"Hello, classmate Oliver."
"Huh?"
A serious-looking man walked over and greeted Oliver with a polite smile.
Oliver found the man somewhat familiar, but couldn't quite recall who he was.
Sensing something unusual, the coach came over.
"What's wrong? Someone you know?" the coach asked.
"Hello, nice to meet you! Oliver, I'm Taoka Moichi, head coach of the Ryonan High School basketball team."
The man introduced himself while extending his hand.
"Hello, I'm Oliver from Heguang Middle School," Oliver responded politely, shaking his hand.
"It's like this, Oliver. You're about to enter high school, right? Have you considered joining our Ryonan High School?"
Coach Taoka's eyes were intense with excitement.
"I watched your matches. Your skills go far beyond the level of Kanagawa Prefecture. You should be aiming for the national stage!"
"Join us at Ryonan. Winning the National High School League won't be a problem with you on our team!"
So, they were here to recruit him.
When the man mentioned Ryonan High School, Oliver finally recognized him—Taoka Moichi, the head coach of Ryonan's basketball team.
Ryonan High School was a powerhouse, boasting players like Uozumi, a towering 202cm center, and Akira Sendoh, who was considered the strongest in the prefecture.
Uozumi's sheer height gave him a massive advantage, while Sendoh was a natural genius on the court.
Oliver recalled that in the practice match between Shohoku and Ryonan, Sendoh had handled both Kaede Rukawa and Sakuragi Hanamichi with ease.
Unlike Sakuragi, who constantly bragged about being a genius, Sendoh actually was one.
"So it's Coach Taoka Moichi from Ryonan. Hello," the Heguang coach greeted politely, then turned to Oliver.
"Oliver, what do you think? Ryonan High is among the top four teams in the prefecture. If you join, you'll shine in the national league."
"That's right, Oliver," Coach Taoka added, nodding. "If your dream is to dominate the nation, Ryonan is your best shot."
Truthfully, Coach Taoka wouldn't normally consider recruiting someone Oliver's size. But after seeing his recent performance, he couldn't stop imagining the possibilities—with Uozumi, Sendoh, and Oliver, they could easily sweep through the competition in the prefecture.
"Let me think about it..." Oliver said, raising his chin as he fell into deep thought.
> Ding!
The current stage mission has been updated: Choose a high school to join!
Oliver heard the system's notification and saw a list appear:
Shohoku High School, Ryonan High School, Kainan University Affiliated High School, Shoyo High School, Sannoh High School...
All the top basketball schools from the Slam Dunk world.
There were no restrictions on which school to choose.
Ryonan was certainly a strong option. But as a die-hard fan of Slam Dunk, there was only one school in his heart.
Shohoku High School!
Back when he first watched the anime, Oliver had cried when Shohoku fell short of winning it all.
Now that he had entered the world of Slam Dunk, he had the chance to help Shohoku fulfill the dream they never could—to dominate the country!
"Thank you for the offer, Coach Taoka, but I've already decided which high school I'll attend," Oliver said with a calm smile, shaking his head.
"Oliver, are you sure? Think it through!" Coach Taoka's eyes widened in disbelief, his tone shifting with urgency.
"With your talent, Ryonan is the perfect place to grow. You'll be playing alongside stars like Sendoh and Uozumi. Together, we'll make it to nationals easily!"
"No need to discuss it further, Coach Taoka." Oliver waved his hand, a firm look in his eyes. The moment Coach Taoka saw that look, he knew—Oliver had made up his mind.
"Alright then," Taoka said reluctantly. "Which school are you choosing?"
He remained cautious.
With Oliver's skill level, wherever he ended up would likely become a formidable threat to Ryonan.
"I'm going to... Shohoku High School!"
When Oliver said it, both coaches—the one from Heguang and Coach Taoka—were stunned.
Shohoku's basketball team wasn't considered very strong. In fact, compared to Ryonan, they were clearly outclassed.
Coach Taoka had played against Shohoku and knew their true strength. Apart from Akagi Takenori, the team lacked standout players.
In some ways, Shohoku was basically Akagi's one-man team.
So why would Oliver choose Shohoku?
Just as he was puzzling over it, a thought struck him.
"Could it be... because of Coach Anzai?"
"Ah… well… sort of?" Oliver answered awkwardly.
Was it because of Coach Anzai? Not entirely.
It was more about a feeling—a childhood dream.
But could he say it had nothing to do with Anzai? Not quite. Deep down, Oliver understood: Coach Anzai was the soul of Shohoku.
Still, that explanation would be easier for Coach Taoka to accept.
Seeing Oliver nod, Coach Taoka gave a knowing sigh, as though everything made sense now. At the same time, he was already doing calculations in his mind.
If Shohoku had Akagi, Oliver, and Anzai's leadership... they might be a serious threat this year.
He would need to arrange a practice match soon to assess their true strength.
After parting ways with Coach Taoka, Oliver and his team packed up. It was getting dark, and their coach led them to a nearby barbecue restaurant to celebrate.
The moment they opened the door, a delicious aroma hit them.
"Ooooh! That smells amazing!"
"I'm starving! Let's dig in!"
The team rushed inside to find seats. But Oliver, standing in the doorway, was frozen.
He was staring at the rowdy group seated in the middle of the restaurant.
"Yo! Celebrating Hanamichi's fiftieth rejection!"
"Wahahahaha! A new record!!"
"Hanamichi! You really have no luck with girls!!"
In the center of it all was a group of familiar faces.
Mito Yohei, with his neatly slicked-back hair, was holding his belly in laughter.
Next to him was the chubby Nozomi Takamiya, pouting and lighting tiny fireworks with Ohkusu Yuji, whose hair was dyed yellow.
Behind them, the mustachioed Noma Chuichirou was waving a small fan, performing a bizarre celebratory dance.
Anyone who had watched Slam Dunk would recognize this gang.
They were Sakuragi Hanamichi's closest friends—Sakuragi's Gang.
They constantly teased him, spreading his most embarrassing stories. Yet, whenever Sakuragi got into real trouble, they were always the first to stand by him.
"You idiots talk too much! If you laugh again, I'll smack all of you on the head!!"
At the center of the group stood a tall boy with bright red hair.
The protagonist—Sakuragi Hanamichi!
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