June 20th.
Afternoon.
Sunlight filtered through drifting clouds, spilling across the plaza of the Kanagawa Prefectural Sports Arena, but it did nothing to slow the tide of people surging toward the stadium.
The crowd grew denser by the minute.
Voices overlapped.
Laughter, discussion, heated debate,
The air buzzed like a festival in full swing.
Compared to the morning's Shoyo vs. Shohoku match, which now felt like a prelude, this afternoon's showdown was the real reason everyone had gathered.
Ryonan vs. Kainan.
The decisive battle for the championship of Kanagawa.
One hour before tip-off.
Basketball Gym No. 1
The arena was already filled to capacity.
The spectator stands were nearly overflowing, and even the aisles were crowded with people craning their necks for a better view.
Coaches and players from eliminated schools had arrived early, quietly observing, unwilling to miss a single detail of this final clash.
The reporter area was packed.
Cameras stood shoulder to shoulder, lenses trained on the court as journalists from major sports weeklies and newspapers made final adjustments, determined not to miss a moment that might become tomorrow's headline.
"There are really so many people today…"
Kamishiro Ruri stood in the reporter's area, fingers lightly brushing the edge of her camera lens as her gaze swept across the sea of spectators. Her voice carried a note of awe.
She had followed Akashi's games many times before—but never like this.
High school basketball was different.
The attention.
The pressure.
The scale.
It was on an entirely different level.
Just as she was lost in thought, a familiar, teasing voice sounded beside her.
"Oh? Little junior—we meet again."
Kamishiro Ruri turned around.
Aida Yayoi was walking toward her, camera slung over her shoulder, Nakamura Taizo following behind with a bag of equipment.
"Yayoi-senpai, Nakamura-san," Kamishiro Ruri greeted politely.
She called Aida Yayoi senpai not only because of age, but because both of them belonged to the same news agency system. To her, Aida Yayoi was someone worth learning from.
Aida Yayoi glanced at the notebook filled with dense writing in Kamishiro Ruri's hands and smiled.
"You're really diligent, little junior. At this rate, you'll become a great reporter someday."
"Huh?" Kamishiro Ruri waved her hands quickly, a little flustered.
"I'm only with the news agency temporarily! I might leave after graduation—I don't plan to be a reporter forever."
"Oh?" Aida Yayoi's eyes sparkled with interest.
"Then why did you join the news agency?"
Kamishiro Ruri hesitated.
A faint blush crept up her cheeks as she answered honestly, "I… I wanted to help the Ryonan Basketball Club get more attention."
Aida Yayoi froze for a split second.
Then her lips curved upward into a knowing smile.
"Oh~? Just helping the team gain fame?" she drawled, leaning in slightly and nudging Kamishiro Ruri with her elbow.
"That doesn't sound so simple, does it?"
Kamishiro Ruri's face instantly flushed red.
"Y-Yayoi-senpai, what are you saying?! I just think the team is great, that's all—"
Her voice grew softer with each word, until it was barely audible.
Aida Yayoi laughed quietly.
Lowering her voice, she asked, "No outsiders here. Tell big sister—who's the one you're really cheering for?"
Kamishiro Ruri took a breath.
As a member of the Kamishiro family, she wasn't someone who liked to hide forever.
"…Akashi-kun and I are just ordinary friends," she said, still blushing.
"Akashi Seijuro?" Aida Yayoi's eyes lit up instantly.
"The Akashi Seijuro who's shaking all of Kanagawa right now?"
Kamishiro Ruri nodded.
"We entered Ryonan together."
"Oh my," Aida Yayoi said with a grin.
"Childhood friends, huh? He really is a good match."
Before Kamishiro Ruri could respond, Nakamura glanced at his watch and spoke up.
"The players should be coming out soon."
Both women fell silent and turned their attention toward the player tunnels.
Kainan High — Locker Room
The locker room door opened.
Coach Takato stepped inside.
"Time's almost up," he said calmly.
"Have you finished warming up?"
As he spoke, his gaze was immediately drawn to the figure seated at the center of the room.
Shinichi Maki.
Shirtless, a thin sheen of sweat clung to his bronze skin, gleaming under the lights. A dark blue towel draped over his head, shadowing his eyes.
His hands rested loosely on his knees.
But the atmosphere around him—
Was anything but relaxed.
The usual calm dominance of the "Emperor of Kanagawa" was gone.
What remained was something raw.
Dangerous.
Like a beast crouched in the shadows, muscles coiled, waiting for the moment to strike.
Even the air in the locker room seemed heavier.
Coach Takato's pupils tightened slightly.
Maki lifted his head.
The towel slipped just enough to reveal sharp, hawk-like eyes.
"Has the game not started yet, Coach?" he asked quietly.
"Hahaha!" Coach Takato laughed heartily as he walked in.
"Don't rush, Maki. There's still time."
But in his heart, he was deeply satisfied.
This hunger. This focus. This refusal to underestimate anyone.
At his peak condition, Shinichi Maki was a predator with only one goal—
Victory.
Coach Takato's expression soon turned serious.
"You all know Ryonan well," he said, scanning the team.
"Yes!" the players responded in unison.
"You've trained for this," he continued.
"But remember—practice is practice. On the court, variables change constantly. Akashi and Sendoh are players who adapt on the fly."
His gaze returned to Maki.
"Maki, the command is yours."
"Yes," Maki replied.
Ryonan High — Locker Room
Coach Taoka stood with his hands behind his back.
Outwardly calm.
Inwardly burning.
"This is our final match of the prefectural preliminaries," he said steadily.
"Our opponent is Kainan. You all know what that means."
The players straightened instinctively.
Fingertips clenched.
Breathing slowed.
Sixteen consecutive championships.
Even with Akashi among them, the name Kainan still carried immense weight.
Coach Taoka felt it too.
But today—
Looking at this team—
Hope surged within him.
"I won't say much," he said firmly.
"The command is entrusted to Akashi. Follow his instructions."
He turned to Akashi.
"It's up to you."
Akashi stepped forward.
White training uniform.
Back straight.
Expression calm.
Yet his presence alone stabilized the room.
He looked at each teammate in turn.
Then he spoke.
"This is our last game of the preliminaries. Whether we win or lose won't affect our qualification."
A pause.
"But that has nothing to do with complacency."
The air tightened.
"We don't need the label of 'lucky qualifiers.'"
His gaze sharpened.
"In this game, give everything. Let everyone remember—"
"Victory is what Ryonan deserves."
"Yes!"
The response was immediate and unified.
Coach Taoka watched, heart pounding, and smiled to himself.
Indeed… the future belongs to them.