Time flew by.
Without anyone noticing, several months had passed.
The Middle School Men's Basketball League was finally about to begin.
The entire Seiyo Middle School Basketball Club entered a period of intense preparation, bustling with activity every day.
During this time, Akashi's exceptional performance caused Kirihara Hayato to seriously consider stepping down as captain on several occasions and handing the position over to him.
It wasn't that Kirihara had suddenly lost his sense of responsibility—under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have cared.
But ever since Akashi joined the team, the pressure he brought was undeniable.
Especially Akashi's natural leadership.
Whether in training arrangements, tactical understanding, or on-court judgment, Akashi consistently displayed a calm and commanding presence that made Kirihara, the current captain, feel as if he were sitting on pins and needles.
Standing beside Akashi, Kirihara couldn't help but feel… inferior.
Akashi understood Kirihara's intentions, but in the end, he firmly declined.
It wasn't a matter of confidence.
Kirihara was already a third-year student and would graduate next year. There was no need to gamble the team's stability for a fleeting sense of excitement.
More importantly, Akashi was still a first-year.
His qualifications were shallow, and forcing the entire team to accept his authority would only invite resistance.
"Hmph. Cowardice."
A familiar voice echoed within Akashi's mind.
"What is there to worry about? Just crush them with absolute strength."
Akashi had long grown accustomed to the second personality within his consciousness.
Over the years, it frequently whispered seductive suggestions—direct, ruthless, and efficient.
Most of the time, Akashi ignored it.
Occasionally, he refuted it.
"Ruling through force alone will destroy team harmony," Akashi replied coldly in his mind.
The second personality snorted.
"What is a team? As long as you let me take control, I alone am enough."
"Impossible," Akashi rejected without hesitation.
"Don't even think about it."
He refused to become a cold, heartless tyrant.
The second personality muttered a few more disdainful remarks, but Akashi paid them no mind.
"Hmph… foolish. In your current state, you can't unleash your true talent. One day, you'll come begging for my power."
After those words, the voice vanished completely, as if it had never existed.
On the surface, Akashi looked no different from usual.
Only the faint glimmer that flashed through his heterochromatic pupils hinted at the turbulence beneath.
Days passed.
In the blink of an eye, the day of the tournament arrived.
Seiyo Middle School welcomed their first opponent.
Inside the locker room—
"Our opponent today is Ueno Middle School," Coach Nakamura announced loudly.
"I'll now announce the starting lineup."
His gaze swept across the players before he spoke.
"Center: Kobayashi."
"Power Forward: Kirihara."
"Small Forward: Sendo."
"Shooting Guard: Yamamoto."
"Point Guard: Ito."
After finishing, Coach Nakamura turned toward Akashi, who stood quietly at the side.
"Akashi, you're our hidden trump card. You won't be playing unless it's necessary."
"Yes," Akashi replied calmly, without the slightest dissatisfaction.
If the current lineup could win on its own, that was ideal.
It would only prove that the opponent wasn't worth his attention.
More importantly, the coach's decision was correct.
Everything was for victory.
In that regard, he and Seijuro Akashi were perfectly aligned.
"Ueno isn't particularly strong," Coach Nakamura continued,
"but don't lower your guard. Let's win this first match cleanly!"
"Yes!" the team responded in unison.
Beep!
The whistle echoed through the arena.
The match officially began.
Akashi sat quietly in the resting area, his gaze fixed on the court.
From the moment the game started, he could tell—Ueno Middle School was average at best.
Had Seiyo not trained relentlessly over the past few months, they might have been at a similar level.
But now?
The gap was obvious.
The outcome was never in doubt.
And reality proved Akashi right.
Sendo alone was more than Ueno could handle.
Even without him, Seiyo's other players completely overwhelmed their opponents.
Ueno was crushed in every aspect—offense, defense, and coordination.
Seiyo's passing flowed like water, their cooperation flawless.
Sendo tore through the defense like a rampaging beast, repeatedly storming Ueno's basket.
Five minutes in.
21–5.
The game had already lost all suspense.
When the final whistle sounded—
Beep!
The score was frozen at:
Seiyo Middle School 117 — Ueno Middle School 36
A crushing victory.
Two days later.
Second match.
Another opponent of similar strength.
Akashi still didn't play.
124–40.
Another overwhelming win.
Over the following week, Seiyo played their third and fourth matches.
The results never changed.
Every victory exceeded a hundred-point margin.
Seiyo advanced smoothly into the quarterfinals.
By then, many schools had begun paying attention to Seiyo Middle School.
Especially Sendo.
His explosive performances made him one of the most eye-catching players of the tournament.
As for Akashi—
He hadn't played a single minute.
No one noticed him at all.
Soon, the final day of the week arrived.
Seiyo's next opponent was Kyuuseki Middle School.
Their first truly strong enemy.
Kyuuseki was a veteran powerhouse, almost guaranteed a top-eight finish every year.
Their strength was unquestionable.
Most notably, their point guard.
Well-known throughout the middle school circuit, he carried a distinct nickname—
"Kyuuseki's Strategist."
A title earned through precise planning and sharp tactical command.
Beep!
The match began.
From the opening possession, Seiyo's offense was shut down.
Sendo was immediately double-teamed, struggling to move freely.
Passes toward him were repeatedly cut off.
Seiyo's ball was stolen.
Kyuuseki counterattacked—successfully.
This was the first time since the tournament began that Seiyo had been suppressed so thoroughly.
Sendo soon broke free, charging forward the moment he received the ball.
But before he could reach the basket, another defender closed in.
Left.
Right.
Center.
All blocked.
Passing seemed to be his only option.
Then—
Sendo's body flickered.
A feint.
Three defenders were fooled.
He burst through the gap, stormed into the restricted area, and slammed the ball home.
The score was tied.
But as the game progressed, Kyuuseki adapted.
They quickly identified Seiyo's fatal weakness.
Aside from Sendo, the rest of the team was… ordinary.
Under the Strategist's direction, Kyuuseki fully targeted Sendo.
Wherever he went, at least two defenders followed.
Sendo's movements became increasingly restricted.
Kyuuseki seized the opportunity.
The score began to widen.
6–15.
8–19.
12–28.
Five minutes passed.
The gap hit double digits.
Coach Nakamura frowned but held back, choosing to wait.
Another five minutes slipped by.
The situation only worsened.
18–36.
Coach Nakamura stood up immediately.
"Timeout!"
"Akashi," he said decisively,
"you'll replace Ito."
"Your task is simple—bring the score back."
"Yes," Akashi replied.
Ito Hiroki smiled bitterly as he stepped aside.
"I'll leave it to you. That guy isn't easy. Be careful."
"Don't worry, Ito-senpai," Akashi said calmly.
"I'll stabilize things."
Beep!
Play resumed.
The moment Akashi stepped onto the court, his crimson hair and heterochromatic eyes instantly drew attention.
Whispers rippled through the stands.
"Who's that?"
"I've never seen him before."
"Did he dye his hair?"
"A first-year?"
"Is Seiyo giving up?"
Doubt. Curiosity. Suspicion.
None of it reached Akashi.
He walked forward unhurriedly, expression calm, as if his team wasn't trailing at all.
Sendo exhaled when he saw him.
"You're finally here. I can relax now."
Akashi glanced at him.
"Two people can't really stop you, can they?"
Sendo stiffened, suddenly feeling exposed.
Akashi had seen through him completely.
Akashi didn't press further.
It wasn't important.
His gaze shifted to Kyuuseki's players, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
"We'll talk later."
"First—let's catch up on the score."
For the first time since the tournament began—
Akashi Seijuro had entered the stage.