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

He took a coin out of his pocket.

He casually tossed it into the dusty offering box.

Clang.

The crisp sound echoed in the quiet mountain night.

The crowd quieted down.

Looking at the dilapidated shrine, his gaze gradually became serious.

Takenori Akagi stepped forward and clasped his hands together.

His rugged face was etched with piety and unwavering determination.

Next up are Kogure, Mitsui, Miyagi, and Rukawa.

Finally, there's Sakuragi Hanamichi.

Everyone stood side by side in front of the shrine.

Moonlight broke through the clouds and shone on them, casting long shadows.

"We need to..."

Akagi took a deep breath, his voice low and powerful.

"To dominate the entire nation!"

The crowd roared in unison, "Conquer the entire nation!!"

The sound startled a flock of birds, echoing through the valley.

That was a boy's vow, more effective than any god's.

"Let's go! Let's go back to sleep!"

"I'm hungry, do you have any midnight snacks?"

"Yohei, can I borrow that mask from earlier? I want to scare Takamiya."

The group joked and laughed, then walked down the mountain path arm in arm.

The noise gradually faded away.

The shrine returned to its deathly silence.

The wind stopped.

The fog gathered again.

Shortly after everyone left.

The tightly closed wooden door of the shrine creaked open and slowly opened a crack.

There was no wind, yet the door was open.

From the depths of the dark inner sanctum, a figure slowly emerged.

It wore tattered Warring States period attire and moved silently.

The moonlight illuminated its neck perfectly.

It was completely empty there.

It quietly "watched" the direction in which the Shohoku team had left.

Then, he slowly turned around and disappeared into the shadows of the shrine.

Only the fallen leaves on the ground swirled slightly.

……

the next day.

The morning sun pierced through the thin mist and shone on the outdoor sports field of the hot spring hotel.

This is a venue specifically prepared for training camps.

Although the facilities are not as good as those in a regular stadium, they are spacious and have fresh air.

The stadium is divided into two areas.

On the left side, the sounds of intense collisions and the squeaking of sneakers rubbing against the floor rose and fell.

Akagi, Rukawa, Mitsui, Miyagi, and the substitutes are currently engaged in a scrimmage.

"Quick attack!"

With a loud shout, the basketball flew out like a cannonball.

Rukawa received the ball, made a smooth turn to get past Kogure's defense, jumped, and slammed it down.

"Bang!"

The basketball hoop vibrated.

"Get back on defense! Don't stand still!" Akagi roared under the basket, his imposing presence palpable.

Everyone is preparing for tomorrow's practice match against Changcheng High School.

As the representative team of Shizuoka Prefecture, their strength should not be underestimated.

The art style is completely different on the right side.

This looks more like... a kindergarten morning exercise session?

"Hehehe..."

Coach Anzai sat in a folding chair, holding a teacup, smiling like a Maitreya Buddha.

Beside her, Haruko, dressed in sportswear, held a stopwatch and a notebook, looking very serious.

In front of them, Sakuragi Hanamichi was in a horse stance, holding a basketball, sweating profusely, his whole body trembling as if on vibrate mode.

"Sakuragi-kun, lower your waist a little more," Coach Anzai said slowly.

"Damn, that wretched old man..."

Sakuragi gritted his teeth, his thigh muscles aching so badly they felt like they were about to explode.

"What kind of special training is this?!"

"This genius wants to dunk! He wants to shoot! He wants to be as dazzling as Rukawa Kaede!"

"Sakuragi-kun!"

Haruko cheered from the sidelines, clenching her fist in encouragement.

"A solid foundation is very important!"

"Coach Anzai said this is the only way for you to become the 'Rebounding King'!"

Upon hearing the words "rebound king".

It was Haruko who said it.

Sakuragi instantly recovers fully, accompanied by his own background music.

"Yes, Miss Haruko!"

"I'm the rebounding king! I'm King Kong's little brother!"

He suddenly lowered his waist, his posture as perfect as a textbook example.

Not far away.

Lin Bei is doing one-handed push-ups.

He did not participate in the competition, nor did he join Sakuragi's basic class.

His special training program was simple and tedious, focusing on extreme physical exertion.

Sweat dripped down his strong back, forming a small puddle on the floor.

"998……999……1000".

Lin Bei flipped over and leaped up, his breathing barely disturbed.

He picked up a towel to wipe his sweat and turned his gaze toward Sakuragi.

Lin Bei walked up to Sakuragi.

At this moment, Sakuragi was practicing his defensive slide step. Although his movements were fast, his center of gravity fluctuated wildly, making him look like a red-haired monkey jumping around.

"Too high."

Lin Bei spoke calmly.

"What's too high, Master?" Sakuragi stopped, panting heavily.

Lin Bei stretched out his foot and gently kicked Sakuragi's calf.

"Center of gravity".

Are you dancing?

"When defending, imagine yourself as a rock, not a balloon."

As Lin Bei spoke, he adopted a defensive stance.

In that instant, Sakuragi sensed that Lin Bei had changed.

Although its size has not changed, it gives people the feeling of being a towering mountain that cannot be shaken.

"Watch closely."

Lin Bei's eyes narrowed, and he took a step to the side.

Without any unnecessary undulations, it felt as if the person was gliding along the ground, moving at an astonishing speed while remaining as stable as a mountain.

"Use your buttocks to sense your center of gravity, and use your thighs to support your body."

"Instead of relying on your bouncy little legs."

Lin Bei straightened up, patted Sakuragi on the shoulder, and offered a profound analogy:

"When you can move without spilling water from your head, you'll have mastered the basics of defense."

Sakuragi touched his bald head thoughtfully.

"My buttocks... my center of gravity... is sinking..."

Suddenly, his eyes lit up, as if a new world had opened up for him.

"Haha! I get it!"

"Master means it should be like sitting on a toilet!"

"..."

The entire room fell silent.

Haruko blushed and turned her head away, her shoulders shaking.

Coach Anzai's glasses reflected the light, and the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned.

Lin Bei's lips twitched.

Although the metaphor is crude, it has its own flavor, but... the words may be rough, but the principle is sound.

This kid's comprehension is truly at a beast-like level.

The training lasted all day and was extremely intense.

Until the sun set, turning the entire stadium golden red.

"gather!"

Akagi blew his whistle.

The crowd lined up with heavy steps.

Although exhausted, everyone's eyes were sharper than in the morning.

Sweat soaked through the jersey—that's proof of getting stronger.

"Dismissed! Let's soak in the hot springs! Let's eat!"

"oh--!!"

Nighttime at Yunyin Hot Spring.

This time, no one had the energy to hold a "breath-holding contest" or a "size contest".

Everyone floated on the water like dead fish.

The steaming hot spring water enveloped my aching muscles, washing away the day's fatigue.

"Ah... I'm alive again..."

Mitsui let out a long sigh, covered his face with a hot towel, and felt as if his soul had been elevated.

"Our opponent the day after tomorrow is Changcheng High School. I heard their ace, Mikoshiba, is very strong." Miyagi leaned against the pond, drawing circles on the water with his finger.

Rukawa Kaede closed his eyes and said coldly, "Just smash it."

"That's right!"

Sakuragi suddenly emerged from the water, splashing everyone's faces with water.

"With this genius around, Mikoshiba and all that stuff are just cannon fodder!"

"As long as I use today's 'toilet squatting defense method'."

"I'll make him question his existence! I'll make it impossible for him to poop!"