Outside the school gates of Ryokufu High School.
The Shohoku group had arrived.
As soon as they saw the style of Ryokufu High's campus, everyone raised an eyebrow.
Standing at the gates, the first thing they saw was a pair of metal doors—no one knew what material they were made of. Twisting golden rose vines curled around the deep green doorframes. At the top of the gate, a green crest was inlaid with a swan spreading its wings, surrounded by wheat stalks. The whole thing gave off a vibe of untouchable luxury.
The gates were open. Beyond them stretched a wide road, flanked by rows of ginkgo trees. In the autumn breeze, golden leaves fluttered down like a shining carpet that led all the way to a pointed clock tower in the distance.
Stunned by this display of extravagance, Kogure Kiminobu sighed. "It really does feel like a rich kids' school."
The others nodded blankly, all in full agreement.
Just standing at the gate, they could feel the overpowering scent of money.
Aoi Kunisaku gave it a single glance. His expression stayed indifferent. He ignored all the opulence, like none of it even existed.
Hohohohoho…
Coach Anzai's laugh broke the awed silence. "Let's head in."
Sakuragi Hanamichi clenched his fists, brows twisting into iron nails, and muttered through gritted teeth, "That Michael-something… just wait! I'm gonna make you pay for what you did to me!"
He still hadn't forgotten what happened that morning.
He was determined to get revenge.
Mitsui Hisashi gave him a sidelong glance and said, "Oi, oi. What are you getting worked up for? It's just a practice match. Besides… they only formed their basketball team last year."
"I don't care when they formed it. I'm still gonna beat that smug Maichou guy!" Sakuragi said stubbornly.
Uh…
Everyone…
Miyagi Ryota sighed, pressing a hand to his forehead. He made slicing motions in the air and muttered, "Sakuragi, his name's not Maichou. It's Michael. Michael Okita."
Akagi Takenori chimed in, "Don't get careless. Even though their team was just formed last year, I don't think that Michael guy's gonna be easy to deal with."
"No need to stress. We've got Aoi and Rukawa too," Kogure Kiminobu added calmly.
Mitsui Hisashi nodded. "Exactly. Akagi, you're not the captain anymore. Relax a little. Kanon will handle everything."
The first-years on the bench started chatting.
Kuwata Toki said, "So this is what a rich school looks like! I wonder what kind of basketball team they've got?"
Yamada Chuichirou said, "Their gym must be super fancy!"
Ishii Kentaro said, "Shouldn't we be more worried about their players?"
Sasaoka Satoro said, "That blonde foreigner looked pretty scary to me. He must be strong. I mean, all those pro players on TV who are amazing at basketball are foreigners, right?"
Shimizu Kanon heard their chatter and smiled faintly before explaining, "Ryokufu High isn't just new to basketball—they're a brand-new school too!"
Everyone from Shohoku froze in surprise.
"That explains it," Mitsui Hisashi nodded. "No wonder we've never heard of them before."
Miyagi Ryota said bluntly, "They've got guts challenging us to a match like this."
"It's not that simple," Shimizu Kanon's face turned serious. "Even though Ryokufu's school and basketball team are new, they've got plenty of funding and even their own dedicated gym. On top of that, their players were recruited nationwide."
Everyone was shocked.
Nationwide recruitment?
That meant they were made up of top players from all over.
"Now that's interesting." Aoi Kunisaku, who'd looked bored this whole time, finally showed a hint of curiosity.
"Oh, and one more thing," Shimizu Kanon added. "Their manager is the chairman's daughter."
What?
That completely stunned the Shohoku crew.
Miyagi Ryota: "That manager is…"
Mitsui Hisashi: "The chairman's daughter…"
Sakuragi Hanamichi: "Seriously?"
Kogure Kiminobu: "That's wild…"
"What about that Michael guy?" Rukawa Kaede asked suddenly.
Everyone quieted down, waiting for Shimizu Kanon's answer.
