With Shoichi's inclusion, the first-year team was finalized: Shoichi, Rukawa Kaede, Ishii, Sasaoka, and Kuwata.
The upperclassmen team consisted of Akagi, Kogure, Yasuda, Kakuta, and Shiozaki.
In terms of height, the first-years were clearly at a disadvantage, especially without Sakuragi on the court.
"Even though they're just first-years, we shouldn't take them lightly. Let's assign defensive matchups," Akagi said, sweeping his sharp gaze over the freshmen before calmly arranging the defense:
"I'll mark Rukawa. Kogure, you take Shoichi. Kakuta covers Sasaoka. Shiozaki, you've got Ishii. Yasuda, mark Kuwata."
Kakuta and the others looked surprised at the assignments, a bit unsure.
"Isn't this just a scrimmage with first-years? Isn't this a bit much?"
"Aren't we overdoing it here? Kinda feels like bullying..."
"Don't underestimate them," Kogure said with a gentle smile. "That first-year Rukawa Kaede is no joke."
…
Kakuta and the others exchanged nervous glances.
Kogure added, "There aren't many upperclassmen on the team. In future matches, we'll definitely rely on the freshmen."
"Taking this seriously now gives us a better understanding of their skills. It'll help us tailor our training going forward."
Hearing Kogure's reasoning, Kakuta and the others nodded in understanding.
"Match start!"
With both teams in position, Ayako announced the beginning of the scrimmage.
As her voice fell, second-year player Yamada Tadashi—who wasn't playing, tossed the ball high into the air.
The moment the ball rise, both Rukawa and Akagi leapt nearly simultaneously, fighting for possession.
The surrounding players grew tense, all eyes locked on the clash between the two.
What surprised everyone was that—despite Akagi's height advantage, his jump fell just short.
Smack!
Rukawa's fingertips reached the ball first and smacked it sharply down toward Shoichi.
Reacting instantly, Shoichi leapt and caught the ball securely in his arms.
The moment he landed, Kogure was already in front of him, arms spread wide to block his path.
"Careful now, freshman," Kogure said with a friendly warning, keeping Shoichi from driving forward.
Just as Kogure's words fell, Shoichi heard a familiar system tone echo in his mind:
[Ding: Random Task Triggered — Break past Kogure once during team practice. Reward: Dribbling Skill "C-Motion Spin" Unlocked.]
Shoichi's expression turned serious.
The "C-Motion Spin" was one of the most fundamental moves in basketball footwork. Even though it was basic, mastering it took considerable time and effort for a beginner.
If he could obtain it instantly, it would save him hours—no, days of practice.
And judging by how the system worked so far, Shoichi had a feeling this wasn't just an ordinary spin move.
"Here I come, senpai."
Shoichi's voice dropped with confidence, and a strange light flashed in his eyes.
His stamina was limited, he couldn't last the entire scrimmage. He had to make every second count.
At that moment, Shoichi activated his buff without hesitation:
[Ding: Active Buff "Eye of Deception" activated. Duration: 5 minutes.]
"Left!"
Their eyes met, and for a split second, Kogure faltered—his mind tricked. Instinctively, he shifted left.
In that precise instant, Shoichi's body flickered past him like a blur, darting right.
"So fast!"
Kogure's eyes widened in shock as he turned and gave chase.
But under the boost from his [Practice Makes Perfect] buff, Shoichi's speed had improved drastically—almost matching Rukawa's. There was no way Kogure could catch up.
Soon, Shoichi had left him far behind, the gap between them only growing wider.
Their one-on-one didn't go unnoticed. The others were stunned.
"Wait, Kogure got broken through?!"
Even Akagi was caught off guard, shock flickering across his face. "His speed… it's almost on par with Rukawa. Unbelievable. His physique's comparable to how Kogure was back in our first year, but with that kind of explosive power…"
"This guy… is seriously something else."
Akagi's heart stirred with a mix of astonishment and wariness.
Even the usually indifferent Rukawa glanced over with surprise at Shoichi's performance.
"…Interesting," Rukawa muttered. "He's way better than that guy."
His eyes swept over to Sakuragi, full of disdain.
Pulling his gaze back, Rukawa began moving closer, silently signaling for Shoichi's pass.
Off-court.
Coach Anzai slowly stood up, eyes gleaming behind his glasses as he muttered to himself: "Textbook-perfect form… and that burst of acceleration—remarkable. This boy has talent."
He sat back down with a satisfied smile on his face.
Beside him, Ayako's eyes sparkled with delight. "Such elegant movement… Even without considering his technique, Shoichi's presence on the court is so captivating."
"In just a few days, he's already come this far. If he'd started in middle school like Rukawa… he'd be absolutely dazzling by now…"
"…Wait, what am I even thinking!"
Realizing no one was paying attention to her, Ayako let out a soft breath, her expression flustered but adorable.
Watching Shoichi's performance, Sakuragi couldn't help but feel a wave of jealousy swell in his chest. His voice was agitated as he snapped, "Hey, Glasses Guy! What the heck?! You let Shoichi get by so easily!"
His outburst snapped Ayako out of her daze.
Annoyed, she swatted him with her clipboard. "Focus! Don't get distracted during practice!"
Having taken a hit to the head, Sakuragi wore a bitter, defeated expression—and looked even more envious of Shoichi.
We both just started learning basketball… so how the heck is there such a huge difference?!