The practice was brutal.
Madoka had taken her role as trainer seriously—perhaps too seriously. She had them running suicide drills until Yasuhara looked like he might actually die, defensive slide drills until their legs burned, and three-man weave repetitions until they could execute it in their sleep.
"Again!" Madoka called out, clipboard in hand, whistle around her neck. "Chucky, you're drifting too wide! Nabe, call for the ball louder! Yasuhara, stop running into people!"
Sora watched from the sideline, catching his breath after going through shooting drills with Momoharu. His captain had improved dramatically over the past five days—his mid-range shot was now falling at a respectable rate, and his form was consistent.
"She's scarier than you," Momoharu muttered, taking a drink of water.
"She's effective," Sora corrected, watching as the three delinquents actually completed a successful three-man weave, finishing with a Chucky layup that only hit the rim twice before going in.
"That's progress," Momoharu admitted.
"Alright, everyone!" Madoka called out. "Water break, then we're running one final scrimmage before calling it a day!"
The team collapsed onto the benches, exhausted but noticeably stronger than they'd been five days ago. Even Yasuhara, Nabe, and Chucky moved with more purpose, their bodies starting to understand basketball movements.
Sora's phone buzzed in his bag. He pulled it out, seeing a new message notification.
From: Mom
His face softened immediately as he opened it.
"Sora, I heard from the hospital staff that there's a big game tomorrow. I'm so proud of you for working hard. Remember—you have wings. No matter how tall your opponents are, you can always fly higher. I love you. Show them what the son of Yuka Kurumatani can do."
Sora felt his eyes stinging. He typed back quickly:
"I will, Mom. I promise. I'll make you proud. Love you."
"Ooh, is that from a girlfriend?"
Sora nearly dropped his phone. Madoka had snuck up behind him, leaning over his shoulder with a teasing grin.
"W-what?! No!" Sora's face turned bright red. "It's from my mom!"
"Your mom?" Madoka's teasing expression shifted to curiosity. "You looked so happy reading it. You two must be close."
"We are," Sora said, his blush fading but his voice becoming quieter. "Though... I can't see her right now. Because of circumstances."
Madoka's expression turned concerned. "Circumstances?"
Sora hesitated, then decided there was no harm in telling her. "She's in the hospital. She's been sick for a while. So we mostly communicate through text messages."
"Oh, Sora..." Madoka's hand went to her mouth. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to pry—"
"It's okay," Sora said with a genuine smile. "She's the reason I love basketball. Growing up, when other kids made fun of my height, when coaches told me I was too small, she was always there supporting me. Telling me that being short wasn't a weakness—it just meant I had to work harder, be smarter, be better."
He looked at his phone, at the message still on the screen. "She helped me overcome everything. Every insecurity, every doubt. She's the one who taught me that I have wings."
"Your mom sounds amazing," Madoka said softly.
"She is," Sora agreed. "She was actually a professional basketball player. Played for the Japan National Team before I was born. That's where I got my love for the game—from watching her old highlight videos, listening to her stories."
Madoka's eyes widened. "Your mom played for the national team? That's incredible!"
"Yeah," Sora's expression turned determined. "That's why this game tomorrow is so important. Not just for the team, but for me personally. I need to prove that her teachings weren't wasted. That even though I'm short, even though people doubt me, I can compete. I can win."
He looked directly at Madoka, his eyes fierce with conviction. "No matter how tall and strong our opponents are tomorrow, I won't run away. I never have, and I never will. That's the promise I made to her."
Madoka was quiet for a long moment, just looking at him. Then she smiled—a real, warm smile that reached her eyes.
"Then I'll be your supporter too," she said. "Just like your mom. I'll cheer for you, believe in you, and help you however I can."
She pulled out her phone. "Here. Let's exchange numbers. That way I can send you encouragement before the game. And after, when you win."
"When we win?" Sora smiled. "You sound pretty confident."
"I am," Madoka said firmly. "Because I've seen how hard you've worked. How hard you've pushed everyone. If anyone can pull off a miracle, it's you."
They exchanged numbers, and Sora saved her contact with a small smile.
"Oi, lovebirds!" Momoharu called out from the court. "We doing this scrimmage or what?"
"We're not—" both Sora and Madoka started, then looked at each other and laughed.
-----
The final day of practice was different. Less intense, more focused on strategy and mental preparation.
Sora gathered the team in the locker room, a whiteboard set up with Shinmaruko's probable lineup.
"Okay, here's what we know," Sora began, channeling his enhanced Basketball IQ. "Shinmaruko has two players ranked in Kanagawa's top five. Shinichi Chiba, their power forward—188 cm, extremely athletic, aggressive around the rim. And Tokitaka Tokiwa, their shooting guard—180 cm, quick hands, good court vision."
He drew X's and O's on the board. "They'll likely run a motion offense with Tokiwa handling the ball and Chiba posting up. Their center is big but slow. Their point guard is quick but inconsistent."
"So how do we beat them?" Yasuhara asked.
"We don't," Sora said bluntly. "Not in a traditional sense. We can't out-athlete them. We can't out-size them. So we have to out-smart them and out-hustle them."
