Chapter Summaries

Chi Tong accepted the loss of his former self in the darkness and emerged with a renewed sense of identity. Back in reality, he startled Ryonan’s bench by returning as a warm, friendly person just as the decisive final twenty seconds approached.

• Chi Tong let his former self dissipate into golden particles, then walked through the collapsing darkness and resolved to become his true self again.
• Chi Tong raised his head on the bench as Taoka Moichi angrily confronted him for ignoring the team and playing alone.
• Taoka Moichi and Sendoh were stunned by Chi Tong’s gentle expression and changed aura.
• Chi Tong asked Taoka Moichi to calm down and teased him about needing to direct the rest of the game.
• Chi Tong greeted Sendoh warmly, leaving the Ryonan bench speechless and prompting Yueye Hongming to ask Sendoh what had happened.

After the timeout, Chi Tong returned to the court with a calm, controlled presence and proposed a new plan for Ryonan. With less than twenty seconds left and his team trailing by nine, he suddenly abandoned his expected solo attack and passed to the unguarded Yueye Hongming beyond the three-point line.

• Fukuda Jizhao wondered if Chi Tong had been possessed, while Yu Zhu questioned whether something had provoked his change.
• Chi Tong apologized to his teammates and asked them to hear his plan, and Tiangang Maoyi agreed to let him try it.
• Sawakita Eiji and Ichinokura Satoshi sensed that Chi Tong's former icy, ferocious aura had been replaced by a gentle but composed presence.
• When play resumed, Chi Tong advanced slowly with the ball, confusing Sannoh as they expected him to attack at full speed.
• Chi Tong suddenly made an extremely fast, concealed pass that left the ball in Yueye Hongming's hands, unguarded beyond Sannoh's three-point line.

Yueye Hongming made a three-pointer from Chi Tong’s pass, cutting Ryonan’s deficit to six with sixteen seconds left. Sannoh steadied itself and tried to run down the clock, but Chi Tong rushed to disrupt its possession as twelve seconds remained.

• Yueye Hongming sank a three-pointer from Chi Tong’s perfectly timed pass, bringing the score to Ryonan 127, Sannoh Industrial High School 133.
• Fukatsu Kazunari calmed Sannoh’s rattled players and urged them to protect their lead by controlling the tempo.
• Chi Tong praised Yueye Hongming, whose encouragement helped him regain confidence as Ryonan ran back on defense.
• Fukatsu Kazunari received Sannoh’s inbound pass and quickly sent the ball to Ichinokura Satoshi to keep it away from Chi Tong.
• Chi Tong sped into Sannoh’s half and confronted Fukatsu Kazunari, while Ichinokura Satoshi taunted him that Ryonan could not catch up with twelve seconds left.

With twelve seconds left, Chi Tong trusted Ryonan’s teamwork to overcome Sannoh’s lead. Ryonan’s coordinated fast break ended with Sendoh open beyond the three-point line, holding the ball as the chapter closed.

• Chi Tong told Ichinokura Satoshi that Ryonan had more than one player who could change the game.
• Sendoh intercepted Fukatsu Kazunari’s pass, while Chi Tong screened Fukatsu to let Sendoh break away.
• Sendoh passed to Yueye Hongming, who drew Matsumoto Minoru’s defense and passed the ball to Chi Tong.
• Chi Tong rushed into the paint and drew Sannoh’s defenders as Sendoh cut across the court.
• Chi Tong passed the ball back to Sendoh, who stood open beyond the three-point line with Sannoh’s defense caught out of position.

Sendoh fooled Sannoh’s defense into fouling him as he made a three-pointer, cutting Ryonan’s deficit to three with a free throw still to come. As Ryonan celebrated, Ichinokura realized the scoring play had been a carefully coordinated trap.

• Chi Tong drew Sannoh’s defenders while Sendoh moved into position, then Sendoh slowed his shot and leaned into Fukatsu Kazunari to draw a defensive foul.
• Sendoh’s three-pointer went in, and the referee awarded the basket and one free throw, making the score Ryonan 130 to Sannoh 133.
• The arena erupted as Ryonan’s bench celebrated the 3+1 and Sannoh’s coach Domoto Goro watched in shock.
• Fukatsu Kazunari regretted rushing to block Sendoh, while Ichinokura Satoshi replayed Ryonan’s coordinated play and realized it had been a prearranged trap.

