"The game begins!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Xiaotian dribbled the basketball forcefully. Oliver bent low, arms spread wide, eyes fixed on his opponent, ready to snatch the ball at any moment.
"Hey, Bean Sprout! Just relax and pass me the ball! I'll help you win this championship with ease!"
Sakuragi's voice echoed from under the basket as he laughed confidently. Mito Yohei shook his head. He was certainly not as naive.
Anyone who's watched Slam Dunk knows Mito is calm, clever, and dependable—the real backbone of Sakuragi's Gang. Without him, the gang was just a bunch of fools.
He could always read a situation clearly.
But right now, Mito didn't like what he saw.
Honestly, he didn't think they had a chance of winning this 3v3 match.
The opposing team consisted of experienced regulars from the basketball club. Mito, on the other hand, barely knew how to dribble. In all honesty, he was a complete amateur.
And the short guy in front of him... Even though he seemed to be the center, everyone knew height played a major role in basketball. Mito had zero expectations from him.
As for Sakuragi Hanamichi?
Mito sighed.
Just a fool. A big, loud, overconfident fool.
"What should I do..."
He frowned.
Losing wasn't a big deal if it were just him and Sakuragi. But now, thanks to Sakuragi's antics, Oliver had been dragged into this mess.
Mito didn't want others getting caught up in their troubles. Even a delinquent had principles—loyalty, responsibility.
And honestly, he liked Oliver.
Meanwhile, Oliver, focused on defense, had no clue what Mito was thinking. As soon as the game started, a digital prompt appeared before his eyes:
"Hidden Mission Activated: Win the 3v3 Match! (Incomplete)"
Seriously? Another hidden mission?
Could it be that basketball-related activities triggered more side quests?
"Oliver! I'm going for it!"
Xiaotian shouted, then swiftly changed direction and darted toward Oliver's right.
"Too predictable!"
Oliver easily read the fake-out. He lunged right, blocking Xiaotian's true path with perfect timing.
Oda's brows furrowed.
He'd already known Oliver was good, but playing against him was something else entirely.
Oda was faster. Taller. Longer reach. But Oliver had this uncanny ability to predict his moves, as if he were reading his mind. Every trick was instantly countered.
It didn't feel like he was playing against a fellow student, but a seasoned professional.
And that wasn't far from the truth—Oliver was a pro baller in his past life.
"Damn it! No way through! Yamamoto! Catch!"
Unable to get past, Xiaotian passed the ball to the small forward.
"Nice one! I got it!"
Yamamoto caught the ball, squinting smugly at Mito, who stepped up to defend.
"You're not getting past me!"
Mito spread his arms wide, trying to block the drive.
"Please. You're just a rookie."
Yamamoto snorted and darted left. Mito moved to block, but Yamamoto faked, spun, and slipped past easily, driving toward the paint.
"Crap..."
Mito cursed inwardly, chasing after him.
"Defense! Quick!"
Oliver called, already pivoting to chase as well.
"Wahahahaha! It's finally time for the genius to shine!!"
Sakuragi laughed, charging in with gusto.
"No! I didn't ask you to defend!"
Oliver nearly collapsed when he saw Sakuragi abandon his post under the basket.
"Come on! You think you can get past this genius?"
Sakuragi flailed his arms like he was performing tai chi. Oddly enough, his 6'3" frame made him look genuinely intimidating in the lane.
"Tch."
Yamamoto jumped for a shot!
Everyone held their breath.
Bang!
The ball bounced off the rim and sailed wide.
"Rebound!"
Oliver and Xiaotian shouted in unison.
Yamamoto had already positioned himself. He leapt and secured the rebound, then quickly fired a pass to Oda, who had slipped into the open.
"Oda!"
"Got it!"
Oda caught the ball and launched a clean jump shot from the free-throw line.
Swish!
The ball went in. Two points.
"Nice shot!"
Oda and his teammates high-fived.
"See? That Sakuragi guy is a joke," Oda sneered. "He can't even hold a rebounding position."
He glanced at Oliver.
"You made a bad call."
"Really? The game just started," Oliver replied coolly. "Getting cocky after one bucket isn't a great habit, Oda-san."
Oliver turned toward Sakuragi, ignoring the taunts.
He knew Sakuragi was an idiot.
But the guy was stubborn, full of pride, and refused to back down.
And that was the most important trait in basketball.
Sakuragi stood still, staring after the ball.
So that was a rebound...
Even if your teammate missed, you could still help the team score. That was why Bean Sprout had said it was the key to victory.
"He who controls the rebounds... controls the game..."
Sakuragi muttered the words Oliver had said earlier.
Suddenly—
"Whoa! That was a sick rebound!"
"You're hot, big guy!"
Girls!?
Sakuragi turned around sharply. Outside the fence, several older girls were watching the match and cheering.
"Wh-what?!"
His jaw dropped.
It was true? Basketball really made you popular with girls!?
"Alright then! Leave it to me!"
Sakuragi posed dramatically and yelled toward the girls.
"That last one was a fluke! Now watch me, Sakuragi Hanamichi, dominate the rebounds!"
"Haha! You're so full of yourself! But I like it!"
"Go, Rebound King!"
The girls cupped their hands like megaphones and cheered louder.
Sakuragi almost blacked out from joy. For someone who'd been rejected fifty times, this felt like heaven.
He smacked his face to wake himself up and marched toward Oda.
"I was just warming up. From now on, every rebound belongs to me—the Rebound King, Sakuragi Hanamichi!"
"Rebound King? Hah! Keep dreaming."
Xiaotian rolled his eyes.
Oliver smiled.
Now that's the Sakuragi he knew.
"Yamamoto. Tanaka. Double-team Oliver."
Oda turned to his teammates, then faced Sakuragi with narrowed eyes.
"I'll handle the rebounds. And I'll show this clown what real basketball looks like."
---
To be continued...
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