Time flew by in the blink of an eye.
Before anyone realized it, several months had passed.
The Middle School Boys' Basketball League was about to begin, and the entire Seiyo Basketball Club was buzzing with activity.
During this period, Ake's outstanding performance had made quite an impact. Kirihara Hayato, the team captain, had even thought several times about stepping down and letting Ake take over.
He couldn't help it — before Ake joined, he had been confident in his leadership. But after seeing Ake's overwhelming skills and composure on the court, he felt constant pressure.
What troubled him most wasn't just Ake's skill but his natural leadership. As captain, Kirihara often felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, painfully aware that Ake seemed more suited for the role than he was.
Ake, of course, understood Kirihara's thoughts. But in the end, he declined the offer.
It wasn't because he lacked confidence — far from it. He simply didn't see the need to rush. Kirihara was in his final year and would graduate soon. There was no point in stealing the spotlight now.
Besides, Ake was still a first-year. Even with his skill, earning the full trust of upperclassmen wouldn't be easy.
"Hmph. Such cowardice. What's there to hesitate about? Just crush them with power,"
a familiar voice sneered inside his head.
It was his other self — the second personality that had accompanied him for years.
Ake was used to these provocations. Most of the time, he ignored them, and sometimes, he argued back.
"Relying on brute force alone will only ruin the team's chemistry," he countered silently.
The voice let out a cold chuckle.
"Teamwork? What use is that? Just let me take over — I can beat them all myself."
"Not a chance," Ake replied flatly.
He had no intention of becoming cold or ruthless.
The voice scoffed again.
"Fool. The way you are now, you'll never unleash your full potential. One day, you'll beg for my help."
And with that, the second personality faded into silence.
Outwardly, Ake looked completely normal. Only the faint glimmer in his mismatched eyes hinted at the inner struggle within.
Days passed.
Before long, the day of Seiyo's first tournament game arrived.
Inside the locker room, Coach Nakamura stood before the team, his voice firm.
"Our opponent today is Ueno Middle School. Now, I'll announce the starting lineup."
He scanned the players one by one before speaking.
"Center, Kobayashi."
"Power Forward, Kirihara."
"Small Forward, Sendoh."
"Shooting Guard, Yamamoto."
"Point Guard, Ito."
Then he looked toward Ake, who was standing quietly to the side.
"Ake, you'll be our hidden trump card. Sit until the time is right."
Ake nodded without complaint.
If the current lineup could secure the win, there was no need for him to intervene. Beating a weak opponent held little meaning for him anyway.
And besides — the coach's decision was right. Everything should be done for the sake of victory.
In that sense, Ake was similar to Seijuro Akashi.
Coach Nakamura continued, "Ueno isn't particularly strong, but don't let your guard down. Let's take this first match in style!"
"Yes!" the team shouted in unison.
Beep!
The sharp whistle echoed through the gym.
The game between Seiyo Middle School and Ueno Middle School had officially begun.
Ake sat quietly on the bench, watching intently.
From his observations, Ueno's players were average at best.
Had Seiyo not improved so much in recent months, they'd probably be on the same level. But now, the difference in skill was like night and day.
As expected, the match was completely one-sided.
Sendoh was unstoppable, slashing through Ueno's defense like a storm. The team's coordination was fluid, their passes crisp and clean.
Within five minutes, the score was already 21 to 5.
Ake leaned back slightly — there was no suspense in this match.
By the time the final whistle blew, the scoreboard read: Seiyo 117 – Ueno 36.
A crushing victory.
Two days later came the second match.
The opponent's strength was roughly the same as Ueno's.
Ake didn't play this time either, and the result was the same — another overwhelming victory, 124 to 40.
Over the next week, Seiyo played their third and fourth matches, winning both by margins of over a hundred points.
By then, Seiyo Middle School had successfully advanced to the quarterfinals.
Word of their dominance spread quickly.
Most of the attention was focused on Sendoh, whose incredible form had made him one of the tournament's rising stars.
As for Ake — since he hadn't played a single game, hardly anyone even knew his name.
Finally, the week's last match arrived.
Seiyo's next opponent was Kyuuseki Middle School — a long-standing powerhouse that had consistently reached the quarterfinals for years.
Their point guard, nicknamed "Kyuuseki's Strategist," was famous across the middle school basketball circuit for his brilliant game sense and tactical control.
The match began.
Beep!
Right from the start, Seiyo's offense was stifled. Kyuuseki double-teamed Sendoh, completely shutting down his usual rhythm.
Seiyo struggled to get the ball to him, leading to several turnovers and easy fast-break points for Kyuuseki.
For the first time since the tournament began, Seiyo found themselves on the back foot.
Still, Sendoh refused to stay quiet. The moment he broke free, he exploded forward like a wild stallion. Using a feint, he slipped past three defenders and finished with a layup, tying the score.
But Kyuuseki quickly adapted.
Realizing that Seiyo's only true threat was Sendoh, their point guard orchestrated a defense centered entirely around stopping him.
From that point on, wherever Sendoh went, two defenders followed.
Seiyo's offense slowed to a crawl, and Kyuuseki began pulling ahead.
6–15.
8–19.
12–28.
Within five minutes, the score gap had risen to double digits.
Coach Nakamura frowned but held off calling a timeout, hoping things would turn around.
Another five minutes passed — and the situation only worsened.
18–36.
Unable to wait any longer, Coach Nakamura signaled for a timeout.
Beep!
He turned to Ake. "Ake, you're going in for Ito. Your mission is simple — close the gap."
Ake nodded calmly. "Understood."
Ito sighed as he stepped off the court. "I'll leave it to you. Be careful — that point guard's no joke."
"Don't worry," Ake replied with quiet confidence. "I'll bring us back."
The whistle blew, and Ake stepped onto the court.
Immediately, his distinct hair color and mismatched eyes caught everyone's attention.
He moved with calm composure, showing no hint of frustration — as if Seiyo weren't trailing by nearly twenty points.
"Who's that guy?"
"Never seen him before."
"His hair looks dyed… is he a first-year?"
"Why would the coach sub in a rookie now?"
"Are they giving up already?"
The spectators murmured among themselves, skeptical and curious.
But Ake ignored them all.
Amid the whispers, Kyuuseki's curiosity, and Seiyo's hope, he stepped forward with quiet determination.
Sendoh exhaled in relief. "Finally. Now I can take a breather."
Ake gave him a sidelong glance.
"Two defenders shouldn't be enough to stop you, right?"
"Uh…" Sendoh rubbed his neck awkwardly, speechless.
Ake's eyes didn't waver. "We'll talk later. For now—"
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"Let's take back the score."
For the first time in the tournament, Ake took the court.