Kuzuryu High - Morning, Following Day
The basketball team gathered in the gym, still buzzing with the news. Kenji "Tobi" Natsume stood awkwardly to the side, his worn basketball tucked under one arm.
"So it's official?" Yasuhara asked, looking between Sora and Momoharu.
"Official," Momoharu confirmed. "The Principal himself reversed the expulsion. Natsume is on probation, but he's staying at Kuzuryu High."
"And joining the basketball team," Sora added, grinning at Kenji.
The freshman looked uncomfortable with all the attention. "Yeah, well... don't expect me to be all friendly about it."
"We don't," Chiaki said lazily from where he was stretching. "We just expect you to play basketball and not get into fights."
Kenji's expression hardened with determination. "That's the deal I made. From now on, no matter what happens, no matter who starts something—I won't fight. I gave my word to Satsuki-sensei and the Principal."
Yasuhara and Chucky approached him, looking at the basketball he was holding.
"Hey, Natsume," Yasuhara said, his earlier hostility completely gone. "Your ball handling yesterday... how do you do that? The way you kept the ball away from Sora, the crossovers, everything—it was insane."
"Can you teach us?" Chucky added hopefully. "Our dribbling is garbage compared to yours."
Kenji looked surprised by the genuine interest. "It's just... practice. Thousands of hours with a ball."
"Yeah, but there has to be technique too, right?" Yasuhara pressed. "Like, specific drills or—"
"I'll think about it," Kenji interrupted, but his tone wasn't unkind. "Let me actually join practice first before I start teaching people."
Sora watched the interaction with satisfaction. This is good. The team's coming together. With Natsume's skills added to what we already have...
He couldn't help but smile. We actually have a chance now. A real chance at Inter-High.
-----
Yuka Kurumatani sat in her hospital bed, staring at her phone with increasing worry. The cherry blossoms outside her window were in full bloom, their pink petals drifting past in the gentle breeze.
"Still nothing?" the nurse asked, checking Yuka's vitals.
"Four days," Yuka said quietly. "It's been four days since Sora last contacted me. No texts, no calls, nothing."
"I'm sure he's just busy with school and basketball," the nurse reassured her. "You know how teenage boys can be—they get caught up in things and forget to check in."
"Not Sora. He always sends me at least a goodnight message." Yuka's fingers tightened around her phone. "Something must have happened. Maybe the game didn't go well, or maybe he's injured, or—"
"Yuka-san," the nurse said gently but firmly. "You need to stop worrying. Stress isn't good for your condition. Look outside—it's beautiful weather. The cherry blossoms are at their peak. Try to enjoy that instead of imagining worst-case scenarios."
Yuka looked out the window, but the beauty of the blossoms couldn't ease the knot of worry in her chest.
Please be okay, Sora, she thought. Please be safe.
-----
Kuzuryu High - Afternoon
Sora was heading to the gym when he spotted a concerning sight in the courtyard.
Kenji was surrounded.
Nishiwaka—the infamous senior who controlled much of the delinquent faction at Kuzuryu High—stood at the center of a group of at least ten students. All of them looked angry.
"There you are, Natsume," Nishiwaka said, his voice cold. "Thought you could beat up my boys and get away with it?"
"I didn't start that fight," Kenji said calmly. "They came after me."
"I don't care who started it. You put three of my guys in the nurse's office. That requires payback."
Sora's blood ran cold. He immediately looked around for help and spotted Yasuhara, Chucky, and Nabe near the gym entrance.
"GUYS!" he shouted. "Courtyard! NOW!"
The three second-years immediately ran toward him.
"What's wrong?" Yasuhara asked.
Sora pointed. "Nishiwaka's about to jump Natsume."
They all started running toward the courtyard, arriving just as Nishiwaka's gang began closing in on Kenji.
"Hey!" Momoharu's voice boomed across the courtyard. The captain emerged from the school building, Chiaki right behind him. "Back off!"
"This doesn't concern you, Hanazono," Nishiwaka said. "This is between me and the freshman."
"He's on my team. That makes it my business."
"Your team of delinquents?" Nishiwaka laughed. "Please. You're all the same as us."
The gang moved closer. Kenji held up a hand to his teammates.
"Don't," he said firmly. "I made a promise. No fighting, no matter what."
"Natsume—" Sora started.
"I mean it. All of you, stay back. This is my problem."
Nishiwaka smirked. "Smart kid. Knows when he's beat. Alright boys, make it quick."
What happened next shocked everyone watching.
