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

The room was silent for a few seconds.

Akagi stared, stunned, at Sakuragi's eyes, which were filled with anxiety and resentment.

He initially thought the kid was just messing around again.

did not expect……

"Are you serious?" Akagi asked in a deep voice.

"Nonsense! This genius is serious!"

"Tomorrow is Shohoku!"

"If we get kicked out in less than twenty minutes again like before..."

"I...I absolutely refuse!"

Sakuragi clenched his fists, his face full of resentment.

Akagi looked at him, a barely perceptible hint of relief flashing in his eyes.

Has this layman who always calls himself a genius finally begun to face his shortcomings?

"snort."

Akagi snorted and turned to pick up the coat hanging on the hanger.

"Come with me."

"Where to?" Sakuragi asked, taken aback.

"Duh, of course we'll go to the gym."

"How can I teach you defense here? Are you suggesting I use a dining table as a basketball hoop?"

……

at the same time.

On the street outside Shohoku High School.

A deep engine roar broke the morning's tranquility.

A heavy Harley-Davidson motorcycle is parked on the side of the road.

Tie Nan straddled the car, a cigarette dangling from his mouth.

He watched the figure not far away, carrying a sports bag, walking towards the school.

The figure had short hair, wore a neat school uniform, and stood up straight.

The former decadence and gloom were gone.

"Hey, Mitsui."

Tie Nan shouted.

Mitsui Hisashi stopped and turned around.

Upon seeing that it was Tie Nan, his eyes flickered for a moment, then he revealed a relieved smile.

"Tetsuo, huh?"

The two stared at each other from a distance of several meters.

They used to be partners who fought and dominated the streets together.

Now, they stand at the crossroads of two worlds.

Tetsuo looked Mitsui up and down, then started his motorcycle.

The engine roared loudly.

"That hairstyle..."

Iron Man put on his helmet, his voice coming through the mask, slightly hoarse.

"It suits you perfectly."

Goodbye, athletic boy.

After saying that, he didn't hesitate for a moment and twisted the accelerator.

The Harley-Davidson motorcycle, like a black beast, roared as it charged toward the end of the street and disappeared into the morning mist.

Mitsui Hisashi stood there, watching the direction Tetsuo had left, without moving for a long time.

a long time.

He took a deep breath, letting the cool morning air fill his lungs.

Goodbye, Tetsuo.

He turned around and strode towards the gate of Shohoku High School.

His teammates were there.

His basketball.

And the glory he once lost, which he is now determined to reclaim at all costs.

"Xiangyang..."

A fierce fire ignited in Mitsui's eyes.

"Just wait, I'll make up for all those three years I missed!"

……

Shohoku High School Basketball Gymnasium.

In the stillness of the night, only the chirping of cicadas could be heard on campus.

Akagi led Sakuragi to the entrance of the gymnasium and was about to take out his keys.

Suddenly, both of them stopped moving.

"Bang! Swish!"

"Bang! Swish!"

The clear sounds of dribbling and the net scraping could be heard coming from inside the closed gate.

At this moment, in this deserted school, it seems particularly clear.

"Is...is there a ghost?" Sakuragi swallowed hard and hid behind Akagi.

"Shut up, you idiot."

Akagi frowned and pushed open the door.

The lighting was dim, with only one row of overhead lights on.

But on that court where light and shadow intertwine, a figure is running, stopping abruptly, and jumping to shoot.

His black hair was soaked with sweat and stuck to his forehead.

The gray T-shirt had completely turned dark, clinging tightly to his body and revealing his well-defined muscles.

That's Rukawa Kaede.

He wasn't doing regular shooting practice.

He was simulating real combat.

Rukawa Kaede was seen holding the ball outside the three-point line.

Even though there was no one in front of him, he felt as if he were facing a thousand troops.

Lower your center of gravity and suddenly change direction to the right.

Then, in an instant, he dribbles behind his back and pulls the ball back, followed by a large step-back.

Jump and shoot.

His movements were incredibly fast, and his eyes were terrifyingly cold.

"Whoosh!"

Goal!

Rukawa landed without pausing.

He immediately rushed to the basket to retrieve the ball and ran back to the three-point line.

"Huff... huff..."

Heavy breathing echoed in the empty stadium.

Sakuragi Hanamichi stood at the door, looking as if he had been struck by lightning.

