In West Moon's Tokyo, the air carried the faint pink scent of newly blooming cherry blossoms, along with the vigorous restlessness unique to the dawn of youth. Teikō Junior High's magnificent gates, seemingly forged from steel and glass, were swallowing a new wave of boys and girls carrying hopes and anxieties. Bai Ze You stood at the edge of the crowd. Already tall for his age, he had soft silver-gray hair that brushed across his smooth forehead in the breeze, revealing a pair of clear yet unusually calm amber eyes. He raised his head slightly, his gaze passing over the noisy crowd and landing precisely on the modern gymnasium that was famous even throughout Tokyo. Sunlight danced and refracted across the enormous glass curtain wall, as if melting the invisible words "basketball powerhouse" into a scorching reality and branding them into the eyes of everyone who looked upon it.
"Teikō... Basketball Club..." he murmured, his voice soft yet carrying an almost reverent certainty. His right hand subconsciously pressed against his left chest through his brand-new Teikō uniform. There, his heart beat steadily and powerfully. Each contraction and relaxation seemed to echo a melody that had never stopped since childhood—the rhythm of a basketball striking the floor.
He withdrew his gaze and picked up the dark blue basketball bag by his feet. It looked as though it had been used for many years, its edges already worn. The canvas had faded white from washing, but the tiny, polished basketball charm hanging from its zipper still gleamed brightly. It was a memento from the first official match he had won. His fingertip habitually brushed over the charm's cold metal surface. Yū inhaled deeply, taking in air mixed with the sweetness of cherry blossoms and the scent of youthful sweat, then strode forward without hesitation, joining the stream of new students heading to the gymnasium for registration.
The spaciousness and echo inside the gymnasium instantly amplified every sound. The squeak of rubber soles against the polished wooden floor, the dull thuds of basketballs hitting the ground, the commanding shouts of upperclassmen, and the excited or nervous whispers of the new students formed an impassioned prelude called "selection." The air was filled with the peculiar mingled scent of disinfectant, sweat, and new basketball leather. To Yū, it was the most familiar and reassuring battlefield scent.
He quickly changed into the red-and-white sports uniform he had prepared earlier, flexing his wrists and ankles as his eyes swept across the court like the most precise radar. This was the battlefield that would determine the course of the next year, perhaps even the next three years of his life. At the side of the court, a figure firmly seized his attention.
The man was tall and powerfully built, with a somewhat rough buzz cut and tightly knotted, muscular lines beneath his dark wheat-colored skin. Standing with his arms folded, he silently watched the figures running and leaping across the court. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, filled with scrutiny and heavy pressure. Even from a distance, Yū could feel the weight of that gaze. It was the majesty of a king, tempered through countless real battles. Nijimura Shūzō, the current captain of Teikō Junior High's Basketball Club and the absolute core who had led Teikō to dominate the nation year after year. Among basketball-loving boys, the legends about him had long since become practically textbook material.
So that's Nijimura-senpai... Yū silently repeated the name, a barely perceptible current of excitement shooting up his spine. Being able to compete on the same court as such a powerhouse, and even earn his attention, was itself the beginning of recognition.
"New students! Assemble!" A vigorous roar drowned out all the noise. The third-year students in charge of the initial screening quickly divided the mass of new students into several groups. Yū was assigned to the third group for the most basic tests, which were also the best at exposing weaknesses: dribbling around obstacles and spot shooting. His expression remained calm, but his movements flowed like water. The basketball seemed to come alive in his hands, weaving lightly between the marker cones. Every change of direction carried a smooth sense of rhythm. He switched effortlessly between low dribbles, crossovers, and behind-the-back moves, the ball seeming glued to his hand. His spot shooting was frighteningly stable as well—nine out of ten shots went in, and the crisp swishes became the background music of his group.
"Hey, that guy... His dribbling is so steady!"
"His shooting form is beautiful, like something out of a textbook."
"The one with the silver-gray hair? His movements look so effortless..."
Low discussions spread through the crowd of new students. Yū ignored them completely, concentrating on every movement. Fine beads of sweat formed at his temples, and his amber eyes held nothing but the basket and the ball in his hands.
The basic test ended, and the cruel elimination began. Nearly half the names were called. Those students left the court with disappointment and unwillingness in their eyes. In the ones who remained, an even fiercer fire began to burn.
