The school bell ringing in the afternoon signifies the end of a noisy day on campus.
Inside the Shohoku High School gymnasium, Ryota Miyagi was already stretching.
His gaze swept across the entire room.
Hanamichi Sakuragi was practicing his shooting as if he were challenging himself.
Kaede Rukawa kept breaking through with the ball, and Kogure simply couldn't stop him.
Kuwata, Yasuda, and others practiced tactical positioning.
Akagi stood under the basket, meticulously instructing Kakuta on positioning and defensive stance.
Miyagi noticed that Kawamoto Kazuki was not among them.
He was slightly surprised.
Although attendance at Shohoku's team training sessions is not mandatory every day.
However, Akagi always demanded strict discipline in training, and he kept a close eye on talented newcomers.
Although Kawamoto's offensive abilities are somewhat limited, his physical gifts make him a promising talent for the paint.
He even has the potential to become Shohoku's next super center after Akagi.
There's no reason why Akagi wouldn't grab him for extra training to inherit his mantle.
He glanced at Akagi again, almost subconsciously.
Akagi remained calm, scolding Kakuta for his improper movements, showing no displeasure whatsoever due to Kawamoto's absence.
strangeness...
Does Akagi want Kakuta to be his successor?
Miyagi muttered something under his breath, then quickly immersed himself in his training without giving it much thought.
After all, Miyagi is a man determined to become the best point guard in Kanagawa.
We must become stronger!
Meanwhile, on a coastal road not far from the Shohoku campus.
" San, are you really going to cause trouble for the basketball team?"
Noriyuki Hotta, with his burly figure and pompadour hairstyle, frowned.
His tone carried a hint of worry.
Hisashi Mitsui lowered his head.
His long, choppy bangs obscured his eyes, making it impossible to see his expression.
He didn't answer, but his toes unconsciously ground against the pebbles on the ground.
" Mitsui, calm down. Those guys on the basketball team are tough to deal with."
" Hanamichi Sakuragi, Kaede Rukawa, and that monster Takenori Akagi..."
"Takashima's wearing glasses, shouting from the side."
They and Noriyuki had already been taught a lesson by Kaede Rukawa on the rooftop.
That first-grader took them all down with only minor injuries.
That's terrifying!
"Yeah, forget about the basketball team. They'll just be eliminated in the first round of the county tournament anyway."
"Wouldn't it be better to hang out with us? It'd be so much more comfortable..."
Another tall, thin man chimed in.
Hisashi Mitsui remained silent, only his lips were pressed even tighter.
No one knew how chaotic his mind was.
The sound of dribbling coming from inside the stadium...
It was that shooting form I used to know so well...
It was Anzai once gave him hope and then shattered it...
Basketball, damn basketball!
Why should ordinary people like Akagi Kogure, with only average talent, be allowed to participate in the prefectural tournament?
And he himself, the former MVP...
Just then, a slightly hoarse voice suddenly rang out from behind the group.
"A basketball team? They're just a bunch of good-natured kids with big bodies, what's there to be afraid of?"
Everyone was startled and turned to look.
A man wearing faded jeans and a red sports vest was walking towards them.
The man had long hair, was about twenty years old, and several metal hoop earrings on his left ear gleamed arrogantly in the setting sun.
He had a lit cigarette dangling from his mouth, and his slightly upturned eyes held a hint of ferocity.
His taut muscles and unapproachable aura clearly demonstrated his dangerous nature.
" Tetsuo!"
Noriyuki Hotta's tone was clearly filled with awe.
Tetsuo...
His real name is unknown, but he is a notorious ruthless character among the delinquents of various high schools in the Shonan area.
It is said that he grew up on the streets, and fighting was a common occurrence for him.
Not only was he highly skilled, but he also possessed a reckless, mad-like ferocity, fighting like a wild beast without any regard for the consequences.
He once single-handedly took on four delinquents wielding sticks.
In the end, he escaped unscathed, while his opponents were all hospitalized.
In the minds of Noriyuki Hotta and others, Tetsuo was an absolute fighting master, a man standing at the top of the food chain.
"I heard you guys are going to cause trouble for the basketball team at Shohoku School?"
Tetsuo spat out the cigarette from his mouth and crushed it with his foot.
His gaze swept across Hisashi Mitsui's face, and he asked casually, "What's wrong, Mitsui? Just do what you want to do. Dragging your feet like this isn't like you..."
A resolute glint flashed in Hisashi Mitsui's eyes as he raised his head with a wicked smile.
"Who's dawdling? I'm just thinking about how to deal with those basketball players."
Tetsuo laughed along, "Then count me in too."
"I'll bring a few of my buddies, how about we go and give the Shohoku Basketball Team a proper greeting?"
"W-What! Tetsuo, you're going too?" Noriyuki Hotta exclaimed in surprise.
If it's Tetsuo who makes the move, then those athletic boys in the Shohoku Basketball Club are probably in real trouble.
With Tetsuo's skills and ruthlessness, dealing with those high school students who only know how to play basketball is a piece of cake.
At that point, it might not just be a simple lesson, but could actually escalate into something serious.
Perfect timing!
Hanamichi Sakuragi and Kaede Rukawa, both first-year students on the basketball team, have repeatedly gone against him, so this is a good opportunity to settle scores.
The others were also excited, their minds involuntarily filled with Tetsuo's legendary achievements.
He can knock out three teeth with one punch, break an opponent's ribs with one kick, and smash someone's skull with a bottle...
This is on a completely different level from the kind of fighting that happens among high school students.
"With Brother Tetsuo around, let's see if those basketball team guys still dare to be arrogant!" Takashima rubbed his hands excitedly.
"Yes! Let those two bastards Sakuragi and Kaede Rukawa, know how powerful we are!" The others also got excited.
Mitsui fell silent.
His intention in causing trouble at the basketball team was to vent his anger and, incidentally, teach Ryota Miyagi a lesson.
And he completely gave up any thought of returning to the basketball team.
But if Tetsuo gets involved, the nature of the matter changes.
Tetsuo seemed to see through Mitsui's thoughts. "What, scared?"
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I'm just going to have some fun, to teach them a lesson, so they won't think they're something special just because they can play a little basketball." Despite his words, the fierce glint in his eyes grew stronger.
Just as the atmosphere became somewhat heavy.
The sound of unhurried footsteps came from not far away.
A tall, imposing figure was walking alone along the seaside road towards this direction.
He was wearing the Shohoku school uniform and carrying an ordinary canvas backpack.
His pace was somewhat hurried, as if he were simply taking a shortcut to somewhere.
The setting sun cast a golden glow on him, but it couldn't soften the calm on his face that seemed beyond his years.
Noriyuki Hotta, with his sharp eyes, immediately recognized the person who had arrived.
He nudged Hisashi Mitsui next to him and lowered his voice. " San, do you think that guy is a new first-year student in the Shohoku Basketball Club?"
"He seems to be in the same class as Hanamichi Sakuragi, his surname is either Kawamoto or Yamamoto..."
Upon hearing this, Hisashi Mitsui looked towards the figure that was approaching.
He vaguely remembered seeing this tall freshman near the school's basketball club.
"Oh? The Shohoku Basketball Club?"
Tetsuo also looked over.
"Looks like we'll have to go to the gym later. How about we start with this lone one to whet our appetites?"
He cracked his neck, making a soft snap, and fixed his gaze firmly on Kawamoto Kazuki.