"Hisashi Mitsui?"
The moment that name was spoken, the air inside Shohoku Basketball Gymnasium froze.
Takenori Akagi and Kiminobu Kogure's expressions became exceptionally complicated, filled with both anger and regret.
Ryota Miyagi, meanwhile, was on guard and openly hostile, his hands unconsciously curling into fists.
"Well, well. If it isn't the basketball team's little shrimp of a point guard?"
Hisashi Mitsui spotted Miyagi, spat out the cigarette butt in his mouth, and ground it beneath his toe. A malicious smile spread across his face.
"Long time no see, Miyagi. Has your injury healed?"
The gang of delinquents behind him burst into laughter as well.
"Mitsui, what are you doing here?" Takenori Akagi stepped forward, his voice low, like an enraged lion.
"What am I doing here?" Mitsui sneered, sweeping his gaze across everyone present as though they were trash. "Of course, I came to... destroy your pathetic basketball team."
"What did you say?!"
"You got a death wish, you long-haired freak?!"
The hot-tempered Hanamichi Sakuragi and Ryota Miyagi were the first to lose patience, ready to rush forward.
"Stay where you are!"
Akagi's thunderous roar stopped them.
"Mitsui, this is a basketball gymnasium. It is a sacred place. I don't care what grudges you have, but leave immediately!" Akagi said, forcibly suppressing his anger.
"A sacred place? Hahaha!" Mitsui laughed exaggeratedly as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world. "Akagi, you're still as naive as ever! Basketball? It's nothing but a child's game!"
Tetsuo and the others behind him joined in the taunting.
"That's right! What's the point of playing basketball? Playing pachinko with us is where the future is!"
"Look at those idiots, all covered in stinking sweat. Disgusting!"
Filthy insults rang out without end.
The Shohoku Players were all livid, their faces turning pale with