Ryonan High School Gym
Qing Junce stood at the top of the arc, the ball cradled in both hands, eyes locked onto Sendoh.
Then—his lips curled into a slight smirk.
The next second, he began to move.
The ball flicked seamlessly between his hands—left to right, right to left—in one fluid, hypnotic rhythm.
Bang…Bang…Bang…Whoosh—
Suddenly, Qing Junce vanished from Sendoh's field of vision.
What?!
Sendoh's pupils shrank. A cold shock ran down his spine.
Before he could react, he heard the slap of a dribble echo beside him—accompanied by a gust of wind.
He spun around in a panic and caught a glimpse—just a blur of red.
Behind him, Uekusa gawked. "So fast… He left Sendoh behind instantly!"
Even Uozumi tensed under the rim.
That speed—inhuman.
On the Court
Qing Junce tore through the court, already at Ryonan's three-point line.
Koshino rushed forward to intercept.
But as soon as he stepped in front of Junce—he blinked—and the boy was gone.
"What—?!" Koshino reeled, caught in the wind that followed Junce's wake.
He didn't even have time to turn.
All he could do was squint—and even then, he couldn't catch a glimpse of Junce's back.
Within seconds, Qing Junce stepped into the paint and launched into the air.
A dunk.
He raised the ball overhead, ready to slam it down—
But suddenly—a hand burst upward and met the ball in midair.
SMACK!
The ball was deflected, bouncing sharply to the side.
"Huh?"
Qing Junce's eyes flicked toward the defender—Sendoh.
He had caught up.
"That guy actually made it back in time…" Junce thought, impressed.
Ryonan's Bench
Cheers erupted.
"Blocked!"
"Sendoh-senpai, amazing!"
"I thought we were done for just now!"
Even Aida Hikoichi, still furiously scribbling notes, practically broke his pen in excitement.
But not everyone looked thrilled.
Coach Taoka's eyes darkened.
That speed—Junce's acceleration just now—it was on par with Sendoh.
Maybe… faster.
And Shohoku didn't just have Akagi and Rukawa anymore.
They had this guy too.
A third monster.
He felt a pit forming in his stomach.
Shohoku Bench
"No way?!" Ayako gasped.
"That was so close!" Yamada groaned.
Kuwata nodded. "Even Qing Junce got blocked… That Sendoh guy's seriously tough."
But Shimizu Kanon?
She simply sighed. "Ace… typical."
Back on the Court
After getting blocked, Qing Junce dropped lightly to the ground.
Koshino snatched the ball and immediately fired a pass to Uekusa, shouting, "Fast break!"
Uekusa caught it and tore down the court.
Sendoh, as soon as he landed, pivoted and sprinted ahead.
Shohoku's players scrambled to recover, but Ryonan's counterattack was just too fast.
And then—
A white blur streaked across the court.
Sendoh.
He broke through Shohoku's backcourt like a lightning bolt.
Seeing him wide open, Uekusa launched a long pass.
The ball soared—like a comet across the gym—and landed perfectly in Sendoh's hands.
Shohoku panicked.
"No—!"
Sendoh rose. Ball in one hand. Dunk imminent.
But just as everyone braced for impact—
A figure appeared beside him. Silent, sudden.
WHAP!
A palm smacked the ball out of Sendoh's grasp.
"What—?!"
Sendoh turned mid-air, stunned.
Qing Junce hovered beside him, eyes gleaming with mischief.
Sendoh's heart sank.
"When did he…?"
The entire gym froze.
People weren't just shocked that Qing Junce had stopped Sendoh's dunk.
They were stunned by how he did it.
He'd launched from an awkward angle—his body tilted at nearly 45 degrees mid-air, practically off-balance—yet he still managed to slap the ball cleanly.
Junce and Sendoh landed on the hardwood.
Beep!
The whistle blew.
End of the first half.
"HUH?!" Junce blinked. "It's already halftime? Tch… I was just getting warmed up. Was gonna score one."
Silence.
The gym was dead quiet.
All eyes were on #9 Qing Junce.
Even Sakuragi Hanamichi, who had been whining to Coach Anzai nonstop, shut his mouth.
Junce didn't care about the stares.
He turned to Sendoh, still recovering from the block, and grinned. "Not bad. Only down by ten. Impressive."
Sendoh stared back, face serious.
He understood now—without a doubt.
The guy in front of him was just as strong.
Maybe stronger.
But then—Sendoh's seriousness cracked into a smile.
"That's what makes it fun."
Ryonan Bench
Aida Hikoichi jumped to his feet. "OH MY GOD! He actually stopped Sendoh! That was insane! Is he even human?!"
All the other players looked shaken, silent.
Coach Taoka stood without realizing it, still stunned.
What had he just seen?
A player not just on par with Sendoh—but maybe better.
And that speed…
"Damn it!" Taoka clenched his fists.
He had scouted and fought hard to bring Sendoh to Ryonan.
But Shohoku?
They had Akagi.Rukawa.And now—Qing Junce.
His eyes drifted to Coach Anzai, who sat calm and unmoving, like a serene monk.
And in Taoka's eyes?
Envy. Jealousy. Frustration.
Stands – Second Floor
"Holy crap!! He blocked Sendoh!! That guy's insane!"
"Who is that?! I've never even heard of him!"
"He caught up to Sendoh in the blink of an eye!"
Haruko's eyes sparkled. "Incredible… Qing Junce is incredible! Shohoku still has hope!"
Matsui, arms crossed, side-eyed her. "Didn't you say the same thing about Rukawa?"
Sakuragi's Gang
They were frozen, too.
Mito Yohei muttered, "That guy… he's no ordinary player."
Nozomi added, "Wouldn't have guessed it—he looks like a model."
Yuji, glancing at Sakuragi, said, "If this keeps up, I don't think Sakuragi's getting on the court."
Noma, blunt as ever, said, "Even if he does, he won't be able to do anything."