Silence fell over the entire hallway.
Even Yohei and the others stopped counting money.
Coins slipped from their hands and scattered across the floor.
Cute?
This bald head looked capable of charging through a bull headfirst.
It radiated the aura of a hardened criminal.
How was that cute?
Did your sense of aesthetics catch a virus or something?
"Really!"
Haruko nodded enthusiastically.
"It's so round and smooth—like a little red chestnut!"
She stepped forward.
Then, to everyone's shock, actually stood on tiptoe and gently patted Sakuragi's bald head.
"The texture really is nice!"
"Sakuragi-kun, you look so energetic!"
"You seem even more fired up than before!"
BOOM!
Sakuragi Hanamichi felt himself ascending to heaven.
His soul left his body.
It danced among the clouds wearing a grass skirt while countless pink angels played trumpets around him.
"Cute... Haruko-san said I'm cute..."
He stood there with a blissfully vacant smile.
Tears of happiness streamed down his face.
His entire being melted into mush.
Meanwhile, behind Haruko, Matsui hid behind Fujii and whispered:
"How is that cute...?"
"It's terrifying..."
"He looks like a serial killer who just got released from prison..."
Happy moments never lasted long.
During the break between classes, a group of delinquent-looking students in stand-collar uniforms appeared at the far end of the hallway.
Leading them was third-year student Hotta Norio.
Ever since Mitsui had returned to the basketball team, Norio and his gang had stopped causing trouble for the club.
But now that their former nemesis Sakuragi looked like this...
There was no way they were passing up the opportunity to laugh at him.
"PFFFT—HAHAHAHAHA!"
Norio pointed at Sakuragi and laughed so hard tears streamed from his eyes.
Slapping his thigh, he wheezed:
"Hey, Sakuragi! What the hell is that hairstyle?!"
"Very unique!"
"What happened? Decided to become a monk?"
"Or did too many rejections finally break your spirit?"
"Man, you're looking handsome as ever!"
"With a head that shiny, you probably don't need lights at night!"
"Living that energy-saving lifestyle, huh?"
The delinquents around him joined in.
"Boss, I think basketball finally fried his brain."
"No kidding!"
The atmosphere instantly changed.
Sakuragi's eyes turned cold.
The goofy, carefree aura vanished.
In its place emerged something ferocious.
Something dangerous.
His brown eyes narrowed slightly.
Like a wild beast that had just been provoked.
The temperature in the hallway seemed to drop several degrees.
Norio's laughter stopped abruptly.
Like a duck whose neck had been grabbed.
Under that gaze, a chill ran down his spine.
Cold sweat instantly formed on his forehead.
This guy...
Even though he'd joined the basketball team...
At his core, he was still the same Sakuragi Hanamichi who had terrified middle-school delinquents across the region.
Crack. Crack.
Sakuragi's fists tightened.
Veins bulged across his arms.
If this had happened in the past...
These guys would already be lying on the ground counting stars.
But—
"Haaah..."
Sakuragi closed his eyes.
He took a deep breath.
Then slowly exhaled.
Makino Juro's words surfaced in his mind.
Then Coach Anzai's gentle smile.
And Akagi's declaration:
"We're going to conquer the nation."
"Damn it..."
Sakuragi gritted his teeth and forcibly relaxed his fists.
"If it weren't for the Zone..."
"If it weren't for avoiding suspension..."
He suddenly turned around.
Presenting his bald head directly toward Norio and his gang.
Then he roared:
"WHO CARES WHAT YOU THINK?!"
"How could mere mortals understand the realm of a genius?!"
"Broaden your horizons!"
With that, he strode back toward the classroom.
Leaving Norio and the others standing there in confusion.
"B-Boss..."
"Did he just want to kill us?"
"Shut up!"
"T-That's called the discipline of an athlete!"
"He's changed..."
After school.
Shohoku High's basketball gym.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The fierce dribbling echoed through the gym.
Sneakers squealed against the hardwood.
Together they formed a passionate symphony of basketball.
The scent of sweat filled the air.
