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

County Gymnasium.

The heat was intense, and the place was bustling with noise.

Today is the fifth day of the Kanagawa Prefecture preliminary rounds, a crucial battle to determine the semifinalists.

The stands, which can hold thousands of people, were packed to capacity, with even the aisles filled with standing spectators.

The air was filled with the mixed smell of sweat and popcorn, a smell known as "Battle".

The teams that advanced from the four divisions A, B, C, and D will compete today to determine the final four.

In Kanagawa, only the two teams that make it to the finals can qualify for the IH (National Tournament).

Last year, these two tickets were firmly held by the "King" Hainan University Affiliated High School and the "Xiangyang" High School.

"Shohoku! Shohoku! Shohoku!"

"Shohoku! Shohoku! Shohoku!"

The unified shouts swept across the stadium like a tsunami, making the stadium's dome vibrate.

One side of the stands was completely covered by a sea of ​​green.

That was the cheering squad from Xiangyang High School.

Hundreds of students in neat school uniforms held plastic megaphones in their hands.

Under the command of the cheerleaders, they rhythmically unleashed deafening roars.

The atmosphere was more like that of someone watching a ball game.

It looked more like some kind of religious ceremony or an army marching off to war.

In comparison, the stands at Shohoku's side were so shabby it was almost heartbreaking.

Apart from a few scattered family members and students, there were only a few lone figures from the Sakuragi Army.

"Wow...this...this is way too exaggerated!"

Takamiya Nozomi dropped the potato chips in her hand in fright, staring blankly at the green square formation opposite her.

"Is this the aura of a seeded team?"

Oonan Yuji swallowed hard.

We felt like even if we shouted ourselves hoarse, our voices would be instantly drowned out by the other side's roar.

"It's just like a professional sports team..."

"Competing in this kind of atmosphere, the pressure alone is enough to make your legs go weak," Yohei Mito remarked, his brows furrowing slightly.

Haruko sat next to them, her hands tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, her face pale.

"Brother... Sakuragi-kun... everyone..."

She looked at the green wave that seemed capable of swallowing everything, her heart filled with worry.

……

Backstage, Shohoku's locker room.

The cheers outside could still be heard clearly through the thick walls, like muffled thunder.

The air seemed to freeze.

Takenori Akagi sat on the bench, arms crossed, eyes closed.

Although he tried his best to remain calm.

But his trembling eyelids and the fine beads of sweat on his forehead betrayed his inner tension.

This was his last year.

That was also the strongest year for Shohoku.

If we lose here, it's all over.

"Splash—"

The toilet door was suddenly pushed open.

Mitsui Hisashi walked out, his face pale, shaking the water droplets off his hands as he went.

"This is the fifth time, isn't it, Mitsui?"

Ryota Miyagi sat on the floor, rapidly juggling a basketball with both hands. The ball spun quickly between his fingertips, making a "whooshing" sound.

"Shut up!"

"I just... drank too much milk this morning, and it's a little diuretic."

Mitsui glared at him, trying to save face.

"Yeah?"

Miyagi pursed his lips, but his legs were actually shaking involuntarily.

Even delinquent teenagers who fight every day will inevitably have their hearts racing when faced with such a life-changing scene.

however.

In this tense atmosphere that seemed about to break, two extremely discordant notes emerged.

On a bench in the corner.

Rukawa Kaede, wearing headphones, leaned against the wall, fast asleep, a snot bubble even appearing on the tip of his nose, its size fluctuating.

And opposite him.

Lin Bei went even further.

He simply pushed several chairs together and lay down horizontally on them.

A towel was covering his face, and his chest rose and fell steadily.

"Huff... huff..."

You can even hear soft snoring.

Kogure Kiminobu looked at the two "sleepyheads" and helplessly pushed up his glasses.

He chuckled wryly, "I really envy those two guys' incredible nerves... they can still fall asleep at a time like this."

"Is this what they call...a genius?" Yasuda Yasuharu asked with admiration.

"Alright! Get up, everyone!"

Akagi suddenly opened his eyes, stood up, and broke the silence with a roar.

"Time is up!"

"It's our turn to go on stage!"

Lin Bei trembled at the shout.

He groggily pulled the towel off his face, revealing a pair of sleepy, dead fish eyes.

"Hey... Gorilla, why are you yelling so loudly..."

Lin Bei yawned, stretched, and his bones cracked and popped.

"Is it finally about to begin?"

"Let's finish this quickly and call it a day."

……

"Now entering is—Shohoku High School!"

As the announcer's voice rang out.

The Shohoku players filed out of the player tunnel.

The once noisy stadium was suddenly filled with a burst of noise.

"Shohoku? You mean that team full of delinquents?"

"I heard they knocked someone unconscious in their first match?"

"Tch, that was just luck. If they'd run into Shohoku and his gang, they'd be dead."

Doubts, ridicule, and discussions came from all directions.

Sakuragi Hanamichi walked in the middle of the group, and the veins on his forehead throbbed as he listened to the jarring noises.

"Those damn audience members..."

He was about to explode.

Suddenly, a familiar shout came from a corner of the stands.

"Hey!! Hanamichi!!"

Yohei Mito leaned against the railing, cupped his hands into a megaphone, and shouted at the top of his lungs:

"Please don't let him foul out again today!!"

"If you get kicked out like an idiot again, we won't be treating you to ramen!!"

"Hahahaha! King of Exit! Keep it up!" Nozomi Takamiya and Yuji Oonan joined in the cheering.

The entire audience burst into laughter.

Sakuragi Hanamichi's face instantly turned a deep liver color, a red born of extreme anger.

"Yohei!! You bunch of bastards!!"

"This genius will absolutely not leave today!! Absolutely!!"

Sakuragi waved his fist at the stands and roared.

Just then, a clear and melodious voice pierced through the noise.

"Sakuragi-kun! Do your best!!"

Sakuragi suddenly froze.

Looking in the direction of the sound, one could see Haruko Akagi standing on the stands, waving her arms vigorously with a bright smile on her face.

"I'm rooting for you! Rebound King Sakuragi!"

Sakuragi Hanamichi, who had been like a furious bull just moments before, melted instantly.

His fierce expression turned into a silly, lecherous grin.

Her face turned as red as a ripe tomato, and she twisted her whole body into a pretzel.

"Haru...Miss Haruko..."

"She calls me the Rebound King...hehehe..."

While the farce was still unfolding on the Xiangbei side...

On the other side of the stadium, an even more astonishing cheer suddenly erupted.

"Shohoku! Shohoku! Shohoku!"

Amidst the overwhelming roar, the Xiangyang High School team members ran onto the court.

For a moment, the pupils of everyone in Shohoku contracted slightly.

high.

Too high.