Group A.
As Kanagawa came out of their two games with two wins,
Group B was going through the exact same thing.
The team representing Akita looked like gods walking among men.
They continued Sannoh Kogyo's king-like dominance, winning both of their games with huge margins.
Two teams—like twin stars on the court—crushed their opponents with overwhelming victories and pulled everyone's attention.
Most spectators saw these two teams as the final championship contenders.
And among them, many believed Kanagawa had the better shot.
After all, they were the ones who shattered Sannoh Kogyo's unbeatable myth during the Inter-High Summer Tournament.
That feat alone made them the obvious top pick in most people's eyes.
But while everyone focused on the dream clash—"Kanagawa VS Akita"—as the pinnacle of the tournament,
There was one more team that, like Kanagawa and Akita, also had two wins out of two.
And both of those wins were absolute blowouts.
That team was Aichi's representative—Morishige Hiroshi's squad.
But compared to Kanagawa and Akita, who were flooded with praise and expectations,
people remained skeptical about whether Aichi could go all the way and win the championship.
On paper, their roster and past results looked far weaker.
It seemed like there was a massive gap between Aichi and the other two—too wide to cross.
No need to even talk about Akita.
That team was made entirely of Sannoh Kogyo players.
The name Sannoh Kogyo echoed like thunder in the basketball world.
Known for their strict tactics, incredible teamwork, and top-tier individual talent,
they'd held the top of the national rankings for years.
Their deep history and sheer dominance scared anyone who faced them.
Kanagawa?
They were the ones who dragged Sannoh off the throne.
Time ticked by quietly.
In a blink, it was already Day 3 of the tournament.
That day, the entrances of Tokyo Gymnasium were packed even more than the previous two days.
Because today was Kanagawa VS Aichi—a real clash of titans.
Most still doubted if Aichi could shake Kanagawa's king status.
But it was also true that Aichi's strength couldn't be ignored.
Besides having the so-called "new monster" Morishige Hiroshi,
they also had the seasoned star "Star of Aichi," Moroboshi Dai.
When experience meets raw talent,
when a veteran's calm meets a rookie's explosive power—
this matchup was unpredictable from the start.
At least for some fans, this "double ace" combo had a real shot at an upset.
But that hope was rare.
Why?
Because Kanagawa's dominance in the first two games already convinced everyone they were unmatched.
Shohoku High—the Summer Tournament champions.
Kainan High—not far behind with their runner-up finish.
Shoyo High and Ryonan High were also top-tier national contenders.
Now all those elite teams had joined forces under one flag.
The depth of their lineup and variety in tactics was unmatched in this tournament.
No surprise they were everyone's top pick for the title.
As expectations and discussions grew louder,
Aoi Kunisaku and his group arrived at the locker room early.
Shimizu Kanon held a stack of documents, scanning everyone in the room as she spoke:
"Today's opponent is Aichi's representative.
They're different from Hokkaido and Shizuoka.
They've got Moroboshi Dai—the 'Star of Aichi.'
And the new monster, Morishige Hiroshi."
"Ah… that big guy. I know him."
At the mention of Morishige Hiroshi, Sakuragi Hanamichi puffed his cheeks like a balloon.
His teeth clenched with loud clicking sounds.
He still remembered being knocked flying by that guy in their last match.
Seeing Sakuragi's face, Kiyota Nobunaga couldn't resist stirring the pot.
"Hey, red-haired monkey. Don't tell me you're scared!
I remember you got flattened by that guy last time. So lame."
"What did you say…"
Sakuragi's shark-teeth grin popped out instantly.
"This time I'll get my revenge!"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk… not likely."
Kiyota gave him a dramatic once-over, then shrugged.
Clicking his tongue, he shook his head.
"Dammit!"
Sakuragi glared at him. His whole face flushed, and his teeth ground loudly.
Word by word, he growled,
"Wild… monkey… don't… get… cocky…"
He couldn't even argue back properly.
Because getting wrecked by Morishige was a fact.
While the two were arguing, Maki Shinichi suddenly remembered watching the match between Aichi Gakuin and Meihou.
The scene of Moroboshi Dai getting knocked out by Morishige Hiroshi was still fresh in his mind.
