The first day of Season 2 carried a different energy. The usual buzz in the central plaza was sharper, more focused. The casual greetings between teams were shorter, the glances more calculating.
They saw Sakuragi from Shohoku, his usual boasting now aimed squarely at the hologram of the Apex Towers. "That's gonna be this genius's new castle!" he yelled, his fists clenched with a new kind of determination.
Sendoh from Ryonan stood off to the side, his easygoing smile present but tighter, his eyes thoughtfully tracing the lines of the virtual penthouse.
Even the Teikō players seemed more intent. Akashi observed the tower not as a spectacle, but as a objective to be secured.
"Everyone wants it," Drei observed, his voice low. "It's not just a rank anymore. It's a home."
Renz cracked his knuckles, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Alright. Then I guess we're winning a new home."
The season schedule lit up the main board. Their first match was a familiar one.
GAME 1 — FLOWSTATE vs. SHOHOKU.
A rematch, but now the ultimate prize was silhouetted against the sky, changing the meaning of every dribble, every shot, every point. The hunger was back, but it had a new, more personal flavor.