Outside the Shōhoku gymnasium, Su Xiaoqi rubbed his temples as he glared at Kawai Mari, who had been following him relentlessly.
"Can you please stop tailing me?"
Kawai Mari lifted her chin defiantly. "I'm here as the school's representative to cover the basketball team's first match in the prefectural tournament. If you have a problem, take it up with the principal."
"Like hell I will." Su Xiaoqi cursed under his breath before replying coldly, "Fine, follow if you want. But don't expect me to give you any interviews."
Sakata Gintoki, nursing a bump on his head, chimed in, "Xiaoqi, cut her some slack. She's just doing her job. No need to be so harsh."
Su Xiaoqi snapped, "Shut the hell up! Keep running your mouth, and I'll bench you for the entire game!"
Sakuragi Hanamichi quickly intervened, "Big bro, calm down. Haruko and I already cleared things up. No one's gonna spread rumors anymore."
"Hmph. Thanks." Su Xiaoqi nodded at Hanamichi before addressing the group. "Any other issues? No? Then let's move out."
On the way to the stadium, Su Xiaoqi pulled Hanamichi aside and whispered, "Hanamichi, our identities are all set, right?"
Hanamichi grinned. "Don't worry, big bro. I used my Sharingan to cast a genjutsu on the principal. You guys are officially Shōhoku students now—just ones who 'never attended class due to special circumstances.'"
Su Xiaoqi smirked. "Nice. Though I'm guessing Haruko came up with that excuse?"
Hanamichi chuckled sheepishly. "Heh, well… teamwork!"
Locker Room
Su Xiaoqi stared at the red No. 9 jersey in his hands with a complicated expression. Hanamichi had assigned him the number of the legendary *"Emperor Kadota"*—a benchwarmer from the original series who never lost a single game he played in. Rumor had it he could even "play basketball with his eyes closed."
Of course, with Su Xiaoqi and the others joining the team, four bench players had to be cut. But that wasn't his problem—Akagi Takenori had already handled the negotiations.
Su Xiaoqi glanced at Namikaze Minato, who was wearing No. 12, and smirked. "Never thought I'd see you in a basketball jersey."
Minato chuckled. "It's a fun change of pace."
Kuroba Kaito, in No. 15, sighed. "I prefer the white jerseys. Red doesn't suit me."
Gintoki, meanwhile, was fuming. "Oi, red-haired monkey! Why'd you give me No. 13?! I wanted No. 1!"
Hanamichi shot back, "Idiot! Numbers 1 through 3 are reserved! And 13 fits you perfectly!"
"Tch! I demand a trade!"
"Shut up, or you're benched!" Su Xiaoqi barked before addressing the team.
"Alright, listen up. Here's the starting lineup for the first half: Akagi, Miyagi, Mitsui, Rukawa, and Kogure. I don't know squat about basketball tactics, so just play your game."
He paused, then pulled out a few skill cards with a grin. "Minato pulled these last night. Whoever impresses me the most gets one first."
"Now—can you crush Taiyō by 20 points in the first half?"
"YES, SIR!" Akagi, Miyagi, and Mitsui roared.
Satisfied, Su Xiaoqi nodded. "Good. Let's move."
Shōhoku Bench
Su Xiaoqi stared blankly at Kawai Mari, who had somehow infiltrated their bench area.
"How the hell did you get in here?"
"Ayako, Haruko—why'd you let an outsider in?"
The two managers exchanged awkward glances. Mari smirked and sauntered over. "Forgot to mention—I'm now the team's 'special advisor.' I'll be documenting your performances for the school. If you—"
"Stop." Su Xiaoqi cut her off. "Let me guess—the principal approved this?"
Mari shook her head. "Nope. The school board did."
"Goddammit." Su Xiaoqi turned to Ayako. "What's her deal? Some kind of nepo baby?"
Ayako shrugged. "Rumor says her family's connected. Haruko and I tried to dissuade her, but she's persistent. Maybe just… play along?"
"Hell no." Su Xiaoqi groaned, then looked at Haruko. "Did you at least tell her I have a girlfriend?"
Haruko nodded. "I did! But she said she won't believe it unless she sees it."
"Maybe you should talk to her yourself?"
Su Xiaoqi wanted to scream. This world's mission only allowed male participants—where was he supposed to pull a girlfriend from?!
Just as his headache peaked, the crowd erupted in commotion.
"It's Ryōnan High! Didn't they lose to Shōhoku by 50 in a practice match?"
"Look—Shōyō's here too! They're scouting their bracket rivals!"
"No way… even Kainan showed up! Since when is Shōhoku this popular?!"
"SHŌHOKU? MORE LIKE SHŌ-TRASH!"
A booming voice silenced the gym. All eyes turned to Taiyō's bench, where their No. 4 sneered and pointed at Kainan's star player, Maki Shin'ichi.
"Listen up! We don't give a damn about Shōhoku! Our only target is Kainan! This year, we're taking the championship!"
The gym exploded in noise—louder than before.
Hanamichi stormed up to Su Xiaoqi, fists clenched. "Big bro, let me beat that idiot up!"
Gintoki cracked his knuckles. "Yeah! No one out-bullshits Gintoki! I'll wreck their whole team!"
Su Xiaoqi rolled his eyes. "No fighting. We'll destroy them on the court." He turned to the starters. "You five—win by 50 in the first half. No skill cards if you fail."
"As for now…"
He grabbed a basketball and sprinted toward Taiyō's hoop. Before anyone realized what was happening, Su Xiaoqi leaped from just inside the free-throw line.
(He could've dunked from anywhere, but he held back to avoid causing mass panic.)
BOOM!
The entire gym froze.
Not only had he pulled off a free-throw line dunk—he'd ripped the entire backboard off the rim.
Su Xiaoqi landed, casually holding the ball, and glared at Taiyō's bench.
"Trash like you isn't worthy of talking big in front of me."
GULP.
The crowd stared at the shattered backboard in stunned silence—until Mari screamed:
"AHHHHH! SU XIAOQI! I LOVE YOU!!!"
The gym erupted. "SHŌ-HOKU! SHŌ-HOKU!"
As for Taiyō?
They were now the laughingstock of the tournament.
"Heh. Big bro's the king of flexing." Hanamichi grinned. "Time to teach those clowns a lesson."
Gintoki sulked. "Tch. Xiaoqi stole my thunder. Guess I'll just kick their balls instead."
Minato chuckled. "I could always use Rasengan—"
Kaito facepalmed. "We're playing basketball, not committing murder!"