Kanagawa.
Familiar streets. The salty sea breeze carried on the wind.
The bus came to a stop in the city.
Everyone got off and stretched, their joints cracking loudly.
"Ahhh! We're finally back!"
"Kanagawa's air really is sweeter! Shizuoka smelled like sulfur. It nearly choked me to death."
Mitsui Hisashi spread his arms and howled at the sky.
Miyagi Ryota spun a basketball on his finger, a mischievous grin on his face.
"I think you're just missing the smell of smoke around here."
"Shut up!" Mitsui glared at him.
"All right, enough arguing."
Makino Juro clapped his hands, herding everyone together like a shepherd rounding up ducks.
He glanced at his watch.
"We still have some time. Come with me somewhere."
"Where?"
"Is there good food?"
"This genius wants ramen! Extra chashu!"
Sakuragi's ears immediately perked up, and he rushed over.
"Something even better than ramen."
Juro gave him a mysterious smile and snapped his fingers.
A black luxury van glided to the curb.
The side door automatically slid open.
"Get in."
...
In the heart of a bustling commercial district stood a store with an incredibly futuristic design.
Huge floor-to-ceiling windows radiated understated luxury, framed by sleek black metal that practically screamed sophistication.
The sign was simple and striking, consisting of nothing but an exquisitely designed logo.
"This… this is?" Akagi Takenori froze.
The location.
The decor.
One look and you could tell this was the kind of high-end store that probably charged you just for breathing inside.
"Go take a look."
Juro pushed open the door and walked in.
Cool air mixed with the rich scent of premium leather and washed over them.
Inside the store, rows of exquisite basketball shoes gleamed beneath the spotlights.
Nike, Adidas, Converse, ASICS…
They were all the latest models of the season.
Some were even limited editions that had already been driven to absurd prices on the resale market.
For basketball players, this place was paradise.
"Whoa!!"
Sakuragi Hanamichi's eyes instantly turned into hearts.
His DNA had awakened!
Like a monkey spotting a bunch of bananas, he lunged straight toward the display cases.
"These are… Jordan shoes!"
"That one's Barkley's! Holy crap, and they've even got these!"
Miyagi and Mitsui were staring as well.
Even Rukawa Kaede's eyes had become glued to a pair of white-and-red basketball shoes.
He practically couldn't tear them away.
"Welcome."
The store employees, all dressed in matching uniforms, bowed in unison.
Their respectful attitude was almost intimidating.
"J-Juro…"
"This store… don't tell me…"
Kogure Kiminobu pushed up his glasses, stumbling over his words.
Makino Juro casually picked up a pair of shoes and turned them over in his hands.
His tone was as indifferent as though he were talking about buying a head of cabbage.
"Yeah. I liked the look of it, so I bought the place."
"Since we're going to the National Tournament, we can't have everyone wearing old shoes, right?"
He turned around and spread his arms like a generous tyrant.
"Today, Young Master Juro is paying."
"Everyone gets one pair. Pick whatever you want. No limit."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Then...
A deafening roar of cheers erupted!
"Long live Makino Juro!!"
"You rich bastard! Big brother! Godfather!"
Miyagi Ryota shamelessly wrapped himself around Makino Juro's leg, rubbing against it repeatedly.
"I want those Converse! I've wanted them forever! They're too expensive, so I never bought them!"
"Go away, go away. Don't wipe your snot on my pants. These pants are expensive."
Juro kicked Miyagi away in disgust.
"Haruko, Ayako, you two get a pair as well."
Makino Juro pointed toward the women's shoe section, then looked toward the Sakuragi Army, who were timidly lingering by the entrance.
"And those four idiots over there."
Mito Yohei and the others froze.
"We… get some too?"
Takamiya Nozomi pointed at himself, utterly incredulous.
They had only come along to help with the scares.
High-end shoes like these didn't exactly fit the delinquent aesthetic they were going for.
"Obviously."
Makino Juro tossed over a pair of large-sized Nike shoes.
"You guys helped scare everyone these past few days. Consider it payment for your work."
Takamiya caught the shoes.
His eyes immediately turned red.
"Juro…"
"Waaaah! You're like my second parents!"
"Don't make me sick. Hurry up and pick something."
The store instantly descended into chaos, filled with pure happiness.
"Wahahaha! These red-and-black ones!"
"They have to be worthy of this genius's name!"
Sakuragi Hanamichi hugged a pair of AJ1s and refused to let go.
