"Th-This is me?!"
"This is this genius?!"
Sakuragi's voice cracked from sheer excitement.
"That's right!"
"A reporter captured your dunk from yesterday, Sakuragi-kun!"
"Now all of Kanagawa knows Shohoku has an incredible player named Hanamichi Sakuragi!" Haruko beamed, her eyes curved into crescents.
"There's more down here…" Yohei leaned in and started reading aloud.
"That spectacular dunk was executed by Shohoku High's No. 10, Hanamichi Sakuragi…"
"Whoa, that's some high praise, Hanamichi," Yohei whistled. "You're really famous now."
Sakuragi felt like he was floating—his soul practically leaving his body.
This feeling...
It was better than eating ten bowls of ramen, more refreshing than chugging an ice-cold soda!
His hands trembled as he held the newspaper like it was an imperial jade seal.
"D-Did you see that, Gorilla?!"
"The newspaper says it! I'm a genius! WAHAHAHA!" Sakuragi spun around and shoved the paper right in front of Akagi's face.
Akagi pulled the paper away, the corner of his mouth twitching.
He had to admit—the photo really did look impressive.
Even he could feel the shock of that moment all over again just by looking at it.
"Hmph. Don't get carried away."
"The real battle is still ahead," Akagi said sternly, tossing the paper back.
His gaze swept over a smaller headline in the corner:
[Mysterious First-Year Point Guard Makino Juro—A 'Magician' in the Final Moments?]
Though the coverage wasn't as prominent as Sakuragi's, it still mentioned Makino Juro's crucial steal.
"Where's that guy, Juro?" Akagi frowned, scanning the gym. "Why isn't he here today?"
By all logic, even though he was lazy, he'd been putting in effort lately.
"That sleepyhead?"
Sakuragi, still basking in his own glory, replied casually.
"He's probably lying somewhere like a corpse. Didn't he look dead tired yesterday?"
Just as he finished speaking—
"Yaaawn"
A long, sluggish yawn drifted in from the entrance.
Everyone turned to look.
Makino Juro strolled in slowly, wearing a loose tracksuit, headphones hanging around his neck, and a meat bun in hand.
His eyes were half-lidded with sleep, his hair a complete mess like a chicken's nest, his entire body radiating a do not disturb aura.
"So noisy… you guys."
"Yelling this early in the morning… you're going to get noise complaints, you know?"
"Have some public decency…" Makino Juro muttered, rubbing his eyes, looking utterly drained.
"Juro! You're late!"
Sakuragi immediately rushed over, waving the newspaper. "Look, look! This genius made the front page!"
Makino Juro winced from the sheer volume of Sakuragi's voice. He glanced lazily at the wrinkled newspaper.
His gaze paused on the dunk photo for exactly one second.
"Oh…"
"Not bad. They managed to make your dumb face look somewhat human."
He took a bite of his bun and gave his evaluation through a mouthful of food.
"What do you mean dumb face?!"
"This is heroic elegance! Heroic elegance, got it?!" Sakuragi exploded.
"Yeah, yeah. Heroic elegance."
Makino Juro collapsed onto a bench, his bones practically protesting.
His system panel showed his stamina had recovered, but mentally—
He was still completely drained.
"But…"
"Since everyone's so full of energy…" Makino Juro swallowed the bun and looked at Akagi with his usual half-dead eyes.
"Shouldn't we start figuring out how to deal with that 'middle-aged guy' next?"
Akagi froze for a moment, then immediately understood who he meant.
The king of Kainan University Affiliated—Shinichi Maki.
The undisputed No. 1 in Kanagawa… who admittedly looked older than his age.
At the mention of that name, the previously relaxed atmosphere instantly turned heavy.
Akagi took a deep breath, his gaze sharpening like a blade.
"That's right."
"Shoyo was only the beginning."
"Our goal is to conquer the nation."
By now, more players had arrived.
Akagi clapped his hands loudly.
"Everyone, gather up! Training starts now!!"
"OH!!!"
Sakuragi carefully folded the newspaper and solemnly stuffed it into Yohei's arms, his eyes burning with renewed fire.
"Yohei! Guard this with your life! This is a Sakuragi family heirloom!"
"Yeah, yeah… you're so annoying," Yohei sighed helplessly.
Makino Juro let out a long sigh, stuffed the last bite of his bun into his mouth, and reluctantly got up from the bench.
"Man… what a hassle."
"But for the sake of a beautiful future of lying around doing nothing… I guess I'll try a little."
Despite his complaints, he rolled his wrists and stepped onto the court.
Morning sunlight streamed through the high windows, painting the wooden floor in gold.
…
That day at Shohoku High.
The air itself seemed to buzz with restless energy.
Ever since copies of the Kanagawa Sports Daily spread across campus like snowflakes—
Public opinion had flipped completely overnight.
The basketball team, once seen as a gathering of delinquents, had suddenly become the center of attention.
Especially Hanamichi Sakuragi.
"Look! That's Sakuragi!"
"Wow, he looks even taller in real life than in the paper!"
"I heard his dunk knocked Shoyo's center flying—he's insane!"
In the hallway, Sakuragi walked with his hands in his pockets, his swagger exaggerated to the extreme.
His upper body leaned so far back it was like he was about to fall, his nostrils practically pointing at the ceiling, his red hair blazing under the sunlight.
"Heh heh heh… so the foolish mortals have finally realized my greatness?"
As he walked, he constantly scanned the girls' reactions from the corner of his eyes.
Every time he heard a squeal or a compliment, the corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably.
He tried to suppress his laughter—but those gleaming white teeth gave him away.
The "Sakuragi Legion" followed behind him, each wearing complicated expressions.
"This guy's ego has already reached the sky," Yohei sighed.
"He's walked back and forth through this hallway like 800 times since morning."
"Doesn't he get tired?" Takamiya crunched on his chips.
"This must be how a genius 'patrols his territory,'" Ohkusu shrugged.
"Like a monkey king…"
As for Makino Juro.
This day was nothing short of a disaster.
As the "mysterious point guard" mentioned in the paper, even though his photo only occupied a small corner—
And was just a side profile.
It didn't stop him from becoming a hot topic.
During breaks, curious students constantly surrounded his desk.
"Juro, is it true you know martial arts?"
"Makino Juro, did you really fall asleep during the game?"
"Makino Juro—"
Makino Juro lay slumped over his desk, hoodie pulled over his head, music blasting through his headphones as he tried to block out the noise.
"Ah… what a pain…"
He groaned internally.
"System, can I use vision misdirection outside the court?"
The system panel gave no response.
Clearly, that service wasn't included.
END OF CHAPTER
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