The Eve of the Prefectural Tournament

Time passed quickly.

In the blink of an eye, nearly a week had gone by.

This day was May 15th.

Shohoku High School, Basketball Gym.

The gym door creaked open.

Shimizu Kanon and Ayako entered together.

Ayako, holding a rolled-up paper cylinder, called out to the team training inside before even entering the gym, "Everyone, the match schedule is out!"

The team's attention was instantly captured, and their movements came to an abrupt halt.

The sound of hurried breaths gradually quieted.

Ayako didn't intend to keep them in suspense. She walked directly to the whiteboard area in the gym, carefully unrolled the slightly oversized paper in her hand, and firmly attached it.

Only then did everyone see clearly that the paper was the Kanagawa Prefecture Tournament schedule.

The Shohoku basketball team members immediately swarmed forward like a tide, their eyes sparkling with curiosity, eager to know who Shohoku's opponents would be.

Kogure Kiminobu looked around, asking with some curiosity, "Kanon, didn't Qing Junce come with you? I don't see him anywhere."

Shimizu Kanon's expression was filled with helplessness, and she said with a hint of self-reproach, "I asked A-Ce to come to the gym by himself because I had to pick up the schedule. He really didn't come!"

Kogure Kiminobu waved his hand with a smile, unconcerned. "It's okay, it's the same with you here."

The other members of Shohoku were already used to this and tacitly said nothing more.

After all, Qing Junce's strength spoke for itself.

Next, everyone's eyes began to search the schedule, and they quickly found Shohoku's name.

"Our first match is against Miuradai!" Miyagi Ryota said thoughtfully.

He didn't know much about Miuradai.

Ayako explained, "Miuradai is also very strong! They had a great performance last year, winning all their matches until they unfortunately lost to Kainan. I heard they've been training extra hard this year to beat Kainan!"

Sakuragi Hanamichi scratched his head and asked with curiosity, "Kainan? Are they very strong?"

Kogure Kiminobu patiently explained, "Sakuragi, Kainan isn't just strong. They've made it to the national tournament for 16 consecutive years and are a famous powerhouse throughout the country."

"Heh heh... What's there to be afraid of? With me, the genius Sakuragi Hanamichi, here, we'll definitely make them wet their pants!" Sakuragi Hanamichi said loudly, hands on his hips, with a smug expression.

"Hmph, all talk," a voice from the back of the group retorted mercilessly at Sakuragi Hanamichi.

"What did you say, you unmanly guy!" Sakuragi Hanamichi instantly exploded in anger and turned to retort.

The person who had spoken was none other than Mitsui Hisashi.

He had already rejoined the basketball team.

He looked like a completely different person.

His flamboyant long hair had been cut off, replaced by a clean, sharp, short hairstyle.

The two missing front teeth had been replaced with dentures, making him look energetic, handsome, and a bit more mature.

The events of the day before yesterday, after Qing Junce's match against Rukawa Kaede, needed to be recounted.

On that day, Mitsui Hisashi, with a group of delinquents, had swaggered to the basketball team, intending to cause trouble for Qing Junce and regain his lost face from last time.

However, he didn't know that Qing Junce was a person who had no sense of time.

When he arrived at the gym, he didn't see Qing Junce, so he took his anger out on Sakuragi Hanamichi, Rukawa Kaede, and the others.

Sakuragi Hanamichi and Rukawa Kaede naturally wouldn't stand by and be insulted, so they both resorted to a physical fight.

Later, when Qing Junce and Shimizu Kanon arrived at the gym, the incident was nearing its end.

Qing Junce only saw Mitsui Hisashi kneeling before Coach Anzai, weeping, and saying things like he wanted to play basketball.

The day after this incident, Mitsui Hisashi returned to the team with a new look.

Perhaps still harboring some resentment, he challenged Qing Junce as soon as he saw him.

The outcome was predictable.

Witnessed by everyone, Mitsui Hisashi was beaten to the point of questioning his life.

At this point, Mitsui Hisashi had to admit that Qing Junce's strength was indeed far superior to his own.

Mitsui Hisashi pointed a finger at a spot on the schedule and said seriously, "If we want to challenge Kainan, we must first defeat Shoyo."

Although he had been away from the basketball team for two years, he still remembered some of the famous strong teams.

Ayako nodded in agreement and added, "Senior Mitsui is right. Shoyo was last year's runner-up, second only to Kainan in strength."

