The Enoden train's steady rhythm and the sparkling Shonan coastline were the perfect backdrop for a peaceful nap, but for Hayashi Rin, the journey was a descent into social hell.
"Hahahaha! Gorilla! Look! Is that bald guy fishing? Is he catching a shark? This Genius will bring Haruko-san here someday too!"
Sakuragi Hanamichi was practically vibrating against the glass, his red head glowing like a warning beacon. Every passenger on the train was either staring in horror or moving to the next carriage. Akagi Takenori sat nearby, his eyes squeezed shut, a "well" shaped vein throbbing on his temple as he fought the urge to commit a felony before the first whistle.
Rin pulled his hoodie down until his face was entirely obscured. I am a shadow. I am a ghost. I do not know this red-haired gorilla, he chanted internally.
"Master! Look! Bikinis! The legendary kind!" Sakuragi shoved his face into Rin's hood.
Rin lifted one corner of his sleeve, revealing a single, dead-fish eye. "Hanamichi, that's an old man in a tank top doing calisthenics. Also, secret weapons don't shriek. They maintain an air of lethal silence."
Sakuragi froze, his eyes widening in realization. He instantly clapped both hands over his mouth and sat back with a stiff, "mysterious" posture. Finally, silence. Rin glanced at Rukawa Kaede, who was sleeping peacefully despite the chaos, a snot bubble expanding and contracting with every breath.
His sleep quality is better than mine? Is this the true power of an Ace? Rin felt a surge of genuine envy.
As the team stepped off at Kamakura-kōkō-mae, the damp sea breeze hit them. At the gates of Ryonan High, a short boy with a notebook—Aida Hikoichi—looked like he was having a heart attack.
"Th-they're here!" Hikoichi's pen flew across the page.
[Observation Log: Target Hayashi Rin]
Walking posture: Extremely relaxed. (Verdict: Conserving stamina for explosive bursts).
Eyes: Unfocused. (Verdict: Scanning the entire horizon for defensive holes).
Threat Level: S.
As Rin ambled past, he paused, peered at Hikoichi's frantic scribbling, and offered a lazy smirk. "Nice handwriting."
Hikoichi stood frozen, cold sweat drenching his shirt. That look... he saw right through my soul! I have to warn Coach Taoka!
Inside the Ryonan Gymnasium, the atmosphere was suffocating. On one side stood the blue-clad giants of Ryonan, led by the 202 cm "Big Boss" Uozumi Jun. On the other, the red-clad Shohoku.
Taoka Moichi stepped forward, his folding fan clicking rhythmically. He looked at Shohoku with undisguised disdain.
"Akagi, I heard you finally scraped together a lineup. Rukawa seems... adequate. But these two?" Taoka pointed his fan directly at Sakuragi and the leaning, half-asleep Rin. "A red-haired delinquent and a boy who looks like he's about to faint? Is this a basketball team or a daycare center?"
"You old bastard! I'm the Secret Weapon!" Sakuragi roared, only to be flattened by Akagi's giant hand.
"Coach Taoka," Akagi's voice was like grinding stones. "Don't speak too soon. This year's Shohoku is different."
"Is it?" Taoka shrugged. "Then show me. Show me exactly how much a 'water dispenser attendant' can do against a powerhouse."
Just then, a tall figure with spiked hair and a breezy smile strolled onto the court, lazily spinning a ball on his finger. Sendoh Akira had arrived. His gaze didn't linger on Akagi or Rukawa. Instead, his eyes locked onto the boy in the hoodie who was currently trying to use a basketball as a pillow.
"So," Sendoh murmured, his smile widening. "That's him? The one who wants to leave early?"