The blond-haired man looked on in surprise as Sakuragi rushed over.
There was simply no time to react.
Sakuragi had already stepped in front of the blond-haired guy, and suddenly stretched out his left hand and grabbed the back of the other's head tightly.
"Bang!"
A solid headbutt slammed into the blond-haired man's forehead.
"Ugh!"
Caught off guard, the blond-haired man saw stars when he was hit.
He covered his forehead, which had instantly become red and swollen, and cursed inwardly: I took off my helmet too early.
"You bastard! What if your beat-up motorcycle hits Haruko?"
"And besides, who gave you permission to show off in front of Haruko -san?"
Sakuragi pointed at the blond-haired man, his anger barely contained.
However, instead of being angry, the blond-haired man was overjoyed.
"Is her name Haruko? What a gentle and lovely name!"
Outside the stadium, the four members of Sakuragi Gang watched in stunned silence.
Yohei Mito said with a hint of surprise, "Impressive. You didn't fall down after taking Sakuragi's headbutt."
Chuichiro Noma stroked his chin, calmly analyzing. "Dyed hair, riding a modified motorcycle, flamboyant entrance—a typical blond delinquent. And judging by his reaction speed and resilience, he's probably not an ordinary blond guy."
Nozomi Takamiya muttered indignantly to herself, "I hate these blondies! They're good for nothing but fighting and showing off, yet they're never short of girls around them. Why is that?"
Yuji Okusu glanced at Takamiya expressionlessly, then touched his light golden hair.
He felt offended.
Noma nudged Yohei and Takamiya: "Hey guys, Sakuragi's rival has appeared. And he's a tough one, a high-class blond guy. Should we all gang up on him and cripple him first, to prevent future trouble?"
Yohei said lazily, "Don't rush, let's see how Sakuragi handles it. The other side seems to be interested."
Inside the venue.
The blond-haired man seemed to suddenly realize something. "Hey! You actually know her name? What's your relationship with Haruko?"
As he spoke, he stepped forward, grabbed Sakuragi by the collar, and returned the blow with an equally fierce headbutt.
"Bang!"
"Damn it! Haruko calling me 'Haruko' so affectionately!"
Sakuragi, not to be outdone, charged headfirst into the wall again.
"That's my freedom!"
"Bang!"
The blond-haired guy immediately responded with a headbutt.
The two of them took turns headbutting each other, like two bulls in heat, and began their headbutt duel.
The dull thuds of impact echoed continuously, sending chills down the spines of Takamiya and the others outside the arena.
After colliding countless times, the two finally separated, panting heavily.
Sakuragi, panting heavily, lost his temper and started boasting recklessly. "Listen, listen up! I, Hanamichi Sakuragi, and Haruko are the famous fairy-tale couple of Shohoku! If you know what's good for you, get lost!"
"What?!"
The blond-haired man was struck dumb, his eyes instantly losing focus.
His legs buckled, and he collapsed to his knees with a thud, clutching his head and groaning in pain. "No... impossible... absolutely impossible! How could such a gentle and lovely girl... how could she like a rude and barbaric redhead like you?"
He seemed to be so struck by this cruel reality that he began to question the meaning of life.
Seeing the other person's breakdown, Sakuragi's heart skipped a beat.
Oops!
I accidentally blurted out what was on my mind!
But it'll become a reality sooner or later, right?
right!
It definitely will!
He quickly tried to encourage himself.
"Etc!"
The blond-haired man kneeling on the ground suddenly raised his head and stared intently at Sakuragi: "You just said your name is Hanamichi Sakuragi? The Hanamichi Sakuragi from the Shohoku Basketball Team?"
"That's right! It's this genius!"
Sakuragi straightened his back.
The blond-haired man sprang up from the ground, instantly revived.
He pointed at Sakuragi, a fighting spirit spreading across his face. "Haha! Great! I'm Tsukubu's super rookie, Koichiro Nango! Perfect, we're opponents in the next match."
Koichiro Nango's eyes darted around, and he announced in a declarative tone, "How about this, Hanamichi Sakuragi? If Tsukubu wins this match, then Haruko- san will be mine."
"If we lose, I, Koichiro Nango, will give up immediately and never bother you again! That's settled! So, are you in?
Haruko had walked away, sneezed, completely unaware that she had been used as a bet.
On the train, Takenori Akagi inexplicably gagged.
"It feels like I'm being targeted by some oblivious bedbug."
Sakuragi was stunned by this outrageous bet, then flew into a rage. "Damn it! What do you take Haruko for? And who would lose to a blondie like you? Shohoku will definitely win!"
"Then it's settled."
Nango seemed oblivious to Sakuragi's protests and became excited on his own.
"I've always played basketball to attract girls' attention, but so far I haven't had any results."
"This is a really good opportunity."
"I have to perform exceptionally well in the game."
"I'm going to beat you and Shohoku in front of Haruko- san in the coolest way possible! I'll show her who the real man is! Hahaha!"
He laughed arrogantly, as if he could already see his bright future of winning the game and marrying the beauty.
See you on the field!
Koichiro Nango picked up his helmet, turned around with a flourish, and walked toward his somewhat deformed motorcycle.
He tried to start it, and after several attempts, he finally succeeded, before staggering away amidst a cloud of black smoke and noise.
"You damn blondie! This genius hasn't even agreed to your request yet!"