At this moment, Shimizu Kanon took out a stack of documents and began distributing them to everyone one by one, saying as she handed them out, "Here's the information I've compiled on Miuradai. Take a look!"

Everyone took the documents and scanned the recorded content, their eyelids twitching.

Name: Murasame Kengo (Miuradai Basketball Team Captain) Jersey Number: 4

Position: Small Forward

Grade: Third-year student

Height: 186cm

Weight: 69.2kg

Personality: Arrogant and disrespectful towards other teams. Skilled at committing fouls subtly behind the referee's back, resorting to any means necessary to win, with no regard for sportsmanship.

Advice: Ignore the opponent's verbal provocations. When matched against him, try to keep yourself as visible as possible to the referees. Avoid close physical contact unless absolutely necessary, and opt for passing over dribbling when attacking.

Name: Araki Kazuo

Jersey Number: 5

Position: Point Guard

Grade: Third-year student

Height: 187cm

Weight: 67kg

Personality: Cocky and prone to trash talk.

Advice: Ignore the opponent's verbal attacks and be constantly aware of their potential intentional fouls.

Looking at the detailed profiles of the Miuradai players, complete with their strengths, personality analyses, and counter-strategies, Shohoku's members, who were already aware of Shimizu Kanon's information-gathering abilities, managed to remain calm.

However, Miyagi Ryota and Mitsui Hisashi were seeing this for the first time and were utterly stunned into silence.

Was this even humanly possible?

Anyone who didn't know better would think Shimizu Kanon was related to Miuradai!

How could she even have information on their coach?

And what was with the favorite foods and hobbies?

Were they kidding?

Even a professional spy would struggle to gather such detailed information!

At this moment, Miyagi Ryota and Mitsui Hisashi looked at Shimizu Kanon with awe.

They felt as if they had no secrets in front of her, completely exposed and vulnerable.

Shimizu Kanon continued, "Miuradai's overall strength is average, but it's worth noting that they've recruited a new player this year named Naito Tetsuya. He's 196cm tall and weighs 155kg. He used to play American football before being scouted by the basketball club coach and brought to the team. Currently, all we know is that he's very fast – he can run 100 meters in 11 seconds – and he's likely very strong."

The first-year student Kuwata Toki unconsciously swallowed and said softly, "In that case, Miuradai doesn't seem so scary."

Sasazuka Tomoya nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I feel the same way."

Yamada Tadashi, as if discovering something new, excitedly exclaimed, "I suddenly feel like being a manager has a very promising future."

Kogure Kiminobu wore a faint smile, his expression tinged with anticipation and emotion. "No matter what, this is our last summer, Akagi."

"Yeah," Akagi replied with a serious expression, nodding. "Alright, we have to win. First, we need to defeat Miuradai."

"Ooh..." the rest of the team cheered in unison, their voices echoing throughout the gymnasium.

Ryonan High School Gymnasium.

"Defense... Defense... Defense..."

The cheers, piercing the sky, were incessant.

The Ryonan players were tirelessly conducting their practice match, each face etched with seriousness and focus.

Aida Kenichi watched them, feeling both joy and worry. "Ever since we lost to Shohoku last time, everyone has been carrying immense pressure, all stemming from one person."

The thought of Qing Junce, who had dominated the court that day, made his body tremble slightly.

It was a mix of excitement and a hint of fear.

Excitement because Qing Junce was truly that strong.

He had never seen such a powerful player.

Fear also because Qing Junce was too strong.

If they met him in a game, it was uncertain if Ryonan could defeat him.

With that thought, he also raised his voice and shouted, "Everyone, let's go!"

On the rooftop of the Shohoku school building.

Aha…

Qing Junce let out a huge yawn and slowly opened his eyes.

The setting sun on the horizon was like a giant fireball, dyeing the sky a brilliant orange-red.

He gazed at the sunset, a hint of confusion in his eyes, and muttered to himself, "The sun's almost set!"

He sat up, as if suddenly remembering something. "Didn't Kanon say something to me earlier? Weird... I can't recall what it was."

"Right, I still need to go train at the basketball gym." Just as he was about to get up, he shook his head again. "Forget it, it's so late already. If I go now, I'll probably miss practice."

"My stomach's just rumbling, I should just go home. I'll think about training tomorrow." With that thought, he stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and slowly turned to leave the rooftop.

On the other side.

Shimizu Kanon was sitting in the classroom for Year 1, Class 7, arms crossed and looking quite annoyed, muttering incessantly, "Where on earth did A-Ce, that big idiot, go?"