By the time Hell Week reached its final stretch, every boy on Seiryō High's roster felt like their bones had turned to sand.

Muscles ached.

Knees trembled.

The gym felt like both a battlefield and a home.

They weren't ready.

But they were closer than ever.

And just as they started to feel something like confidence…

The outside world struck back.

Hard.

Yuuto woke up sore, fingers still stiff from endless drills. His whole body wanted to stay under the blanket — but something felt off.

A buzzing.

Multiple buzzes.

Hundreds.

His phone vibrated like it wanted to crack open.

"…What the…?"

He blinked and checked the screen.

69 notifications.

112 tags.

20 DMs.

10 missed calls from Marcus.

Yuuto's stomach tightened.

That could only mean one thing.

He tapped the first link.

A sports page.

Then another.

Then another.

Then another.

---

"HAKURO ACADEMY DESTROYS WESTERN PREP — RYU KAZEN DROPS 51 IN TWO QUARTERS… IN A TRAINING MATCH."

The headline screamed at him.

Yuuto sat up so fast his blanket flew off.

He scrolled down.

A clip auto-played.

Ryu Kazen — calm, unreadable — dribbled past three defenders like they didn't exist.

No emotion.

No strain.

Just lethal precision.

A second clip showed Ryu swatting a layup into the stands.

His eyes flashed — blue grid lines again — reading every movement.

Another clip:

Ryu pulling up from nearly half-court in a training scrimmage and draining it like it was nothing.

The comment section was a wildfire:

> "Even in a practice match?? Bro is unfair."

"Seiryō has no chance 💀"

"Yuuto starting PG?? LMAOOOO"

"Marcus is good but not Hakuro good."

"Shunjin talks big but hasn't proven ANYTHING."

Yuuto swallowed hard.

They weren't ready for this.

Messages exploded across the screen.

Marcus:

BRO GET ON YOUR PHONE RIGHT NOW

Shunjin:

This is insane. We're everywhere.

Daichi:

I'M TRENDING??? WHY AM I TRENDING?? I MISSED LIKE 6 LAYUPS YESTERDAY

Daniel:

…be calm.

…media is noise.

Kento:

WHO CALLED ME "DISCOUNT MILK CARTER"??? WHO IS MILK CARTER?? IS THAT AN INSULT?? 😭😭

The chat scrolled at light speed.

But Marcus kept spamming:

"YUUTO PICK UP YOUR PHONE DUDE."

Yuuto finally typed:

Yuuto:

I'm here.

I saw everything.

Marcus:

meet me outside the school gates.

coach wants us early.

Yuuto exhaled slowly.

This wasn't just hype.

This was pressure.

National pressure.

---

SCHOOL — A SEA OF EYES

When Yuuto arrived, the reaction hit him instantly.

Students huddled around phones, watching clips of Hakuro's training match.

Comparing stats.

Laughing at memes.

Shouting predictions.

Yuuto couldn't take three steps without hearing:

"Yuuto Asahi's starting? Is Seiryō crazy?"

"No offense, he's good, but not Hakuro good."

"Ryu Kazen is on a different planet."

"Marcus is their only real threat."

Yuuto stopped listening.

His chest tightened.

Every comment felt like a needle.

A TV in the cafeteria blasted sports news.

The whole room turned as the anchor spoke:

"Good morning, Japan! The biggest match of the season is two days away — Hakuro Academy versus Seiryō High."

Clips flashed:

Ryu's crossover.

Shunpei Kanda blocking a dunk.

Minato Raiji firing threes.

Hiroto Mae stealing the ball like a ninja.

Sase Ren bullying defenders in the paint.

Then—

"With Ryu Kazen in peak form — even in training matches — analysts predict a comfortable win for Hakuro."

The screen changed again.

"Starting PG Comparison — Kazen vs Asahi"

Yuuto froze.

His face appeared next to Ryu's.

His stats were good.

Ryu's made them look tiny.

Then the graphic that hit everyone's nerves:

"Weakest link: Yuuto Asahi?"

Students whispered.

Marcus clenched his jaw.

Shunjin frowned.

Yuuto stared at the screen, numb.

