It was fair to say that Shirasawa was largely responsible for Shohoku's current momentum. And he was definitely still hiding plenty of skills he hadn't shown. He was most likely the one Ryonan had its eye on, the one it cared about!
Meeting his teammates' looks of realization and faint admiration, Shirasawa merely smiled, clearly guessing what they were thinking. What would come would come; the reason didn't matter. After the game against Takezono, he had pumped more stat points into ball handling. He was even more confident now, just waiting to build up a little more before the prefectural tournament. He looked calm and unruffled, every bit the expert.
But Hanamichi Sakuragi, standing beside him, couldn't keep such a low profile. He thought all those looks were directed at him.
Hanamichi Sakuragi folded his arms across his chest and began laughing with an air of mystery and smug satisfaction.
"Heh heh, hahahaha..."
"Looks like I can't hide it anymore."
"Of course. How could anyone hide a genius's brilliance? I should've realized sooner."
"That's right! The reason Ryonan came looking for us is me! The genius Hanamichi Sakuragi! Hahahaha!"
"I didn't expect them to get restless so soon."
"In that case, fine! This genius will show them a thing or two!"
Hanamichi Sakuragi finished with a smug look on his face, but the gasps and admiration he had expected never came.
His teammates all stared at him blankly.
How could anyone be this confident...? If arrogance had a numerical value, Hanamichi Sakuragi's would definitely be positive infinity.
Takenori Akagi simply chose to ignore him and turned to Coach Anzai. "Coach, when is the practice game scheduled?"
Coach Anzai answered with a smile, "Tomorrow morning."
[Shooting: 60, athleticism: 85, ball handling: 87, basketball IQ: 85, passing: 99, ...] [Evaluation: An elite player with no shooting ability (severely unbalanced).]
Early the next morning, Shirasawa checked his current abilities after getting up. At first glance, the panel looked pretty decent, but that evaluation... really didn't mince words. His stats were a little too unbalanced. As long as you don't ask me to shoot, we can work anything out. Once this game's over, I've got to put some serious work into shooting.
Ten minutes later, Shirasawa was ready, and Sanae Nakagawa knocked on his door right on time. Unless work was particularly busy, she usually came to pick him up so they could leave together.
"Hey, handsome. I'll be at your game today too." Sanae leaned against the doorway. She was dressed more formally today, with the polished efficiency of a career woman. He had to admit, it was another very different visual impact.
Shirasawa looked her up and down, then nodded. "Not bad."
At his assessment, Sanae smiled confidently and elegantly brushed back the hair at her shoulder. "Because you're not the only one with a game today. I've got a 'game' too."
They got into the car, and Shirasawa mulled over what Sanae had just said. "What do you mean, you've got a game too? Aren't you going there as press today?" He paused, then added, "But seriously, isn't your magazine taking this a little too seriously? It's just a practice game. Is news really that scarce during the off-season...?"
Sanae nodded with a wry smile. "That's part of it. Both the high school and college leagues are in their off-seasons right now, so there aren't many hot stories. You know Ryonan's been making some big moves this off-season. Of course the magazine wants to pay extra attention."
"As for my game," Sanae explained as she turned the steering wheel, "I've recently had a chance at a promotion, but another colleague is competing for it too. We're both covering today's practice game on-site, so I can't afford to lose."
Only then did Shirasawa understand. The magazine was making them compete for the position.
As far as he knew, Sanae had originally focused on covering college basketball. But over the past two years, the high school league had grown increasingly popular, with a number of amazingly talented players emerging and driving up both its popularity and its standard of play. It was now almost the hottest sporting competition in the country. Sanae had been forced to shift her focus to high school basketball as well.
With Sanae's professional ability, covering the high school league should have been something of a dimensionality reduction strike. He hadn't expected anyone to be able to compete with her.
At that thought, Shirasawa frowned slightly. A high school league reporter, Ryonan... A figure suddenly flashed through his mind.
