Following Akihito Shigure's jaw-dropping block, the gym plunged into stunned silence, before erupting with gasps and exclamations of disbelief.
Truth be told, even Shuzo Nijimura's offensive play up to that point had been superb. Until the instant Shigure exploded with that block, Nijimura had completely dictated the tempo.
But Shigure's slam dunk, and that block, were simply too explosive.
Compared side by side, the sheer impact of those two moments was enough to eclipse everything that had led up to them. The question of who came out on top was already decided in the thunderous echo of the dunk, and the heavy thud of the block.
"That guy's vertical is insane!"
"Other than that one time during the high school IH finals, I've never seen someone like this, and he's just a first-year?"
"That explosive leap and the elevation he reached with that block completely erased the gap Nijimura created on offense."
"He's terrifying."
"Where the hell did this kid even come from?"
Courtside.
Coach Sanada Naoto opened his mouth, but couldn't quite bring himself to speak. Instead, he turned to look at Head Coach Hakugin Kōzō.
He knew exactly how much effort Coach Hakugin had put into recruiting Shuzo Nijimura to Teiko this summer. And to be honest, before seeing Nijimura in action himself, Sanada had been skeptical.
After all, no matter how talented, he was still just a first-year.
For a powerhouse like Teiko, to have the head coach personally recruit a middle school freshman? That had never happened before. At most, they'd send out talent scouts or assistant coaches to handle such things.
But after watching Nijimura play… Sanada had to admit,
This wasn't just any prodigy.
What made Nijimura truly exceptional wasn't just his athleticism. It was his unnervingly mature and comprehensive skill set, lightyears ahead of most middle schoolers.
In fact, if you stripped away the flair and physicality, what lay beneath was a steady, calculated playstyle that analyzed and exploited weaknesses with surgical precision.
This was a player who perfectly fit Teiko's needs, a cornerstone they could build a team around for the next three years.
And yet,
Sanada turned back to Akihito Shigure on the court.
This kid… was the same.
Sure, he didn't have the same all-around polish as Nijimura. His gaps were clear and visible. But the strengths he did possess were so overwhelming that they didn't just make up for those flaws, they blew past them entirely.
At least from Sanada's perspective,
Shigure was a genius whose potential might even surpass Nijimura's.
With that thought, he glanced at Coach Hakugin again.
The player they'd gone through so much trouble to recruit was now being outshone by a boy who'd walked through their doors on his own.
Noticing Sanada's gaze, Coach Hakugin broke into a faint smile.
"Sanada…"
"You know, in all my years overseeing Teiko's basketball program, this is the first time I've ever personally gone out to recruit a player."
"Shuzo Nijimura… what do you think of him?"
Sanada nodded.
"He's strong. Definitely worthy of your attention, Coach. But, "
"But it seems he may not be as exceptional as Akihito Shigure."
Hakugin finished the sentence for him. Sanada hesitated for a moment, then nodded again. He knew Hakugin wasn't the kind of man who would feel slighted by the truth.
"Sanada," Hakugin said, gesturing up toward the second-floor stands at the giant banner reading Victory in Every Battle. "Teiko's unwavering belief, 'Victory is everything.'"
"But how many on this team truly embody that idea to its fullest?"
His eyes returned to the court, first to Akihito Shigure, grinning like a wild animal, then to Nijimura, who had just lost the entire possession but looked more fired up than ever.
"Shuzo Nijimura…"
"He's been extraordinary ever since I started watching him. But what drew me in most wasn't just the talent or his physical gifts. It was that fierce, almost reckless hunger for victory, masked under a calm exterior."
"That drive… it's not something you're born with. It's not something you learn through drills. It's a weapon of a completely different kind."
No one wins forever. Everyone stumbles eventually. But even with that knowledge, Teiko's philosophy remains: Victory is everything.
Why?
What else could it be, besides pride?
In Hakugin's mind, a familiar memory rose up again.
That one time in the neighborhood court, when Nijimura lost to a high schooler.
He'd show up every night after that.
"One more game!"
"One more!"
"One more!"
No matter how many times he hit a wall, he never backed down. Never lost his nerve. And with the talent to match that tenacity, he'd eventually win.
In that moment, as Hakugin looked down at the court, he saw that same unrelenting fire in Nijimura.
And in that fire, he saw the lifeblood and oxygen of Teiko, the fuel that would drive this machine forward at full speed.
"Watch closely, Sanada."
"Maybe next possession… Nijimura will already have found his answer."