Kenji didn't fight back.
The first punch connected with his jaw, snapping his head to the side. He stayed on his feet but didn't raise his hands to defend himself.
A kick to his ribs made him double over, but he didn't retaliate.
"NATSUME!" Yasuhara screamed, starting forward.
Momoharu grabbed him. "He told us not to interfere."
"But they're going to kill him!"
Another punch. Another kick. Kenji went down to one knee, blood trickling from his mouth.
"Fight back, you coward!" one of Nishiwaka's gang shouted.
But Kenji just took it. Every blow, every kick, every cruel word. His eyes were focused on something beyond the pain—on his promise, on his sister, on his second chance.
"ENOUGH!"
Satsuki's voice cut through the violence like a whip. The teacher stormed into the courtyard, his expression thunderous.
"Nishiwaka! Office! NOW! All of you!"
The gang scattered immediately, running in different directions. Only Nishiwaka stood his ground for a moment, glaring at Satsuki, before he too turned and fled.
Satsuki turned his glare on the basketball team. "You people are ALWAYS involved in fighting!"
"We didn't do anything!" Yasuhara protested. "We just got here!"
"And Natsume didn't fight back," Nabe added quickly. "He just... took it."
Satsuki looked at Kenji, who was slowly standing up, wiping blood from his mouth. His face was already swelling, his ribs clearly bruised.
"Is this true?" Satsuki asked.
"Yes, sensei," Kenji said, his voice steady despite the pain. "I didn't fight back. Like you said—I needed to learn about taking pain."
Satsuki studied him for a long moment. His expression softened slightly—barely perceptible, but there.
"Your advice about accepting pain," Kenji continued, meeting the teacher's eyes. "It's not suited for me. But I understand what you were trying to teach."
The advisor was quiet for several seconds.
"The volleyball team is taking a break from practice today," he finally said. "You have my permission to use the court. But Natsume—go to the nurse first. Get those injuries looked at."
"I'm fine—"
"That wasn't a request."
Kenji nodded. "Yes, sensei."
As Satsuki walked away, the team surrounded Kenji.
"Are you insane?!" Yasuhara demanded. "You could have been seriously hurt." It hurt," Kenji said with a slight wince. "But I'm still standing. And I kept my promise."
"That took guts," Chiaki said quietly. "Real guts."
Momoharu arrived, taking one look at Kenji's battered face. "Did you fight back?"
"No," the team chorused.
The captain's expression was unreadable. "Good. Let's get you to the nurse, then we practice."
Gymnasium - One Hour Later
Kenji returned from the nurse's office with bandages on his face and ribs wrapped. He looked like he'd gone ten rounds with a professional boxer, but his eyes were clear and determined.
"You sure you can practice?" Momoharu asked.
"I'll be fine."
During a water break, Sora sat down next to Kenji.
"Hey, Natsume... can I ask you something?"
"What?"
"Your nickname. Tobi. Where'd it come from?"
Kenji's expression shifted—not quite softening, but becoming less guarded.
"My father gave it to me," he said quietly. "My real father, not the stepfather. He was a scaffolding construction worker. Spent his days working on tall buildings, hundreds of feet in the air."
He bounced his worn basketball absently.
"He used to say I moved on the basketball court like a kite in the wind—unpredictable, graceful, always staying just out of reach. So he called me Tobi. Kite."
"What happened to him?" Sora asked gently.
"Accident at work. Fell from a building." Kenji's grip tightened on the ball. "Right before my eighth birthday. But before he died, he bought me this basketball as a present. Had it delivered to the hospital where he was staying."
He held up the worn ball, its leather cracked and faded from years of use.
"This ball has been with me through everything. Every move to a new city, every new school, every fight, every loss. It's all I have left of him." Kenji looked at Sora. "That's why I went crazy when Yasuhara kicked it that first day. It's not just a ball. It's my father's last gift. It's proof that someone once believed I could fly."
Sora understood completely. "That's how I feel about basketball too. My mom taught me everything. Now she's in the hospital, and basketball is the only way I can reach her."
"Yeah. I heard about that." Kenji stood up. "I guess we're both playing for people who can't be here."
"Then let's make them proud," Sora said, standing as well. "Let's reach Inter-High together."
Kenji almost smiled. "One step at a time, shorty. Let's start by actually winning a game first."
That Evening - Sora's Apartment
Sora finally had time to check his system notifications. There had been one pending since yesterday, but with everything happening with Kenji, he'd forgotten to look.
