The Shinwa High school festival pulsed with life, lanterns swaying above colorful booths as Kenji Tachibana manned a basketball toss game, his quick grin pulling in a crowd of cheering students. The Principal Cup qualifier against Asahi High loomed tonight, but Kaito Hattori's cryptic warning last night—"I know who's behind the 'K'"—hung heavy, a shadow tied to Kaito Kurogane's father and the red "K" symbols taunting the team. Kaede's viral broadcast exposing shadow league bribes had sparked chaos, and the festival's buzz felt like a fleeting shield before the court's storm.
In a cramped music room earlier, Kenji had strummed a guitar for a festival prep session, weaving a song's underdog vibe into a quiet rally cry for the team, dodging whispers of Kaito's "fading" rumor. Hana Mizuno, organizing a food stall, slipped him a coded signal about Kaede's next move, her eyes sharp with focus. "She's here," Hana whispered, her voice steady amid the festival prep chaos. Rin Matsuoka tuned a violin, ignoring classmates' awe, his precision locked on the game. Jiro, tossing confetti for a laugh, teased Riku about "chucking bricks at the booth." Riku fired back, racing to set up a relay game. Kaito Hattori tripped over a mic stand, chuckling, while Daichi helped a kid with a drumbeat, his confidence glowing. Akira, sketching plays on a sheet music stand, murmured about Hoshino's settled challenge, his focus now on the team.
Outside, the schoolyard thrummed—students manning stalls, music blaring, Shinwa banners waving. A fan snagged a selfie with Kenji, his fame a spark, but the new student—Kurogane's spy—hovered near Hana's stall, his slick "Nice setup" and glinting pen a red flag. Kenji's pulse spiked, but he kept his cool, the "K" a warning in his mind.
The team huddled in a back-alley café near the festival, a new hideout to dodge spies, the air thick with espresso and tension. Haru, glasses glinting, laid out his stat breakdown for Asahi High: "Their wings shoot 82% mid-range, 75% assist rate, but their point guard bites on fakes—hit 'em with Phantom Shift, variation nine." Kenji nodded, picturing the play. Rin tested a shot on an imaginary hoop, his aim steady. Jiro slashed through a mock defense, Riku sprinted, Tatsuya faked, and Daichi battled for space. Kaito Hattori, still shaken from his Aoyama fumble, vowed, "No mistakes tonight."
Morita, leaning against a counter, rallied them. "Mistakes don't break you—heart does." His words carried Saito's fire, not numbers. Hana signaled a fake play to mislead Asahi's scouts, her mind on Kaede. Akira, eyes hard, said, "Hoshino's done. Asahi's mine." The "K" lingered, a shadow over the table.
Kaede slipped in, no hood, her presence electric. "The broadcast named names," she said, voice low. "Kaito's dad's countering with a smear campaign—Shinwa's 'cheating' team. Asahi's coach is one of his." She slid over a drive with a file: the coach's shadow league ties. "Leak it mid-game, social media. I'm out after this." Her eyes flickered—fear or defiance, Kenji couldn't tell.
At a festival game booth, Kenji tossed balls for kids, his charm masking nerves. An exec, Kaito's proxy, leaned in. "Don't flop tonight, kid." A sharp jab. Ami, blending in, texted: Kaito's dad's smear hits post-game. Kaede's exposed. A Kurogane-pinned vendor watched, too close. Kenji grinned, tossing a ball high. "I don't flop."
Asahi's gym was a cauldron, fans roaring as Shinwa battled. Haru's stats held—Asahi's wings rained mid-range shots, but their point guard bit on Tatsuya's fakes. Rin's threes kept Shinwa close, but Kaito Hattori's missed block let Asahi surge, a 10-point run. The bench tensed, Jiro muttering, "Not again." Kenji drove through a trap, feeding Rin—swish. Akira's sharp calls rallied them, Riku's speed and Daichi's boards clawing back. Kaito's rigged refs called tight fouls, opponent's elbow clipping Kenji, Kaito smirking from the stands.
Mid-game, Hana's social media leak hit—Asahi's coach, a shadow league plant, exposed on X, posts spreading like wildfire. The crowd buzzed, refs hesitated, and Shinwa capitalized, Rin's clutch three tying it at 75. Kaito Hattori, eyes blazing, redeemed his fumble with a block, setting up Jiro's game-winning layup—78-75, Shinwa's win.
Post-game, Kaito Hattori pulled Kenji aside, voice low. "The 'K'—it's not just Kaito's dad. Someone on our side's leaking." His usual grin was gone, eyes darting to the locker room shadows. Hana's hand found Kenji's, her speech at the festival tying the win to Shinwa's heart, silencing Kaito's rumor. Haru confirmed the leak's viral impact, but a new file warned of Kaito's dad's semi-final trap. Morita nodded, pride clear.
As the festival wound down, a spotlight hit the stage—a figure, not Kaede, in a Shinwa jersey, holding a mic. "Shinwa's cheating," they declared, voice amplified, crowd gasping. No name, just a Kurogane pin glinting, daring the team as the semi-finals loomed.