"CLANG—!"
Haizaki Shogo slammed the basketball into the hoop, turned around, and walked back to his own half. He passed by six people without saying a single word.
The meaning was obvious.
Still need more? If you do, we can keep going.
On the court, led by Mochizuki Kazuhiro and Ishida Hideki with four first-year rookies, everyone stood frozen, pupils dilated, bodies stiff.
They stared at that retreating figure with only one thought in their minds:
How is this even possible?
At the edge of the court, the other starters who had been watching for fun now wore faces full of shock and awe.
"Hey, hey!! Is that really a high schooler? Karasu, could you even stop him under the rim?"
"Huh? Are you joking? You're a center too. Isn't your skill supposed to be amazing? Why don't you try?"
The ones talking were Suzuran Karasu and Okawa Sawano, the two centers already chosen as Fukuda Sogo's starters.
After three days of scrimmages, they had come to understand each other's limits pretty well.
"Monster… one versus six. An ace really is an ace. I acknowledge him!"
"Hehe, you guys don't know, do you? Shogo-kun is the Generation of Miracles level."
"Generation of Miracles?"
"You're not joking, right?"
"I'm serious. He used to be a starter at Teiko Junior High—Haizaki Shogo. Later he transferred to Fukuda Sogo's middle division and led that trash-tier squad until they only lost to Teiko in the round of sixteen."
The usually silent players began explaining Haizaki's background.
It gave everyone outside the court a basic understanding of the ace standing inside it.
"All right, that's enough for today," Coach Ichiro Kudo said. "Everyone else, start running laps around the court to warm up. Shogo-kun, come here."
Things had to stop in moderation—some people wouldn't be able to handle more mental blows, and their pride would shatter.
Coach Kudo stepped in at the right time. Letting them see Haizaki's strength was enough. As for how strong he really was, there would be plenty of chances later.
Those who had been shaken could be trained slowly afterward.
Haizaki walked off the court, ignored the few who had questioned him, and went to Shimizu Rena's side, taking the detailed report sheet she handed him.
The form contained full profiles of today's selected starters. Only by reading these could Haizaki gain a basic understanding of the team before deepening it through matches and drills to learn his teammates and tactical core.
"So?" Coach Kudo asked. "Shogo-kun, is the team's strength enough now?"
This wasn't just asking about Fukuda Sogo on the surface—it was asking Haizaki, from your level of existence, what's our real win rate?
"It's okay. With this roster, as long as we don't meet a team that has a Generation of Miracles member, we should be fine—maybe even dominate others. But if there is a Generation of Miracles player, that's a different story."
"How so?"
"Coach, you remember Teiko last time, right? Their ace Aomine Daiki didn't even play. Their captain Akashi Seijuro didn't play either."
Coach Kudo felt a chill run through his head and back.
He realized he'd grown overconfident just because they gained some capable newcomers, forgetting what kind of monsters the Generation of Miracles really were.
Putting away that carelessness, his expression turned serious.
"Shogo-kun… do we have a chance?"
"We do. A big one. My goal is the championship. I don't want to lose again—especially to the Generation of Miracles."
"I understand, Shogo-kun."
Soon, all the players finished warming up. Under Coach Kudo's arrangements, the starters split into two groups and began an internal practice match.
Putting down the sheet Shimizu had given him, Haizaki spoke to her.
"Treat the scrimmage like a real game. Try the skill you just finished, Shimizu-chan."
She froze for a moment, then her face lit up, eager.
"Really? I can?"
"Why not? Go for it."
Haizaki, Suzuran Karasu, Fukuda Sasaki, and two strong substitutes formed one squad of five, facing the other team made entirely of starters.
Okawa Sawano, Kimura Tosho, Harano Shinichi, Ishida Hideki, and Mochizuki Kazuhiro—these five basically represented Fukuda Sogo's strongest lineup.
"TWEET—!"
The whistle blew. Suzuran Karasu and Okawa Sawano jumped for the ball. They were evenly matched. Two palms struck it upward, and it fell into Fukuda Sasaki's hands.
Seeing the ball's path, Haizaki was already running.
With a "whoosh," the pass flew into Haizaki's hands. He rose effortlessly and dunked it home.
The echo of "CLANG—!" still rang in their ears. Watching from outside was one thing, but feeling Haizaki's pressure on the court was another. Every player felt an inexplicable fear.
So this is the intimidation of Generation of Miracles level… terrifying.
But also—good.
Because this man was now their teammate. The ones who should be afraid were their enemies.
Okawa Sawano, Kimura Tosho, Harano Shinichi, Ishida Hideki, and Mochizuki Kazuhiro all felt shaken.
This wasn't even the same tier of scrimmage.
Meanwhile, on Haizaki's side, Suzuran Karasu, Fukuda Sasaki, and the two substitutes felt nothing but joy—like they were being carried to victory, filled with excitement and disbelief.
Back on defense, Haizaki focused, actively guarding Harano Shinichi. He accelerated and ripped the ball away.
Then he tossed it forward to the already-sprinting Fukuda Sasaki, who finished with an easy three-step layup.
These violent sequences weren't Haizaki showing off. He was truly, brutally crushing his opponents.
The reason was simple—everything was an experiment for Shimizu Rena watching intently outside the court. This involved Fukuda Sogo's ultimate weapon, and it couldn't be careless.
The match was intense. No matter how strong Haizaki was, a team wasn't just one person—there were always gaps.
The opposing players weren't weak either. They seized on Fukuda Sasaki and the two substitutes, ruthlessly farming points.
After fifteen minutes, it was break time, and everyone gathered.
"Well? How is it, Shimizu-chan?"
"Kimura Tosho is being suppressed by you, Shogo-kun. His will is shaking, and his movements are getting stiff—he can be targeted. Harano Shinichi's confidence has also dropped after being stripped several times. He can be targeted too."
Hearing that, Haizaki nodded, glanced at the others, and spoke.
"Karasu, go test Kimura Tosho next and see the effect."
"Sasaki, you intercept Harano Shinichi and see what happens."
"Got it!"
"Okay!"
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