Shimizu Kanon didn't keep them waiting. She said right away, "Michael Okita is a Japanese-American mixed-blood. He was sponsored by the school to go study basketball in America. I heard even the NBA has their eyes on him."
The NBA?
The Shohoku group was shocked again.
"Seriously?" Mitsui Hisashi was surprised.
Miyagi Ryota looked stunned too. "That guy's really that strong?"
Kogure Kiminobu frowned, looking tense. "America, huh? That's no joke."
Akagi Takenori's eyes also sharpened. His expression grew serious.
Only Sakuragi Hanamichi still looked clueless. "NBA? What's that?"
Ayako explained, clearly exasperated, "The NBA is the world's top basketball league. It's the dream of every basketball player."
…
While everyone was still caught up in the discussion, Fujisawa Eri came walking lightly from a distance.
She wore a polite smile and flicked her fingers gracefully to one side. "Welcome, Shohoku High School Basketball Team. You must be tired from the trip. Please follow me."
Shimizu Kanon's expression didn't change. She brushed her fingertips past her bangs and spoke calmly to the Shohoku team behind her. "Let's go."
Her family and Aoi Kunisaku's weren't lacking in money. She'd seen plenty of luxury, so this noble school didn't faze her at all. Her demeanor stayed calm and poised.
As Shohoku followed Fujisawa Eri toward the gymnasium…
Inside a classroom building, two figures stood by a window, watching the group pass.
Two boys, both wearing Ryokufu High's uniform.
One of them stood around 185 cm tall. He had a lean build, short upturned hair, and bronze-toned skin that gave off a healthy glow. His single-lidded eyes were sharp, his nose straight, lips thin and pressed lightly, with a friendly smile.
His name was Katsumi Ichirou, a 1st-year student and a member of Ryokufu High's basketball team. He was a shooting guard and wore jersey number 5.
The other boy was taller—about 190 cm. He was thin and lanky, with broad shoulders and a straight back. His hair was tied back with a headband, his skin pale, and his upturned eyes had a faint brown hue. When he smiled, he showed a pair of small fangs. His nose was high, lips faintly rough with stubble, and a small mole dotted his right cheek.
This was Nadaka Hikaru, a 2nd-year student and the team's center, wearing number 4.
Katsumi Ichirou said, "The Shohoku team's here. Mitsui-senpai's with them too!"
Nadaka Hikaru replied, "You used to want to get into Shohoku, right, Katsumi?"
"Huh?" Katsumi raised an eyebrow. He spread his hands and shrugged. "Don't joke. No matter how good someone was in middle school, a senpai who hasn't played for two years isn't reliable."
"Yeah." Nadaka nodded. "Still, they did win the championship this year. Akagi really lucked out."
Katsumi turned to him and said, "I heard you were like Akagi back then—carrying the team alone?"
Nadaka gave a bitter smile, rubbing his chin as a flicker of memory passed through his eyes. "Yeah. Hearing that now kind of stings."
"What are you saying?" Katsumi walked past him, hands in his pockets. "That's why you transferred here, right?"
Nadaka said, "Still… the champions really get your blood pumping. If we beat them, doesn't that make us the new champions?"
Katsumi turned his head and smirked with confidence. "That's not wrong. But they are the champs, after all. Winning won't be easy. I heard Shohoku's number 9 is ridiculously strong."
Nadaka responded immediately, "Oh, I've heard of him. They call him 'the strongest high school player.' Akagi sure is lucky. I really want to see him in action."
…
"That's our basketball-exclusive gymnasium," Fujisawa Eri said with a proud tone, raising her hand to point ahead.
Everyone looked up to see a brand-new white building towering above. It was three stories high, with a vertical stripe design on its outer wall gleaming under the sun. A dome-shaped, oval roof sat atop like a crown—making it look like a luxurious mini castle.
With light steps, Fujisawa Eri led Shohoku's group toward the gym. As they walked, she continued, "This gym was completed just last month. Today's your first match here."
Soon, she led them inside the extravagant gym.