"Next, a 3v3 match!" the senior student in charge announced. "Form your own teams, quickly! We start in ten minutes!"
The crowd immediately grew restless. Yū did not hurry to find teammates. Instead, he once again looked toward Nijimura Shūzō at the side of the court. Nijimura's gaze happened to sweep across the area and pause briefly on Yū. His eyes remained sharp, but there seemed to be an indescribable hint of interested inquiry that had not been there before.
Soon, two other new students who had passed the basic test gathered beside Yū. One was sturdy and solidly built, named Kobayashi, and seemed to possess decent strength. The other was Takahashi, whose movements were agile and whose eyes held a clever light.
"Bai Ze-kun, want to team up?" Kobayashi asked first, his voice carrying a trace of nervousness. "Your fundamentals are incredible!"
Takahashi nodded vigorously. "Yeah, yeah! Please!"
Yū looked at them without unnecessary pleasantries and simply nodded. "All right. I'll play point guard. Keep moving, and I'll pass whenever there's an opportunity." His voice was steady, carrying a calmness beyond his years. For some reason, it gave the two slightly uneasy teammates a sense of reassurance.
Their opponents soon finished forming their team as well—three new students who were all noticeably taller than Yū's side. The leader had dyed a conspicuous lock of blond hair and wore an arrogant expression. His gaze toward Yū was openly provocative.
"Kid, fancy dribbling won't help you. Don't cry later!" Blondie sneered.
Yū merely glanced at him. There was not a ripple in his amber eyes, as though the other boy were no more than an irrelevant wisp of air. He bent down and lightly brushed his fingers over the basketball's rough surface, feeling its familiar grain, then held it steadily at his side. The whistle blew!
The match instantly became white-hot. Relying on their height advantage, the opposing team indeed tried to force their way into the paint from the start. Kobayashi fought desperately to hold his ground, but the difference in strength was obvious. The opposing center shoved him aside and scored an easy bank shot.
"Zero to two!" the senior student acting as referee called out.
It was Yū's side's turn to attack. Takahashi passed the ball to Yū somewhat hurriedly. Blondie immediately stuck to him like a shadow, spreading his long arms and attempting to force Yū into a mistake with suffocating defense.
"Pass quickly! Don't let him steal it!" Kobayashi shouted anxiously.
Yet Yū seemed completely unaffected by the pressure. Faced with Blondie's aggressive defense, he suddenly swung his upper body hard to the right, lowering his shoulder as his feet followed. The motion was so large and realistic that it looked as though he truly intended to break through on the right! Blondie's pupils contracted. His center of gravity was instantly deceived, and his feet subconsciously slid right to cut him off.
In that split second, Yū's right wrist, controlling the ball, gave an extremely strange twitch, as if it had no bones. The basketball shot from outside his slightly raised right knee, bounced rapidly off the floor, and went straight between Blondie's instinctively spread legs! At the same time, Yū's swaying body seemed pulled by invisible strings. Pivoting on his left foot, he spun backward with such speed that he left only an afterimage, sweeping past the left side of Blondie like the wind!
"A nutmeg?! A spin move?!" An upperclassman at the side of the court could not help exclaiming.
Blondie saw only a blur before a gust of wind swept past him. When he turned around, the silver-gray-haired figure had already appeared behind him like a specter, calmly catching the ball that had bounced up from beneath his legs! The whole sequence had flowed together as smoothly as if it had been practiced thousands of times. The flexibility and balance displayed in that instant, along with his precise timing for the deceptive move, left everyone who saw it momentarily breathless.
"Beautiful!" Takahashi shouted instinctively.
Having escaped his defender, Yū did not pause for even a moment. Like an arrow released from its bow, he drove straight into the opposing team's territory. Another opponent rushed to help, spreading his arms to block Yū's path. Just as their bodies were about to collide, Yū's right hand, dribbling at high speed, suddenly pulled the ball far to the left. His center of gravity leaned with it, producing an extremely convincing fake move to the left! The help defender's center of gravity was immediately drawn away.
