Kuroko's Basketball template: the king of slacking off, Shohoku's strongest sixth man.

Shohoku Basketball Gymnasium.

The smell of stale floor wax mixed with sweat in the air was so strong it was almost pungent.

"Raise your hands! Haven't you eaten?!"

Although we won the championship in the county competition.

But with the sword of Damocles hanging over their heads at the national tournament, no one dared to falter at this critical juncture.

Of course, except for a certain human-shaped keychain.

Lin Bei, who had just finished physical training, slumped on a folding chair on the sidelines.

He was dangling a half-empty bottle of mineral water in his hand, his eyes unfocused.

He looked like a salted fish that had lost its dreams.

Watching his teammates sweating profusely on the field, he felt like he was living the life of a retired old man ahead of time.

Just then, a series of dull and suppressed footsteps came from the gate.

"Thump, thump, thump."

Backlit, a dark shadow, as thick as an iron tower, blocked the doorway.

The huge shadow stretched long across the wooden floor, completely enveloping the team members who were running back and forth.

"Everyone, assemble!!!"

A roar, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, shook the dust off the ceiling of the basketball court.

Sang Tian, ​​who was running, was startled and slipped, almost doing a split right there in front of everyone.

Ryota Miyagi whirled around, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets: "B-Boss?!"

Sakuragi Hanamichi, who was battling wits with thin air under the basket, also froze.

He touched his bald head, looking completely bewildered: "A...a gorilla?"

Standing at the door was Takenori Akagi, who had just returned from "advanced studies" in the United States.

He was wearing a simple gray T-shirt, and the muscles in his exposed arms looked even more grotesque than before.

His skin was tanned to a bronze color, and the way he stood there exuded an imposing aura, making him look like a gangster boss who had just been released from prison.

"What? You don't recognize me after just a few days?"

Akagi's face was expressionless, but the smile lines at the corners of his eyes betrayed his good mood.

"team leader!!"

Yasuda and Shiozaki rushed over with a roar, their eyes red with excitement, almost bursting into tears.

It was originally thought that Akagi would not be able to return to the team until just before the tournament.

Unexpectedly, this giant Buddha statue returned ahead of schedule.

They even launched a surprise attack; that would be a bit too much of a surprise.

"How's your foot injury?"

"Did he just bravely run back?"

Mitsui Hisashi stepped forward and punched Akagi's hard chest muscle in an annoyed manner.

"Completely healed."

Akagi stretched his ankle.

"The rehabilitation technology in the United States is indeed quite impressive, plus they have nothing better to do than spar with a monster..."

"I feel much better."

After saying that, Akagi walked straight up to Lin Bei.

The entire room fell silent instantly; you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone knows perfectly well that Akagi's ability to enjoy top-tier, "pay-to-win" medical care in the United States was all arranged by Lin Bei.

Akagi looked down at Lin Bei, who was still slumped in the chair, and took a deep breath.

A rare solemnity appeared on that perpetually serious face.

He bent down, his massive body folding at a ninety-degree angle.

"Lin Bei, thank you."

There were no sentimental platitudes, just those two weighty words, landing squarely on the floor.

Lin Bei waved his hand and slowly stood up:

"Don't be so mushy."

"I just don't want our inside game to get riddled with holes during the national tournament."

"I'll have to step in and clean up the mess then."

"It's too tiring, not worth it."

Akagi straightened up, his face twitching slightly.

This guy, his mouth is still so irritating.

but……

Akagi looked around the stadium, his gaze sweeping over every familiar face.

Finally, his gaze settled on the banner on the wall that proclaimed "Dominate the Nation," and a fire ignited in his eyes.

"Alright! That concludes the reminiscing session!"

Akagi clapped his hands suddenly, and the captain's authority that had dominated Shohoku for three years instantly returned.

"Now that I'm back, double the training intensity!"

"Anyone who doesn't want to die, get moving!"

"yes!!"

The reply was deafening, almost blowing the roof off.

……

Meanwhile, on the tree-lined path outside the school gate.

Haruko Akagi was carrying her schoolbag, walking side by side with her two best friends, Fujii and Matsui.

The setting sun shone through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled light on her face, making her look like a painting.

"Hey, Haruko, why are you walking so fast?"

"Why are you in such a hurry to go to the basketball club? Not to watch practice, but to see someone, right?"

Fujii gave Haruko a mischievous grin and nudged her shoulder.

Haruko's face flushed bright red instantly, even her ears felt hot, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

"No...no, that's not true!"

"I really just went to refuel!"

"And...and I also want to see how Sakuragi-kun's training is going, and my brother's back today!"

She waved her hands frantically, her words incoherent.

"Oh~"

The two best friends exchanged a glance and let out a meaningful, strange cry.

"Come on, at the last awards ceremony, I thought Rukawa Kaede's gaze towards you was a bit off."

"It looks like a corner of that iceberg has melted?"

Matsui pushed up his glasses, and a gleam of wisdom reflected off the lenses.

"Huh? No...no, that's not true!"

Haruko lowered her head, her fingers twisting tightly around the strap of her schoolbag, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.

really?

Will Rukawa-kun... really look at me?

"If you care about him so much and he doesn't feel anything, then he's just made of cement!"

Fujii, exasperated, said, "Haruko, you need to step up! Take the initiative!"

Haruko stopped in her tracks, her eyes glazed over, completely lost in a pink-hued storm of imagination:

"But... now is a crucial time for expanding nationwide..."

"How can I let him be distracted by his romantic feelings... I would become a sinner..."

The two best friends both facepalmed; this girl was completely head over heels in love.

"It's hopeless..."

……

At the entrance of the basketball court.

The four members of Sakuragi's gang were standing at the door, their eyes glued to the view.

"Holy crap...really?"

Takamiya Nozomi held the potato chips dangling from her mouth, forgetting to chew them.

"Is this still the same Shohoku High School?" Oonan Yuji's mouth was agape, wide enough to fit a light bulb.

Haruko approached and, seeing this strange scene, asked curiously, "Yohira-kun, what's going on inside?"

Yohei Mito turned his head, his face unusually serious, and pointed inside:

"Miss Haruko, you can see for yourself."

"Shohoku is a bit scary today."

Haruko leaned closer, peeking through the crack in the door.

The next second, she covered her mouth, her beautiful eyes widened, and her breathing slowed down.

Inside the stadium, the atmosphere was terribly oppressive; the air seemed to have solidified into glue.

This isn't training; it's like the Colosseum in ancient Rome.

Under the basket, Takenori Akagi stood shirtless, his muscles bulging.

Like a heavy bulldozer, it held Sakuragi Hanamichi firmly in place.

"Are your legs weak?!"

"Is this all the progress you've made during this time?!"

Akagi roared and slammed his shoulder into Sakuragi's chest, a pure display of overwhelming power.

"In America, those centers would crush you until you're nothing but dust!"

"Lower your center of gravity!"

"Use your ass to sense my location!!"

Sakuragi Hanamichi gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead, his bald head covered in sweat, and his face turned a deep liver color.

"Shut up! You gorilla!"

"How could this genius possibly lose to you?!"