed when the referee suddenly blew the whistle and shouted loudly, "Three minutes left!"
Only three minutes remained before the game would officially begin.
On Shohoku's bench, Coach Anzai Mitsuyoshi gathered the team for a pre-game talk.
Shimizu Kanon and Ayako stood quietly at his sides.
Coach Anzai slowly looked around at the players. His gaze was calm and firm. Then he began to speak.
"Today's opponent is no joke."
Everyone on Shohoku's team understood that. Each face turned serious, a heavy look in their eyes.
Only Aoi Kunisaku still looked calm, as if the pressure of this match meant nothing to him.
Coach Anzai continued, "I'll now announce the starting lineup. Akagi, Mitsui, Rukawa, Miyagi, and…"
He paused, eyes sweeping over each player.
"…Sakuragi. You five will start."
Sakuragi Hanamichi froze. His body jolted like lightning hit him.
He never expected he'd be chosen as a starting player.
Not just him—even the others were surprised, faces full of doubt.
Based on skill and past performance, Aoi Kunisaku was obviously the best choice to start.
So why had Coach Anzai picked Sakuragi Hanamichi this time?
Coach Anzai didn't give any explanation.
Though curious, no one dared to question him.
Coach Anzai turned to Aoi Kunisaku and said, "Aoi, take a break for now. You good with that?"
Aoi Kunisaku didn't seem to care at all. He shrugged and replied, "Whatever."
…
On Shoyo's bench.
Fujima Kenji quietly took off his jacket, bent down, and carefully tied his sneakers. Every move showed calm focus.
"Fujima, you're going in from the start?" Hanagata Toru frowned slightly and asked in a low voice.
Fujima gave a small nod. His eyes were steady as he answered, "Yeah. Shohoku won't be easy. We can't be careless. Besides…"
He stood up straight, eyes flashing with a fiery light. His spirit was burning.
"This is our last year of high school. Our last shot. We can't afford to lose."
Fujima's words carried a quiet force that instantly stirred the hearts of every Shoyo player.
Their eyes all lit up with the same determined fire. A powerful energy surged in them.
Then, they all responded in unison: "Yes!"