🗞️ Scene 1: Post-Game Pandemonium
If winning felt like a dream, the media swarm afterward felt like a fever dream.
"Sakuragi! How does it feel to dunk the winning basket?"
"Rukawa, were you surprised Kudo took point?"
"Is Shohoku now a championship contender?"
I could barely breathe under the flashing lights and recorders shoved into my face.
One reporter even shoved a mic into Mitsui's mouth while he was drinking water.
Sakuragi, meanwhile, was loving it.
"YES, YES! I am the Genius of Basketball! You saw that dunk, right? History has been made!"
"Sakuragi—" I tugged his jersey. "Maybe dial it down?"
"Kudo! You're just jealous of my vertical superiority!"
"You jumped because I passed the ball, airhead."
"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!"
The reporters loved it.
They probably thought we were best friends—or worst enemies.
Honestly, some days even I didn't know.
Coach Anzai finally stepped in, calm as ever.
"Thank you for your support. The boys will be preparing for next stage of the tournament."
Translation: Get out. My team needs a nap.
🏕️ Scene 2: Shohoku Training Camp – Disaster Waiting to Happen
Coach Anzai had a plan. And like all terrifying things, it began with:
"We're going to the mountains."
"WHY?" Sakuragi screamed. "Is there a secret dunk scroll hidden there?!"
"No," Mitsui sighed. "It's conditioning, you idiot."
We arrived at the training lodge that weekend.
It smelled like pine, sweat, and regret.
The schedule?
5:00 AM – Wake up
5:15 AM – Sprint hills
6:00 AM – Ball drills
6:30 AM – Defense tag
7:00 AM – Meditation (which turned into nap time for Rukawa)
8:00 AM – Rice and pickles breakfast
By day two, even Sakuragi looked like he was reconsidering his life choices.
"This is… this is torture!" he wailed, face down on a training mat.
"Coach calls it 'resilience training,'" Kogure muttered between stretches.
"I call it a crime against humanity," I added.
🤝 Scene 3: Bonding Moments
Somewhere between shoveling snow off the practice court and dodging raccoons (don't ask), something changed.
Mitsui and Sakuragi actually passed the ball to each other.
Kogure beat Rukawa in a foot race for the first (and only) time.
And Mito? He taught me how to cheat at card games during downtime.
"It's not cheating," he said. "It's adapting."
Even Haruko joined us midweek with a thermos full of miso soup for everyone.
"You guys are working so hard," she said sweetly, handing me a bowl.
I blushed.
Sakuragi tried to sneak a second bowl.
He failed. Loudly.
Despite the chaos, the pain, and the smell of unwashed jerseys…
We were becoming a squad.
🧠 Scene 4: Thread Vision's Toll
One night, after lights-out, I stayed behind at the half-court built near the cabin.
Thread Vision had grown sharper—dangerously so.
I could now predict not just passes, but rebounds, movements, even defensive shifts seconds ahead.
But…
Every time I used it too long, I got splitting headaches.
Like my brain was overheating.
Was this gift from transmigration...
Or a ticking time bomb?
I looked up at the stars.
"You okay, Kudo?"
Sakuragi stood there, hair sticking up like a porcupine.
"Yeah," I said. "Just thinking."
"You think too much."
"And you think too little."
We stared at each other.
Then laughed.
"You're my guy, you know that?" he said suddenly.
"I… yeah," I replied.
We bumped fists under the moonlight.
🥊 Scene 5: Enter the Wolves
The next day during scrimmage, a black van pulled up near the court.
Out stepped a team wearing dark gray jackets with "Kyogaku" written on the back.
They didn't speak.
Didn't smile.
They just watched.
"Who are they?" I asked.
"Kyogaku Academy," Kogure whispered. "Top-seed rival school. They made nationals last year."
"Why are they here?" Mitsui muttered.
Then one of them stepped forward—a tall, lean point guard with piercing eyes and cold presence.
He looked straight at me.
"You're the pass genius?"
I stiffened.
"Depends. You the ego with legs?"
He smirked.
"I'm Jin Akashi. Remember that name."
Then he turned to Rukawa.
"And you… you're not as fast as they say."
Rukawa glared silently.
Coach Anzai appeared, arms crossed.
"This is a closed camp."
"We're just observing," Akashi said. "For now."
They left like a storm cloud.
But the chill stayed.
💬 Scene 6: Warning and Resolve
That night, I sat with Rukawa and Mitsui by the fire pit.
No one spoke for a while.
Finally, I said:
"They're targeting us. Me and Rukawa, specifically."
"Yeah," Mitsui replied. "And that Akashi guy? I've seen footage. He's brutal. Mind games and all."
Rukawa didn't speak.
But I saw his fingers tighten.
"We're not backing down," I said. "Not now. Not ever."
They both looked at me.
"You sure?" Mitsui asked. "This vision thing of yours… is it safe?"
I hesitated.
"No. But it's mine."
And that was enough.