Although Shohoku had already advanced through the prefectural tournament...
Nobody had relaxed.
"Gather up!"
Ayako's voice rang out.
With Akagi away, she had taken on more responsibility for managing the team.
"Our next opponent is Takezato."
Her gaze swept across the players.
Then paused on Sakuragi's bald head for a full two seconds.
The corners of her mouth twitched violently.
She nearly laughed herself into internal injuries.
"Everyone says Takezato is the weakest among the Final Four."
"They lost badly to both Kainan and Ryonan."
"But!"
Ayako suddenly raised her voice.
"Shohoku has no right to underestimate anyone!"
"Our goal isn't to win one or two games!"
"Our goal is to conquer the nation!"
"YES!!"
The team roared in unison.
Their voices shook the gym.
"Alright!"
"Back to practice!"
"Scrimmage groups!"
The whistle sounded.
The gym immediately exploded back into activity.
Makino Juro stood beyond the three-point line.
Watching lazily.
He was carefully observing the practical effects of this newly evolved "marinated egg."
"Pass it!"
Sakuragi shouted as he bulldozed his way out from the paint.
Miyagi fired a bounce pass.
The ball arrived perfectly.
"Heh heh."
"Watch this!"
Sakuragi caught the ball.
Without hesitation.
Unlike before, he didn't waste time dribbling recklessly.
He spun immediately and lowered his center of gravity.
Without the resistance of all that hair—
or so he believed...
he felt unbelievably fast.
As if dozens of pounds had been removed from his body.
One step.
Just one.
That was all it took to blow past Kakuta.
A streak of red lightning.
Rukawa immediately rotated over to help.
His eyes sharp and focused.
A glint flashed through Sakuragi's eyes.
"Out of my way, Fox!"
He exploded upward.
His terrifying jumping ability erupted once again.
He launched toward the sky like a rocket.
The floor seemed to tremble beneath him.
Rukawa jumped too.
Going straight for the block.
But in midair—
Sakuragi forcibly twisted his waist.
Using sheer core strength, he knocked Rukawa off balance.
Then he slammed the ball toward the rim with one hand.
"This..."
"IS THE GENIUS DUNK!!"
BOOOOM!!!
The thunderous crash echoed throughout the gym.
The entire basket shook violently.
Groaning under the strain.
Rukawa landed.
Taking an involuntary step backward.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
The power behind that dunk...
Had increased.
And more importantly—
the aura behind it had changed.
That unstoppable determination.
It was different now.
"Nice one!!"
Ayako waved her paper fan excitedly from the sidelines.
Her eyes sparkled.
"Sakuragi!"
"You're getting better and better!"
"Your movements are much cleaner now!"
"Is this really the power of being bald?!"
Still hanging from the rim, Sakuragi proudly rubbed his shiny head.
Then burst into laughter.
"Of course!"
"I'm a genius!"
"Especially after switching to this special Genius Hairstyle!"
"It feels like my brain is breathing fresh air!"
"My basketball IQ has seized the high ground!"
"This is the power of science!"
"Master Juro may be a lazy bum most of the time, but this Baldness Enhancement Method really works!"
He even gave Juro a giant thumbs-up from across the court.
Flashing a brilliant smile.
Makino Juro had just taken a sip of water.
The moment he heard that—
PFFFFT!
Water sprayed everywhere.
He nearly choked to death.
Watching the red lightbulb racing around the court—
a single-celled organism who genuinely believed he had become stronger because he shaved his head.
Makino Juro laughed so hard his stomach hurt.
"This guy..."
"He's a walking comedy show."
He wiped his mouth.
But the amusement in his eyes slowly faded.
Replaced by something deeper.
The reason he'd given was complete nonsense.
Yet Sakuragi really had changed.
That willingness to throw away his image without hesitation for the sake of becoming stronger.
That determination to burn his bridges and move forward.
That was the truly frightening part.
And perhaps—
that was the first real step toward unlocking the key to the Zone.
END OF CHAPTER
The King Of Slacking Off - MrBehringer's Secret
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