Slam Dunk: Sakuragi learned from Kawamura Eiki's experience

May 19, Kanagawa Prefectural Gymnasium.

A few spectators sat sparsely in the stands, mostly cheerleaders from various schools and family members of the players. It wasn't the weekend, and it was only the first round of the preliminaries; the turnout was quite impressive.

A group of people walked in from the highest point of the stands. Jun Uozumi walked at the front; his 202cm height caused the spectators in the surrounding rows to unconsciously shift to either side as soon as he stood on the stands. Akira Sendoh followed behind him, and Kichijou Fukuda, who had been recalled by Coach Taoka, was also in the group.

Off-road, Grass, and Ikegami took their seats in turn. Aida Hikoichi walked at the very back, already holding a notebook and pen. He opened the notebook as soon as his butt touched the chair.

Ryonan's appearance caused a small sensation, and several spectators began to whisper among themselves.

"The people from Ryonan have arrived."

"That must be Ryonan's ace, Sendoh, right? He's so tall."

"Uozumi is even scarier. Look at his size, he's like an iron tower."

Jun Uozumi's gaze swept across the court, pausing briefly on Shohoku's bench.

"That number 14... I feel like I've seen him somewhere before."

On the bench, Sakuragi Hanamichi tilted his head and leaned close to Coach Anzai.

"Dad," Sakuragi grinned, his face bearing an expression that said, "This genius saw through everything long ago."

"Are they making us their secret weapon again, to be the grand finale? Just like last time against Ryonan, letting them be smug for a while, and then this genius comes up to turn the tide..."

Coach Anzai adjusted his glasses. "No, it's as punishment for your fighting."

"Ah..." The four problem children were stunned for a moment.

"You mistress, it's all your fault!"

The substitutes' bench erupted in anger, blaming Mitsui for preventing them from playing.

Mitsui was about to argue that Yanai Yuri had struck first when he saw Yanai sitting next to Ayako looking at him with an unfriendly expression, a hint of murderous intent in her eyes.

Mitsui let out a muffled "uh," then turned his head back, his voice dropping eight octaves: "...Nothing. I didn't say anything."

On the court, Takenori Akagi was battling it out alone under the basket. Every time he received the ball inside, at least two players from Miura Dai would rush over, sometimes three would double-team him, making it impossible for the ball to get out once it was passed in, and his shots would be interfered with.

Kogure ran back and forth on the perimeter more than a dozen times, his legs were almost broken, but Miura Dai's defense rotated very quickly. Every time he got to an open spot, the defender would be there before the ball even arrived.

Miura Dai's game was getting better and better. Led by their ace player, number 4 Murasame, they kept attacking the basket and scoring.

The point difference continued to widen, and the gap between the two teams exceeded 30 points.

Murasame, number 4 from Miuradai, stood outside the three-point line, hands on her hips, tilting her head as she looked at Akagi.

"I heard you guys beat Ryonan in a practice match?"

Murasame's voice carried an inexplicable sarcasm, "That's it? Then this year we're going to beat Hainan and Ryonan and win the championship."

His teammates burst out laughing, which sounded particularly jarring in the arena.

The Ryonan fans in the stands erupted in cheers.

Jun Uozumi suddenly stood up, cupped his hands around his mouth, and forced his voice out from his chest, making the entire arena vibrate: "Akagi! Get ready! Take down that number 4!"

Koshino and the others also stood up: "Beat them! Why aren't Sakuragi and Rukawa going yet...?"

Yan Yi's gaze shifted from the scoreboard to the Shohoku bench, then back to the court, his expression clearly saying, "Am I seeing things?"

"Shohoku... could they be finished in the first game?" Yan Yi's voice was very soft, as if he was talking to himself, or as if he was asking the person next to him.

Sitting next to him, Fukuda Kichijou's gaze remained fixed on the red number 10 on Shohoku's bench, who was so anxious he couldn't sit still.

"No." Fukuda's voice wasn't loud, but it was very certain. "Sakuragi and the others should be on the field in the second half."

Yan Yi turned to look at Fukuda, but Fukuda didn't explain and kept his eyes fixed on the court.

Sendoh sat next to Uozumi, leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head, looking completely calm. He hadn't believed Shohoku would lose, especially considering they had managed to turn the tide in their practice match against Ryonan by 22 points.

"You lost to a team like Shohoku?" A deep, steady voice came from behind Sendoh.

Sendoh turned his head and saw a middle-aged man wearing a school uniform suit.

Shinichi Maki, the ace of Hainan University Affiliated High School, last year's MVP of the prefectural tournament, and one of the strongest players in Kanagawa.

Sendoh removed his hands from behind his head and sat up straight.

"It's Maki." Sendoh's voice was still in that lazy tone, but there was a hint of seriousness in it. "Don't worry, the best is yet to come."

Maki Shinichi shifted his gaze from Sendoh's face to the basketball court.

The whistle blew to end the first half, and the scoreboard jumped one last time to 58-21.

The score difference is 37 points.

Coach Anzai turned to look at the four problem children on the bench.

The four sat side by side, each face practically screaming "I want to play!" but none dared to say it. Coach Anzai's words, "As punishment for your fighting," still echoed in their minds.

"From now on," Coach Anzai's voice was calm and measured, as if he were reasoning with children, "you won't fight anymore, right?"

The four people's eyes lit up, and they spoke at the same time, their voices so synchronized that it sounded like they had rehearsed.

"Won't!"

"Never!"

"Absolutely not!"

"Perhaps not..."

Sakuragi shouted the loudest, followed closely by Mitsui. Miyagi nodded, and Rukawa's lips twitched, which was considered a gesture of agreement.

Coach Anzai nodded in satisfaction, his chin twitching slightly.

He adjusted his glasses, his gaze sweeping across the four faces behind the lenses:

"Alright. In the second half, the four of you will play two players each for ten minutes. Rukawa and Miyagi will play the first ten minutes, and Sakuragi and Mitsui will play the last ten minutes. Is that alright?"

All four of them widened their eyes simultaneously.

"Ten minutes?" Sakuragi's voice rose eight octaves. "Dad, only ten minutes?"

Mitsui panicked, spreading his hands: "Coach, we're already down by 37 points! What can we accomplish in just ten minutes?"

Coach Anzai looked at them, chuckled three times, and then said nothing more. That chuckle meant there was no room for negotiation; it was ten minutes, not a second more.

The four of them exchanged glances, their expressions shifting from dissatisfaction to resignation, and then to a fierce determination that said, "Fine, ten minutes it is, but I'm going to make those ten minutes into forty."

The whistle blew to end halftime.

The Shohoku players stood up from the bench and walked onto the court.

The players taking the stage are Akagi, Kogure, Rukawa, Miyagi... and Emperor Kakuta.

In the stands, the Ryonan people immediately sat up straight.

"Huh? Isn't Sakuragi going to play?" Hikoichi's voice came from behind the laptop, clearly puzzled. "They're so far behind, and he's still on the bench?"

"What's going on?" Uozumi asked, equally bewildered. "Down by 37 points, and you're still hiding it?"

Yueye said to Yan Yi next to him, "Yan Yi, you need to watch out for Xiangbei's number 7. He's Xiangbei's main point guard."

"Number 7? The starting point guard?" Yan Yi looked at Miyagi on the court with a surprised expression.

Sendoh also looked at Maki Shinichi sitting next to him, "Although Shohoku's main players aren't all on the court yet, the real show is just beginning!"

(Please keep reading! Don't let the book sit unfinished anymore, experts, please help me! If I can keep reading, it might even reach the top three!)