[Name: Shigure Akihito]
[Position: Shooting Guard / Small Forward]
[School: Teiko Middle School (Year 1)]
[Height: 176cm]
[Offensive Attributes]
• Close Shot: 80
• Mid-Range: 105
• Three-Point: 105
• Dunk: 52 → 99
• Layup: 60 → 96
[General Attributes]
• Pass & Ball Control: 95
• Strength: 50 → 78
• Interference Resistance: 70 → 78
• Jumping: 62 → 100
• Speed: 85 → 87
• Dribbling: 75 → 77
[Defensive Attributes]
• Rebounding: 60 → 88
• Blocks: 60 → 86
• Interference: 80
• Steals: 85
[Unlocked Slam Dunk Mobile Game Players]
• Standard Profile Player: Godai Tomokazu
• Standard Profile Player: Kiyota Nobunaga
[Godai Tomokazu Skills]
Moonstep Retreat, Stationary Smooth Three, Drive & Soft Jumper, Full-Speed Burst, Intercept Passes,
Ultimate: Frozen Frame
[Kiyota Nobunaga Skills]
Aerial Block, Sudden Pullback Drive, Smooth Transition Layup, Full-Speed Burst, Poster Dunk, Monkey Step,
Ultimate: Reverse Backboard Slam
Upon unlocking a new "Slam Dunk Mobile Game Player," Shigure's attributes had been updated once again. And from this update, he finally understood how the system calculated stat bonuses.
Simply put:
Once you unlocked multiple "Mobile Game Players,"
each of your personal attributes would take the highest value among them all.
Thanks to that mechanic,
and a bit of luck,
The two players granted by his "newbie rewards," Godai Tomokazu and Kiyota Nobunaga, had almost perfectly complementary strengths, with hardly any overlap.
Just like that, Shigure's stats surged into a remarkably well-rounded realm.
While Shigure stood there, momentarily lost in thought over the system's mechanics,
On the other court, Nijimura Shūzō was already walking off, his face ice-cold.
He could clearly hear the whispers from the rookie group, murmuring about him and that other guy.
He didn't like the attention.
And even more so, he hated being lumped in together with someone else.
Though he didn't care much about joining Teiko's basketball team,
his disinterest had nothing to do with the game itself.
It was mostly about that old fossil, Coach Hakugin Kozo.
As far as basketball was concerned,
To be honest, it wasn't just his peers.
Even those so-called first-stringers, he didn't think he'd lose to any of them.
"Damn… both of them are just insane…"
"The second squad didn't even score a point against either one! That means they're strong enough to join the first squad right now, doesn't it?"
"Well… maybe. But…"
"Don't they say first-squad evaluations aren't based on just 1v1 matches?"
"True, their play styles are pretty extreme. One is pure brute force, violent blocks and relentless drives to the rim. The other's all about steals and interference on defense, and raining threes on offense…"
"Between the two of them… who's stronger?"
It wasn't just the rookies and second-squad players wondering this.
Even the assistant coaches in charge of observing the trials were curious. One of them turned to Coach Hakugin:
"Feels like the second squad couldn't even bring out their full potential. Should we bring in some first-string players for a proper test, Coach Hakugin?"
But Hakugin Kozo just shook his head.
"First-stringers? A 1v1 wouldn't prove anything meaningful at that level."
"Besides, this worked out perfectly."
He pointed first at Nijimura.
Then at Shigure.
To find even one gem of this caliber was rare enough.
But now?
Two had emerged at once.
Some time later, the rookie trial continued.
That was when Sanada Naoto, coach of the first-string team, suddenly approached Shigure Akihito.
Shigure had only a faint impression of this bespectacled middle-aged man.
What he remembered most clearly was that later on, after Coach Hakugin fell ill, Sanada took over as head coach, only to be completely sidelined by Akashi Seijuro's second personality.
That was when the "Generation of Miracles" spiraled into their ego-driven descent.
But standing before him now…
Sanada gave off an entirely different aura.
Cold. Firm. No-nonsense.
A hardliner.
Still, compared to the explosive, uncontrollable momentum of the rising Generation of Miracles, it was clear he hadn't been able to hold the reins.
The moment he let Aomine Daiki start skipping practice, that was the beginning of the end.
From that point on, Sanada had already lost the authority to lead.
But then again,
What else could you expect?
The guy didn't even have a color in his name.
At Teiko, even being a coach seemed to require some splash of color.
At least… in name.
Shigure shook his head faintly at the thought.
Sanada: "?"
What was that look… just now?
Did I imagine it?
But Sanada didn't dwell on it. He had more pressing things to say.
"Shigure Akihito, you'll have one more match."
"This one will determine your eligibility for the first squad."
"Bring your best."
Shigure's brow rose slightly.
He'd already noticed, on the other side of the court, Coach Hakugin was talking to Nijimura too.
And Nijimura,
First looked irritated.
Then paused.
Then turned his gaze toward Shigure.
And in that moment,
Though his face remained calm…
Shigure clearly felt it,
A sharp, beast-like glint flashing deep in Nijimura's eyes.
A predator sizing up its prey.