Akagi effortlessly demonstrated what it meant to be strong. With calm precision, he pushed up the 40kg barbell as if it weighed nothing.
The weaker members of the team exclaimed in awe:
"A-amazing!"
"He really lives up to being our captain! He lifted such a heavy barbell like it was nothing!"
He's becoming more and more like him…
Mitsui recalled the first time he'd met Akagi. He hadn't changed much since then—except now he was taller, stronger, and more like a gorilla than ever.
Maybe I should start working out too, Mitsui thought wryly.
Rukawa Kaede, quietly observing from behind the crowd, watched Akagi's every move. He didn't say a word but had already decided—he'd try it himself later, once everyone was gone.
But unlike Rukawa, not everyone could stay calm.
"Gorilla! You've already had your turn—get down and let me try!" Sakuragi shouted impatiently.
Akagi frowned, muttering, "What an idiot," before ignoring him entirely. He stood up and began adding more plates to the barbell.
"Ho ho ho…" Coach Anzai chuckled softly as he watched the excited players crowd around the equipment. Seeing Akagi and Nango taking charge, he smiled and quietly slipped out of the gym. With those two around, there was nothing to worry about.
"Eh?! The captain's adding more weight?"
"This is crazy!"
Ayako, who had been watching calmly from the side, sighed. She just couldn't understand why the boys got so fired up over lifting weights—shouting and cheering as if it were a game.
Akagi, unfazed, increased the load to 70kg in one go.
Kakuta's eyes widened. "No way! That's as heavy as I am!"
Everyone instinctively turned to size him up. The thought of pushing someone that heavy while lying down was hard to imagine—even for someone as strong as Akagi.
Under everyone's eager gaze, Akagi lay back down. He gripped the bar tightly, inhaled deeply, and then—
He lifted it in one smooth motion.
"Oh oh oh!!! He did it!"
"That's amazing!"
"Gorilla is mighty!"
"Gorilla! That's enough already! Get down, I'm next!" Sakuragi shouted, his excitement reaching its peak.
But Akagi wasn't done. He kept pushing—rep after rep, fifteen times in total. By the last one, his face and neck were flushed red, veins bulging, before he slowly racked the barbell back into place.
Everyone was too stunned to speak.
Only Sakuragi broke the silence, rushing over to pile on even more plates until the total reached 100kg. With a triumphant grin, he lay down.
"Hehe, my turn! Watch closely, everyone!"
Nango frowned. Seeing Sakuragi's overconfidence, he quickly stepped forward. "Sakuragi! This isn't a game—get down before you hurt yourself!"
He positioned himself nearby, ready to step in if anything went wrong.
Most of the others didn't see the danger, but Nango knew full well—bench pressing was one of the easiest ways to get seriously injured if you weren't careful.
"Hmph! I'll show you my power!" Sakuragi declared stubbornly.
With a loud "Ha!" he tried to lift the barbell—but it barely budged. His face turned beet red, veins bulging across his arms and neck.
"Hiss…" Nango grimaced. "Alright, enough. Lower the weight and try again later."
But Sakuragi shook his head stubbornly, teeth gritted. A guttural growl escaped his throat as he forced the barbell upward—slowly, shakily—
"Oh oh oh! He's doing it!"
"This is insane! Sakuragi's really strong!"
"Go, Sakuragi!"
The cheers only fueled him further. Don't give up! Hold on! he told himself.
But Nango still hovered close, hands ready.
And then, just as he feared—Sakuragi's strength gave out halfway up. The barbell dropped toward his chest like a falling boulder.
Oh no!
Luckily, Nango reacted instantly. He caught the bar and helped Sakuragi re-rack it safely.
Letting out a sigh of relief, Nango scolded, "Idiot! Who starts with that much weight? Ever heard of gradual progression?"
Even for Sakuragi, attempting 100kg was reckless. But the redhead only snorted and turned away. "Hmph! I'll lift it one day, you'll see!"
Nango shook his head helplessly, then addressed the team. "Listen, everyone. Never bench press alone—always have someone spotting you. It's dangerous if you don't know your limits."
Akagi nodded firmly. "Nango's right. Everyone, be careful when using the equipment. We can't afford injuries."
"Yes!" the team chorused.
Even if no one had said it, everyone had already seen how close Sakuragi came to disaster. None of them would dare act carelessly after that.
"Oh, right, Captain." Nango turned to Akagi. "The practice match with Ryokufu High School is set for this Sunday. Does that work for you?"
Akagi thought for a moment and nodded. "No problem. I'll confirm it with Coach Anzai."
Of course, Coach Anzai had no objections—so the match was officially scheduled.
Time passed quickly.
The latest issue of Basketball Weekly hit the shelves, spreading rapidly among basketball fans across Kanagawa.
Mike Okita, with his blonde hair and blue eyes, sat lounging on a sofa, flipping through the magazine. "Is this Nango guy really that good? They make him sound even stronger than me."
He held the magazine in one hand, his other arm draped lazily over the sofa back, legs crossed casually.
Across from him, Eri sat at her desk, writing something intently. Without looking up, she replied, "He's good—but not that good. Magazines exaggerate everything for sales."
Mike sighed dramatically. "That's disappointing. I was hoping I'd at least have to try a little. Guess I won't need to go all out."
That made Eri glance up sharply. "You'd better not underestimate them. We can't just win—we have to win beautifully. This is our club's chance to make a name for ourselves."
Mike chuckled. "You say that like you're the coach."
"That would make Kano-chan sad, you know," he teased with a smirk.
Eri frowned. "What does that have to do with you?"
Mike groaned. "You're no fun at all. We're acquaintances, aren't we? Lighten up."
"Maybe focus on practice instead," Eri said dryly. "How's your coordination with the team coming along?"
Kano sometimes shared her sweet moments with Nango with Eri, much to her annoyance. But she also knew how serious Kano was about that relationship—so no matter Mike's playful tone, Eri didn't want him meddling.
"Pretty good," Mike said, puffing up proudly. "Our teamwork's improving every day."
"Good," Eri replied shortly, lowering her head again to continue writing on the paper before her.
At the top of the page, the title read:
Ryokufu High School Basketball Club Promotion Plan.
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