"Even without Akagi."
"Without Rukawa and Juro."
"Just this lineup alone is strong enough to rank among the Top Four in the entire prefecture. That's what real depth looks like."
.....
Six minutes remained in the second half.
The scoreboard had climbed to an astonishing 113–66.
A gap of nearly fifty points.
This was no longer a basketball game.
It was a one-sided massacre.
The equivalent of grown adults bullying kindergarten children.
On the sidelines, Makino Juro was already so bored that he had started making bets with Ayako on how many rebounds Sakuragi would finish with.
"I'm betting twenty."
Holding up two fingers, Juro sounded completely certain.
"Hanamichi isn't the same amateur who relied solely on brute force anymore."
"It feels like shaving his head really did break some kind of seal."
"He got stronger... and balder. No, wait—shinier."
On the opposite side of the stands.
The players from Kainan and Ryonan stood together, watching the game.
The atmosphere was frighteningly heavy.
Kiyota Nobunaga bit his fingernail while staring at the court.
His face was filled with unwillingness.
"That red-haired monkey..."
"No, that bald monkey..."
"How the hell did he get this strong?"
Maki Shinichi folded his arms across his chest.
His expression remained calm, but the seriousness in his eyes was impossible to hide.
"Looks like our earlier judgment was correct."
"With those first-years joining the team, Shohoku's bench depth has become completely different."
"This is a team without weaknesses."
Beside him, Sendoh Akira casually held a bottle of lemonade.
His trademark smile still lingered on his face.
But his eyes were razor-sharp.
Like a hunter searching for prey.
"The real show starts after this."
He smiled lightly.
"Maki, looks like we'll have to fight for second place now?"
Maki glanced at him and snorted.
"Hmph."
"Kainan's goal is always the championship."
"The national championship is still a championship."
BEEEEEEP!
The final buzzer sounded.
The score froze at:
133–76
Shohoku had crushed Takezato by 57 points, completely annihilating them.
"We won!!"
"We're champions!!"
The Shohoku bench exploded.
Towels flew through the air like it was New Year's Day.
Technically, they still needed to wait for the result of the Kainan–Ryonan game.
But in reality, their perfect 3–0 record had already secured them the number one spot in Kanagawa.
At center court, Sakuragi Hanamichi basked in the cheers of the crowd.
Hands on his hips.
Chest puffed out.
His shining red scalp reflected the arena lights like a miniature sun.
"WAHAHAHAHA!"
"Did you all see that?!"
"This is the power of the genius Sakuragi Hanamichi!"
"Takezato was no match for me!"
"I wasn't even trying before they collapsed!"
"Gorilla!"
"You can retire peacefully in America now!"
"With me around, Shohoku is invincible! Hahahaha!"
Miyagi Ryota walked over and smacked the top of Sakuragi's reflective head.
SMACK!
The crisp sound echoed throughout the arena.
"Quit getting carried away!"
"We still have to watch Kainan and Ryonan!"
"That game decides who gets to go to Nationals with us!"
Makino Juro stood up and stretched lazily.
His joints crackled like firecrackers.
The system notification rang inside his head, but he didn't check it immediately.
Instead, his gaze drifted toward a corner of the stands.
There, Maki Shinichi and Sendoh Akira were turning away.
Their backs radiated determination.
And an overwhelming desire to fight.
A faint smile appeared on Makino Juro's face.
"The real battle is only beginning."
Meanwhile.
The Takezato bench was silent.
Deathly silent.
The smell of sweat lingered in the air.
Along with something else.
Despair.
Although the scoreboard had already gone dark, the brutal numbers—
133–76
were branded into every player's retinas like hot iron.
"We really got shaved bald..."
One player hugged a towel.
His voice trembled as tears streamed down his face.
It wasn't just the humiliating score.
It was because of the true "bald head" on Shohoku's side.
Sakuragi Hanamichi.
Like a war god descended from heaven.
He had grabbed more than twenty rebounds right above their heads.
The sheer dominance made them feel like dwarfs who had accidentally wandered into a kingdom of giants.
"Coach... are we really that weak?"
The captain looked up.
His eyes were red and unfocused.
Takezato's coach took a deep breath and forced down the bitterness in his heart.
Walking over, he firmly patted the captain's shoulder.
"Don't cry."
"Hold your head up."
His voice was hoarse, but gentle.
"The team you faced today is the most terrifying monster squad in Kanagawa."
"There's no shame in losing to Shohoku."
"Even Kainan got knocked down by them."
The coach looked around at every player before speaking in a deep voice.
"Remember today's humiliation."
"Turn it into your motivation for next year."
"We may have lost the game."
"But we cannot lose our spirit."
"Next year..."
"We'll come back stronger!"
In sharp contrast.
The atmosphere on the other side of the arena was becoming increasingly heated.
With the Shohoku–Takezato game over.
The true main event was about to begin.
Kainan University Affiliated High School vs. Ryonan High School.
This wasn't merely another match.
It was a ticket to the National Tournament.
A battle for survival.
The winner would advance to Nationals alongside Shohoku.
The loser would go home.
And for the third-years.
Their final summer would end right there.
Kainan Bench
Dressed in Kainan's purple uniform.
Maki Shinichi was tying his shoelaces.
Slowly.
Methodically.
Every lace was pulled tight.
Just like the tension in his body.
Around him, the Kainan players wore solemn expressions.
There was no laughter.
No relaxation.
As the perennial kings of Kanagawa, the loss to Shohoku had not broken them.
Instead.
It had awakened the ferocity of wounded beasts.
"Listen."
Maki stood up.
His imposing frame radiated overwhelming pressure.
There was no unnecessary speech.
His eyes swept across Jin Soichiro, Kiyota Nobunaga, Takasago Kazuma, and the others.
"Kainan is the strongest."
"We're going to Nationals."
"No one is standing in our way."
"YEAH!! LET'S GO!!"
The entire Kainan squad roared in unison.
The sound shook the ceiling of the bench area.
"OOOOHHHHHH!!!"
Ryonan Bench
Uozumi Jun's breathing was heavy.
Each exhale felt hot enough to ignite the air itself.
This was the final opportunity of his high school career.
If he lost.
He would return home and inherit his family's sushi restaurant.
Spending every day dealing with raw fish.
He refused to accept that fate.
"Sendoh."
Uozumi turned toward the young man sitting on the bench and drinking water.
Sendoh Akira lowered the bottle.
His trademark spiky hair stood proudly as ever.
The familiar smile remained on his face.
But hidden deep within his eyes was a blade already drawn from its sheath.
"Captain Uozumi."
"Don't worry."
Sendoh stood up.
Rolling his neck, he produced a series of sharp cracks.
"I've already written today's script."
Uozumi nodded heavily.
Then he turned toward the entire team.
His eyes widened like bronze bells.
And from the depths of his soul came a thunderous roar:
"LET'S GO!!"
"DRAG THE KING OFF HIS THRONE!!"
"OOOOHHHHHH!!!"
The Ryonan players answered with a roar filled with desperate resolve.
A determination to stake everything on this one battle.
And in terms of momentum...
They were not inferior to Kainan in the slightest.
END OF CHAPTER
The King Of Slacking Off - MrBehringer's Secret
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