However, when Yū's body had tilted so far that his center of gravity was almost completely displaced and he seemed about to fall, he forcibly pulled himself back with flexibility beyond common sense and tremendous core strength! His right foot seemed nailed to the floor. His waist and abdomen exploded with astonishing power, and his entire body shot toward the front-right like a spring compressed to its limit! At the same time that he pulled his center of gravity back, he made an extremely subtle, rapid pass from his left hand, sending the ball with surgical precision into Kobayashi's hands, where a brief opening had appeared because of the opponent's help defense!
Kobayashi froze for a moment, but the opportunity vanished in an instant. He immediately jumped and, before the opposing center could recover to block him, struggled to put the ball into the basket.
"Two to two!" The referee's voice held a trace of unconcealed surprise.
"Great pass, Bai Ze!" Kobayashi landed and excitedly waved a fist.
Yū merely nodded slightly and quickly retreated on defense. His breathing remained steady, but the calmness in his amber eyes had begun to be replaced by a focused flame that was gradually catching fire. He had smelled the scent of a challenge.
The next few minutes became a showcase of Yū's individual skills and the stage where he first revealed his brilliance. The opposing defense grew stronger amid Blondie's furious shouts, and they even began using double teams. But Yū was like a slippery fish, darting through a jungle of muscle.
Facing the towering interior defender who blocked out the sky beneath the basket, he did not choose to meet strength with strength. During a fast break, he charged into the paint at high speed. At the instant the opposing center leaped like an iron tower to block him, Yū's airborne body displayed astonishing flexibility and Air Time Ability. He seemed to disregard gravity. His entire body twisted and folded impossibly toward the left in midair, forcibly turning what had been a frontal layup into a difficult underhand scoop that was almost parallel to the floor! The ball narrowly cleared the opponent's fingertips, lightly kissed the backboard, and spun into the net.
"Jeez... That core strength..."
"He can twist like that in the air?!"
The discussions from the sidelines grew louder. Even the several upperclassmen who had kept stern expressions the whole time now showed solemnity in their eyes.
Yet what left the deepest impression was his unfathomable Fake Move. Every feint coordinated his shoulders, eyes, and footsteps flawlessly, filled with lethal deception. A simple crossover became something entirely different in his hands. The degree to which his shoulder sank, the direction of his gaze, and the rhythm of his footsteps were all realistic enough to make a defender stake his entire center of gravity on them. Once the opponent's balance was deceived, his explosive breakthrough was so fast that only a blurred afterimage remained. During one half-court possession, he even used three consecutive Fake Moves with different Rhythm Changes and exaggerated amplitudes, making Blondie lose his balance and collapse onto his backside! Suppressed laughter and sharp gasps erupted from the sidelines.
The score climbed back and forth, soon reaching a nine-to-nine tie. Very little time remained. Yū held the ball for the final possession. The entire court fell silent, every gaze focusing on the silver-haired boy in a brand-new red-and-white uniform, his dribbling rhythm terrifyingly steady.
Blondie and his teammates wore fierce expressions and the grim determination of people staking everything on one final chance. The three of them closed in in a triangle formation, completely sealing off every route for a drive or pass. They were determined to crush the new student who had made them lose face!
The air seemed to solidify. Enormous pressure formed a tangible wall squeezing Yū in the center of the court. Kobayashi and Takahashi anxiously moved around in the distance, yet could never shake their shadowing defenders.
Sweat slid down Yū's temple and dripped onto the polished floor, spreading into a small dark stain. He lowered his center of gravity slightly. The basketball struck the floor rapidly and steadily from one side of his legs to the other, producing heavy, oppressive thuds—thump, thump—as though knocking against everyone's heart. All emotion sank from his amber eyes, leaving only ice-cold calm and the purest fixation on the basket.
At some point, Nijimura Shūzō had lowered his folded arms. His body leaned forward slightly, and his sharp eagle-like eyes locked unwaveringly onto the figure surrounded by three players. He sensed something—a quality extremely rare in a new student: when facing a desperate situation, his fighting spirit was instead ignited into something purer and stronger.
He moved!
Yū's left foot suddenly took a large step toward the front-left, his whole body leaning sharply in that direction. His eyes stabbed toward the left lane, while his right hand thrust the basketball dramatically toward the front-left. It was an extremely large and obvious Fake Move to the left!
The defender on the left had already tensed every nerve to its limit. Seeing this, he instinctively shifted his center of gravity left to block him!
