"Come on, Rukawa Kaede!"
Nango spread his arms wide, lowering his stance, eyes locked on the ball in Rukawa's hands.
Rukawa didn't say a word, but his gaze was enough—he was determined to score.
The entire gym fell quiet. Everyone knew these two were the most skilled of the first-years. Their long-awaited one-on-one was finally about to unfold.
"Rukawa Kaede…" Haruko clasped her hands nervously. Against Nango's towering frame and athletic ability, the slender Rukawa looked at a clear disadvantage. She didn't want to see him humiliated.
"Haruko… Damn it!" Sakuragi clenched his fists, fuming as he practiced nearby. Seeing Haruko's eyes glued to Rukawa and Nango drove him crazy.
To him, Rukawa was the "Stinking Fox," Akagi was the "Gorilla," and Nango—thanks to his long reach—was the "Long-Armed Ape." (If Nango had dyed his hair blond, Sakuragi would've happily called him "Blond Monkey" too.)
But Rukawa was unfazed. Years of tight defense in junior high had hardened him. One-on-one, one-on-five—it didn't matter. He had never backed down, and he wasn't about to now.
Nango was just another defender waiting to be beaten.
Dribble. Sway. Shift.
Rukawa toyed with the ball, moving left and right, then suddenly accelerated, cutting past Nango's left side. A quick hesitation—then a sharp change of direction. He slipped past Nango into the paint.
With one more step, Rukawa leapt smoothly and banked the ball off the glass.
The crowd erupted.
What they didn't notice was how close Nango had come to stopping him. At the very last moment, Nango's hand nearly smacked the ball away—missing by only a palm's length.
"Good shot," Nango said with a grin.
Rukawa, as cold as ever, didn't respond. To him, it was nothing worth celebrating.
Still, the onlookers were captivated. Rukawa's movements were crisp, smooth—like basketball itself was made for him. Haruko's eyes sparkled, and even Rukawa's fan club swooned.
Meanwhile, Sakuragi jumped around like a madman, furious at being ignored.
Nango wasn't frustrated. He knew his weakness: speed and agility. His body was naturally leaning toward a heavy center, just like in the original story. But he wasn't going to let that fate decide his future. He wanted to mold himself into something rarer—an NBA-level tall point guard.
That road would take time, hard work, and plenty of system upgrades. For now, his raw talent and experience from his past life were enough to dominate amateurs. The system's description of his current level—mercilessly crushing noobs—wasn't wrong.
Training continued as usual, until the side door creaked open.
An old man shuffled in, dressed in a loose yellow shirt stretched over his plump frame, green athletic pants, and white sneakers.
Coach Anzai.
With his round belly and gentle demeanor, he looked nothing like a former national player—or a coach at all. If anything, he resembled the kindly colonel from KFC.
"Hey, Ayako, who's that old man? Why's Gorilla bowing to him?" Sakuragi whispered, eyes wide.
"Idiot," Ayako hissed. "That's Coach Anzai, our basketball team's coach. He used to be a national player! Back in his college coaching days, they called him the 'White-Haired Devil.' Now he's known as the 'White-Haired Buddha.' Don't let his looks fool you."
Anzai quietly observed from the sidelines, then beckoned Akagi over for a private word. Moments later, Akagi turned to address the team.
"Gather!"
Everyone circled around, eyes fixed on their captain.
"Before the Prefectural Tournament begins, Coach Anzai has arranged a practice game. Next week, we'll travel to Ryonan High School to challenge them."
"What? Ryonan?!"
"The team that made the Final Four last year? Isn't it too soon?"
"They crushed us last time…"
The veterans' voices trembled at the memory of Sendo, Ryonan's star, dismantling them with ease.
But Coach Anzai ignored their complaints. His voice was calm, almost casual.
"To prepare, we'll end today's practice with a scrimmage. The first-years will play against the upperclassmen."
"A game? Yes!" Sakuragi's face lit up. He was tired of boring drills with Ayako. Finally, a chance to shine!
The other first-years buzzed with excitement. This was their chance to prove themselves. One good performance could mean real playing time in the future.
"No," Akagi cut them down coldly. "You're not ready."
Sakuragi deflated instantly, his excitement vanishing.
But Nango barely heard him.
A familiar chime rang in his head.
System Quest: Win the Practice Game.Reward: Unlock 'Training' Module.
Nango's lips curled into a mischievous grin.
A new function? Training-related, no less? Sorry, senpai… but I have to win this.