[Quest Complete: Recruit Kenji Natsume]
[Difficulty: A-Rank]
[Reward: Impact Tier Draw Ticket x1]
[Congratulations on expanding your team!]
[Drawing Impact Tier Player...]
The wheel appeared, spinning rapidly. Sora watched as legendary names flew past—Rukawa, Sendoh, Kise, Aomine...
The wheel began to slow.
CLICK.
[Congratulations!]
[You have obtained: Impact Tier Player - Ryota Miyagi]
[From: Shohoku High School (Slam Dunk)]
[Position: Point Guard]
[Nickname: "Lightning Flash Ryota"]
[Player Profile: Ryota Miyagi]
[Position Rank: Top 3 Point Guard in Kanagawa Prefecture]
[Known for: Elite speed, defensive prowess, leadership, never-give-up attitude]
[Abilities Available:]
Primary Physical Enhancements:
Speed: +25 (MAJOR BOOST) Stamina: +15 Agility: +20 Lateral Quickness: +22
Skills:
Lightning Speed Drives
Signature Fake Shot
Elite Ball Stealing Technique
Pressure Defense
Court Vision & Leadership
Breaking Double Teams (Shallow Dribble Technique)
Chase-Down Blocks
Mental/Technical Attributes:
Mental Strength: +18 Technique: +15 Basketball IQ: +10 Defensive Positioning: +12 Communication & Leadership: +15
[SPECIAL TRAIT UNLOCKED]
["Never Exhausted" - Greatly reduced fatigue accumulation during games] ["Underdog's Heart" - Performance increases when facing taller/stronger opponents]
[Integrate immediately?]
Sora's hands were shaking. Ryota Miyagi—one of the best point guards in Slam Dunk, known for his incredible speed and defensive ability.
"YES!" he shouted. "INTEGRATE!"
The knowledge flooded in—different from Himuro's smooth offensive skills or Hyūga's shooting techniques. This was pure speed and defense. Miyagi's experiences as a smaller player who refused to let his size define him. His ability to steal from anyone, his lightning-fast drives, his leadership as Shohoku's captain.
[Integration Complete: Ryota Miyagi - 100%]
[Updated Physical Attributes:]
[Speed: 88 + 25 = 113]
[Stamina: 105 + 15 = 120]
[Agility: 85 + 20 = 105]
[Lateral Quickness: NEW STAT = 110]
[Updated Skills:]
[Ball Stealing: 97 + 12 = 109]
[Court Vision: 95 + 10 = 105]
[Leadership: = 92]
Sora stood up and immediately felt the difference. His body felt lighter, more responsive. He did a quick crossover dribble with an imaginary ball, and his feet moved so fast they were almost a blur.
This speed... it's insane!
He checked his full stats:
[Current Attributes:]
Physical:
Height: 149 cm (Growth Potential: 170 cm)
Speed: 113
Stamina: 120
Strength: 63
Jumping: 81
Agility: 105 (ELITE)
Lateral Quickness: 110
Offensive Skills:
Three-Pointer: 121
Mid-Range: 98
Layups: 94
Ball Handling: 96
Court Vision: 105
Defensive Skills:
Perimeter Defense: 88
Steal: 109
Defensive Positioning: 95
Mental:
Basketball IQ: 103
Mental Strength: 108
Leadership: 92
Sora could barely contain his excitement. With this level of speed, he could blow past almost any defender in high school basketball. His stealing ability was now elite-level. And his stamina meant he could maintain this pace for entire games.
He grabbed his phone and sent a long-overdue message to his mother:
"Mom, I'm sorry I haven't written in a few days. A lot has happened. We lost our first game but I scored 54 points. Then we recruited an amazing new player. The team is coming together. I can feel it—we're going to make it to Inter-High. I promise. I'll keep flying until I reach you. Love you so much."
The response came quickly:
"Sora! I was so worried! 54 points?! That's incredible, sweetheart! I'm so proud of you. Keep working hard, but please take care of your body. And remember—it's not just about the destination. Enjoy the journey with your teammates. They sound like good people. I love you too. Always."
Sora smiled, then looked out his window at the night sky.
With Miyagi's speed, Himuro's shooting, Hyūga's shooting technique, and Koganei's fundamentals... I'm becoming a complete player.
Natsume brings elite ball handling and versatility.
Momoharu has the athleticism and rebounding.
Chiaki has the basketball IQ.
And the others are improving every day.
He clenched his fist.
We're going to do this. We're going to reach Inter-High. And then...
We're going to win it all.