One week later.
Shimizu Kanon and Ayako were walking side by side down the street.
Shimizu Kanon's gaze looked blank, her head hung low. She hadn't said a word the entire way.
Ayako was full of curiosity and finally couldn't help asking, "What's up with you today? You seem off. Is something bothering you?"
Shimizu Kanon snapped out of it and forced a small smile. "It's nothing."
Seeing her like that, Ayako said directly, "There's nothing you can't tell me. If something's bothering you, saying it out loud might help ease your mind."
Hearing that, Shimizu Kanon looked at Ayako and let out a long sigh. "Sigh… It's not really about me. It's about Saku-chan. I just feel like he's changed recently, and I'm kind of worried."
"Hmm? Aoi-kun? What about him? I just saw him yesterday helping Sakuragi-kun with shooting. Didn't seem different to me." Ayako looked puzzled.
Shimizu Kanon shook her head anxiously. "I'm not sure either. I just have this feeling… and it's making me uneasy."
Ayako threw an arm around Kanon's neck and laughed carelessly. "C'mon, you're probably overthinking it. He's a big boy—he'll be fine."
Shimizu Kanon hesitated a bit, then nodded slowly. Still, she thought to herself, I hope I'm just overthinking it…
…
At the Aoi family villa.
In Aoi Kunisaku's bedroom.
Snore… snore… snore…
Aoi Kunisaku was sprawled out on the bed, sleeping soundly.
Sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a dreamy glow across the room.
Beside the bed was an open gravure magazine. The women on the pages were dressed in barely-there outfits, their "bunny rabbits" practically seductive succubi from a midnight dream—beautiful and unattainable to mere mortals.
…
Meanwhile.
At the Anzai residence.
In the sitting room, Rukawa Kaede and Anzai Mitsuyoshi sat across from each other.
Rukawa Kaede had dropped in uninvited today. He was struggling with a major decision and came specifically to hear Coach Anzai's opinion.
Anzai Mitsuyoshi sipped his tea and asked, "So, what is it you wanted to tell me?"
Rukawa Kaede thought for a moment before finally speaking. "Coach Anzai… I want to go to America."
As soon as he said it, Anzai Mitsuyoshi's pupils shrank slightly. But his face stayed calm. "To America? You mean for study?"
Rukawa Kaede shook his head. "I just want to get better at basketball. That's all."
Silence fell over the room like a blanket. It was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop.
After a long while, Anzai Mitsuyoshi finally spoke. "I'm against it."
The moment those words left his mouth, Rukawa's eyes went dead.
Anzai continued, "With your current skill, it's still too early to go to America. And…"
He paused, then said, "You're still not at Sendoh's level. You've seen Maki from Kainan, too. You should know how far behind you are."
He grew serious as he added, "In the national tournament, you'll face even stronger opponents. If you really want to go to America, then become the top high school player in the country first."
Stronger opponents.
Rukawa Kaede's expression shifted. He was taken aback.
After thinking for a bit, he hesitated and asked, "Even stronger than Aoi Kunisaku?"
In his mind, no one had ever been a match for Aoi.
Aoi Kunisaku was, without a doubt, the strongest basketball player he'd ever seen.
Hoh hoh hoh hoh…
Hearing this, Anzai Mitsuyoshi couldn't help but laugh.
He chuckled for a while before his expression turned meaningful. "If the one standing here today were Aoi, I would've agreed to him going to America without hesitation."
"What?" Rukawa was shocked. "Why? Just because he's strong?"
Anzai nodded, then shook his head. "Aoi's strength goes far beyond what you've seen. I think even in America, he'd be among the elite."
That completely stunned Rukawa.
He never imagined Coach Anzai would rate Aoi Kunisaku that highly.
Even top-tier in America?!
That idea kept echoing through his mind.
Anzai Mitsuyoshi continued, "You saw Aoi's game against Maki from Kainan. You've seen them both unleash their 'wild instinct.' Do you think you can beat them?"
Rukawa didn't respond.
He admitted he couldn't win now, but he was confident—he would surpass them one day.
Seeing that confidence in Rukawa's eyes, Anzai Mitsuyoshi said, "Aoi is so strong, the entire team has to play around him. Rukawa, if you really want to go to America, then first become the best in the country. Challenge Aoi when you're at your strongest. By then, whether or not to go to America… you'll already have your answer."
