Inside the Shohoku High School basketball gym, Coach Mitsuyoshi Anzai sat on the sidelines.
He held his teacup, watching his teammates train, occasionally letting out a low, guttural laugh.
Everything was as usual, filled with the tension and order of preparing for the national competition.
Just then, the doors to the basketball court were pushed open.
A sprightly old man walked in.
He stood ramrod straight, wearing a neatly pressed gray suit, and carrying an exquisitely packaged gift box in his hand.
Behind him followed a group of teenagers wearing unfamiliar school team jerseys, and a man who looked like an assistant coach or manager. Their appearance immediately attracted the attention of the players in the stadium.
The sounds of training unconsciously subsided, and everyone's attention focused on these uninvited guests.
The old man's name was Takahashi Nanase.
His gaze swept across the stadium, finally settling on Anzai, a polite smile spreading across his face.
" Anzai, I apologize for bothering you. I am Takahashi Nanase, the Kazami Academy Basketball Club in Gunma Prefecture."
"As agreed, I brought the children here for a practice match and also took the opportunity to visit you."
Anzai put down his teacup, his face still bearing that same smile as Ge.
He slowly stood up. "Mr. Takahashi, welcome to Shohoku. You must be tired from your journey."
As the captain, Akagi was the first to react, and he growled in a low voice, "Assemble!"
The Shohoku players immediately stopped training and quickly lined up behind Anzai.
Despite their curiosity, they all maintained basic courtesy and remained quiet.
Anzai had told them that teams from other regions would be coming to Shohoku for practice matches soon, but he didn't specify the exact time.
Takahashi Nanase stepped forward and shook hands with Anzai, then handed him the exquisitely crafted gift box. "A little something from my hometown, please accept this small token of my appreciation."
"This is our famous Fujiwara tofu from Gunma."
"Made with high-quality water from the upper reaches of the Tone River and local soybeans, this product is handmade, boasting a rich soybean aroma and a tender yet chewy texture. Whether enjoyed cold, in soup, or on its own, it offers a unique flavor. Please do try it."
Kanagawa Prefecture is the second most populous prefecture in Japan and ranks among the top in the country in terms of economic output.
Gunma Prefecture has a population of approximately 1.9 million, and its economy is mainly based on agriculture and manufacturing.
Anzai took it, and a fresh aroma of soybeans wafted through the packaging.
He smiled and nodded, "I've heard of Fujiwara Tofu before. Mr. Takahashi, you're too kind. Thank you."
Takahashi Nanase smiled and said, " Anzai, the basketball atmosphere at Shohoku is really vibrant, and the players are very energetic."
"However, my journey to your esteemed school was somewhat unexpected."
"There seem to be a lot of young people riding those modified motorcycles in your county? I thought this phenomenon only existed in Gunma."
"I also saw quite a few people wearing special attack uniforms with the words 'Flash Wind Express' printed on the back."
"Excuse my intrusion, but is that some local triad or organization?"
His face showed a mixture of confusion and a touch of elder's worry. "Young people these days are getting harder and harder to understand. My two grandsons are obsessed with racing all the time."
"They're even planning to start a racing team called RedSuns recently, which is really a headache. Safety should be the most important thing."
Akagi frowned, clearly uninterested in discussing these topics during training.
Anzai chuckled twice, holding the gift box, and said gently, "Young people have various ways to release their energy. As for 'Flash Wind Express,' perhaps it's some local young people's groups who like motorcycles."
"Our Shohoku kids are mainly focused on basketball and their studies."
He steered the conversation back on track. "Mr. Takahashi, your Kazami Academy has achieved remarkable results this year. As the only representative from Gunma Prefecture, you have made history by qualifying for the national tournament. Congratulations!"
When the team's performance was mentioned, Takahashi Nanase's face lit up with pride. " Anzai, you flatter me."
"This is truly a historic breakthrough for our Kazami Academy Basketball Club."
"And this is mainly thanks to several very promising newcomers who joined this year."
As he spoke, he gestured to the two boys behind him to come forward.
Two boys stepped forward and bowed slightly to Anzai and the Shohoku players.
The person on the left is about 185 cm tall, with short hair, bright eyes, and a naturally upturned mouth that gives him a somewhat cynical yet confident look.
"Hello Anzai, hello everyone from Shohoku! I'm Chiba Hidekazu, a first-year student at the Kazami Academy, point guard. Nice to meet you!"
His voice was clear and bright, and his gaze swept quickly across the Shohoku crowd.
The man on the right is nearly 190 centimeters tall, taciturn, and handsome but expressionless.
It could even be said that it lacked any real emotion; he merely bowed slightly.
" Shimizu Seisaku, small forward, first year."
The self-introduction was extremely brief.
Takahashi Nanase explained, " Hidekazu is our starting point guard. Although he's a freshman, his defense is very distinctive. He excels at close-marking and has excellent shot interference and anticipation. He's also very passionate on the court."
He phrased it rather subtly.
But those in the know can tell that this describes a defender who is extremely aggressive on the defensive end, uses many dirty tricks, and likes to mess with the opponent's mentality.
"As for Seisaku..."
Takahashi patted Shimizu on the shoulder, his admiration growing. "He's a very reliable kid, well-rounded and stable on both offense and defense, especially his defensive awareness and those long arms, which often cause a lot of trouble for the opponent."
"They are a very important asset to our team."
Anzai squinted, his gaze lingering on the two, especially on Shimizu Seisaku.
The two teams belong to Kansai and Kanto respectively, and even at the national level, the only time they can meet is in the championship match.
Therefore, Nanase Takahashi has no way to hide their team's ace.
Instead, they hope that Shohoku can take this seriously and make better use of Kazami for training purposes.
At that moment, Chiba Hidekazu's eyes searched through the Shohoku team.
Finally, he asked loudly, " Anzai, may I ask which one is Kawamoto Kazuki? I heard he's the MVP of Kanagawa Prefecture, and his three-point shooting is amazing."
A smile spread across his face, "I can't wait to see just how accurate Kanagawa's MVP's three-point shooting really is in the practice match."
These words caused a slight shift in the atmosphere within the Shohoku team.
Ryota Miyagi raised an eyebrow, Hisashi Mitsui's eyes narrowed, and Kaede Rukawa also glanced in their direction.
Sakuragi retorted angrily, "You arrogant brat, you think you can test my skills against Kawamoto- nii? I'll teach you a lesson during the match!"
Akagi said in a deep voice to Kogure beside him, "The first-year students in Gunma are really not cute at all."
Shimizu Seisaku stood silently beside Chiba, his gaze sweeping over the Shohoku players, seemingly searching for a corresponding face.
Anzai chuckled a few times.
He looked at the spirited Chiba Hidekazu, then at the silent Shimizu Seisaku beside him, who was as still as a deep pool.
He slowly began, " Kawamoto is indeed an important player for our Shohoku. It's just that he's not in the basketball gym right now."
As for his three-point shooting—
"You'll see it for yourselves during the competition."