"'Cat'? Who's that? Me?"

  Tendou gnced at the barrage of comments, shook his head lightly, took off his sungsses, and neatly pced them aside before stepping onto the court again.

  At the same time, he decisively turned off the live barrage.

  This was his first official appearance—he must go all out to cim victory.

  His life desperately needed victories right now!

  ...

  The match began.

  The game followed international basketball rules:

  Total duration: 40 minutes

  Four quarters, each sting 10 minutes.

  An uppercssman from Teiko's second-string team served as the temporary referee. While it wasn't exactly Teiko pying 6 vs. 5, at least they wouldn't be disadvantaged by questionable officiating.

  With the whistle blowing sharply, the basketball was tossed high into the air.

  Kawasaki Affiliated's center was fully prepared to teach this freshman a valuable lesson. He was one of the top four centers in Kanagawa, famously idolizing NBA star David Robinson for his exceptional athleticism.

  Although Kawasaki Affiliated narrowly missed st year's national tournament, he had dominated in the regional matches, averaging an impressive double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds per game. Taking on a mere first-year rookie would be a piece of cake!

  "Listen up, rookie! Basketball isn't just about who's taller!"

  With a loud sp, Kawasaki's center heroically swung his hand toward the basketball.

  Huh?

  Wait, where was the ball?

  He froze momentarily, only to find the basketball had already disappeared. Turning his head, he finally saw that Murasakibara Atsushi had beaten him to the jump, cleanly tapping the ball directly to a teammate.

  One of Kanagawa's "Four Great Centers" had lost the opening contest to a freshman.

  Murasakibara stared at his opponent bnkly, confused as he hadn't quite heard what was said earlier.

  "Is something wrong?"

  "…Just you wait!"Damned rookie!

  Teiko secured possession and immediately pushed forward for their first attack.

  This was the cssic half-court offense, popurized in this era.

  Nijimura Shuzo personally took charge of Teiko's first offensive py for the new season. Upon receiving the pass, he immediately accelerated toward the basket.

  Nijimura's exceptional talent y in his unique agility and ball-handling—qualities rarely found in power forwards.

  After a swift crossover followed by a huge stride, he broke through the defense and stormed straight into Kawasaki's paint.

  But Kawasaki had anticipated this scenario. To them, Nijimura was clearly Teiko's biggest threat.

  In an instant, Nijimura saw two Kawasaki defenders rapidly close in from either side, while the defender he'd just bypassed quickly spun around, forming a tight triple-team trap.

  However, Nijimura was completely unfazed—this scenario was exactly as Coach Shirogane had pnned.

  With Nijimura's vision, passing, and penetration ability, building the offense around his drive-and-kick style was a logical choice.

  Teiko's trademark st season had been precisely this—penetration leading to open shots.

  Therefore, as Nijimura began his drive, the other four Teiko pyers simultaneously started running, creating open space to receive a pass.

  Kawasaki's three-man trap allowed Nijimura to effortlessly find his teammate. With the defense now compromised, Teiko's shooting guard stood unmarked in the corner, receiving the ball for a wide-open three-pointer.

  Swish!

  3-0!

  Teiko scored first, neatly and effortlessly.

  "Smooth as always, Teiko," observed one pyer from Kawasaki, trying to remain calm despite their poor start.

  Kawasaki Affiliated had initiated this practice match; naturally, they had thoroughly studied Teiko.

  "Stick to our pn, no need to rush," their captain instructed confidently.

  "Yes!"

  The Kawasaki pyers nodded determinedly, their spirits high.

  This season was Kawasaki Affiliated's best chance yet—and possibly their st. Next year, their entire starting lineup would graduate to high school. Thus, winning the national championship this year was their utmost priority.

  Some team members had even started ignoring their girlfriends completely, fully dedicating themselves to basketball.

  After all, basketball was a much bigger and more rewarding "ball" to pursue!

  ...

  Kawasaki began their offensive possession, swiftly moving the ball to their star pyer—shooting guard Yoshizawa Ayumi, the key threat Shirogane had mentioned earlier.

  When Tendou first heard his name, he briefly wondered if this guy had an older sister with a simir name.

  Yoshizawa, seeing that his defender was Tendou Kageyoshi, felt quite lucky.

  Wasn't Teiko just gifting him easy points?

  Without hesitation, Yoshizawa abruptly accelerated, quickly shifted direction, and slipped past Tendou. He confidently rose into the air for a mid-range jump shot.

  "So easily bypassed? Too inexperienced."

  Yoshizawa inwardly sneered, as if he'd expected this outcome. He'd been a rookie too, spending an entire year working from freshman to starting lineup—not due to offensive struggles, but due to defensive inadequacies. Rookie pyers always cked experience and defensive skill, making them easy targets.

  However…

  Just as Yoshizawa began to raise the ball for his shot, a chilling sensation crept up his spine.

  Suddenly, his hands felt empty—the basketball had vanished.

  Gncing down, he saw a long, slender arm thrust forward like a knife, cleanly stripping the ball from between his hands!

  "That's it?"

  When Tendou heard Shirogane's earlier comments, he'd expected something remarkable. But Yoshizawa was barely different from their own Yuta Yamanaka.

  "In fact, you're even easier to guard than my senior teammate."

  From the sidelines, Yamanaka—who'd been happily appuding Tendou—stopped smiling immediately.

  How could someone say such icy words in such a casual tone?

  Quickly grabbing the loose ball, Nijimura saw Tendou swiftly turn and wave for the pass, signaling a fast break.

  Yoshizawa frantically chased after him, feeling personally insulted by Tendou's blunt comment. Having mocked Teiko's rookies so loudly moments before, this embarrassment hit particurly hard.

  Sensing Yoshizawa behind him, Tendou executed a sudden, sharp stop, pulling the ball back to throw off Yoshizawa's timing. Just as Yoshizawa attempted to brake, Tendou explosively accelerated again, effortlessly blowing past him from the side.

  This masterful move left Yoshizawa looking utterly foolish.

  Coach Shirogane couldn't help but cp—the move was truly spectacur. Tendou's basketball instincts and talent were overflowing, impossible to conceal, shining brightly like a firefly in the darkness.

  With his good looks, Tendou could probably charm a hostess without spending a single yen!

  After blowing by Yoshizawa, Tendou stormed toward the basket and unched himself high into the air. With authority, he smmed the ball home in a powerful one-handed dunk, fiercely decring his dominance to Kawasaki Affiliated from the very start.