The Meiji Prep gym roared with energy, the crowd's cheers echoing off the high rafters as Kenji Tachibana dribbled at the top of the key, his healed finger steady on the ball. The friendly match against Meiji's sharpshooting squad was underway, and Kaito Kurogane's presence in the stands, white gloves glinting, signaled his intent to rattle Kenji's game. Hoshino's cryptic drive from last night—slipped into a ref's bag with the whisper, "This changes everything"—burned in Kenji's mind, as did Tatami's warning about Kaito's planned disruption. Rin Matsuoka's shooting ace prowess was Shinwa's edge, but Kaito's mind games and his father's shadow league loomed larger than ever.
From the tip-off, Kaito's strategy was clear. Meiji's point guard, a wiry kid named Haruto, mirrored Kaito's orders, shadowing Kenji with relentless traps. Taiga Fujimori, Ryusei's enforcer loaned to Meiji's lineup, slammed an elbow into Kenji's ribs on a drive—called clean by a ref who avoided eye contact. "Kaito's paying for that whistle," Kenji muttered, shaking off the pain. He faked left, spun right with the phantom dribble, and fed Rin, who sank a three from deep, his stoic "Aim. Sink. Repeat" mantra silencing the crowd. The scoreboard ticked: Shinwa 12, Meiji 10.
Hana, clipboard in hand on the sidelines, scribbled furiously. "They're running Kaito's trap plays—80% focused on you, Kenji," she called, her voice cutting through the noise. Her eyes flicked to the new trainer, now benched after Morita's expulsion, but a new face in the stands—a Kurogane scout—watched her too closely. The zine's threat lingered, but her steady gaze met Kenji's, grounding him.
Akira Sano, playbook open, called "Phantom Shift, variation four!" His voice carried new fire, the burned Hoshino photo a memory he'd shed. Jiro's slashing cut drew a Meiji defender, opening space for Rin's next three—swish, 95% accuracy holding strong. Riku's speed burned past Haruto, and Tatsuya's fake stretched Meiji's defense thin. Kaito Hattori blocked a shot, stumbling but grinning, "Got it, sorry!" Daichi, less oblivious now, hustled for a rebound, earning a nod from Morita.
But Kaito's presence shifted the game. Meiji's plays tightened, mimicking Ryusei's precision, and Haruto's traps forced Kenji into a turnover. Kaito smirked from the stands, signaling Taiga for another "clean" foul. Kenji's frustration flared, but Hana's fake "Shift Surge" play, fed to the ousted trainer, threw Meiji off—they overcommitted to a decoy, letting Kenji lob to Rin for another three. Halftime: Shinwa 38, Meiji 34.
In the locker room, Haru burst in, laptop glowing. "That drive Hoshino planted?" he said, glasses glinting. "It's got shadow league contracts—Kaito's dad bribed Meiji's coach years ago. But there's a file marked 'Hoshino Debt Release.' He might be flipping." Kenji's pulse spiked. Was Hoshino breaking free, or baiting them?
Hana flipped her notebook. "If Hoshino's turning, we use it. If not, we stay sharp. Kaito's dad's the real threat—those '98 ledgers tie him to Saito's hit." Her hand brushed Kenji's, a quiet promise. Akira's jaw tightened. "Hoshino's here," he said, nodding to the stands where Hoshino now sat, alone, eyes locked on Akira, no wink—just intensity.
Morita rallied them. "Kosei was tough, Meiji's tougher. Run Shift clean, Rin's your ace. Kaito wants you rattled, Kenji—don't give in." His '98 guilt flickered, but his grip on Kenji's shoulder was firm, Saito's memory fueling him.
The second half exploded. Kenji dodged Taiga's elbow, his healed finger flicking a no-look pass to Jiro, who slashed for a layup. Rin sank two more threes, his knee brace creaking but his aim flawless. Meiji's sharpshooters answered, Haruto draining a deep shot, but Riku's speed and Tatsuya's fakes kept Shinwa ahead. Akira's unscripted calls threw Meiji off, Phantom Shift hitting 88% completion, Haru whispered from the bench.
With seconds left, tied at 68, Kenji drove, Kaito's trap closing in. He faked the Surge, spun past Haruto, and lobbed to Rin, who launched a three—swish. The gym erupted, Shinwa 71, Meiji 68. As the buzzer sounded, Kenji locked eyes with Hoshino, who stood, dropped his Kurogane badge on the floor, and walked out. The ref, pale, clutched the bag with Hoshino's drive, unnoticed by the crowd.
Post-game, Hana pulled Kenji aside, her face alight. "That drive's our leverage. If Hoshino's defecting, we've got him." Her fingers lingered on his, the win's rush sparking between them. Haru, already hacking the drive, grinned. "It's encrypted, but I'll crack it. Ikebukuro's next—Tatami's waiting."
As they left, Akira paused at the gym door, staring at Hoshino's discarded badge. "He's playing his own game now," he said, voice low. Across the lot, a black van idled—the Enforcer's silhouette inside. Kaito was gone, but his father's shadow loomed, and Hoshino's move had just redrawn the board.