Hashtags surged nationwide:

#HakuroSweep

#RyuKazenMode

#SeiryōSacrificeGame

#PrayForYuuto

Comments flew:

> "Yuuto is a mismatch waiting to happen "

"Ryu gonna cook him LIKE BREAKFAST."

"Daniel is solid but Ryu will break his ankles."

"Marcus is overrated."

Yuuto stared at his phone.

Then—

A new notification popped up.

The one that froze him.

No trash talk.

No arrogance.

Just a short video of him tightening his shoes.

Caption:

"See you soon, Seiryō."

Five simple words.

Heavier than any insult.

Marcus peeked and muttered:

"Bro is too calm. Too calm. That's terrifying."

Shunjin slapped both cheeks dramatically.

"That's a final boss, not a high schooler."

Daichi trembled.

"Why does he move like a national player?? We're just kids!"

Daniel said nothing — but his eyes sharpened.

Yuuto replayed Ryu's post.

Again.

Again.

And again.

Everyone else heard intimidation.

Yuuto heard a challenge.

His chest tightened — but not with fear.

With resolve.

Quietly, he whispered:

"…don't underestimate us."

Marcus turned.

Shunjin turned.

Both surprised.

Yuuto lifted his head — eyes sharp, steady, burning.

"I'm not scared of him."

Marcus grinned wide.

Shunjin smirked.

Daichi straightened up.

Daniel nodded once.

In that moment…

Yuuto wasn't the weakest link.

Yuuto was becoming the spark.

The gym doors slammed open.

Coach Hikari walked in with her tablet.

"Alright boys," she said, voice slicing tension cleanly,

"I assume you've all seen the internet."

Everyone nodded.

Some nervous.

Some furious.

Some fired up.

Hikari smirked.

"Good. Because now you understand something."

She tapped her tablet.

A giant projection lit up behind her — highlights from Hakuro's training match.

Ryu dominating.

Their defense airtight.

Their teamwork mechanical.

Hikari faced them.

"This is the storm you have to walk through."

Silence.

Then—

"They think we're done? Good. Let them."

She pointed at Yuuto.

"At the end of that match…

I want the whole country saying your name."

Yuuto's breath caught.

Marcus slapped his back.

Shunjin grinned like a wolf.

Daniel whispered:

"…then let's begin."

Hikari smirked.

"Exactly.

Let's answer the world properly."

Practice erupted.

Intensity doubled.

Focus sharpened.

Yuuto dribbled into position — breath steady, heartbeat calm.

He whispered:

"Ryu Kazen…"

Dribble.

Step.

Breath.

Resolve.

"…I'm coming."

Fade out.

The echo of Yuuto's whisper faded into the rhythm of the gym. Sneakers screeched. Balls thudded. Breath filled the air like smoke after a battlefield clash.

But something was different.

The atmosphere had shifted.

Not dramatically.

Not loudly.

But enough that even Coach Hikari paused mid-step.

Yuuto dribbled with a sharper rhythm, each bounce steady, intentional. It wasn't perfect — his form still tightened on the release, his left-hand hesitation still showed under pressure — but the fire inside him burned with a clarity he didn't have yesterday.

Marcus noticed first.

"Yo, Yuuto's moving different," he muttered, wiping sweat from his jaw.

Shunjin scoffed.

"About time. I thought the media was gonna make him fold."

Daichi shot back, "Bro, YOU fold when Coach raises her eyebrow."

"SHUT UP."

Daniel ignored them.

His gaze tracked Yuuto quietly, thoughtfully — like a lion studying another hunter's first steps.

Coach Hikari clapped her hands sharply.

"Alright! 4-on-4 transition drills! And Yuuto—" she pointed at him, "—you're leading every group."

Yuuto stiffened.

"E-Every?"

"Yes. You want to face Ryu Kazen?"

Her voice cut like polished steel.

"Then you don't get breaks."

The gym vibrated with excited murmurs.

Marcus slapped Yuuto's back.

"Let's cook, PG."

Yuuto smiled — small, but real.

"Yeah."

The first transition play exploded across the court.

Marcus grabbed a rebound and launched the outlet to Yuuto.

Yuuto sprinted up the sideline — legs burning, lungs screaming — but he didn't slow. Not today. Not after the whole country called him the weakest link.