And now, those two were on the same team.
Maki Shinichi's voice carried some weight.
"Moroboshi Dai and Morishige Hiroshi—both are serious threats. Beating them won't be as easy as before."
Shimizu Kanon nodded and followed up.
"Yeah. Even though only those two have real strength on their team, they're both top-level in the country.
Back at Nationals, Morishige Hiroshi's skills were still pretty rough. But it's been a few months.
Now, he's gotten a lot better.
Add in his freak-level physical strength, and we should avoid direct body clashes with him as much as possible.
You can't match his power with technique.
If possible, go around him. Don't get hurt for nothing."
Everyone understood what she meant.
The data on Morishige Hiroshi made it clear—his physical attributes were off the charts.
He was like a human tank.
His size, explosive power, and contact strength were way beyond others in his age group.
Just reading the descriptions gave people chills.
Akagi Takenori, Uozumi Jun, and Hanagata Toru all looked more serious.
They'd seen Morishige's game footage.
They knew how scary he was.
None of the three felt confident about beating him.
Akagi especially knew what he was up against.
Back at Nationals, he had faced Morishige's full-force post-up under the basket.
That brutal pressure—getting shoved back step after step by raw power—
even now, just thinking about it made his neck tense.
Meanwhile, Mitsui Hisashi and Jin Soichiro were laser-focused on Moroboshi Dai's profile.
Mitsui turned toward Jin.
"You've played against him, right? How did that go?"
Jin Soichiro's face instantly turned serious. His tone dropped.
"He's strong. Without Maki-san, I couldn't stop him alone."
"Huh?"
Mitsui raised an eyebrow, looking surprised.
"You mean… you're not his match?"
Jin looked a little awkward.
"If it's about three-pointers, I might not lose.
But Moroboshi Dai's not just about shooting threes."
Right then, Shimizu Kanon spoke again.
"The second person to watch is Moroboshi Dai.
They call him 'Star of Aichi.' He's got a ton of scoring tools, and his drive is strong.
His scoring bursts are crazy. On top of that, he's got real leadership skills.
Honestly, calling him a shooting guard doesn't cut it.
He's more like a dual guard, handling both roles."
She paused. Her tone turned firm.
"And one more thing—Moroboshi Dai's obsession with winning is extreme.
He'll do anything to win.
Together with Morishige Hiroshi, they're a pure 'tyrant' duo.
So everyone—keep this in mind during the match."
The mood in the locker room grew heavier.
Miyagi Ryota narrowed his eyes, voice cold.
"Same type as that Minami guy from Toyotama?"
Sendoh Akira acted like he was scared.
"Then we'd better be careful."
Sakuragi Hanamichi clenched his fists. His eyes flashed, like he was ready to brawl.
"Tyrants, huh? Perfect. I'll show them what I've got!"
Kiyota Nobunaga looked disgusted. He sneered.
"Idiot. It's 'tyrant,' not 'violence.' We're not here to throw punches."
…
On the other side—
Aichi's locker room.
The mood was heavy.
Milky-white lights threw mottled shadows on the damp walls.
The metal handles on the lockers gleamed coldly, blending with the tension in the room.
The team's two main players sat silently in opposite corners, like statues.
Neither said a word.
Morishige Hiroshi's massive body sank into the plastic bench.
His back was straight.
A white towel covered his head.
Only his rising chest moved—like he was charging up his power from within.
Moroboshi Dai leaned halfway against a locker.
His long fingers twisted the edge of his wristband.
His head hung slightly.
Eyelashes cast sharp shadows under his lids.
He looked like a hawk circling low before a storm—
pressure rolling off him in waves.
That aura was totally different from usual.
Even the air in the room felt tight.
A few younger players shrank into the gaps between lockers.
Their backs were stiff under thin practice shirts.
They kept glancing at the two corners, gulps bobbing in their throats.
"Hey… did you guys notice they're acting different than usual?"
"Yeah, it does feel weird. Like something big's about to happen."
"You think it's okay if we go say hi to them?"
"Are you crazy? I'm not trying to get on those two guys' bad side!"
"Exactly! One's a 'tyrant,' the other's a 'demon.' If they snap, we're toast."
…
Clang—
At that moment, the locker room door slammed open.
