But Sakuragi hadn't listened to a word. He shot to his feet. As his huge frame loomed forward, the two boys stumbled back several steps in fright. Just as he was about to lose his temper, his gaze suddenly fell on the "weapon" on the ground.
A basketball... That's a basketball!
In an instant, Hanamichi Sakuragi's anger vanished, replaced by delight. He bent down to pick up the ball and asked thoughtfully, "So... you two are on the basketball team?"
The two hurriedly nodded.
"I'm Tetsushi Shiozaki from the basketball team."
"I'm Yasuharu Yasuda from the basketball team."
The moment they finished, Hanamichi Sakuragi lunged forward and threw his arms around them. Shiozaki and Yasuda shrank back in fright, closing their eyes as they waited to be beaten.
What came instead was a burst of loud laughter.
"Hahaha! You should've said so! We're on the same side!" Sakuragi slapped their backs hard. "I'll let it slide this time! After all, the basketball team is about to become my domain! The domain of Hanamichi Sakuragi! Hahahaha!"
Yasuda and Shiozaki stared in bewilderment, completely unable to understand what this redhead was talking about... But from the sound of it, he wanted to join the basketball team?
"Um... are you a new student looking to join the basketball team?" Yasuda asked cautiously.
Hanamichi Sakuragi's expression darkened. Then he slammed his forehead into Yasuda's.
"Idiot! That's your punishment for being ignorant!" he yelled. "This genius isn't some rookie! And I'm not joining-I'm going to rule!"
With that, a gleam flashed through his eyes. In his mind, aside from Shirasawa, no basketball player in the world was better than him. Saying he would rule wasn't an exaggeration at all. Once he got to the basketball team and showed off a genius's stylish dunk, wouldn't everyone fall into line?
The more he thought about it, the more he couldn't hold back his laughter. He completely failed to notice that a "wall" had appeared behind him.
That wall was Takenori Akagi, a vein bulging on his forehead.
"You bastard... what nonsense are you spouting here?!" Akagi roared. Without waiting for Sakuragi to turn around, he grabbed the back of his collar and hurled him away!
The force was frightening.
Yasuda and Shiozaki shakily got to their feet and called out in trembling voices, "C-Captain!"
Takenori Akagi's face was dark with fury. "What are you two dawdling around here for? Don't you know practice has already started?!" Without another word, he punched each of them on the head, giving a thorough demonstration of strict discipline.
He was just about to drag the two back when Hanamichi Sakuragi charged back and blocked his path.
The moment their eyes met, Sakuragi's red head slammed into Akagi's nose with a thud, without a word!
Akagi stepped back in pain and touched his nose. When he saw blood on his hand, his eyes nearly popped out.
Hanamichi Sakuragi was still shouting. "You gorilla! How dare you have a problem with this genius! You're the basketball captain, right? Perfect! Let's have a match, and I'll show you the difference between an animal and a genius!"
Takenori Akagi's face grew darker and darker, the veins on his forehead twisting into a knot. Seeing trouble, Yasuda and Shiozaki hurried forward and grabbed their captain, who was on the verge of exploding.
Takenori Akagi's finger nearly jabbed Sakuragi in the face as he spoke, his voice tight with anger. "You ill-mannered bastard!"
Hearing that only fired Sakuragi up further. He puffed out his chest and yelled, "Great! Then let's go right now! This genius will open your eyes and show you what playing basketball really means!"
While packing his schoolbag in the classroom, Shirasawa had never imagined things would turn out this way. He had originally planned to stop by Class Ten after school, get Sakuragi, and head to the basketball team together to sign up.
But Yohei Mito told him that Sakuragi had already run off on his own.
By the time Shirasawa strolled near the sports field, he saw everyone around him rushing in one direction as though they were flocking to a market. His heart sank, and he had a vague sense that something was wrong.
Sure enough, a boy running ahead shouted as he ran, "Hurry up! There's a show at the basketball team! I heard a first-year's going one-on-one with Captain Takenori Akagi!"
After hearing that, Shirasawa raised a hand to his forehead, looking helpless. Well, what was coming had come after all.
He simply followed the crowd toward the basketball gym. Might as well. This was a chance to see what Sakuragi could get up to against Akagi.
Winning was absolutely out of the question. But at least... he probably wouldn't resort to his soccer-field "slide tackle" special move, right?
The usually quiet Shohoku basketball gym was now packed with people, rows deep inside and out. Wherever you went, the prospect of a spectacle was always the greatest driving force.
"Now this is interesting! Hanamichi Sakuragi-that notorious delinquent! He's up against Captain Akagi!"
"Takenori Akagi isn't someone you mess with either. Look at that build. He's like King Kong. Sakuragi's probably in for it."
"Come to think of it, can Sakuragi even play? Challenging the captain right off the bat?"
"Who cares? As long as there's something to watch!"
A buzz of conversation filled the sidelines. At center court, Hanamichi Sakuragi and Takenori Akagi stood facing each other.
Akagi wore a grim expression, like a stone weighed down by dark clouds. Sakuragi was the complete opposite. He turned his head, smugly surveying the dense crowd around him, his grin nearly reaching his ears.
None of the "battle plans" he had dreamed up in bed yesterday had been as impressive as this scene. He had only intended to show off to the basketball team. Who knew it would turn straight into a schoolwide performance!