He pushed forward and whipped a pass around Daniel, threading a needle straight into Shunjin's hands.

Shunjin rose for a jumper — splashed it.

Marcus whistled.

"THAT'S what I wanna see!"

Again.

Coach blew the whistle.

Another rep.

Daichi stole a pass and tossed it ahead — Yuuto caught it mid-stride, defended by Daniel.

Yuuto hesitated.

Daniel read the hesitation instantly and lunged.

Normally, Yuuto would've panicked.

But today—

Yuuto dropped low, switched hands, and burst past Daniel in a tight slip-dribble.

Even Daniel blinked.

Yuuto rolled the ball into a soft floater that arced neatly through the hoop.

Coach raised an eyebrow.

"…finally waking up."

Yuuto didn't hear her.

Couldn't.

His heartbeat drowned everything out.

Not fear.

Not pressure.

But purpose.

Resting on the sideline between drills, the team murmured among themselves.

Daichi whispered, "He's… kinda locked in, huh?"

Kento nodded while chewing on his compression sleeve.

"If he keeps that up, he might not DIE against Ryu."

Marcus rolled his eyes.

"That's the spirit, guys. Low expectations."

Shunjin leaned back against the wall.

"Let them talk. Ryu doesn't care about media. He only cares about dominating the matchup. If Yuuto doesn't show up—"

"He will."

Marcus cut in, voice sharp.

That confidence hung in the air — unspoken but solid.

Even Daniel glanced toward Yuuto with a slow nod, as if acknowledging something quietly shifting.

Not enough.

But beginning.

Practice wound down, but before she dismissed them, Coach Hikari called:

"Asahi."

Yuuto turned.

Coach tossed him a different ball — slightly heavier, slightly worn.

"Last drill," she said. "Just you."

Yuuto tightened his grip.

"Yes, Coach."

"Ten minutes. Full court. No stopping. Every made shot is +1. Every miss is -2."

The team winced.

That drill was brutal.

Meant to break rhythm, force mental control under exhaustion.

But Yuuto only nodded.

He sprinted.

Layup — +1.

Backpedal, turn, sprint again.

Pull-up — rim… bounce… in.

+2.

Corner three — short.

"MISS!" Shunjin shouted unhelpfully.

-2.

But Yuuto didn't slow down.

Didn't flinch.

Didn't complain.

Marcus leaned on the wall, arms crossed.

"He's fighting himself."

Daniel added softly,

"…and winning."

By the ninth minute, Yuuto's legs shook violently.

Sweat dripped off his jaw like rain.

His lungs burned.

His vision blurred.

But he kept pushing.

Kept sprinting.

Kept shooting.

Final seconds.

Coach began the countdown.

"Five."

Yuuto pulled up from deep.

"Four."

Release.

"Three."

Ball in the air.

"Two."

Marcus leaned forward.

"One."

Swish.

Yuuto collapsed to one knee, panting, sweat dripping to the floor.

Coach checked the score.

"…eleven," she said, impressed. "Most of you average five."

Yuuto didn't smile.

He only breathed — slow, deep, steady.

Trying to feel the ground beneath him.

Trying to feel prepared.

Trying to feel ready.

Steam filled the locker room.

The boys chatted, argued, and joked, but Yuuto sat silently on the bench, towel over his head.

Marcus walked over.

"You good?"

"…yeah."

Marcus nudged him.

"Not gonna lie, today you didn't look like a 'weakest link.'"

Yuuto exhaled.

"I don't want to beat Ryu…"

He paused.

"…I want to reach him."

Marcus's eyes widened — then he grinned.

"Perfect. Then let's make sure he hears you."

Shunjin shouted from across the room:

"YUUTO! STOP BEING COOL WITHOUT ME!"

Daichi threw a towel at him.

"Bro shut up."

Kento tripped over his own bag.

Daniel shook his head.

It felt normal.

Stable.

Right.

The calm before something enormous.

Before leaving the gym, Yuuto stopped by the court one last time.

Alone.

He stood at midcourt, spinning the ball in one hand.

He looked at the hoop.

At the empty lines.

At the echo of today's grind.

He raised the ball.

Shot.

Perfect.

He whispered:

"…Ryu Kazen. I'm still coming."

Lights off.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.