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

"What about Lin Bei?"

"Lin Bei is also very strong. Doesn't Rukawa consider him a rival?" Kuwata asked innocently.

Upon hearing this, Lin Bei, who was sitting on a bench with his eyes closed, preparing to continue his "invisibility," twitched slightly.

Rukawa Kaede seemed to have heard the discussion. He tightened his shoelaces and didn't turn around.

Maybe it's because Lin Bei is a teammate.

Moreover, that guy... seems to prefer slacking off.

Rukawa Kaede silently added to his mind, while rolling his eyes.

"Number 14, shooting guard, Mitsui Hisashi!"

"Mitsui——!!!"

In one corner of the stands, a huge banner that read "Man of Flame" was being waved wildly.

Horita Tokuo, tears streaming down his face, wailed in a hoarse, heart-wrenching voice:

"Mitsui! You're the best!"

"Let these mortals see your meager rain!"

Just as Mitsui Hisashi was about to make a dashing entrance, he stumbled and almost wished everyone an early Happy New Year on the spot.

His face was flushed, and he looked like he wanted to dig a three-bedroom apartment out of his toes. He gritted his teeth and growled at the stands:

"Shut up, De Nan!"

"Stop yelling! It's so embarrassing!"

The starting five for Shohoku are now assembled.

Lin Bei, who was assigned as a "secret weapon" (substitute) for this match, was not introduced.

He was happy to have some free time, so he wrapped his coat tighter around himself and slumped in the chair in the most ergonomic position.

"That feels good."

"This part of being watched like a monkey is finally over."

"I just want to be a quiet VIP audience member." Lin Bei thought to himself, feeling quite pleased with himself.

At this moment, on the other side of the field.

On the coach's bench at Ryonan High School.

Taoka Shigeichi crossed his arms, his gaze sharp as he swept over Shohoku's lineup.

His gaze lingered on Mitsui, Miyagi, and Rukawa for a long time, and the muscles on his face twitched uncontrollably a couple of times.

"Mitsui Hisashi... Miyagi Ryota... Rukawa Kaede..."

Coach Taoka let out a long sigh in his heart.

It was a complex emotion that mixed the feeling of "losing a hundred million" and "my ex-girlfriend marrying my mortal enemy".

"These... should have been Ryonan's players!"

"If they had all come to Ryonan back then, along with Sendoh and Uozumi..."

Coach Taoka's mind instantly conjured up a high-definition, uncensored fantasy image.

That was the dream team that dominated the country. He stood on the podium, receiving the worship of thousands of people. The flashes from the reporters almost blinded him.

"pity……"

Reality dealt him a heavy blow.

He shook his head, forcibly shaking off those unrealistic fantasies, and his gaze sharpened again.

"Next, let's introduce the team wearing white jerseys—Ryonan High School!"

"Number 4, Center, Jun Uozumi!"

A huge figure slowly stood up.

His height of 2.02 meters makes him stand out from the crowd, exuding an aura of intimidation.

Looking at Uozumi's broad back, Taoka Shigeichi's thoughts drifted back to three years ago.

At that time, Uozumi was tall, but he was clumsy and had low self-esteem. People ridiculed him behind his back as "a useless person who is only tall".

"Uozumi..."

Taoka silently recited the mantra in his heart, his eyes becoming as kind as an old father's.

"The moment you decided to come to Ryonan, I knew we were going to conquer the whole country."

"You are a weapon I forged with my own hands, the cornerstone of Ryonan."

"From that moment on, I started frantically calling in people for you."

Taoka's gaze turned resentful again, drifting towards Shohoku, looking like a wronged woman who had been abandoned.

"I went to see Mitsui, but he said he wanted to follow Coach Anzai; he was his ideal man."

"I went to see Miyagi, and he also said he wanted to go to Shohoku, all because of Coach Anzai."

"I've finally waited for Rukawa to graduate..."

Coach Taoka closed his eyes in pain and clutched his chest.

That afternoon's conversation still feels like a poisoned dagger stuck in his heart.

"Rukawa-kun, come to Ryonan..."

"No, I want to go to Shohoku."

"Why? Is it still because of Coach Anzai?"

"No, it's because it's close to home."

"It's close to home!!!"

Coach Taoka roared inwardly, "What kind of bullshit reason is this?!"

This is simply "not very harmful, but extremely insulting"!

This is a complete blow to this passionate coach!

but……

Taoka suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the Ryonan team members who were warming up.

"It doesn't matter."

"Although the card collection failed and we didn't get those geniuses."

"But my current team, having undergone hellish training, is still the strongest!"

The introduction continues!

"Number 6, Defender, Hiroaki Koshino!"