Boom—
Rukawa Kaede felt like his whole body went numb.
The best in the country?
Challenge Aoi Kunisaku?
Was that guy really that insane?
…
Noon.
Aoi family villa.
Inside Aoi Kunisaku's bedroom.
Sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting golden light across the floor.
Aoi Kunisaku slowly woke up. That warm light touched his face, making his whole body feel at ease, like every pore was soaking in comfort.
A rush of energy surged through every limb and bone.
This feeling… felt familiar.
So familiar that he instantly sensed something strange.
The vitality in his body seemed to have changed.
It felt fuller than before, like it had increased out of nowhere.
He felt like he was overflowing with strength. "This… this feeling… it's the same as when I first got the system."
…
Bang…
Bang…
Bang…
On the nearby outdoor court near the Aoi family villa, Aoi Kunisaku was sweating hard as he trained.
His eyes were sharp like blades, locked tightly onto the hoop ahead. His whole body radiated a wild, fearless energy like a panther ready to pounce.
In an instant, his body flashed and vanished like a streak of blue lightning.
Clang…
By the time his figure reappeared, he had already slammed the basketball into the hoop.
Thud… thud thud… thud thud thud…
The ball hit the ground with a deep sound and rolled off to the side.
Aoi Kunisaku stared at his hands, savoring the changes in his body.
"My speed… it's faster again. And…" His eyes grew distant, his thoughts drifting far away. "That feeling… it's back. The sensation of sinking to the lake bottom."
"And that door…" He tried to push open the mysterious door at the lake bottom. But something was strange. No matter what he did, he couldn't budge it.
No, that's not right.
To be exact, it wasn't that he couldn't push it. He couldn't even touch it.
He had a feeling that if he could just reach the door, he could open it easily.
But he just couldn't reach it.
That feeling—so close, yet impossibly far—it was the same as when the template integration had gotten stuck at 99%.
What was causing this feeling?
He started thinking back over recent events. Aside from nonstop training, nothing special came to mind.
It had been all training, and nothing else.
Wait a minute.
His body jolted.
He remembered helping Sakuragi Hanamichi with his shooting.
Back then, he was just hoping Sakuragi would improve quickly, so he could have more fun playing and not get bored.
That was all he thought.
Suddenly, Aoi Kunisaku's pupils shrank. His heart started pounding wildly.
He just realized… he had overlooked something important this whole time.
Thinking back over everything since joining Shohoku, months had passed, yet the template hadn't moved at all.
Before that, it had progressed every single day.
At the time, he'd worried about being fully merged with the template. He didn't want to become just another over-the-top anime character. So he…
Heh… ha… hahahahaha…
Aoi Kunisaku let out a bitter laugh that grew louder and louder, until it turned into full-on hysterical laughter. "I've been such an idiot! What the hell have I been doing?!"
He only played basketball because of the system.
The system clearly said the template was Aomine Daiki. He relied on that power too.
So why had he been trying to suppress his thoughts?
If he had already accepted the system, why was he still pretending to hold back? It was ridiculous.
He'd clearly accepted it long ago.
"If I hadn't forced myself to hold back back then… maybe by now…" Aoi Kunisaku's eyes widened. He grinned, his face twisting slightly. That twisted expression was laced with scorn for his past self.
Slap—
A cold sensation hit his palm.
He looked up on reflex. That familiar door appeared once more.
His eyes flew wide open.
At some point, his hand had actually touched the door he could never reach before.
Without thinking, he pushed with all his strength.
BOOM—
A thunderous crash rang out, like the world itself was shaking apart.
The ancient, heavy door that had been sealed shut for so long… finally cracked open just a sliver.
Aoi Kunisaku pressed harder.
Creaaak… creeeaaak…
With each loud, grating sound, the crack in the door slowly widened.
Then suddenly, a blinding light burst out from the opening, flooding Aoi Kunisaku's face.
BOOM… creeaak creeaak…
In that moment, the door seemed guided by some mysterious force. It opened slowly, like it had been waiting to welcome its king.
Even after Aoi Kunisaku stopped pushing, the door continued to open on its own.
Before he knew it, the door had opened completely. Everything beyond it was laid bare before his eyes.
Without hesitation, Aoi Kunisaku stepped through.
Zzzzz…
Zzzlaaaa…
At that instant, two streaks of blue lightning exploded from Aoi Kunisaku's eyes.