Ryonan High School – Basketball Gym
Bang! The heavy iron door swung open. A figure entered, stepping with calm authority.
He wore a green short-sleeved shirt, eyes sharp and face stern. Every step carried the weight of discipline and command.
The gym seemed to respond immediately—the air itself thickened, and all players instinctively straightened.
It was Coach Taoka Moichi, head of the Ryonan Basketball Club.
Surveying the team with a piercing gaze, he finally spoke in a deep, commanding voice:
"Gather."
The players snapped to attention, forming neat lines in the center of the court. First-year recruits stood ramrod straight, trying to hide their nervousness.
Coach Taoka's gaze swept over the team. His brow furrowed slightly. "Is Sendoh not here?"
Ryoji Ikegami replied cautiously, "Coach… Sendoh went out. Looks like he went to pick someone up."
"Pick someone up?" The coach's brow tightened, processing this.
Koshino Hiroaki spoke softly. "It's that person Sendoh mentioned before…"
Recognition finally dawned on Coach Taoka. He remembered—he had asked Sendoh to recruit his old teammate. And apparently, it had worked.
"Coach… should we wait for Sendoh first?" Uozumi asked tentatively.
Coach Taoka cleared his throat and nodded slightly. "No. Let's start with self-introductions."
The starters—Uozumi, Koshino, Ikegami, Uekusa—introduced themselves to the new recruits. Their presence alone was imposing: Uozumi's towering height, Ikegami's intensity, Koshino's precision. The newcomers listened, awed but anxious.
Finally, the first-year students introduced themselves. Most were ordinary names, except one:
"My name is Aida Hikoichi. I'm 165 centimeters tall, weigh 52 kilograms, and I hope to contribute to the team."
After the introductions, a brief silence fell. Coach Taoka seemed lost in thought, barely acknowledging the new students.
Sensing the pause, Uozumi stepped forward. "Coach… any further instructions?"
Before Coach Taoka could answer, Bang! The gym door opened again. A beam of sunlight cut through the space.
Sendoh appeared, waving casually. "Hi… everyone. I'm back."
Koshino grumbled, "You're finally back."
Sendoh scratched his head sheepishly. "Got a little carried away chatting with an old friend."
Behind Sendoh, two figures stepped in with unhurried, deliberate grace.
Akashi Seijuro and Kamishiro Ruri.
The gym seemed to freeze. Heartbeats paused. Even the sound of breathing seemed to vanish. Every eye instinctively turned to them.
Sendoh smiled lightly. "Let me introduce you. This is Akashi Seijuro, my teammate from middle school. The one I told you about."
The players' reactions were instantaneous:
Koshino: "Is this the guy Sendoh was talking about?"
Uozumi: "Red hair… looks conceited."
Uekusa: "Is he really that strong?"
Ikegami: "Just a pretty boy, like Sendoh."
Coach Taoka: "Decent height… but actual strength?"
Akashi ignored them all. His stride was calm, deliberate, almost hypnotic. Each step seemed to echo in everyone's chest.
Finally, he stopped, scanning the team with heterochromatic eyes—one gold, one crimson—calm, unwavering, impossibly focused.
"Hello everyone. I am Akashi Seijuro, a graduate of Seiyo Middle School. From today, I officially join the Ryonan High School Basketball Club."
His voice was steady and clear. Then, like thunder rolling through the gym:
"I came here for only one goal—the championship. Victory is the only meaning of competitive sports. I look forward to competing alongside all of you."
Silence. Absolute silence.
Shock, disbelief, awe—it radiated from every corner of the gym.
This newcomer… he wasn't just confident. He was arrogant, speaking of the championship as if it were a mere fact, not a challenge.
Even Coach Taoka's eyes widened slightly.
Sendoh, standing nearby, smiled faintly, unsurprised but still slightly taken aback.
Moments later, Koshino finally spoke, voice tight with disbelief. "You… really dare to say that?! Do you know how hard it is to win a championship? You're boasting."
Ikegami joined in, sarcastic. "Exactly! Your tone is… way too big for a newcomer."
Akashi remained still, calm as a mountain. His gaze swept the team, steady, precise. His words were quiet… yet each one struck like a hammer.
"Victory is the only meaning of competitive sports. I led my team to a championship in middle school, and I will do the same in high school. From start to finish, I have never lost… and I never will. If I say I will lead Ryonan to a championship, I will achieve it. This is not a possibility—it is an inevitability."
A sudden, sharp, dignified aura erupted from him, filling every corner of the gym.
"Because… I am absolute."