Ishii Kentaro suddenly spoke up. "Doesn't something seem weird to you?"
Hm?
Hearing this, Sasaoka Satoro looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"
Ishii Kentaro explained, "Since we entered the school, we haven't seen a single student."
Hearing that, the others from Shohoku realized something was off too.
But no one could figure out what exactly was wrong.
Maybe today was a holiday for Ryokufu High School?
Before they could think more, Fujisawa Eri led them to a dimly lit door.
She stepped forward, placed her fingers on the handle, and pushed it open.
As the door creaked open, a sharp beam of light sliced through the darkness like a blade. Shohoku's group instinctively squinted against the glare.
Then, a deafening wave of cheers and heat rolled in like a tsunami, making their eardrums ache.
Shohoku's players were stunned by the scene.
The gym's stands were packed with students all wearing Ryokufu High's uniform.
It looked like the audience had turned into a sea of deep green.
The energy was just as intense as the Inter-High tournament crowd.
It felt like the entire school was gathered here.
At that moment, Fujisawa Eri pulled out a microphone from who-knows-where. She walked to the center of the court and addressed the crowd. "To all Ryokufu High students, thank you for coming to cheer on our basketball team in their very first match. Thank you."
She paused, then continued. "Next, allow me to introduce today's opponent—Shohoku High School's basketball team."
Just then, the Shohoku team walked onto the court. Facing the stares of all Ryokufu's students, the first- and second-year bench players trembled with nerves.
Kogure Kiminobu's heart thudded. "This is too much…"
Fujisawa Eri continued, "Shohoku's team is also this year's Inter-High national champion. Let's give them a warm round of applause."
Boom—
"Ahhh—!"
The roar from the crowd nearly blew the roof off. The ocean of green surged like crashing waves.
The blast of heat hit Shohoku's players head-on, rattling them inside.
If they hadn't experienced the Inter-High tournament already, they might have frozen on the spot.
Aoi Kunisaku yawned at exactly the wrong moment, totally unfazed by the noise around him.
After introducing Shohoku, Fujisawa Eri guided them to their changing room.
Ayako suddenly slammed her hand on the table, eyes burning with anger. "What the hell is this supposed to be?! They're treating us like clowns."
Even Akagi Takenori's calm face darkened slightly. "She's right."
Kogure Kiminobu pushed up his glasses, voice tight with rare frustration. "This is too much."
Mitsui Hisashi crossed his arms, lips tight with fury. "We shouldn't have come."
Shimizu Kanon cleared her throat and spoke up. "It's a little out of line, yeah. But I get why they did it. Still, there's no point complaining now that we're here. If we've got something to say, let's show it through basketball."
Everyone nodded.
Shimizu Kanon added, "Let's start by going over Ryokufu's player info."
She turned toward Akagi Haruko. "Haruko, I'll leave that to you."
Eh?
Caught off guard, Haruko jumped to her feet. The tips of her ears turned red as her bangs brushed past. "O-oh… got it."
She scrambled to pull out the documents Shimizu Kanon had prepared on Ryokufu High's players, then started presenting.
"Fujisawa Eri, Ryokufu High's basketball team manager. She's the daughter of the school's board chairman. She's known to be a bit willful and often interferes with the coach's decisions. She once invited Rukawa Kaede to join, but he ignored her. Because of that, she holds a big grudge against him."
The second Haruko opened her mouth, she dropped a bomb.
Everyone in the room turned their eyes to Rukawa Kaede, who looked completely clueless.
Sakuragi Hanamichi pointed at him. "Rukawa! I can't believe you're that kind of guy."
Rukawa glared back with his usual dead-fish eyes. "I don't know her. I don't remember her inviting me."
Mitsui Hisashi raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't sound that simple."
"I said I don't know her," Rukawa replied, still dead-eyed.
Miyagi Ryota narrowed his eyes. "You think we're buying that?"