A figure stepped inside.
It was Nomoto Reizou, coach of Meihou.
He wore a crisp dark blue tracksuit, with Aichi's team badge pinned at the collar.
His buzz-cut head and sharp eyes showed the edge of someone who had coached for years.
Thanks to Meihou's strong run during the Summer Tournament, where they finished third,
Nomoto Reizou naturally became the head coach of Aichi's representative team.
But the moment he stepped in, he sensed something was off.
The room was way too quiet.
Nomoto Reizou frowned.
He'd seen this weird, suffocating atmosphere too many times since taking over.
He let out a soft sigh, eyes full of resignation.
That was just how Morishige Hiroshi was.
Born strong, but stubborn and reckless—like a bull charging straight ahead.
No matter how patient the teaching, he still played his own way.
Because of that, Morishige had quietly pissed off a lot of people.
Then there was Moroboshi Dai.
Ever since first year, people had called him a 'tyrant' on the court.
To win, he'd do anything.
Now in his third year, his personality was set.
Trying to change him at this point? Pretty much hopeless.
And yet these two, who couldn't be more different—
one crushed the paint with freakish strength,
the other controlled the whole rhythm with sneaky smarts—
somehow ended up on the same team.
Thinking about that, Nomoto Reizou rubbed his temples.
A bitter smile tugged at his lips.
All he could do as coach was grit his teeth and turn a blind eye when needed.
Ahem…
He cleared his throat and slowed his tone.
"The match starts soon. Today's opponent is Kanagawa's team. Heh…"
He let out a short laugh—maybe bitter, maybe not.
"National champs and runners-up. Any thoughts?"
Moroboshi Dai's eyes were dark, with fire burning deep inside.
His voice was firm.
"So what? No matter who it is, I'll never let a chance to win slip away."
Morishige Hiroshi glanced at him, speaking flatly.
"You couldn't even beat me."
Instantly, Moroboshi Dai's face turned black.
He glared at Morishige with fire in his eyes.
He'd had it with this guy.
"You jerk, I haven't even forgiven you for last time!"
"Huh?"
Morishige's face showed a row of question marks.
"Last time? What happened? Why would I need your forgiveness?"
He looked completely clueless.
And he wasn't faking it.
But that attitude only made Moroboshi even angrier.
His blood was boiling.
"You bastard! You're doing this on purpose!" Moroboshi shouted, teeth grinding.
"Alright, enough."
Nomoto Reizou quickly stepped in to stop the fight.
He rubbed his forehead, clearly having a headache.
"This isn't the time for infighting. Focus on Kanagawa.
Especially Aoi Kunisaku."
The moment that name came out, the whole locker room went dead silent.
Even the air seemed frozen.
For Morishige Hiroshi, the name was like ripping open an old wound—blood gushing out.
That moment from their last match—Aoi Kunisaku cutting through defenders,
landing that ghost-like game-winner—
replayed over and over in Morishige's head like film on loop.
His eyes filled with obsession.
The kind of obsession you get when you need to take someone down.
A wild aura burst out of him.
His presence sharpened in an instant,
and the temperature in the room seemed to plummet.
Everyone standing nearby felt a chill crawl down their spines.
The madness spread through the room like it had weight.
Moroboshi Dai and Nomoto Reizou both noticed it immediately.
They turned their heads at the same time, eyes wide with shock.
That was…
Nomoto Reizou's surprise slowly shifted into joy.
His eyes lit up.
Moroboshi Dai stared hard at the faint pressure radiating off Morishige.
His heart pounded in his chest.
They both recognized what it was.
It was Wild Instinct.
Nomoto Reizou knew all about Morishige's talent.
Maybe he couldn't match Aoi Kunisaku from Shohoku,
but in high school, he was definitely top-tier.
He had suspected Morishige might awaken Wild Instinct.
Morishige Hiroshi showing signs of awakening Wild Instinct this early was a surprise—
but a welcome one.
As for Moroboshi Dai, the look in his eyes was pure envy and jealousy.
People called him the "Star of Aichi," but Wild Instinct was something he had dreamed about.
He trained hard every day, yet still saw no sign of awakening it.
Sometimes, he hated himself for it.
But reality was harsh like that.
