Bang! The gym door slammed open.
Instantly, all activity stopped. The entire gym fell into a sudden, heavy silence.
Every pair of eyes turned to the doorway, where a familiar figure now stood.
Captain Uozumi.
He scanned the room with a cold, unreadable gaze. His face betrayed no emotion. Step by step, he entered, his movements steady and deliberate.
The first-year freshmen instinctively lowered their heads, too intimidated to meet him. Even the older players shifted uneasily, unsure of how to address the captain.
Finally, Koshino Hiroaki stepped forward cautiously. "Um… Captain Uozumi… about the captaincy—"
He stopped mid-sentence, swallowing nervously.
Uozumi glanced at him sideways. His voice was low, calm, and cutting. "Train well. Don't waste time thinking about unnecessary things."
"But—" Ryoji Ikegami pressed. "Is it true the captain might be changed?"
Immediately, regret flickered across his face.
Uozumi didn't react. Not a word. Not a twitch. Silence settled over the gym like a thick fog.
The freshmen shivered. Something intangible, heavy, and tense hung in the air.
Then Uozumi spoke again, voice indifferent but carrying subtle weight:
"As long as the team wins, what does it matter who the captain is?"
Though calm, a flicker of reluctance and attachment to the past gleamed in his eyes.
The team was stunned. Uozumi, their unwavering captain, reacted with… serenity? He hadn't argued, hadn't resisted. He had simply acknowledged it.
Could it be… the captaincy was truly shifting?
Among the older players, emotions tangled: sadness, respect, and the awkwardness of sudden change. They weren't yet ready to accept a new captain. Could anyone command the same respect Uozumi had earned?
Seeming to sense their inner turmoil, Uozumi added, "You don't need to overthink it. Coach Taoka Moichi will decide these matters."
He turned back to his training, leaving the rest of the team silent, heads bowed.
Bang! The gym door opened again.
This time, all eyes fell on the figure slowly entering: Akashi.
The gym, previously tense but slightly restless, became utterly still.
Freshmen and upperclassmen alike turned to him. The memory of yesterday's scrimmage lingered vividly.
Akashi's dominance on the court—his control, precision, and tactical brilliance—had left everyone awed. Even the proud upperclassmen felt their confidence humbled in his presence.
Only Sendoh greeted him casually, waving. "You're here."
Akashi smiled faintly. "Yes. First day of class ran a bit long."
Sendoh waved indifferently. "No worries. We just got here ourselves."
Akashi nodded, then moved to practice quietly on his own.
Uozumi, training nearby, couldn't help but glance at him. Memories of yesterday's game surfaced:
Coach Taoka Moichi: "Uozumi, what do you think of this year's freshmen?"
"Except for Akashi Seijuro, everyone else is ordinary."
"How strong is Akashi?"
"Very strong. Not inferior to Sendoh. Perhaps even stronger."
"What about organizational ability?"
"…Ah…"
"Without his ability to organize, he wouldn't have defeated you."
The words lingered in Uozumi's mind, making his gaze toward Akashi unusually complex.
Had it not been for yesterday's scrimmage, he would have rejected the idea of Akashi as captain outright. But having witnessed his strength firsthand, he found no reason to deny him.
He felt no resentment. If anything, he felt relief.
The responsibility of captain had always weighed heavily on him. Now, a more capable candidate existed.
He slowly stopped his training and walked toward Akashi.
Akashi noticed his approach but remained calm, shooting the ball cleanly.
Swish.
He turned, meeting Uozumi's gaze. For a moment, the air itself seemed to freeze.
Everyone around halted, sensing the unspoken tension.
"What will Captain Uozumi do?" Koshino Hiroaki muttered, frowning.
"I don't know," Ryoji Ikegami replied, stroking his chin. "But the atmosphere feels… off."
Tomoyuki Uekusa blinked nervously. "They're not… going to fight, are they?"
Aida Hikoichi's heart raced. "Something big is about to happen."
Only Sendoh seemed to read the situation, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips. The captaincy will be decided today.
Finally, Uozumi spoke.
An immense, oppressive aura erupted from him, pressing forward like a mountain. His voice was deep, commanding.
"Let's play a match! Use everything you've got."
Akashi remained composed, expression calm. "Is that alright?"
The unspoken challenge hung in the air: with everyone watching, could you accept defeat?
Uozumi snorted, unaffected. "What, are you scared?"
Akashi's face remained serene. He closed his eyes briefly… then opened them.
"As you wish."
In his heterochromatic eyes, rings of crimson and gold ignited, glowing like divine fire.
An imposing aura, regal and absolute, erupted from him, sweeping across the court like a storm—instantly overpowering and dispersing Uozumi's formidable presence.