The off-road vehicle stood tall and proud, its eyes revealing a fierce "if you're not convinced, then fight" attitude.

"Although he may not be as talented as those geniuses, he has the strongest competitive spirit, and his fighting spirit can boost the morale of the whole team." Taoka nodded in satisfaction.

"Number 8, Defender, Tomoyuki Uekusa!"

Zhicao walked onto the stage steadily, his expression as calm as if he were strolling down the street.

"Uekusa may not be as flashy as Miyagi, but he is steady, calm, and makes zero mistakes. He is a ball-handling machine who knows basketball like the back of his hand."

"The two of them have grown into indispensable pieces of Ryonan's puzzle."

At this moment, the announcer's voice suddenly rose eight octaves, and even showed signs of cracking.

"Next—"

"Number 7, Small Forward, Akira Sendoh!!!"

"boom--!!!"

If Rukawa's appearance was met with screams, then Sendoh's appearance was like a tsunami.

The entire stadium seemed to tremble; it was the grand gesture of a true champion.

Akira Sendoh sported his signature broom-like hairstyle, a nonchalant smile playing on his lips.

He strolled onto the field leisurely, as if he weren't there for a life-or-death battle, but rather for a leisurely walk in his own backyard.

But beneath that seemingly languid smile lies a pair of extremely sharp eyes.

Sendoh looked towards Shohoku's half of the court.

His gaze first collided with Rukawa Kaede's icy stare in mid-air, sparks flying.

"Not bad, Rukawa."

Immortal thought to himself, feeling a long-lost excitement.

Immediately afterwards, his gaze passed over Rukawa Kaede and precisely landed on the corner of Shohoku's bench.

There, Lin Bei was yawning without any regard for his image.

Seemingly noticing Sendoh's gaze, Lin Bei lazily raised his hand and gave a perfunctory "V" sign.

His face screamed, "Don't mention me, I want to go home."

Sendoh paused for a moment, then his smile deepened.

"Lin Bei... that unpredictable guy."

Although he was a substitute, Sendoh knew in his heart that the person who looked sleepy was Shohoku's most dangerous secret weapon.

Just then, a red-haired figure suddenly blocked Sendoh's view.

"Hey! You broom-headed guy!"

Sakuragi Hanamichi suddenly rushed to the center line and brought his face close to Sendoh's.

With nostrils pointing skyward, their arrogance is off the charts.

"Stop looking around!"

"Your opponent is the genius Sakuragi Hanamichi!"

"Today, this genius is going to utterly humiliate you! You'd better be prepared!"

Sendoh looked at Sakuragi, who was standing right in front of him, and said with an unchanged smile, "Oh, it's Sakuragi. Long time no see."

"Stop trying to get close! I..."

"Bang!"

A muffled thud.

Akagi Takenori's fist, brimming with "fatherly love," slammed heavily onto Sakuragi's head, instantly raising a large, smoking bump.

"Idiot! The match hasn't even started yet! Get back here!"

Akagi grabbed Sakuragi by the collar like a chick and dragged him back to his own half of the court.

"Let me go! Gorilla!"

"I'm going to teach that broom-headed guy a lesson!"

"I will destroy him in the name of the moon!" Sakuragi struggled wildly, waving his arms and legs.

Seeing this, Sendoh couldn't help but chuckle: "Heh, still hasn't changed at all."

"Finally, number 13, power forward, Kichou Fukuda!"

The announcement came on again.

Fukuda Kichijou lowered his head, his messy hair obscuring his eyes.

He walked onto the field in silence, but in his exposed eyes burned an almost frantic thirst for victory and recognition.

The starting ten players from both sides stood in the center of the field.

Takenori Akagi VS Jun Uozumi.

Rukawa Kaede VS Sendoh Akira.

Miyagi Ryota VS Tomoyuki Uekusa.

Hisashi Mitsui vs. Hiroaki Koshino.

Sakuragi Hanamichi VS Fukuda Kichijou.

The air seemed to freeze, and the smell of gunpowder was so strong it was pungent.

The referee, holding the ball, walked between Akagi and Uozumi.

"Both sides, prepare!"

Akagi and Uozumi bent down at the same time.

The two men stared intently at the basketball in the referee's hands, their eyes like those of two monstrous beasts about to clash.

"beep--!"

The whistle blew, and the basketball was tossed high into the air.

"The match begins!"

Akagi and Uozumi roared simultaneously, their massive bodies soaring into the air, blotting out the sky.

Lin Bei, standing in the stands, narrowed his eyes, took out a mint from his pocket, popped it into his mouth, and chewed it with a crunch.

"Alright, let the show begin."

"Don't make me too tired in the second half."