He was absolutely delighted.
Takenori Akagi was fairly familiar with Kanagawa's junior high basketball scene. He was certain he had never heard of anyone named "Hanamichi Sakuragi." Although his height made him look like basketball material, Akagi had already concluded that this redheaded brat was, at best, a loudmouthed rookie.
"The rules are simple," Akagi said gravely. "Five baskets. Whoever scores keeps possession."
Sakuragi thumped his chest, brimming with confidence. "Whatever! I'll show you what a genius can do in a second!"
"Starting today, the Shohoku Basketball Team will be led by me, the genius Hanamichi Sakuragi!"
Akagi frowned deeply in disgust, vowing to give this brat who didn't know his own limits a crushing lesson. "Then I'll start with the ball," he said coldly. "Let's see what you can do besides brag."
Takenori Akagi took his position outside the three-point line, shielding the ball with one hand while dribbling unhurriedly with the other. Hanamichi Sakuragi stood casually in front of him, grinning as he assumed a careless defensive stance.
Akagi snorted inwardly. Openings everywhere. A complete amateur, just as I thought.
The next second, Takenori Akagi made a lightning-fast crossover and slipped past Sakuragi with ease! In two strides, he reached the basket, leaped up, and slammed the ball through the hoop with both hands!
Clang! The basket support shook violently with the thunderous impact.
In the blink of an eye, Akagi had scored his first basket. That bull-like dunk drew gasps from the entire crowd.
Hanamichi Sakuragi seemed to finally react. He jumped up and down, shouting, "You gorilla! That's cheating!"
"I wasn't ready yet!"
Takenori Akagi couldn't even be bothered to look at him. As he passed, he left him with one sentence. "You have four chances left."
Shirasawa stood on the sidelines with his arms folded, thoroughly enjoying the show. Sakuragi was definitely going to suffer this time, but he thought that was a good thing.
It was just the thing to cure this guy's ignorance of his own limits. To teach him that there were always greater heights and better players.
Shirasawa wasn't the only one who could put him in his place.
Although Akagi was a center and his footwork might not be the most agile in a one-on-one, Sakuragi was essentially an inside player too. Expecting him to pull off some stylish dribble move right now was impossible.
Besides, this guy hadn't even learned to shoot yet. Against Akagi, the only area where he might have an edge was probably his running and jumping ability.
Unfortunately, Sakuragi himself hadn't realized that at all.
Meanwhile, Haruko Akagi had just finished packing her schoolbag and was about to go home when her friend Matsui rushed over and grabbed her.
"Haruko! Hurry, go look in the basketball gym!"
"Your brother seems to be playing a first-year one-on-one! Loads of people have gone to watch!"
Haruko froze for a moment. Wasn't this supposed to be the basketball team's recruitment time? How had it turned into a "duel"?
A first-year... could it be?!
Panic suddenly gripped her. School had only just started. If her brother and Shirasawa got into a fight, everything would be ruined!
"Come on, Matsui!" Haruko grabbed her schoolbag. "I have to stop them!"
On the court, Takenori Akagi began his second possession.
This time, Hanamichi Sakuragi finally took things a little more seriously and started moving his feet. But to Akagi, his defense was still full of holes.
That couldn't all be blamed on Shirasawa's teaching. After all, Sakuragi had started from scratch. Over the break, aside from the most basic fundamentals, Shirasawa had mainly taught him some offensive moves that relied on his physical gifts, along with basic basketball knowledge.
Defense was difficult to develop quickly without long, hard practice. Besides, what Hanamichi Sakuragi had the least patience for was precisely this sort of defensive work that "didn't let him show off."
Takenori Akagi dribbled unhurriedly, feinting left and right with his body.
Akagi's ballhandling fundamentals were actually quite solid. He simply spent most of his time stationed inside and rarely had a chance to display them.
Facing Sakuragi today gave him a rare opportunity to show them off.
"Weren't you going to steal the ball? Come on." As he handled the ball deftly, he spoke at a leisurely pace. "Didn't you say you were going to rule the Shohoku Basketball Team?"
"How come I'm not seeing any sign of it?"
Hanamichi Sakuragi's temper flared in an instant.
He immediately lunged forward to pressure the ball.
But Takenori Akagi left him cleanly behind with a single spin.
He charged beneath the basket and unleashed another powerful gorilla dunk!
Gasps immediately rose from the sidelines.
"Damn it... this chimpanzee!"
Hanamichi Sakuragi clenched his teeth. He no longer dared underestimate Akagi.
But he couldn't think of a good solution right away either. He could only bottle up his frustration and keep his eyes fixed on his opponent.
On the third basket, Takenori Akagi clearly felt that Sakuragi's defensive pressure had increased again.
He could no longer drive past him as casually as before.
That did surprise him a little.
But Akagi immediately changed his approach.
Overpower him!
Relying on his King Kong-like physique, he began backing him down from the free-throw line.
Step by step, he pushed Sakuragi beneath the basket, not forgetting to keep needling him along the way...
A hard power dribble, a turn, and a light flick of his wrist sent the basketball obediently rolling into the net.
After scoring, Takenori Akagi wagged his finger.
"So this is what you call a genius?" He snorted. "What a joke."
"Looks like I still overestimated you. Tell you what, let's change the rules-you have two chances left. If you can steal the ball from me and score, you win."