Slam dunk, hit 100% of the three-pointers at the beginning!

Shohoku High School, Classroom Building

Ding dong!-

The bell signaling the end of class echoed.

In the classroom of Year 1, Class 1...

A girl with a delicate face, long flowing hair, and soft, gentle eyes stared out of the window in solitude. Suddenly, as if struck by an important realization, she leapt from her chair.

Her sudden movement caught the attention of a girl with thick lips sitting next to her. Worried, she quickly asked:

"Haruko, what's wrong? You look so flustered."

The youthful girl turned toward her friend, immediately covering her mouth with both hands, her expression anxious.

"Oh no! The team is having a practice match today! I wonder how many points Rukawa has scored, or if Hanamichi even got to play. And... my brother!"

This girl was none other than Akagi Haruko, the younger sister of Akagi Takenori. In the original manga, she's Hanamichi Sakuragi's crush.

Glancing at the clock on the wall, Haruko gasped. "We have to hurry! The match might still be going on."

Before her friend could respond, Haruko grabbed her arm and started running toward the door.

"Haruko, slow down! Not so fast!"

Elsewhere...

A boy about 165 cm tall casually walked into Shohoku High School. A backpack slung over his shoulders, he carried a notebook in one hand while chewing on a pencil. Approaching a Shohoku student, he asked: "Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to the basketball gym?"

This boy was Aida Hikoichi, a first-year student at Ryonan High School and a substitute player for their basketball team.

"The basketball gym? Just follow this road all the way, and you'll see it." The Shohoku student pointed in the direction after giving Hikoichi a quick once-over.

"Thank you very much!" Hikoichi bowed deeply to express his gratitude and, with a look of excitement, headed toward the gym.

"I need to observe carefully. I wonder if Shohoku has any exceptional players this year…"

Meanwhile, in the gym...

The atmosphere was electric.

After a powerful dunk by Ryu, the crowd of students watching the game erupted in excitement, as if a hidden energy had been unleashed.

"Wow! That guy's amazing. He just dunked in front of Akagi!"

"Way to go, first-year! Don't lose to Akagi!"

"Akagi, don't let the first-years beat you!"

Standing among the spectators, Ayako could no longer contain her excitement. Her eyes sparkled as she watched Ryu, her voice tinged with admiration.

"For some reason, I feel like his aura has completely changed. He's so cool!"

Her face turned slightly red as she murmured to herself like a shy girl next door.

Meanwhile, Hanamichi Sakuragi, who was practicing nearby, watched jealously, a mix of frustration and envy bubbling within him.

"Argh! That was supposed to be my moment to shine! Damn you, Ryu!"

On the court...

Akagi watched Ryu with a mix of astonishment and respect. "This kid... What else is he hiding? He's as good as Rukawa, and his energy is boundless."

But Akagi wasn't the only one impressed. No one felt more conflicted than Kogure. His expression changed as he stared at Ryu.

"Is this really a beginner? Pulling off an in-air hand-switch dunk with such ease—it's unbelievable."

"Thank goodness he's on our team," Kogure sighed in relief, grateful for their shared jersey.

"Ha ha ha! Ryu is just as tough as you all said he would be," Miyagi said with a grin as he wiped the sweat off his face. "He's definitely stirred up my fighting spirit."

At that moment, many of the senior players on the team felt a shift—Ryu had unofficially claimed the position of "top rival," overshadowing even Rukawa's star presence.

In the game's rhythm...

"You really scored over the captain? Incredible!"

"My heart almost stopped just watching. How did you do it?"

Several players swarmed around Ryu, looking at him in awe as they returned to their positions. In their eyes, Ryu was already their leader.

"Ha ha ha, it's simple—just jump higher!" Ryu responded coolly, his satisfaction evident as he brushed off their praise casually.

Hearing this, the players were left in awe, their expressions a mix of admiration and helplessness.

"Cocky, but not bad," Rukawa said flatly, wiping sweat from his face as he gave a measured assessment of Ryu's dunk.

"Get ready to defend," Ryu called out as Akagi prepared to pass the ball. "The seniors are about to attack!"

As fatigue began to creep in, Ryu could feel his energy waning. He sighed in frustration.

"I've got to find a way to improve my stamina. If this keeps up, I won't last... No matter how much money you have, you can't buy endurance."

Ryu recognized that stamina was currently his biggest weakness. Improving it wouldn't be easy and would require long-term effort.

"Let's stop them!" Inspired by Ryu's determination, his teammates felt their strength renewed, ready to face the seniors' offensive charge.