Shohoku Locker Room
The locker room was unusually quiet.
Gone was the usual noise and banter.
Everyone sat in their own place, busy with small, mechanical preparations—taping fingers, adjusting shoes, staring at the floor.
Silence hung heavy in the air.
Takenori Akagi sat on the inner bench, his broad back ramrod straight.
He didn't speak immediately.
Instead, he slowly raised his head, his deep, steady gaze sweeping across his teammates one by one, as if engraving their expressions into his memory.
After a moment, he finally spoke.
"The importance of this game doesn't need explaining," Akagi said, his voice low and solemn. "And Ryonan's strength… you've all experienced it firsthand."
The room fell silent again.
Even breathing seemed subdued.
Only the ticking of the wall clock echoed loudly, amplifying the tension.
Akagi clenched his fists slightly, knuckles turning pale.
"This match decides everything," he continued. "Victory or defeat depends on today. Every one of you must give everything you have."
Before his words fully settled—
A figure suddenly stepped right up in front of him.
Akagi blinked.
It was Sakuragi Hanamichi.
Sakuragi leaned in so close that their noses were almost touching, staring straight into Akagi's eyes with an unnervingly serious expression—unblinking, dead-fish eyes locked in place.
Akagi frowned.
"What are you—"
Then—
Sakuragi suddenly pointed at Akagi's face, grinning like he'd uncovered a great secret.
"You've got dark circles!" Sakuragi laughed. "Hehehe! I knew it! You couldn't sleep because you were too nervous, right?!"
Akagi's face flushed instantly.
He slapped Sakuragi's hand away and roared, "You're the one with dark circles!"
Sakuragi puffed out his chest proudly.
"This genius Sakuragi Hanamichi stayed up all night devising the ultimate plan to crush Ryonan and get revenge!"
"Idiot," Akagi snapped. "What plan could you possibly have?!"
Kogure Kiminobu adjusted his glasses, glancing at Akagi's faint eye bags.
"Akagi… did you also wake up early? I couldn't sleep at all. I was up at four."
"You're all hopeless," a lazy voice cut in.
Mitsui Hisashi leaned against a locker, one hand in his pocket, smirking.
"It's just Ryonan. Look at you guys, acting like you're already scared."
He stood and headed toward the door.
"Mitsui! Where are you going?" Kogure asked hurriedly. "The game's about to start!"
Mitsui paused at the doorway.
Without turning around, he muttered, "…Bathroom."
The locker room went dead silent.
Every gaze slowly shifted toward his back.
The mix of knowing smiles and barely suppressed laughter made Mitsui stiffen before he disappeared outside.
The moment the door closed—
Sakuragi burst out laughing.
"So the most nervous one is Mitsui! He's gone to the bathroom like three times already!"
Akagi sighed, eyes half-lidded.
"That guy…"
In the corner, Shohoku's three first-years huddled together, whispering nervously.
"Doesn't the atmosphere feel different today?"
"Of course it does! Last time we played Ryonan, we lost by fifty points!"
"…Do you think we can really win this time?"
Ryonan Locker Room
In stark contrast, Ryonan's locker room was calm.
Players prepared quietly, movements efficient and composed.
"I never thought we'd meet Shohoku in the semifinals," Koshino Hiroaki said while tying his shoelaces.
"Yeah," Uekusa nodded. "After all, we crushed them by fifty points last time."
Ikegami walked over with a bottle of water, his expression serious.
"You've all seen Shohoku's recent games. They're not the same team anymore."
Koshino waved dismissively.
"So what? We have Akashi and Sendoh. No matter how strong Shohoku gets, they're not beating us."
No one refuted him.
With Akashi on the team, confidence came naturally.
"Still," Ikegami said calmly, "Mitsui Hisashi and Miyagi Ryota aren't simple players."
"Mitsui Hisashi…" Uozumi murmured, his brows lifting slightly.
Uekusa noticed.
"Uozumi-senpai, do you know him?"
Uozumi nodded slowly.
"If I'm not mistaken, he's the Mitsui from Takeshi Junior High—the one who led his team to a prefectural championship and was named MVP."
A ripple of surprise spread through the room.
"MVP?" Uekusa frowned. "Then why didn't he play in our practice match?"
"I don't know," Uozumi replied honestly.
Sendoh suddenly spoke up, smiling faintly.
"Still… Shohoku really is strong now."
He turned toward Akashi.
"You think so too, right?"
Akashi sat nearby, head lowered, calmly tying his shoelaces.
Today, he felt different.
The jacket he usually draped over his shoulders rested neatly on the bench.
Without pausing, he replied, "Yes. They're strong."
Koshino froze.
"Even you say that?"
Sendoh noticed something else.
"Akashi… are you starting today?"
Akashi finished tying his shoes and nodded.
"Yes. The coach approved it."
"What?!" Uekusa exclaimed. "Shohoku's that serious?"
Akashi stood, lightly bouncing on his feet, rolling his ankles.
"The current Shohoku already has national-level strength," he said calmly.
"If we don't take them seriously, we could lose."
Silence.
The words seemed to freeze the air.
Then Akashi added, his tone unwavering, "That's only if we get complacent. As long as we stay focused—victory will be ours."
Time passed.
The arena buzzed with anticipation.
Clang—
Shohoku emerged from the tunnel.
"It's Shohoku!"
"Do your best!"
"Hang in there!"
The cheers were warm—but cautious.
Encouragement, more than expectation.
Then—
Clang.
Ryonan's tunnel door opened.
All sound paused for a split second.
Footsteps echoed—casual, unhurried.
When Akashi led Ryonan onto the court, the arena exploded.
"Ryonan—!"
"Sendoh—!"
"Akashi—!"
Even Shohoku turned to look.
Akashi's gaze briefly swept across them—cool, composed—before he led his team to the bench.
He said nothing.
Yet his presence alone commanded the court.
Ryonan stood tall, confidence radiating effortlessly.
At that moment, everyone understood—
This was no ordinary semifinal.
And the true battle was about to begin.