Sendoh completed a four-point play to bring Ryonan within two points of Sannoh, fulfilling Chi Tong’s carefully planned strategy. As Sannoh tried to run down the clock, Chi Tong’s fully evolved Eye of Heaven revealed that he could now predict everyone’s movements on the court.

• Sendoh recalled Chi Tong’s plan to use Yueye’s three-pointer and draw Sannoh’s defenders out to create a chance for a four-point play.
• Sendoh made the free throw, completing the four-point play and narrowing the score to Lingnan 131, Sannoh Industrial High School 133.
• Chi Tong praised Sendoh and urged him to help Ryonan defend as Sannoh took possession.
• Ichinokura Satoshi called for Sannoh to protect its two-point lead while his team passed the ball to run down the clock.
• Chi Tong opened his evolved Eye of Heaven, which could now predict the future actions of everyone on the court.

Chi Tong stole Sannoh’s pass with his evolved Eye of Heaven and set Sendoh up for a game-winning three, but the shot hit the rim. With five seconds left, Kawata Masashi reached the rebound first and prepared to throw the ball away to secure Sannoh’s victory.

• Chi Tong predicted Masashi Kawata’s pass to Sawakita Eiji, intercepted it, and passed to Sendoh.
• Sendoh rushed down the court and attempted a game-winning three while Sawakita Eiji leaped to block him.
• Sendoh’s shot narrowly cleared Sawakita Eiji’s fingertips but struck the front of the rim and bounced away.
• Yu Zhu and Masashi Kawata battled for the rebound, and Kawata touched the ball first with five seconds remaining.
• Kawata Masashi decided to throw the ball far away and run out the clock.

With seconds left, Chi Tong turned Masashi Kawata’s long throw into a cross-court pass for Yueye Hongming, who launched a corner shot as Matsumoto Minoru tried to block it. The chapter ended with the ball still flying toward Sannoh’s basket.

• Masashi Kawata hurled the ball toward Ryonan’s empty half, and Sannoh’s players believed the game was decided.
• Chi Tong sprinted after the ball, caught it near Ryonan’s three-point line, and sent a cross-court pass toward Yueye Hongming in Sannoh’s corner.
• Yueye Hongming caught Chi Tong’s pass and rose to shoot with two seconds remaining.
• Matsumoto Minoru leaped toward Yueye Hongming and stretched to block the shot as the ball flew toward the basket.

Yueye Hongming’s buzzer-beating three-pointer gave Ryonan a 134–133 victory over Sannoh and the tournament championship. After the game, Chi Tong reminded Sawakita Eiji that Ryonan had beaten him as a team, and he vowed to defeat them next time.

• Yueye Hongming’s final three-pointer went in as time expired, giving Ryonan a 134–133 win over Sannoh.
• Tiangang Maoyi, Xiangtian Yanyi, and Ryonan’s players celebrated as they surrounded and tossed Yueye Hongming into the air.
• Sento praised Chi Tong, while Sannoh’s players and Coach Domoto Goro struggled with their defeat.
• Ryonan and Sannoh’s players bowed to each other after the game, and Sawakita Eiji told Chi Tong he had lost to her again.
• Chi Tong said Ryonan had won together, and Sawakita Eiji shook her hand and vowed to defeat the team next time.

After defeating Sannoh, Ryonan celebrated its National Tournament championship with a team photo and plans for a feast. Chi Tong enjoyed being with his teammates before reporters swarmed the players on the court.

• Sendoh and Sawakita Eiji exchanged handshakes and promised to defeat each other when they met again.
• Fukatsu praised Chi Tong's late-game performance, then vowed to find a way to contain him in their next meeting.
• Ryonan celebrated its victory, and Shendai Liufei organized a group photo with the team on the court.
• Xiangtian Yanyi suggested a celebratory meal, and the coach offered to pay for whatever the players wanted.
• Chi Tong shared a quiet moment with Shendai Liufei before they joined their teammates to choose what to eat.
• Reporters crowded around Ryonan before the players could leave the court.

After Ryonan’s reporters’ scrum, Chi Tong accepted the National Tournament championship trophy and was named MVP as the ceremony concluded. Sports publications across Japan scrambled to feature Ryonan and Chi Tong on their front pages.

