This time, the members of Jabberwock were no longer merely shocked. They were afraid. A suffocating, terrifying aura radiated from Haizaki Shogo, blanketing the entire basketball court. Even Nash was swallowed by that fog of fear.
Then, Nash's voice slowly echoed across the court. "My brothers, I think Haizaki Shogo doesn't need to prove anything else anymore, right?"
Silence. Not a single player answered. Not even Jason Silver, who had been knocked down earlier. Jason wasn't stupid. The level Haizaki had just shown was undeniably on his own tier. That alone was enough. And more importantly, with Nash, Haizaki, and Jason himself, the next game's victory suddenly looked very real. In this world, who would refuse money? Especially in America, where realism and individualism ruled everything, this was normal.
Nash continued. "So, the No. 6 jersey belongs to Shogo. Any objections?"
Still silence. Silence meant agreement. It meant recognition.
Nash nodded. "Good. It's settled." Then he looked around the team once more. "To celebrate Shogo joining us, tonight, we're having a party at my place. Everyone's invited."
"OH YEAH!"
"Let's go!"
"WOO!"
The moment "party" was mentioned, the atmosphere instantly changed. In America, there was a simple truth: if one party couldn't solve it, then two would. If two wasn't enough, then three. Until the room was full of music, laughter, and beautiful women. Everything would eventually work out.
Haizaki had been acknowledged. And after that, the atmosphere in training immediately became lighter. He returned to normal, but even in his "normal state," his performance was still absurdly strong.
On the court, Jason Silver and Nash were talking quietly while defending together. "Hey Nash, where the hell did you even find this Shogo guy? He's ridiculously strong."
"Yeah. That's a good thing, Jason."
"I know it's good. This is about a contract worth hundreds of thousands of dollars for all of us. The stronger he is, the better."
"Exactly. And one more thing." Nash glanced at Haizaki. "What you just saw wasn't even his strongest state."
Jason froze. "You're kidding, right?"
"Do I sound like I'm joking?"
Jason sucked in a breath, eyes shifting toward Haizaki, who was casually shutting down Nick on defense. No way, this guy is even stronger than that? A single Asian newcomer, brought in by Nash, and called "brother" by him. And with just one test scrimmage, most of Jabberwock felt like they might get destroyed.
Jason finally exhaled. "Alright, I admit it. He can wear the same jersey as us."
Nash nodded. "Good. Then show your worth too. Don't get overshadowed."
Jason grinned. "Gahaha! That's an easy request!"
=======
A few moments later, Jason caught the ball and stormed into Haizaki's half. His momentum was explosive. At the free-throw line, BOOM! He leapt. A perfect two-handed windmill dunk shattered the air with brute force. The entire court shook with intimidation.
Haizaki narrowed his eyes. A strange light flickered in his gaze, something like imitation, something like predation. So this is Jabberwock, showing strength as a warning. Everyone here understood the message. Jabberwock was not to be underestimated. Their undefeated reputation was not a coincidence.
Haizaki received a pass from Nash. The feel of the ball was smooth, almost unnaturally perfect in his hands. Without hesitation, he pulled up from the outside. A three-pointer. SWISH! Clean. Perfect arc. Perfect release. The shot was effortless. A signal. Everyone on Jabberwock immediately understood it: this guy can score anywhere. Inside or outside. Midrange or three. As a small forward, he was complete. And that realization changed the tone of the court. Because in this team, talent meant money. And money meant everything.
The scrimmage continued. Every player began revealing fragments of their ability. And Haizaki slowly came to understand something: this team was terrifying. Built from street basketball culture and pure competition, every single starter was at a level comparable to the Generation of Miracles. At least in their normal state. If they entered special modes or "Zone" conditions, the hierarchy would need to be redefined entirely.
The scrimmage eventually ended. Haizaki only played two quarters. That night, most of the team left early for Nash's party. Only three people remained in the empty gym: Haizaki Shogo, Nash Gold Jr., and Jason Silver.
Nash smiled. "So, my brother, do you want to see something special?"
"Oh?" Haizaki tilted his head slightly. "I'm looking forward to it."
A faint smile appeared on Haizaki's lips. He walked to the opposite half-court, picked up a ball, and slowly lifted his head. In that instant, Nash felt it. A terrifying, violent pressure erupted from Haizaki's body like a storm breaking loose. BOOM! The air itself seemed to change.
And Nash realized, this is still not everything he has.
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