"Shidou! Shidou! Shidou! This is a match! Wake up!"
Hearing someone calling his name repeatedly, Shidou Ryusei slowly opened his sore eyes and looked around.
"Where is this? Where did that bastard Ego take me this time?"
He looked up and saw a bald old man in front of him, shouting frantically.
"Hey, where is this? Old man, where's that four-eyed bastard Ego?"
The bald coach wasn't angry when Shidou Ryusei called him an old man; he was already used to it. "This is a match! Have you forgotten?"
"Huh? A match..."
Only then did Shidou Ryusei look around. He saw a wooden floor not even a tenth the size of a football field, with basketball hoops at both ends.
Shidou Ryusei immediately said in annoyance, "Hey, old man, are you messing with me? This is clearly a basketball game! Did that bastard Ego send you to mess with me?"
Shidou Ryusei grabbed the bald coach by his clothes and stared at him angrily.
The surrounding teammates were startled and hurriedly tried to calm Shidou down.
Shidou didn't care. He tossed the old man aside and walked straight out of the basketball gym.
He was still cursing as he left.
After leaving the gym, Shidou looked around and found himself in Tokyo.
"That bastard Ego—how did he get me to Tokyo? What am I doing here? Who even lives in Tokyo?"
"Shidou, what are you doing here?"
Hearing someone call him, Shidou Ryusei turned toward the voice.
A girl dressed in the classic "Misaka Mikoto" style, with golden hair and a few strands of pink hidden within, ran toward him.
"Who are you? Do I know you?" Shidou Ryusei asked as she approached.
The girl froze, then quietly snapped.
In less than three seconds, Shidou Ryusei sensed danger.
The girl in the "Misaka Mikoto" outfit roared, "Say that again!"
Just as Shidou Ryusei was about to explain, a whip kick struck him in the stomach.
Then... when Shidou Ryusei opened his eyes again, he was in a hospital.
He saw the girl slumped beside the bed. Just as he was about to speak, his head felt as if struck by lightning, and his consciousness faded again. A flood of memories rushed in.
…When he woke again, the girl was gone.
From the memories, Shidou Ryusei learned that the girl was his older sister (same father, different mothers), Shidou Chizuru. Besides sharing the same father, they also shared the fate of being abandoned. Since then, Shidou Chizuru had taken on the burden of supporting the household.
She had been admitted to Teiko Middle School with excellent grades, ranking first for three consecutive years and receiving generous scholarships. She also won the junior high girls' Taekwondo championship twice, supporting the family through scholarships, prize money, and part-time tutoring.
At the same time, because of their broken family, the original owner's temper was exactly the same as Shidou Ryusei's current one.
---Beep Beep Beep---
An unfamiliar voice rang in Shidou's mind. Before he could figure out where it came from, Shidou Chizuru walked in with tear stains still at the corners of her eyes.
Seeing that Shidou Ryusei was awake, tears welled up again uncontrollably. She rushed to the bedside and hugged him tightly.
Shidou Ryusei was completely caught off guard. He was about to lose his temper, but remembering the memories in his head, he let her hold him.
"Shidou, you're finally awake. How are you? Does it still hurt?"
"Uh... cough cough."
Shidou Ryusei gently patted Chizuru's back because his face was turning red, and he could barely breathe.
Chizuru realized she was being too forceful and quickly let go, wiping her tears.
"That... uh... Sister Chizuru, I'm fine now!"
After saying this, Shidou's face turned red again. It was his first time calling someone "Sister." Before, he'd just say "Hey..." to everyone. He still wasn't used to being polite.
"Shidou, what did you just call me? You remember me?"
Hearing this, Chizuru's sadness vanished instantly.
"Yeah," Shidou answered softly.
"Then let's go home!"
…Their home was very close to Teiko Middle School. It was housing the school had rented for Chizuru after learning about her family situation.
"Shidou, are you hungry?"
Lost in thought, Shidou didn't hear her.
"Shidou!"
Chizuru stomped angrily.
Shidou snapped back to reality and hurriedly said, "Not... tired!"
Chizuru puffed her cheeks. "I asked if you were hungry!"
"Ah, that... I'm not hungry. I just want to rest."