They were in Shohoku's colors.
They were also a classic Jordan design.
"These are quite expensive," the store manager said with a smile as he approached.
"They're an original-edition retro release and have extremely high collector's value…"
"Don't care! I want these!"
Sakuragi pressed his face against the shoe and rubbed against it with an expression that looked almost perverted.
"Only these shoes are worthy of the feet of a genius!"
"Boss, I have a hundred yen! Is that enough?"
The manager's smile froze.
"Well…"
"All right, stop teasing him."
Makino Juro walked over.
"Put it on my tab."
He then turned toward Rukawa Kaede.
The fox was holding a pair of AJ5s with a white base and red accents.
"Good choice."
Juro nodded.
"Good traction. Perfect for your stop-and-pull-up game."
Rukawa glanced at Juro.
For once, he didn't argue.
He merely nodded slightly.
"Thanks."
...
Over in the large-size section, Akagi Takenori looked somewhat uncomfortable.
His feet were simply too big.
Buying shoes normally felt like opening a blind box.
"Captain Akagi."
Makino Juro waved.
The store employee immediately brought over a large box.
"Specially ordered for you."
"Converse Pro Quest. Wide and reinforced."
"Excellent ankle protection and strong support."
Akagi opened the box.
Inside lay a pair of black-and-white high-top basketball shoes.
They looked almost like heavy armor.
Akagi gently ran his fingers across the upper.
His fingertips trembled slightly.
For a center, a good pair of shoes was practically a second life.
"Makino Juro…"
Akagi looked up, his eyes slightly...
"Don't get sentimental."
Juro cut him off before he could finish.
"It's an investment."
"If you sprain your ankle again during the National Tournament, I'm taking these shoes back."
Akagi took a deep breath and heavily slapped Makino Juro on the shoulder.
"Don't worry."
"Even if I break my legs, I'll stand in the paint until the very end!"
...
Nearby, Mitsui Hisashi picked out a pair of golden ASICS.
"The Flame of Man deserves a flashy color like that," Miyagi teased.
"You don't know anything!"
Mitsui admired himself in the mirror, clearly pleased with his appearance.
"This is called the style of an ace!"
"Once I put these on, my three-point percentage is going to be a hundred percent!"
Even Haruko managed to find a pair of pink-and-white sneakers.
She thanked Juro softly, her face slightly flushed.
Watching his teammates' excitement, Juro unexpectedly felt a small sense of satisfaction.
Was this what people called bonds?
A bond built with money?
No.
The shoes were merely tools.
What truly excited them was the battlefield that awaited them.
The National Tournament.
These shoes were their battle gear.
The first step on the road ahead.
...
Three days later.
The train station.
The Shinkansen platform was packed with people, yet everyone's attention was unconsciously drawn toward one particular group.
A group of high school students dressed in black uniforms.
They were tall, imposing, and seemed to carry an invisible "Keep Your Distance" barrier around them.
Especially the red-haired, bald-headed guy walking at the front.
His face looked downright vicious.
Yet he was carrying an adorable sports bag.
The contrast was almost comical.
"Is that Shohoku?"
"I heard they took down Kainan?"
"They look terrifying. Like a gang heading out for business…"
Passengers whispered among themselves, instinctively stepping aside.
Akagi Takenori walked at the very front like a moving iron tower.
His brand-new Converse shoes struck the floor with heavy thud, thud, thud sounds.
Behind him, Rukawa Kaede wore his headphones, his AJ5s gleaming beneath the sunlight.
Mitsui Hisashi adjusted his wristbands, his golden ASICS catching everyone's eyes.
Miyagi Ryota chewed gum with both hands in his pockets, wearing an unmistakably cocky expression.
Sakuragi Hanamichi excitedly looked left and right.
The red-and-black AJ1s on his feet looked like two burning flames.
Makino Juro walked at the very back in a simple pair of black sneakers.
He looked like the least conspicuous person in the group.
But anyone with discerning eyes could tell...
He was the true core of the team.
"The train is now arriving…"
The announcement echoed across the station.
A white bullet train slowly pulled into the platform, the pressure of its movement whipping everyone's clothes in the wind.
"Let's go."
Akagi turned around.
His determined gaze swept across the group of troublesome youngsters behind him.
"Our destination: Hiroshima."
"Our goal…"
"To conquer the nation!"
"OOOH!!"
END OF CHAPTER
The King Of Slacking Off - MrBehringer's Secret
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