He drew more diagrams. "Our strategy is simple: Aggressive defense. We pressure the ball, force turnovers, and run in transition. In half-court, we spread the floor—me and Captain can score, so they have to guard us outside. That opens up driving lanes and cuts."
"What about us?" Chucky asked, gesturing to himself, Nabe, and Yasuhara.
"You three are our energy," Sora explained. "You crash the boards on both ends. You set screens. You dive for loose balls. You make them work harder than they've ever worked in practice. Basketball isn't just about skill—it's about heart. And I know you three have that."
Momoharu nodded approvingly. "Not a bad plan, rookie."
"There's one more thing," Sora added. "I have a secret weapon. Something they won't be expecting. But I can't tell you what it is yet—it only works if it's a surprise."
The team exchanged curious glances but didn't push.
"Alright," Momoharu stood up. "Let's do one final light practice. Tomorrow, we show Shinmaruko what Kuzuryu High is made of."
----
Game Day - Shinmaruko High Gymnasium
The Kuzuryu High girls' basketball team had come to support them, sitting in the small visitors' section. The Shinmaruko gym was significantly nicer than Kuzuryu's outdoor court—polished hardwood, proper baskets, bleachers filled with home supporters.
Madoka watched the Shinmaruko team warming up, her expression growing more worried with each passing minute.
"They're so organized," one of the girls' team members whispered. "Look at their layup lines—perfectly timed."
"And their shooting drills," another added. "They're all making shots consistently."
Madoka turned to her teammates, trying to keep her voice steady. "This year's Shinmaruko lineup is really strong. Their center, Chiba, and their guard, Tokiwa—they're both ranked in Kanagawa's top five players."
"Top five in the entire prefecture?" one girl gasped. "And Kuzuryu's team..."
She didn't finish, but everyone knew what she meant. Kuzuryu's team consisted of one player who hadn't played seriously in two years, three complete beginners, and one extremely short first-year.
It looked like a massacre waiting to happen.
The locker room door opened, and the Kuzuryu team emerged.
Momoharu led the way, his new basketball shoes squeaking on the polished floor. Behind him came Chucky, Yasuhara, and Nabe—looking nervous but determined in their hastily assembled uniforms. Chiaki strolled out last, having apparently decided to show up after all, though he still looked half-asleep.
And at the back, barely visible behind his taller teammates, walked Sora Kurumatani.
The moment they appeared, someone from the Shinmaruko supporters section threw a can at Momoharu.
"Go back to your slum, delinquent!"
The can missed, but Momoharu's expression darkened. He started toward the bleachers, but Sora grabbed his arm.
"Don't," Sora said quietly. "Save it for the court."
"They just—"
"I know. But we beat them by playing, not fighting. Remember?"
Momoharu took a deep breath, then nodded. "You're right. Let's warm up."
As they began their layup lines, Momoharu gathered the team.
"Okay, quick review. Does everyone remember the rules?"
"No punching or kicking," Yasuhara recited.
"When you have the ball, you can't take more than three steps," Chucky added.
"Don't pick up the ball with both hands unless you're shooting or passing," Nabe contributed.
"Good enough," Momoharu decided. Though Madoka, listening nearby, looked increasingly concerned about their definition of "knowing the rules."
She caught Sora's eye as he was shooting warm-up jumpers.
"Sora," she said quietly, pulling him aside. "Are you sure about this? Shinmaruko is really strong. Chiba and Tokiwa are prefecture-level talents. Your team has only been practicing seriously for six days. Maybe you should—"
"We'll be fine," Sora interrupted with a confident smile.
"But—"
"Madoka-senpai, trust me. There's no need to worry." His smile widened, and something in his eyes reminded her of a predator about to hunt. "I have a secret plan to defeat Shinmaruko High."
"A secret plan?" Madoka looked skeptical. "What kind of—"
"If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret," Sora said with a wink. "Just watch. We've been working hard for this. Time to show everyone what Kuzuryu High basketball can do."
Across the court, Shinichi Chiba was watching the Kuzuryu team with interest.
"That's him," Tokiwa said, nodding toward Sora. "The kid who did the double-clutch."
"I remember," Chiba said. "Let's see if he can do it in a real game."
The referee blew his whistle.
"Teams, to the center!"
Madoka returned to the stands, her hands clasped together nervously.
Please, she thought, looking at Sora's small form standing next to players who towered over him. Please let him be right. Please let there really be a plan.
Sora stood at center court, his heart pounding but his mind clear. The system interface flickered at the edge of his vision.
[Quest: Rebuild the Team - COMPLETE]
[Reward: Player Card Draw Ticket (Normal Tier) x1 - Obtained]
[Bonus Quest: Win the Shinmaruko Match - ACTIVE]
[Bonus Reward: impact tier draw]
[Additional Quest Generated: Make a Statement]
[Objective: Score 40+ points in debut game]
[Reward: Star Tier Draw]
Here we go, Sora thought, looking at Momoharu, who gave him a fierce grin.
Time to fly.
The referee held up the ball for the opening tip.
Kuzuryu High's first official game was about to begin.