"Yayoi Aida?" Shirasawa said the name without thinking.
That genuinely took Sanae aback. "You actually know Yayoi Aida?" She glanced at Shirasawa in surprise. "I really didn't see that coming, Xiao Bai."
But she quickly worked it out. Yayoi Aida had always focused on high school basketball, especially in Kanagawa, where practically every high school basketball team knew her. After all, no team wanted to pass up a connection with Basketball Weekly. Perhaps it wasn't so strange that Shirasawa knew her.
Sanae sighed softly. "That's right. Aida is the senior colleague I'm competing against. If even you've heard of her, this could be tricky..."
Shirasawa smiled, however, and said something that thoroughly surprised Sanae. "If you ask me, just let her have it. Even if you get promoted, then what? Have you ever considered that traditional print media like this will be replaced sooner or later?"
Having lived through it before, Shirasawa naturally knew how things would develop. It was only a matter of time before traditional print media was phased out. He had wanted to talk to Sanae about it before, but had never found the right opportunity.
But those words shocked Sanae so much that she lost focus for a moment and nearly rear-ended the car ahead.
As a media professional, Sanae was someone who had found success at a young age. In truth, the question had vaguely occurred to her too. But in this day and age, that sort of thinking was far too ahead of its time. Even the head of their magazine probably hadn't realized it yet.
And yet Shirasawa had actually offered such an insight... It really was astonishing.
"You even understand this stuff?" Sanae couldn't help glancing at him again, a trace of disbelief in her eyes. "Honestly, I'm starting to admire you."
This young man had surprised her far too many times today. But then she sighed helplessly again. "Even if your judgment is right, Basketball Weekly is one of the best in the industry. If I give this up, where else can I go? It's not like I can just strike out on my own..."
She had only said it offhandedly, but it really was a problem that troubled her. Even if she could see the future trend, what could she change right now? She still had to make sure her basic needs were covered first, then play it by ear when that day actually came. Going independent would be no different. It would only add another print publication to the country, and she certainly couldn't compete with an established business like Basketball Weekly. When print media truly declined, the trouble would only be greater.
Shirasawa turned to look at her. At that very moment, an idea suddenly came to him.
"Sanae," he said seriously, "if you trust me, I do have a plan that could help you make a smooth transition and keep growing in the future."
Sanae met Shirasawa's gaze in surprise. Today, she almost felt as though she didn't know him anymore. Not only was he speaking confidently about the media industry, he was even going to plan her future? But given the insights he had shown, along with the fact that he had never been this serious before, Sanae couldn't afford not to take him seriously.
The plan he mentioned might really be revolutionary.
Sanae smiled and looked at him just as seriously. "You know I've always trusted you."
Ryonan High School.
Sanae and Shirasawa drove straight into the school parking lot. Even when they parted, Sanae's heart was still beating a little faster.
Shirasawa's plan had truly astonished her, going far beyond anything she had imagined. At the same time, it gave her a great deal to look forward to, and she couldn't help feeling excited.
But this wasn't something they could rush. They still had to wait for the right opportunity. As for when that opportunity would come, that depended on Shirasawa.
"Oh, Sanae, you're here."
Sanae turned at the voice, and there stood Yayoi Aida. Their earlier competition had created a subtle hostility between the two women, who hadn't been close to begin with.
But now, Sanae had made up her mind. Just as Shirasawa had said, she would let her have it.
Sanae's lips curved into a lovely smile, and her whole demeanor became more easygoing.
"Morning, Aida."
"Hmm...?" Yayoi Aida froze in bewilderment. What's going on today? Anyone who didn't know better would think she was such a sweet, obedient girl... What kind of game is she playing?
She immediately gave Sanae a careful once-over. Whether it was looks, bearing, or clothes, she seemed considerably better than her in every respect... Such comparisons were part of a woman's nature. Then she looked at the young assistant beside her, whose eyes were practically glued to Sanae.