At the instant his balance shifted, Yū's leaning body snapped back like a drawn bowstring! Under a minute inward twist of his wrist—too fast to see clearly—the exaggerated leftward push became a high-speed Crossover pull-back tight against his body! As if drawn by a magnet, the basketball instantly passed between his legs from the left side of his body and returned to his right hand!
At the same time, using the force of his body's recoil, he drove his right foot hard into the floor. Like a cheetah filled with stored power, he exploded toward the only opening that had appeared—the tiny gap in the middle created when the left-side teammate moved! One step! With just one step, he forced half his body through that fleeting gap!
"Stop him!" Blondie's eyes nearly bulged from his head as he and the teammate on the right closed in from both sides! Their huge hands were iron gates, sealing off every inch of space and every shooting angle before Yū!
He was about to crash into the wall of bodies! At that critical moment, Yū's sprinting body performed a motion beyond human limits. He did not slow down. Instead, he forcibly launched himself into the air while still sprinting at full speed! His jump was not vertical. He twisted his waist and turned his body in midair! His tremendous core strength and flexibility were displayed to the fullest as his entire body rotated nearly ninety degrees to the right like a twisted rope, completely avoiding the frontal block!
At the same time, with his body rotating and his vision nearly unable to see the basket in this extreme state of imbalance, his right wrist—guided by muscle memory formed through countless repetitions and an astonishing sense of space—flicked with exquisite softness, sending the ball toward the basket!
The basketball traced a low, swift arc with a strange spin, squeezing beneath the raised arms of Blondie and the other defender through a narrow gap that should practically not have existed!
Swish!
The sound of the basketball brushing the backboard and dropping through the net rang through the suddenly silent gymnasium, crisp as thunder.
Time seemed to stop for a second.
"Beeeep!" The final whistle shrieked.
"Ten to nine! White Team wins!" The referee's voice trembled with disbelief and excitement.
"Whoa—!!!" After the brief silence, enormous cries of astonishment and cheers exploded, sweeping across the entire court. Kobayashi and Takahashi charged over in wild delight, excitedly trying to hug Yū.
Yū landed steadily. His body swayed slightly from the inertia of that extreme move, then came to a stop. He raised a hand and wiped the sweat from his chin, his chest rising and falling slightly as his breathing grew somewhat hurried. He glanced at the scoreboard, then lowered his head to look at his palm. At last, the corner of his mouth curved into the faintest yet most genuine smile. It was the satisfaction of victory, and even more, the relief of having perfectly unleashed his abilities under immense pressure.
At the side of the court, Nijimura Shūzō slowly straightened. The sharp light in his eyes had not faded; it had instead grown even more intense. He fixed his gaze on the silver-haired boy who remained quiet and reserved despite being surrounded by his teammates, as if examining an uncut gem whose brilliant light had already begun to shine beneath its surface.
"Bai Ze... You?" Nijimura murmured the name from the registration sheet, his voice carrying a hint of amusement and unmistakable appreciation. "That flexibility... That balance... And those Fake Moves... They're practically like... a phantom..." He paused, then pulled his lips into an almost razor-sharp curve. "Interesting. Looks like this year's First Team spots are going to get lively."
Just then, the corner of Nijimura's eye keenly caught sight of a figure leaning in the shadows at the entrance to the second-floor stands. The person was similarly tall and lean, with striking dark blue messy hair and dark skin. His hands were in his pockets, and his casual posture carried the lazy strength of a beast. He had evidently witnessed the thrilling final shot. Now he tilted his head slightly, his dark blue eyes fixed with interest on the silver-haired figure who had caused such an uproar, like a leopard watching its prey. A wild, challenging smile tugged at his lips.
Aomine Daiki.
Teikō Junior High's future ace scorer had also been firmly drawn to this White Phantom known as "Bai Ze You."
Yū seemed to sense something. He raised his head, and his amber eyes passed through a gap in the crowd, colliding in midair with that aggressive gaze in the shadows on the second floor. No sparks flew, yet a silent current, almost like fate, quietly began to form between them.
The gates of Teikō had opened wide for Bai Ze You. And the legend of the White Phantom had just quietly written its first note upon this wooden floor permeated with the scents of sweat and dreams.
Before you continue