Immediately after, a shadow loomed over Sendoh.
Sakuragi Hanamichi stood with his arms crossed, nose in the air, looking down his chin at Sendoh. "Hmph, Spiky Head! Well? Did you witness This Genius's true power? Did that 'Combination Move' scare you so much your legs went weak?"
Sakuragi was gloating, acting as if he had scored all 90 points himself. Sendoh looked at the red-haired goofball, the smile in his eyes becoming a bit more sincere. He reached out his hand.
"Yeah, I was indeed startled. Sakuragi, your athleticism is simply monster-class. That jumping ability, the explosive power at the final moment..." Sendoh paused, his gaze becoming serious. "If you can master the basics and learn how to truly play basketball... perhaps the next time we meet, you'll become my most troublesome opponent. Keep practicing hard, genius."
These words were like a high-concentration shot of adrenaline. Sakuragi's face turned bright red, and steam seemed to rise from his head. He grabbed Sendoh's hand and shook it violently, nearly dislocating the Ace's shoulder.
"Wahahaha! You think so too?! As expected of a Spiky Head with good taste! Don't worry! This Genius will make you lose even harder next time!"
Sendoh pulled his hand away with a wry smile, feeling like his arm no longer belonged to him. He shifted his gaze back, preparing to shake hands with the next person—Shohoku's number 16, the most mysterious guy on the court.
However... Sendoh's hand stopped mid-air. There was no one standing in front of him.
On Akagi Takenori's broad back, a dark lump was clinging. Hayashi Rin was hanging onto Akagi like a koala, arms around the captain's neck, face buried in the jersey, letting out steady breaths.
"Zzz... Zzz..." One could even see a snot bubble expanding and contracting with his breathing.
The entire crowd was dumbfounded. The Ryonan players' eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
"He... he fell asleep?!" "At a time like this?!" Koshino pointed at Hayashi, his finger trembling. "The guy who just hit the Game-winning 4-point play is actually sleeping?!"
Akagi's face was covered in dark lines, veins throbbing. He reached back to support Hayashi's thighs to prevent him from sliding down. "Sorry," he muttered through gritted teeth. "This guy... ran out of batteries. He's the kind of creature that automatically shuts down whenever his activity level exceeds the limit."
Sendoh watched, his bewilderment turning into a light chuckle. He withdrew his hand and looked at the back of the unconscious figure. "Truly... an unpredictable guy. Akagi, your Shohoku team is really strong this year. Whether it's that rookie Rukawa, or this... Hayashi Rin. And of course, that red-haired genius."
Sendoh turned and waved to the Shohoku crowd with his back turned. "See you at the Prefectural Tournament. When that time comes, we, Ryonan, won't lose again."
The next day, the sunlight at the gate of Shohoku High was bright and dazzling. Without exception, the students were buzzing about yesterday's match.
"Hey, did you hear? The basketball team beat Ryonan!" "For real? That top-four team?" "I'm telling you! It was a buzzer-beater!"
Thump! A dull thud and a scream broke the morning silence.
Under the cherry blossom tree, the four members of the Sakuragi Legion were clutching their heads, piled on the ground like a human pyramid.
"Hanamichi! What are you doing?!" Takamiya Nozomi clutched a swollen lump, tears welling in his eyes. "That hurts! Are you trying to kill us?!" Okusu Yuji rubbed his skull.
Sakuragi Hanamichi stood before them, schoolbag slung over his shoulder, a look of fury on his face. "You bastards! Were you laughing at This Genius yesterday?! I clearly heard it! You were saying I was afraid of losing! I'm the hero who defeated Ryonan! I'm the secret weapon! How dare you mock a hero!"
As Sakuragi lowered his head for another "Genius Headbutt," Mito Yohei quickly dodged. "It's a misunderstanding, Hanamichi! We were cheering for you!"
"Cheering?" Sakuragi paused suspiciously.
"Of course!" Yohei stepped forward, suppressing a laugh. "Think about it, it was your first match and you defeated someone like Sendoh. We were just marveling that you always create miracles. Even if your form was a bit ugly, you had way too many fouls, and you got posterized pretty badly..."
"Hmm?" Sakuragi's gaze sharpened.
"Ahem! Anyway! We're proud of you!" Yohei quickly pivoted.
Sakuragi's expression instantly changed from cloudy to sunny. A wide grin bloomed on his face. "Wahahaha! So that's how it is! You should've said so earlier! This Genius is indeed the man who creates miracles!"
Sakuragi stood with hands on his hips, letting out his signature wild laugh, causing passing girls to run away as if from a madman. Just as he was immersed in his own glory, a burly figure blocked his path.
The captain of the Judo Club, Aota Tatsuhiko, stood like an iron tower in his judo uniform and geta. He looked at Sakuragi, holding a photograph of Haruko in his hand.
"Sakuragi," Aota's voice was deep. "I knew you'd react this way. You lost pretty badly yesterday, didn't you?" He tucked the photo into his shirt with an "I knew it" expression. "A soft sport like basketball isn't for you. Only Judo! That's a man's romance! I heard you went to Ryonan; you must have come back soundly defeated. That guy Akagi must be crying in the locker room again, isn't he? Join the Judo Club! We're going to conquer the nation!"
Aota reached out a large hand, but Sakuragi didn't dodge. He stood his ground, and the goofy smile vanished. His eyes shimmered with an unprecedented light.
"I think..." Sakuragi spoke up.
Aota was stunned. "Eh?"
"You've got one thing wrong." Sakuragi pointed a thumb at himself, his mouth curling into a confident arc. "We won. We, Shohoku, defeated Ryonan. And This Genius played a major role in it."
Aota's movements froze. "Won... won? That perennial underdog team beat Ryonan? Are you joking?"
Sakuragi laughed. "Wahahaha! This Genius never jokes! Basketball is actually pretty interesting! Especially that moment when you slam the ball hard into the hoop! That feeling... is much better than beating people up!"
Seeing Sakuragi's excited look, Aota's heart sank. It was over. This kid... had really fallen in love with basketball.