Seeing Sendo again, Akashi felt a subtle surge of complicated emotions.
He stopped in place, his heterochromatic eyes calmly resting on the familiar figure before him. Beneath that composed exterior, however, waves of long-buried memories quietly stirred.
Back then, he had never expected to come to Ryonan High School—much less become teammates with Sendo once more.
At one point, he had even considered enrolling at Shohoku.
But that thought had only been born from regret—the regret of an audience watching an unfinished story in his previous life.
This world, however, was real.
He would not choose his future simply to satisfy lingering emotions from an anime.
"Sendo… long time no see," Akashi said softly, a faint smile forming.
For the briefest moment, warmth surfaced in his eyes—something rarely seen.
Sendo laughed, his familiar carefree grin unchanged."Yeah. To be honest, I was worried you'd quit basketball for good."
But as he drew closer, that unmistakable pressure washed over him.
Sendo halted slightly.
Akashi had changed.
And yet… he hadn't.
The person before him still carried traces of the past—the calmness, the confidence—but layered over it was something deeper, heavier. A presence that made even Sendo instinctively straighten his posture.
It was familiar.
And unfamiliar at the same time.
Still… Akashi was Akashi.
"I told you before," Akashi replied evenly. "I only wanted to rest for a year."
No explanation followed.
And Sendo didn't press further.
He simply nodded, then turned his attention to Kamishiro Ruri."Didn't expect you to come to Ryonan too, Kamishiro."
She smiled politely."It didn't really matter which school I went to. I don't know anyone elsewhere, so coming with Akashi-kun felt natural."
"I see…" Sendo chuckled, a trace of guilt slipping into his voice.
After all, he had been the one who suggested Ryonan to Akashi.
After a brief pause, Sendo's expression shifted, becoming more serious."Seiyo… didn't win the championship, did they?"
He was referring to Seiyo Middle School's third year.
If Akashi had still been there, failure would have been impossible.
Yet the champions were not Seiyo.
Akashi showed no visible reaction."That has nothing to do with me anymore."
No regret.No attachment.
That strange feeling surfaced again.
Standing beside him, Sendo couldn't shake the sense that Akashi had become someone more complex—someone standing at a higher plane than before.
And that wasn't an illusion.
Over the past year, Akashi's growth could only be described as terrifying.
At sixteen, he stood at 185 centimeters, weighing 79 kilograms. His physique was lean yet powerful, every movement carrying a mature, oppressive presence far beyond his age.
More astonishing was the evolution of his talent.
Akashi could now draw upon nearly 80–90% of his potential.
His vision, judgment, speed, and rhythm control had approached near perfection. Every pass, every breakthrough, every defensive read felt as though he were pulling invisible strings—commanding the entire court like a conductor directing a symphony.
The Zone remained an unknown realm to him.
But even without it, among players of his age, he was nearly unrivaled when serious.
More importantly, his long-standing dual-personality issue had finally reached a temporary resolution.
During a prolonged internal struggle, the two consciousnesses reached an equilibrium—each holding equal authority.
This balance explained the contradictions in Akashi's aura.
He could now freely switch between the playstyles of both personalities without destabilizing himself.
That was why he sometimes felt like a different person altogether.
"I'll take you both to register," Sendo said with a grin. "The coach has probably been waiting all day."
As they walked, Kamishiro Ruri tilted her head curiously."They're not all waiting just for Akashi-kun, right?"
Sendo laughed, but his tone carried deeper meaning."Ryonan's famous in Kanagawa. Still… the person everyone's most curious about this year is Akashi."
Then he slowed his steps and leaned closer, lowering his voice."Because of certain… rumors, some of the team might not be very welcoming. There could be trouble once we reach the gym."
Akashi understood immediately.
The team had heard of him—but only through Sendo's praise.
Naturally, they were unconvinced.
Akashi remained unfazed.
In fact, this was exactly what he wanted.
He hadn't come to be accepted quietly.
He needed authority.
And authority, in basketball, was earned through absolute strength.
Ryonan High School – Basketball Gym
The sharp squeak of sneakers echoed across the court.
Players in white jerseys trained intensely, sweat soaking their backs.
These were Ryonan High School's current basketball club members.
"I heard a monster's joining today," Koshino Hiroaki said while wiping his sweat. "Is it true?"
Uekusa Tomoyuki frowned."Sendo's middle school teammate? I thought that wasn't confirmed."
Koshino shot him a look."The coach personally told Sendo to invite him. You really didn't know?"
Ikegami Ryoji spoke calmly after a moment."I saw Sendo head out earlier. He's probably picking him up."
His gaze sharpened."If Sendo invited him… he must be strong."
Then, with a slight smirk, he turned toward Uekusa."And he plays PG, doesn't he? Your starting spot might be in danger."
Silence fell across the court.
Uekusa clenched the towel in his hand."Then he'll have to prove it."
Koshino nodded."This is Ryonan. Even if Sendo recommends him, strength decides everything."
Nearby, a towering figure listened quietly.
Uozumi Jun—the captain.
He said nothing, but his eyes gleamed with interest.
Uozumi Jun – Captain | Center (C) | No. 4 | 3rd YearIkegami Ryoji – Power Forward (PF) | No. 5 | 3rd YearKoshino Hiroaki – Shooting Guard (SG) | No. 6 | 2nd YearUekusa Tomoyuki – Point Guard (PG) | No. 8 | 2nd Year
A new storm was about to enter Ryonan.
And the court would soon feel its weight.