A glint of amusement flashed through his mismatched eyes, like a hunter spotting fresh prey. Quiet confidence colored his voice. "Their timeout saves us the trouble of finding a chance to adjust. They've handed us the perfect opportunity to change our rhythm."
As he spoke, he slowly rose from his seat, standing straight and tall.
He stopped chatting with Sento and turned directly toward Takato Riki, who stood in front of the bench. His voice was steady and firm as he said clearly, "Coach, I'm requesting a substitution."
Those words landed like a pebble in a still lake, instantly shattering the composure on Kanagawa's bench.
Everyone turned to Chi Tong at once, identical looks of confusion on their faces.
They did not understand why Chi Tong wanted a substitution, but those who knew him well looked thoughtful.
The sharp whistle sounded again, bringing the brief timeout to an end.
On the benches at either side of the court, both teams rose, straightened their jerseys, and stepped back onto the floor.
The players from Kanagawa Prefecture and Akita Prefecture took their positions. As the lineups appeared, the tense atmosphere quietly shifted.
The Akita Prefecture players had barely settled into place before instinctively looking up at Kanagawa's lineup.
At that glance, every one of them froze, their faces filling with astonishment.
They could clearly see that Kanagawa's ghostlike player, whose presence had been so faint, had vanished. In his place stood Sakuragi Hanamichi, with his striking red hair and number 10 jersey.
Wearing Kanagawa's number 10 jersey, he stood on the court with his hands on his hips, an air of defiance radiating from his entire body. It was Sakuragi Hanamichi!
"Kanagawa requests a substitution!"
The piercing whistle rang through the gym once more, clearly signaling the substitution.
The renewed whistle confirmed