"…"
Kogure Kiminobu pushed up his glasses, the lenses catching a glint of light. "Forget the past. But if she can influence the coach's decisions, does that mean the whole team listens to her?"
Hearing that, the Shohoku group started realizing some real problems.
Shimizu Kanon nodded. "That's right. Since she's the second daughter of the board chairman, she basically took full control from the coach. So their team might not be performing at its full potential."
"What do you mean by that?" Kogure Kiminobu asked in confusion.
Shimizu Kanon's lips curved into a faint smile, her gaze lifting slightly. "Even though Fujisawa Eri is the team manager, she lacks real experience. There's no way she can manage player strategy without making mistakes. Someone with her personality doesn't listen to others easily."
Hearing that, the Shohoku team finally understood.
Put simply, she was calling the shots without knowing what she was doing.
Like putting a scholar with zero battlefield experience in charge of a battle-hardened general. Total joke.
"In that case, we've basically already won," Kogure said with a small smile.
Shimizu Kanon gently shook her head. "Even so, don't let your guard down. Anything can happen during a match. Their players were scouted nationwide, after all. Haruko, I'll let you continue."
Akagi Haruko nodded and resumed the briefing.
"Team captain, Michael Okita. Small Forward. Jersey number 13. Second year. Height: 192 cm. Weight: 85 kg. A half-American with national-level skills. He spent all of last year training in America., studying basketball in depth. He's also caught the attention of the NBA in America."
"Vice-captain, Nadaka Hikaru. Center. Jersey number 4. Second year. Height: 195 cm. Weight: 88 kg. Very responsible. Physically strong with great basketball sense. One of the few centers who also has strong playmaking ability. Excellent stamina and upper-body strength. He's one of Ryokufu's core players."
Haruko paused.
Akagi Takenori asked, "Why'd you stop?"
Haruko's eyes looked a bit conflicted. "He's like you, onii-chan. In his last team, he was a lone wolf. Great skills but no good teammates, so he never won. That's why he transferred to Ryokufu. He hopes to achieve his dream of winning a national title here."
After that, the room went silent.
Everyone's gaze turned to Akagi Takenori, their expressions mixed.
Even the teammates who'd once played alongside him lowered their heads in shame.
But Akagi's face didn't change. He looked like he didn't care one bit and simply said, "Keep going."
Haruko nodded and continued.
"Katsumi Ichirou. Shooting Guard. Jersey number 5. First year. Height: 185 cm. Weight: 72 kg. One of Ryokufu's main players. Excellent physical ability and outstanding technique. He was once Mitsui-senpai's junior at Takeshi Middle School. He was the captain in his third year and had great results."
Everyone's attention shifted to Mitsui Hisashi.
Mitsui furrowed his brow. He muttered, "Katsumi Ichirou…"
"You know him?" Miyagi Ryota asked, glancing over.
Mitsui nodded with a frown. "Yeah. He was my junior back in middle school. Even back then, his skills were top-notch. Can't believe he ended up at Ryokufu."
"Totsuka Tetsuya. Power Forward. Jersey number 9. Second year. Height: 180 cm. Weight: 75 kg. No official match record. Average basketball skills. His only standout quality is speed—he's the fastest on the team. But his stamina is poor."
"Ebina Kaoru. Power Forward. Jersey number 6. Second year. Height: 177 cm. Weight: 61 kg. Naturally slim. Lacks elite speed and physical strength. But he has unique offensive coordination skills and rarely makes mistakes. A solid defender. Introverted, polite, never reckless, always calm under pressure."
"Next are Tsurumi Seiji and Tsurumi Keiji. They're Ryokufu's secret weapons—rare twin brothers. Jersey numbers 7 and 8. They're so in sync that just a glance is enough to signal the next move. Fast, excellent ball control, and perfect chemistry. They're dangerous on both ends of the court."
"As for Ryokufu's coach, everyone already knows the situation. So no need to go into that."
With that, Akagi Haruko let out a long sigh and sat down again.
The entire Ryokufu High School basketball team roster was now fully introduced.