Just being good at basketball didn't mean you had the talent to awaken Wild Instinct.
…
Time ticked by, second by second.
Soon, it was time for both teams to take the court.
The stands were already packed.
A dense crowd filled the gym, all eyes on the court, waiting for the match to begin.
Around the arena, reporters were packed shoulder to shoulder.
They had cameras ready, both video and photo, waiting to capture every moment.
As the match drew closer, the energy in the gym only grew more intense.
Clang…
Clang…
Suddenly, the sound of two heavy iron doors swinging open cut through the noisy arena like a blade.
In that instant, every eye turned toward the two tunnel entrances on either side of the court.
As the tunnel doors slowly opened, the players from Kanagawa and Aichi walked out in steady steps, one after another.
The moment both teams entered the crowd's view, the gym exploded with cheers and roars.
"Aichi! Aichi! Aichi!"
"Kanagawa! Kanagawa! Kanagawa!"
Like waves of heat crashing from the stands, the cheers washed over the players below.
Once both teams had fully stepped out, they faced each other across the court.
Morishige Hiroshi and Moroboshi Dai instantly locked eyes on Aoi Kunisaku.
Sensing it, Aoi Kunisaku looked up and met their gaze.
The instant their eyes met across the court, it felt like the air froze solid.
Without speaking, the sharp light in Morishige's and Moroboshi's eyes cut through the space between them like blades, aiming straight at Aoi Kunisaku.
But when that force hit Aoi, it was like smashing into an invisible wall.
It scattered into glittering fragments and vanished into the air.
Heh…
Aoi Kunisaku let out a low laugh, the corner of his eye lifting in a lazy, taunting curve.
Both teams returned to their benches.
Next was warm-up.
Nothing dramatic happened during warm-up.
Both teams stayed quiet, but the heavy tension in the air made everyone uncomfortable.
That strange silence felt like the calm before a storm.
Soon, warm-up time ended.
Both teams gathered at center court.
The match was about to begin.
Kanagawa starting lineup:
Center – Uozumi Jun, #4, 3rd year (Ryonan)
Shooting Guard – Jin Soichiro, 3rd year (Kainan)
Point Guard – Fujima Kenji, 3rd year (Shoyo)
Power Forward – Fukuda Kicchou, 2nd year (Ryonan)
Small Forward – Rukawa Kaede, 1st year (Shohoku)
Aichi starting lineup:
Center – Morishige Hiroshi, 1st year (Meihou)
Shooting Guard – Moroboshi Dai, 3rd year (Aichi Gakuin)
…
The rest were unfamiliar faces.
"Hmm?"
Morishige Hiroshi glanced at Kanagawa's lineup. His thick brows twisted as he muttered in a low voice,
"That guy's not playing?"
Everyone from Kanagawa looked confused.
Who wasn't playing?
They followed his gaze—
and saw his huge eyes locked straight on Aoi Kunisaku at the sideline.
Then it clicked.
Uozumi Jun let out a snort through his nose. His throat bobbed as he growled,
"Don't look down on us, brat. If you want to see Aoi Kunisaku, you'd better earn it."
"Oh?"
Morishige tilted his iron-tower frame forward, looking Uozumi up and down.
A cocky grin spread across his face.
"Then I'll just beat you down first."
"What did you say?"
Uozumi's thick eyebrows shot up like blades. Veins popped on his forehead.
Moroboshi Dai swept his gaze across Kanagawa.
Then, with a flat tone, said,
"You're not even sending out Maki Shinichi?
You think you can beat us like this?"
Fujima Kenji answered calmly, with polite sharpness.
"Why not?"
Moroboshi Dai gave him a side glance, lips curling in a mocking grin.
"You're not quite on Maki Shinichi's level."
That jab stabbed into Fujima's ears like a needle.
His lashes twitched. A cold glint gathered in his eyes, and his voice dropped like ice.
"Sounds like you're the arrogant one."
The game hadn't even started, but the tension was already burning hot.
The referee walked to center court.
Then—
Tweet—
A sharp whistle sliced through the air.
The referee signaled the start of the match.
At the same time, the basketball flew up into the air between both teams.
The match—Kanagawa VS Aichi—had officially begun.