He always thought that the reason this dead fox was strong was because of its talent and its coolness.

He assumed that after Rukawa Kaede won the game, he would be at home sleeping or watching TV.

But now...

Looking at that figure, drenched in sweat and seemingly tireless.

For the first time, Sakuragi Hanamichi felt something called "gap".

It's not just about technology.

It was that desire for victory, that almost obsessive effort.

"Rukawa..."

Akagi looked at Rukawa Kaede on the field with a complicated expression.

Rukawa Kaede seemed to have noticed the commotion at the door.

He stopped what he was doing and turned his head.

Those indifferent eyes swept over Akagi and Sakuragi without the slightest surprise, merely nodding slightly as a greeting.

Then, I continued practicing.

They completely ignored Sakuragi's existence.

"That damned fox..."

Sakuragi gritted his teeth, but this time, he didn't rush up to argue.

A strange flame burned in his chest.

"Gorilla! Hurry up!"

"Teach me quickly! I want to practice too!"

"This genius absolutely cannot lose to this fox!"

Sakuragi suddenly turned to look at Akagi, his gaze burning intensely.

Just then.

"Squeak—"

The stadium doors were pushed open again.

"Let go, Ryota!"

"I haven't finished running yet!"

"I need to get home early to watch JoJo's Bizarre Adventure!"

"I'm really going to call the police! This is kidnapping!"

A silent, resistant voice came through.

Immediately afterwards, Miyagi Ryota dragged someone in.

The man, wearing running shoes and looking utterly dejected, was none other than Lin Bei.

Behind the two stood Mitsui, who looked astonished.

"Lin Bei! Please teach me just this once!"

"That super-fast dribbling! That footwork that disappears in an instant!"

"We're playing Shohoku tomorrow. Fujima's fast; I need to get even faster!"

Gongcheng clung tightly to Lin Bei's arm, as if grasping at a lifeline.

"Brother, I haven't finished my 10km run yet."

"Besides, that's a talent; you can't learn it."

"How do you know I can't learn if you don't teach me!" Miyagi persisted.

The two of them walked into the stadium, pulling and tugging at each other.

Looking up, I saw Akagi, Sakuragi, and Rukawa inside.

The air suddenly became quiet for a few seconds.

"Well……"

Lin Bei was taken aback.

He glanced at Rukawa Kaede wiping his sweat, then at Sakuragi, whose face was full of fighting spirit.

"What's going on?"

"Is tonight a gathering of Shohoku's problem children?"

Lin Bei sighed and rubbed his forehead in exasperation. "I just want to finish running early and go home to sleep..."

"Lin Bei!!"

When Sakuragi saw Lin Bei, it was as if he had seen a savior, or as if he had seen a rival.

"You're here too! Perfect timing!"

"Let me show you the ultimate move this genius is about to learn!"

"I don't want to watch, I'm not interested, goodbye." Lin Bei turned around and was about to leave.

"No!"

"Since everyone's here, it must be fate!" Miyagi grabbed a leg.

"Captain, since everyone's here, how about we have a small scrimmage?"

"It'll be a good opportunity to help Sakuragi familiarize himself with the rules, and also let me try to defend against Lin Bei's breakthroughs!" Mitsui's eyes gleamed.

Upon hearing the words "confrontational match".

Rukawa Kaede, who was originally focused on practicing his basketball, twitched his ears.

He stopped what he was doing, picked up the ball, and walked over.

His gaze was fixed on Lin Bei, his fighting spirit burning brightly.

"I want to fight too," Rukawa Kaede said coldly.

Lin Bei looked at those pairs of eyes, which were as fierce as wolves and tigers, and sighed deeply.

He knew that he wouldn't be able to get any sleep tonight.

"Okay, okay..."

Lin Bei took off his slippers and stretched his ankles.

"Since you're so eager to be tortured, then so be it."

He walked to the center of the court and picked up a basketball.

His gaze instantly sharpened.

"But let's make this clear first, I have to go home after this game."

……

That night, the basketball court of Shohoku was brightly lit.

Nobody knows what happened inside.

All I know is that the next morning, when the gatekeeper came to open the door, he found several people lying haphazardly on the floor.

In the very center, Sakuragi Hanamichi lies in a starfish shape.

Although he was so tired he couldn't move, a strange smile lingered on his lips.

"Hehehe...this genius...has learned it..."

"Next time... I will never leave..."