• Chi Tong calmly answered reporters’ questions and made sure his teammates received attention.
• Ryonan, Sannoh Industrial, and Shohoku lined up to receive their awards, with Shohoku taking third and Sannoh Industrial second.
• Chi Tong accepted the championship trophy on behalf of Ryonan and raised it to the cheering crowd.
• The host named Chi Tong, Ling Yu, the tournament MVP, and Shendai Liufei proudly applauded him.
• Newspaper and Basketball Weekly offices rushed to change their headlines and feature Chi Tong’s decisive play.

Ryonan’s championship victory sparked celebrations at the school and made Chi Tong the focus of high school basketball clubs nationwide. As coaches studied the final, they recognized Chi Tong as a potential successor to Fukatsu Kazunari and began marking both him and Sendoh as major threats for next year.

• Newspapers celebrated Ryonan’s comeback and national championship across their front pages.
• Ryonan’s principal ordered a victory parade and promised the basketball club extensive funding and new equipment.
• The principal praised Chi Tong as Ryonan’s savior and planned to honor the team during the parade.
• Coaches and players rewatched the final and discussed how Chi Tong had defeated and outplayed Fukatsu Kazunari.
• Basketball clubs began treating Chi Tong as a leading point guard and a major obstacle for next year’s National Tournament.
• Sendoh’s performance against Sannoh also drew attention, with rival clubs marking him as dangerous.

After Ryonan’s national championship, Chi Tong and his teammates continued training while the team basked in its newfound reputation. Taoka Moichi’s frequent absences pointed to the upcoming Autumn National Sports Festival and selections for Kanagawa’s representative team.

• Sendoh’s performance against Sawakita Eiji established him as one of Japan’s top aces and made Ryonan a feared national powerhouse alongside Chi Tong.
• Chi Tong and Shendai Liufei grew closer as they walked to school together and shared a warm daily routine.
• Ryonan’s players trained harder after winning the championship, determined to become strong enough to support Chi Tong rather than rely on him.
• Taoka Moichi repeatedly left practice to handle calls and preparations for the Autumn National Sports Festival selections.
• Chi Tong expected Kanagawa’s representative team to draw its leading players from Ryonan, Hainan, Shohoku, and Shoyo.

Taoka Moichi and Takato Riki debated how to build Kanagawa’s representative team for the Autumn National Sports Festival, agreeing on several key players but clashing over who would coach. Meanwhile, Hainan trained intensely without Takato, and Kiyota Nobunaga learned that the festival lineup might no longer consist of Hainan alone.

• Taoka Moichi and Takato Riki discussed forming a Kanagawa all-star team and agreed that Chi Tong, Sendoh, A Mu, and Jin should be included.
• Taoka Moichi and Takato Riki assembled a tentative fifteen-player roster, then argued over which of them should coach the team.
• Maki Shinichi, Jin Soichiro, Kiyota Nobunaga, Muto Tadashi, and Takasago Kazuma trained hard at Hainan while Takato Riki was away.
• Kiyota Nobunaga asked why Takato had been absent, and Jin Soichiro and Muto Tadashi explained that he was busy preparing for the Autumn National Sports Festival.

Maki Shinichi convinced Kiyota Nobunaga that Kanagawa’s Autumn National Sports Festival team would include Ryonan and Shohoku players, while Shohoku continued training after its national tournament success. Coach Anzai declined an offer to coach, leaving the team’s next step unresolved.

• Maki Shinichi reminded Kiyota Nobunaga that Ryonan and Shohoku’s national results meant Hainan could not dominate Kanagawa’s representative team, and urged him to become stronger.
• Kiyota Nobunaga accepted that he would have to team up with Ryonan and Shohoku players, though he resented Chi Tong and Liu Chuanfeng.
• Sakuragi Hanamichi dunked during Shohoku’s practice, then challenged Rukawa to a one-on-one after Rukawa insulted him; Rukawa refused and continued training.
• Ayako told Haruko Akagi that Coach Anzai had left to answer a phone call.
• Anzai Mitsuyoshi declined an offer to coach, citing his age and poor health.

Kanagawa announced its 15-player roster for the Autumn National Sports Festival and gathered the selected players for training camp. Takato Riki addressed the team, reminding them that they represented all of Kanagawa, not their individual schools.