Sakuragi roared at the motorcycle exhaust fumes.
Yohei and the others then slowly walked in.
Takamiya shook his head. "It's over, Hanamichi, you've met your match. This blond guy's shamelessness and confidence are on par with yours."
"And he doesn't seem to be quite right in the head either."
Okusu added.
"Who cares! On the court, this genius will shut him up with his skill."
Sakuragi clenched his fists. For Haruko -san and for Shohoku's victory, he absolutely could not lose.
At the same time, outside the Tsukubu High School Basketball Club.
A tall, slender young woman, dressed in a well-tailored green business suit, is conducting an interview.
Her makeup was exquisite, and she exuded a capable air. What was most striking were the small yet lustrous pearl earrings on her earlobes.
This added a touch of just the right amount of elegance and femininity to her bright and beautiful features.
She is Sanae Nakagawa, an intern reporter for Basketball Weekly.
She is currently interviewing Kazumi Kawasaki, the coach of the Tsukubu Basketball Team.
" Kawasaki -senpai."
Sanae Nakagawa's voice was clear and pleasant, accompanied by a professional smile.
"As the prefectural tournament enters its most intense phase, I believe the landscape of Kanagawa this year is likely to be disrupted. The long-standing three-way dominance of Kainan, Shoyo, and Ryonan may face a challenger."
"So in your opinion, which team has the ability to break this pattern: Shohoku High School, which performed amazingly in the first three games, or Tsukubu High School, which successfully advanced to the top eight last year and is even more mature this year?"
" Sanae, you're already working as soon as we meet. Didn't you serve as the manager of the university sports team for four years? What are your thoughts on that?"
Sanae Nakagawa seemed surprised that Kazumi Kawasaki in return.
He paused briefly, seemingly organizing his thoughts for more precise language, before saying, "From my personal observation and analysis, I lean towards Tsukubu."
Sanae Nakagawa calmly and deliberately explained her point of view.
"Although Shohoku won their first three games by a margin of over 100 points, Miuradai had no fighting spirit, and Kakuno and Takabata were already weak teams."
"Scoring high points against such an opponent certainly demonstrates Shohoku's strong scoring ability, but it doesn't fully prove that they possess the strength to challenge traditional powerhouses."
"More importantly..."
Sanae Nakagawa's language became more targeted.
"Through analysis, I can clearly see that although Shohoku's offense is sharp, it relies more on the players' strong individual abilities."
" Kaede Rukawa's endless one-on-one plays, Hisashi Mitsui's outside shooting, and Takenori Akagi's strong inside attacks. They lacked a systematic tactical coordination; they were more like a group of exceptionally talented individuals fighting their own battles."
"Defensively, besides relying on Akagi's presence under the basket and the occasional amazing plays from rookie Hanamichi Sakuragi, there are obvious weaknesses in overall help defense and rotation."
She concluded, "In short, Shohoku lacks resilience and precise teamwork. Once they encounter an opponent with strong teamwork, they are easily defeated due to their lack of coordination."
"But Tsukubu is completely different."
Sanae Nakagawa looked at Kazumi Kawasaki with admiration in her eyes.
"Your school boasts a long-standing basketball tradition and a rigorous tactical system, and this year you've added the exceptionally talented Koichiro Nango. All of this contributes to a more stable and cohesive whole."
"Basketball is ultimately a five-player sport. Team chemistry and tactical execution are often more important than simply piling on talented players. I worked as a basketball manager in college for four years and witnessed countless games. I have great confidence in my judgment and foresight."
After listening, Kazumi Kawasaki smiled gently and wisely, "I never imagined that Sanae from back then would become such a professional sports reporter. It's truly impressive."
"You flatter me, senior."
Sanae Nakagawa nodded slightly, then moved on to the next question, "The competition starts tomorrow, Kawasaki- senpai, how are you feeling right now? Are you nervous?"
"Nervous?"
Coach Kawasaki shook his head with a smile, his eyes sparkling. "It's excitement."
"As a coach, what I admire most is the way players are absorbed in the game of basketball."
"When I see each player on the team, with their distinct personalities, striving for a common goal on the court, each radiating their own unique brilliance, I feel an irresistible sense of excitement and satisfaction."
"This sense of anticipation will not change, whether the opponent is Shohoku or any other team."
"From what you're saying, it seems you're very confident about this match?"
Sanae Nakagawa astutely grasped the deeper meaning in Kazumi Kawasaki's words.
"We've made thorough preparations, studied our opponents, and honed our skills. All that's left is to perform to our full potential on the court. I'm really looking forward to this match and believe it will be a fantastic contest."
Kazumi Kawasaki's answer was flawless.
Sanae Nakagawa summarized to the camera. "It seems Tsukubu is ready to face the challenge from Shohoku. Will Shohoku's sharp blade of genius cut through everything, or will Tsukubu's team shield prevail? Let's wait and see at the Prefectural Gymnasium on May 30th!"
Sanae Nakagawa turned off the camera and let out a soft sigh of relief.
She was actually somewhat concerned about the existence of Kaede Rukawa, the rookie number 11 from Shohoku.
Kaede Rukawa's offensive prowess in his previous matches was terrifying.
But she stuck to her judgment.
Basketball is a team sport; an individual's strength has its limits when faced with a well-developed system.
She favored Tsukubu more, at least until Shohoku proved they could play true team basketball.