Beep…
Ryonan requested a substitution.
The whistle cut sharply through the gym, and for a moment, the noise seemed to vanish. The air froze. Everyone's gaze fell on Ryonan's bench.
A figure stepped out slowly, deliberately. Each step measured, unhurried. He stopped by the court, and though he made no grand gestures, he carried the presence of a monarch. The gym seemed to bend around him, as if the space itself recognized his arrival.
Eyes calm as a bottomless pond, every movement precise, he exuded an invisible pressure that even spectators felt in their chests.
"Is that… Ryonan's new Captain?"
"Wow… so handsome! And his aura… it's intimidating!"
"I heard even Sendo was completely suppressed by him in practice…"
Whispers spread through the stands like wind over water.
Haruko Akagi and her friends frowned, eyes fixed on the newcomer.
"Who is that?" Matsui whispered, unease in her voice.
Haruko shook her head. "I don't know… I've never seen him before."
Matsui swallowed, instinctive fear flashing in her eyes. "He looks… unapproachable."
Near Shohoku's bench, four crooked figures—Sakuragi Hanamichi's "Sakuragi Legion"—had quietly appeared: Yohei Mito, Nozomi Takamiya, Chuichiro Noma, Yuji Ohkusu.
They had come to watch, to cheer, maybe to ridicule. But now, their usual mischief faded.
"That guy… something's off," Nozomi muttered, adjusting his glasses.
Yuji nodded, neck shrinking slightly. "He's… dangerous."
Chuichiro's eyes narrowed. "Shohoku's in trouble."
Yohei stayed silent, eyes fixed, an instinctive unease pinning him in place.
Shohoku's players stiffened.
"It's him… Ryonan's first-year Captain," Kogure muttered. Relief turned to tension instantly.
"Is he really going to play?" Takenori Akagi's fists clenched, eyes locked on the newcomer. His body leaned forward slightly, alertness flashing in his gaze.
Rukawa Kaede remained silent, sweat trickling down his temples. His eyes, cold and sharp, were locked on the red figure. That oppressive aura had already reached him.
Akashi, as he was called—spoke softly, yet his words cut clearly across the court. "Uekusa, you go rest first."
Tomoyuki Uekusa nodded without hesitation. Akashi's authority was absolute, earned through strength and correct decisions.
He stepped onto the court. His steps light, yet the floor seemed to tremble under him. All eyes followed.
"Is he finally going to play?" Sendo muttered.
Even Ryonan's ordinary players were affected. Defensive rotations, offensive patterns—they had done well before, yet Akashi's presence changed everything.
"It's about time to end this game," Akashi said calmly, voice like a hammer striking the silence.
He tilted his head slightly toward Uozumi. "Uozumi-senpai, I'll leave the inside to you."
"Alright," Uozumi replied, voice heavy.
The game resumed. Ryonan served the ball directly to Akashi, no screens, no tricks. Just him and the ball.
Thump… thump… thump…
Each bounce of the basketball was coldly rhythmic, steady as a metronome. Akashi dribbled forward like a general surveying a battlefield.
Shohoku's point guard, Yasuda Yasuharu, stepped forward, ready to defend—but the moment he neared, his legs froze.
It was like hitting an invisible wall. A chill shot from his feet to his head. His fingers trembled. Heartbeat lost its rhythm.
"How… how can this be?" Yasuda thought, wide-eyed. "He's a first-year… why am I…"
Akashi didn't shout. He didn't glare. He barely moved. And yet, an invisible force pressed down, silencing his body and mind.
The basketball continued bouncing steadily, unhurried. Akashi advanced past Yasuda with perfect composure, eyes cold as night.
Sakuragi could no longer hold back. He charged, reckless as ever, face full of menace.
Akashi didn't flinch. Ball in hand, dribble steady. A subtle shoulder shift, a sideways step, a clean crossover—he slipped past Sakuragi with ease.
Sakuragi lunged, clawing for the ball—but it wasn't there.
The ball seemed to vanish into thin air.
Swish.
A crisp net sound cut through the silence. The basketball was already in Shohoku's basket.
No one had seen the pass. No one had seen the shot.
Shohoku's team froze. Faces pale, eyes wide.
Akashi calmly turned back on defense. The Ryonan team remained composed, as if nothing extraordinary had happened.
Only Shohoku stood there, stunned, aware that something terrifyingly new had arrived.