Silence… The gym seemed to hold its breath.
Everyone was frozen, still reeling from Akashi's declaration. Shock, disbelief, awe—it all tangled together.
Coach Taoka Moichi stood rooted, mouth opening and closing, unable to speak. In all his years of coaching, he had never encountered a newcomer who proclaimed victory with such absolute certainty.
Beside him, Sendoh silently held his forehead, his expression saying: "My heart… is so tired."
Only Kamishiro Ruri's eyes shone, sparkling as she stared at Akashi.
Uozumi, the imposing captain, wanted to scold the freshman, to knock him down a peg—but for some reason, his words refused to form.
Aida Hikoichi, on the other hand, was flabbergasted, his mind in complete chaos. "Oh my god… who… is he? Where does such confidence come from?"
Gradually, the team regained their senses. Koshino and Ikegami exchanged glances with Sendoh—you didn't warn us he'd be this arrogant, right?
Sendoh, laughing nervously, broke the tension. "Hahaha… well, since you've met him, let me introduce you to my teammates!"
He walked Akashi and Kamishiro Ruri through the team: the coach, the captain, the upperclassmen. His humor lightened the room, but the tension didn't fully dissipate.
Coach Taoka finally spoke. "Alright. Since everyone is here, it's time to test the newcomers. Intra-squad game—newcomers against the upperclassmen."
He gave Akashi a meaningful glance. Strength like his must be proven if he expects to lead this team to a championship.
The upperclassmen's gazes hardened. Provocative, sharp, laced with ill intent—they would show this freshman that arrogance had a price.
Sendoh shot Akashi a subtle "Good luck" look.
Akashi remained calm, unbothered.
Kamishiro Ruri quietly moved off the court to watch, giving the players space.
Positions were set. Aida Hikoichi nervously approached Akashi. "Um… hello… my name is Aida Hikoichi. Please take care of me."
Akashi's heterochromatic eyes met his. In that instant, a subtle pressure emanated from Akashi, like a silent wave of authority. Aida froze, even his breathing faltering.
"Pay attention to the movement of the ball," Akashi said simply.
Aida blinked, nodded quickly. "Y-Yes…"
Sendoh assumed a defensive stance, a playful grin on his face. "Let's see how strong you've become."
Akashi's calm reply: "As you wish."
For the jump ball, Akashi stood opposite Uozumi. Ten centimeters shorter, yet he exuded no timidity. A subtle aura seemed to push the upperclassman slightly off balance.
This guy… Uozumi's surprise was unmistakable. He had never felt a freshman radiate such presence.
Beep! The whistle sounded. The ball flew into the air.
Thump… Thump… Both jumped. Uozumi, taller, expected to dominate—but Akashi's hand reached first, inching past Uozumi's by a finger, half a palm, then a full palm.
Shock registered on Uozumi's face. This… explosive power… jumping ability… insane.
Slap! The ball landed in Akashi's hand. With a subtle flick, he passed it to Aida Hikoichi, who immediately dribbled toward the upperclassmen's basket.
Akashi moved effortlessly around Uozumi, charging forward.
On the sidelines, Coach Taoka's frown softened into a flicker of admiration. This freshman was already displaying near top-tier athleticism.
Aida advanced but was soon stopped by Koshino. Hands trembling, he steadied himself, passed decisively to another first-year, who fumbled slightly under pressure. Ikegami easily stole it, and the upperclassmen launched a fast break.
Uozumi finished it with a thundering dunk. Freshman team 0 – Upperclassmen 2.
The upperclassmen maintained relentless control. Every time the freshmen tried to fight back, the upperclassmen's experience and coordination prevailed.
2 – 9… 4 – 14… 8 – 22… Huff… Ha… Huff… Ha…
The freshman team was exhausted, sweat pouring, breaths ragged.
Koshino sneered, "Are these the newcomers? Pathetic."
Ikegami smirked, "The guy who talked big… where's he now?"
Uekusa laughed, "Maybe he already knows he can't win and gave up."
Uozumi muttered, eyes fixed on Akashi, "Could his ability really be just this much?"
Coach Taoka frowned. From the start, he had focused on Akashi. But the freshman had barely made a move—no threatening shots, no aggressive defense. What was he doing?
Sendoh, amused and exasperated, whispered, "You didn't forget how to play after a year off, did you?"
Akashi merely smiled faintly. Calm. Collected. "No rush, Sendoh. The game isn't over yet."
Koshino sneered, "You're fourteen points behind already. You might as well surrender now."
Akashi's expression didn't change. He turned to the freshmen and said softly:
"Pass me the ball."