"Alright, go back to your room and rest. Call me if you get hungry."
Shidou Ryusei walked toward the room on the left. Just as he was about to lie down, he spotted a black triangular piece of fabric. He immediately bolted out and ran into the other room.
Hearing the commotion, Chizuru came out of the kitchen. Seeing him run out of her room, she realized what had happened, and her face turned red all the way to her ears.
"Shidou, you bastard!"
Shidou heard her shout. Even with his unruly personality, seeing that kind of thing for the first time made him blush as he ducked under the covers.
"Who just leaves that kind of thing on the bed? Seriously!"
"Beep beep beep—Loading complete!"
"What's that sound?"
The mysterious voice rang in his mind again.
"Who are you? Where are you? Get out here, or if I find you, I'll tear you to pieces!"
"Hello, Shidou Ryusei. I am in your consciousness. If you close your eyes, you can see me."
Shidou looked around. Seeing no one else, he followed the instruction.
In his consciousness, a blue lock floated in the air. Behind it were eleven small doors, each with a miniature blue lock.
"What is this?"
"Hello, Shidou Ryusei. I am the Blue Prison. You may call me 'Blue Lock.'"
"Huh? You're kidding me? Stop these cheap tricks. Tell me where this is! Why did I end up here?"
"I'm sorry. I cannot answer that question."
"Are you messing with me?"
In his consciousness, Shidou kicked the lock, but his foot passed right through it.
"Oh? No physical form?"
"Attack detected. Triggering lightning punishment."
Shidou's whole body convulsed as if struck by lightning.
"Damn it! You formless piece of trash! How dare you shock me? I'll tear you apart!"
…After being shocked more than twenty times over half an hour, Shidou finally calmed down.
"Host status stabilized. I will now introduce my functions."
"My purpose is to help the host become the strongest basketball player."
"What? Basketball? What kind of passionless trash sport is that? It doesn't excite my cells at all! I refuse!"
(Purely for plot purposes. This does not represent the author's real views.)
"The host cannot refuse."
"Who do you think you are, giving me orders!"
"Host refusing instructions. Initiating shock again."
After another hour of shocks, he finally agreed.
In his consciousness, Shidou lay miserably on the ground, foaming at the mouth.
"Host emotional state stabilized. Continuing instructions."
"The host's original football skills, knowledge, and cognition have been converted into basketball skills, knowledge, and cognition.
Based on the host's current comprehensive strength rating: B.
Strength classifications:
Professional players (S-rank and above): SSS, SS, S.
Amateur players: A, B, C, D, E.
(Each rank has three stages.)
Host abilities: Excellent scoring ability inside the three-point line.
Keen scoring instincts and unconventional offensive techniques.
Comprehensive strength analysis:
Inside Scoring: B
Outside Scoring: B-
Defense: C
Vision: C
Playmaking: C
Ball Handling: B-
Speed: B-
Basketball IQ: B-
"That's pretty detailed."
"Reminder: this world revolves around basketball. Please view it anew."
"Oi, what a pain."
"Now delivering the first key. The host may choose one door to open. Please choose carefully."
Shidou looked at the doors behind the blue lock. "They all look the same! How am I supposed to choose?"
"Host, please observe the avatars above the doors."
"Avatars, huh..."
"Bachira Meguru — Aryu Jyubei — Isagi Yoichi — Chigiri Hyoma..."
"Hey, why can I only see four clearly?"
"You can currently unlock only four. Choose carefully based on your strength analysis."
"Bachira Meguru: Ball-handling offensive player.
Aryu Jyubei: Defensive counterattack player.
Isagi Yoichi: Playmaking passer.
Chigiri Hyoma: Speed-based offensive player."
"Heh, the best defense is offense! I choose Chigiri Hyoma!"
… "Host choice confirmed. Blue Lock releasing Chigiri Hyoma."
The key turned red and opened Chigiri Hyoma's door. He stepped out.
"I will keep running until this leg gives out, until my passion burns out!"
He then turned into particles of light and entered the space between Shidou Ryusei's brows.
"This feeling is amazing!"
Shidou Ryusei opened his eyes. Red flames flashed in his pupils before fading.
"Maybe basketball is also an option!"