• Anzai Koichi accepted an advisory role for the Kanagawa Representative Team after speaking with Anxi Guangyi.
• The Kanagawa Prefecture Basketball Association announced a 15-player roster drawn from Ryonan, Shohoku, Hainan, and Shoyo, including Xiangtian Yanyi as a secret weapon because of her Gaze Induction technique.
• The selected players gathered at the Kanagawa Prefectural General Gymnasium, where Yu Zhu greeted Akagi and Fujima spoke with Chi Tong while Sakuragi and Kiyota bickered.
• Takato Riki arrived as head coach with assistant Taoka Moichi and Anxi Guangyi, then called the players to order.
• Takato Riki told the players that they wore Kanagawa's jersey and represented the whole prefecture rather than their schools.

Takato Riki announced that the Kanagawa Representative Team’s goal was to win the Autumn National Sports Festival championship and outlined the start of its training camp. Shendai Liufei, Ayako, and Haruko Akagi joined as reporter and managers, and the coaches prepared to begin formal training the next day.

• Takato Riki set winning the Autumn National Sports Festival championship as the team’s goal and told the players to follow the coaches’ training plan.
• Tiangang Maoyi gave the players the rest of the day to recover and said formal training would begin the following morning.
• Shendai Liufei, Ayako, and Haruko Akagi arrived and introduced themselves as the camp’s reporter and managers.
• Sakuragi Hanamichi became flustered at Haruko Akagi’s arrival, while Miyagi Ryota resolved to impress Ayako; Chi Tong exchanged a quiet smile with Shendai Liufei.
• Anxi Guangyi approved the arrangements and said the team should proceed as planned.

Chi Tong led the Kanagawa Representative Team through a week of training camp, earning the players’ respect and becoming their undisputed captain. As the team prepared to leave for the Autumn National Sports Festival, Ayako introduced their first opponents, Shizuoka Prefecture’s Diamond Line.

• Takato Riki and Tiangang Maoyi organized mixed intrasquad games, and Chi Tong’s team won every time he played.
• The coaches left Chi Tong out of later games and recognized that he was the core who made Kanagawa a championship contender.
• After a week of camp, Chi Tong became captain of the Kanagawa Representative Team without objection.
• Takato Riki announced that the team would set off the next day and distributed the Autumn National Sports Festival schedule.
• Ayako explained that Kanagawa’s first opponent was Diamond Line, a joint team from Nagashiro High School and Hamisen High School, and described its core player, Tamakoshiba.

Ayako introduced Shizuoka Prefecture’s players, and the Kanagawa Representative Team assessed the matchup before traveling to Tokyo for the Autumn National Sports Festival. Chi Tong chose to stay with the team at an ordinary hotel rather than use his family’s wealth for special treatment, and he told Sendoh he would not visit home.

• Ayako described Shizuoka’s players and warned that Tamakoshiba and Yagami Hema were key defensive concerns.
• Mu Shenyi cautioned the team not to underestimate Shizuoka, though the players felt confident about their opening game.
• Takato Riki led the Kanagawa Representative Team to Tokyo and told everyone to rest before meeting for the opening ceremony.
• Chi Tong and Sendoh were assigned to share a hotel room, and Chi Tong reflected on why he had not arranged luxury accommodations for the team.
• Sendoh asked Chi Tong whether he planned to visit his Tokyo home, and Chi Tong said there was no need.

The Kanagawa Prefecture Representative Team arrived at the Autumn National Sports Festival and drew intense attention for its star-studded lineup, especially Chi Tong. As the team settled in, Toyotama High’s fear of Chi Tong resurfaced, while Tu Chun also noticed Xiangtian Yan, whom he remembered from Ryonan’s victory.

• The Kanagawa Prefecture Representative Team entered the Tokyo Sports Arena and attracted the attention of players and spectators from across Japan.
• Reporters crowded around the team, while Kiyota Nobunaga, Jin Soichiro, Maki Shinichi, Fujima Kenji, Liu Chuanfeng, and Sakuragi Hanamichi reacted to the cameras in different ways.
• Chi Tong remained composed under the photographers’ attention, and Sendoh remarked that the attention felt nice.
• The Osaka Prefecture Representative Team watched Kanagawa cautiously, and Toyotama High players recalled their defeat to Ryonan and feared facing Chi Tong again.
• Tu Chun looked from Chi Tong to Xiangtian Yan and remembered how Ryonan had toyed with him during the National Tournament.