The Whole Team Was Shocked—This Was the New Ace's Dominance!

When Takenori Akagi's booming voice echoed through the basketball gym, time seemed to stand still.

"Starting today, the tactical core and primary scoring option of the Shohoku Basketball Team... will be Shirakawa!"

Those words exploded in everyone's hearts like a depth charge.

The gym was so quiet that a pin dropping could be heard.

Everyone stared wide-eyed at their captain in disbelief, then looked at the white-haired boy lazily yawning nearby.

What was going on?

Had their captain gone crazy?

He was making a first-year student who had only been here for a few days the team's tactical core?

This was Shohoku! Shohoku that Takenori Akagi had dominated for two whole years!

Ryota Miyagi's mouth fell into an O-shape, and he felt like his brain had completely stopped working. Though Shirakawa's strength had thoroughly won him over, the leap from "strong" to "team core" was way too huge! Even Kaede Rukawa, the superstar rookie, had never received this kind of treatment!

"Captain... you're not joking, are you?" Miyagi blurted out, his voice somewhat dry.

Kiminobu Kogure was equally stunned. He pushed up his glasses, his eyes behind the lenses filled with complicated emotions. More than anyone, he knew how much Akagi had sacrificed for this team, and more than anyone, he knew how proud Akagi was. For Akagi to willingly "step aside," just how great an impact had this boy named Shirakawa made on him?

Hanamichi Sakuragi, meanwhile, had question marks all over his face.

"Tactical core? Primary scoring option? What's that? Is it stronger than a genius?" He tilted his head and quietly asked Miyagi beside him.

Miyagi shot him an annoyed glare. "Idiot! It means we'll have to follow his lead from now on, pass him the ball, and let him decide how we attack! He's the boss now, get it?"

"What?!" Sakuragi instantly bristled. "You want this genius to listen to that white-haired fox? Why?! I'm the boss!"

Unfortunately, his protest sounded utterly insignificant at that moment. No one paid it any attention.

Other than Shirakawa, all eyes in the gym were on Kaede Rukawa.

Everyone wanted to see how this equally acclaimed genius rookie would react upon hearing that decision.

Yet, to everyone's surprise, Rukawa merely stood there quietly, without the slightest expression on his face. There was no anger, no resentment, not even a trace of surprise.

He only looked at Shirakawa, and in those icy eyes flickered a light that said, "So that's how it is."

After thinking things over last night and seeing Shirakawa "train" Sakuragi that way this morning, he seemed to vaguely understand something.

Perhaps this man's strength was not limited to his individual scoring ability.

Perhaps he truly could bring something different to this team.

As the center of it all, Shirakawa merely lazily raised his head. Meeting Akagi's stern gaze and the looks of shock, confusion, and scrutiny from the rest of the team, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

There was no wild joy or excitement on his face, only a calm sense that this was perfectly natural.

As if this decision had always been the obvious one.

He stepped forward, his voice quiet but clear enough for everyone to hear.

"Captain, everyone, I look forward to working with you."

His unruffled attitude sent waves crashing through everyone's hearts. Did this guy not find it surprising at all? Where did that confidence come from?

Seeing Shirakawa like this, the last trace of hesitation in Akagi's heart vanished completely.

This was exactly the domineering confidence he wanted!

"Alright! Stop standing around!" Akagi clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention. "Now that the tactical core has been decided, today's training will revolve around Shirakawa! We're starting an intrasquad scrimmage now! Shirakawa, you pick your teammates!"

Akagi had directly handed the authority to form the teams over to Shirakawa as well.

Even Miyagi was convinced now.

This was total delegation of power. Absolute trust.

Shirakawa swept his gaze around the room, his eyes passing over every face.

He raised a finger and lazily named several people.

"Me, Kaede Rukawa, Miyagi-senpai, Kogure-senpai, and..." His finger finally stopped on Hanamichi Sakuragi. "That red-haired monkey. You come too."

The people he had chosen were all taken aback.

Rukawa and Miyagi made sense. They were unquestionable starters. Kogure's three-point shooting could also come in handy at critical moments.

But... Hanamichi Sakuragi?

A complete novice who could not even dribble properly?

"Shirakawa, are you sure?" Even Akagi could not help frowning. "Sakuragi, he..."

"I'm sure." Shirakawa cut him off. Looking at Sakuragi's smug expression that practically said, This genius knew he'd be picked, he curled his lips into an amused smile. "I want to see just how much potential a genius really has."

Akagi gave Shirakawa a long look before finally nodding. "Fine! Then it's settled! Everyone else is on my team! Get ready to start!"

Before long, the two teams took their positions on the court.

The White Team, led by Shirakawa: point guard Miyagi, shooting guard Kogure, small forward Rukawa, power forward Shirakawa, and center Sakuragi.

The Red Team, led by Akagi: Akagi and four highly capable substitute players.

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Ayako blew the whistle to start the game.

The Red Team's substitute center faced Sakuragi for the tip-off.

With no suspense at all, Sakuragi used his astonishing leaping ability to easily tip the ball into Miyagi's hands.

The instant Miyagi got the ball, he looked toward Shirakawa almost instinctively.

The eyes of everyone on the team also turned instinctively toward the white-haired boy standing at power forward as though he were taking a stroll.

The first possession of the game.

The first attack of Shohoku's new ace.

How would he play?

Would he use that unfathomable individual ability from before and simply crush them for an easy score?

Under everyone's watchful gaze, Shirakawa moved.

He did not call for the ball. Instead, he made a gesture at Miyagi that nobody had expected.

He pointed at Kaede Rukawa, then pointed beneath the basket.

The meaning could not have been clearer.

"Pass it to him. Let him attack!"