Kuroko's Basketball template: the king of slacking off, Shohoku's strongest sixth man.

Dafu Barbecue Restaurant.

Smoke swirls, the aroma of meat fills the air—that's the taste of happiness.

"Cheers!!"

The oolong tea leaves collided heavily, making a crisp sound.

Sakuragi Hanamichi monopolized an entire oven by himself.

His chopsticks danced so fast they were just blurry images, his mouth stuffed full of beef.

He was still mumbling, "Boss! Five more plates of beef brisket! Fatty ones, please!!"

Akagi Takenori watched his teammates wolf down their food.

A gentle smile finally appeared on that serious face.

This is Shohoku.

Noisy, chaotic, and disrespectful.

But it is full of wild, untamed vitality.

"Captain, how's it going in America?" Kiminobu Kogure asked, adjusting his glasses.

"Very strong."

Akagi put down his chopsticks, his expression somewhat solemn.

"Whether it's physical confrontation or tactical awareness, they're not on the same level as us."

"Especially that Shaq..."

"In front of him, I felt like a primary school student who had just learned to play ball."

Everyone fell silent for a moment, and the atmosphere became somewhat heavy.

Even Akagi said that, so how big must the difference be?

"What's there to be afraid of!"

Lin Bei picked up a piece of sizzling, oily diaphragm, swallowed it in one bite, and looked completely satisfied.

"Wait until we win the national championship."

"It's not too late to challenge them in the US later; let's broaden our horizons."

"That's right!"

Mitsui Hisashi raised his glass, exuding a heroic air.

"Let's dominate the whole country first!!"

"To dominate the entire nation!!"

The atmosphere became lively again.

The boy's bold words, mingled with the aroma of barbecue, drifted into the distance.

……

After a satisfying meal, the group parted ways at the crossroads.

Takenori Akagi walked home alone.

The night breeze was cool, carrying away the smell of barbecue on my clothes.

Looking at the familiar streets, Akagi felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

came back.

They're really back.

Moreover, Shohoku is stronger now than ever before.

His strength made him eager to make a scene on the national competition stage.

He pushed open the door to his house.

"I'm back."

The room was brightly lit.

Haruko Akagi ran out.

"Brother, you're back."

"Um."

Akagi changed his shoes and looked at his sister with some surprise.

"What's wrong? Why aren't you asleep so late?"

Haruko pointed to the living room, lowered her voice, and said mysteriously:

"Um...we have guests over."

"I've been waiting for you for a long time."

"guest?"

Akagi was taken aback.

Who would come looking for him so late at night?

And he just got back today.

Aside from the basketball team, probably nobody else knows.

Akagi walked into the living room, filled with suspicion.

Two "big Buddhas" were crammed into the narrow fabric sofa.

The man on the left is slightly older and wears wire-rimmed glasses.

The white shirt was buttoned up to the top, and the tie was so straight it looked like it had been measured with a ruler.

He just sat there, without saying a word, and the oppressive aura of someone who had been issuing commands for years was overwhelming.

Kazuo Tangze, a distinguished coach of Fukasawa University of Physical Education.

But the person next to him was the real visual shock.

Center-parted hair, black-rimmed glasses, dark blue polo shirt.

The thick arm muscles stretched the cuffs so much they looked like they were about to burst.

Even when sitting relaxed, the oppressive aura of a apex predator made the Akagi family's living room feel exceptionally cramped.

Third-year student at Fukasawa University.

Shota Sugiyama, the ceiling of inside scoring in the university world.

"this……"

"This feels like a dream..."

Akagi Takenori sat opposite him, his hands gripping his knees tightly, his back ramrod straight like a steel plate, cold sweat trickling down his temples.

He felt his heart pounding in his chest, so loudly that the person across the street could probably hear it.

These two big shots, who only exist on the covers of basketball magazines, actually knocked on his door!

"Here you go, Miss Haruko."

"The autograph you requested."

Shota Sugiyama smiled gently and handed over the signed paper.

"Thank you... thank you, Mr. Sugiyama!!"

Haruko Akagi's face turned as red as a ripe tomato.

She took the shikishi (a type of colored paper) with both hands and held it to her heart, her eyes filled with admiration.

Good heavens!

A living, breathing Shota Sugiyama!

"cough."

Coach Tang Ze coughed lightly, instantly bringing the situation under control.

He pushed up his glasses, his gaze behind the lenses scanning Akagi Takenori like an X-ray.

That was the look in the eyes of an old craftsman when he saw top-quality raw materials.

Both picky and unable to hide their satisfaction.

"Akagi-kun, relax."

"We're just having a casual chat today."

Tang Ze's voice is deep and steady, with a natural bass effect.

Akagi's Adam's apple bobbed, and he swallowed hard. "Yes, Coach."

Want to chat casually?

Who would believe this?!

Tang Ze leaned forward, interlaced his fingers, and his aura instantly sharpened.

"Many good players have emerged in the center position in this year's Kanagawa qualifiers."

Akagi immediately perked up his ears.

"Toru Hanagata of Shohoku is a representative of the flexible center forward."

Tang Ze held up one finger:

"Kazuma Takasago from Hainan may be a bit short, but he has good basketball IQ and solid fundamentals, making him a perfect role player."

"And then there's Jun Uozumi from Ryonan. His physique is a gift from God."

At this point, Tang Ze paused, his eyes fixed intently on Akagi:

"But among these promising talents, I have the highest opinion of you—Takenori Akagi of Shohoku."

Akagi suddenly looked up, his pupils dilating in shock.

I?

The highest rating?

"Of course, there's also a player named Lin Bei."

When the name was mentioned, Tang Ze frowned slightly, as if he was struggling to find the right words.

Shota Sugiyama, standing next to him, seemed to have been triggered and immediately chimed in.

His tone carried a hint of lingering admiration:

"That's right."

"That first-year student... is indeed quite good."

Akagi's heart skipped a beat.

Even a center of Sugiyama's caliber thinks Lin Bei is good?

Coach Tang Ze shook his head, then changed the subject:

"But strictly speaking, Lin Bei is not a pure center."

"His playing style is too aggressive and too versatile."

"His dominance in the paint is purely due to his exceptional physical attributes and reaction speed, not his center skills."

Tang Ze looked at Akagi, his eyes gradually growing fanatical:

"Simply speaking, the technique and awareness of a traditional center forward."

"And that fighting spirit that makes him a pillar of the team."

"I have higher hopes for you, Akagi-kun."

Akagi was completely stunned.

This sudden affirmation felt like a huge pie had hit me on the head, leaving me dizzy.

"You should know that the Shenze Sports University basketball team is the best in the country."

Tang Ze's voice wasn't loud, but every word carried immense weight.

Tang Ze stood up, extended his right hand to Akagi, his eyes burning with desire:

"Akagi-kun, come to Fukasawa University of Physical Education."

"Come to us after this summer ends."

Akagi stared at the large hand outstretched in front of him, his breath catching in his throat.

Fukasawa is large...

Number one in the country...

This is a sacred place that so many high school students would never even dare to dream of!

Not only can they receive top-notch guidance.

And I can even fight alongside my idol, Shota Sugiyama...

"bring it on."

Shota Sugiyama stood by, smiling and offering his support:

"If Lin Bei also wants to play guard or small forward, I'd be all for it."

Akagi's mouth was wide enough to fit an egg.

Good guy!

Not only have they set their sights on me, but Lin Bei has also been targeted?

Fukasawa has such a big appetite.

They want to empty out Shohoku!