Yayoi Aida picked up her notebook and smacked him on the head. The young assistant jolted and quickly looked away.
"Uh... ma'am..."
Yayoi Aida snorted. "Get everything ready."
With that, she walked straight off.
"You know I've always trusted you."
Ryonan High School basketball gym.
This place was a little different from Takezono's gym at the previous game. It wasn't as flashy, just an ordinary-looking large gym, somewhat like Shohoku's. But there was certainly no shortage of people. The stands and sidelines were packed.
Most of these people were genuine basketball fans, not some fan club that couldn't even tell you how many players took the court. Ryonan attracted so many people through the results it had built up step by step over the years, firmly holding a spot among the prefecture's top four. Its fan base was naturally solid.
As soon as Ryonan's players came out to warm up, cheers rang out. Especially with Kaede Rukawa joining this year, the team's competitiveness had visibly shot up. Of course the fans were excited.
"Uozumi! Sendoh! Over here!"
"You've got to win the championship this year!"
Listening to the commotion from the sidelines, Coach Moichi Taoka felt quite pleased. He had built this atmosphere little by little, and it felt good. Beside him sat a player in training gear who hadn't gone to warm up: Hikoichi Aida.
Hikoichi fidgeted in his seat, his eyes darting around. Coach Taoka glanced at him, looking displeased. "Hikoichi! Pull yourself together! All these people are watching. Stop cowering and show some Ryonan spirit!"
Hikoichi shrank back and lowered his voice. "Coach... I heard my sister's coming today. I'm afraid she'll get angry again if she sees I haven't been practicing properly..."
His concern wasn't unfounded. His sister, the reporter Yayoi Aida, hadn't sent him to the basketball team to become a data analyst. It was understandable if he couldn't play because he lacked ability, but he couldn't let his attitude slide. With his sister's discerning eye, she would know immediately whether Hikoichi had been slacking off just by watching him move around on the court.
An eldest sister was like a mother, and a disobedient little brother faced serious consequences. So Hikoichi decisively chose to stay off the court, minimizing his presence as much as possible to improve his odds of survival.
"Coach, please help me," Hikoichi pleaded. "For the sake of all the nights and days I spent collecting information on Shohoku... I'll point out Hanamichi Sakuragi to you in a minute!"
Coach Taoka frowned. He really was somewhat at a loss with Hikoichi. As someone with experience, he could see that the boy had other strengths. Though he wasn't cut out to play, he might still make a name for himself in a basketball-related field someday. Yayoi Aida was still too young and a little too impatient.
Taoka actually already had a plan. Over the next three years, he intended to guide Hikoichi in another direction. At least that would give his sister something to show for entrusting him to the team.
"All right, didn't I already promise you?" Coach Taoka said. "Liven up. Shohoku should be here soon."
He had barely finished speaking when the light at the gym's entrance suddenly dimmed.
An exceptionally tall, powerfully built figure blocked the doorway, immediately drawing the attention of the spectators along the sidelines.
"Look! Shohoku's here!"
"That's Takenori Akagi! He looks even bigger than last year. Scary!"
"Uozumi really had a rough time against him last year..."
"What's there to be afraid of? Didn't Sendoh take care of them in the end? Besides, we've got Kaede Rukawa this year too. I reckon five minutes of this game will be enough. The rest is bound to be garbage time."
Amid the chatter, Takenori Akagi led Shohoku into the gym. He walked at the front, with Shirasawa and Hanamichi Sakuragi right behind him. The three tall players instantly gave the whole team an imposing presence.
It was best not to look any farther back, though. The first-year substitutes led by Kuwata looked so timid that they could give Hikoichi Aida, sitting courtside, a run for his money... Beside them sat Coach Anzai, whose presence was exceptionally gentle.
Almost simultaneously, two openly hostile gazes came from the court.
One fixed fiercely on Takenori Akagi, as though intent on crushing him.
The other was icy, aimed straight at Shirasawa.
"Akagi."