Chapter 113 - 114: "Aren’t This Year’s Rookies Just Too Adorable?"

Words : 959 Updated : Oct 5th, 2025

This is a sponsored chapter, thank you R3pTiLe HuntZz! /// With that, the first official training day at Kirisaki Daiichi began. Since there was no head coach, Tendou continued using Kirisaki Daiichi's strategy from last year—pressuring opponents through intense defense to force mistakes. There weren't any particularly outstanding big men on the team. Their center, Seto Kentarō, was only 190 cm tall, slightly shorter than Tendou. That was exactly what Tendou liked. Influenced by modern basketball, he appreciated a fast-paced, small-ball style. Besides, 190 cm isn't short for high school basketball. Not every school is like Yōsen, stacking giants. Kiyoshi Teppei, Seirin's main center, was only 193 cm. In comparison, Seto wouldn't be at a huge disadvantage in height. His weakness was weight—only 76 kg—which made physical confrontations tough. But he was a cerebral player who knew how to use his brain. ... "Now what, Hanamiya? It feels like the basketball club is totally under his control," said Hara Kazuya, a bit uneasy. This used to be their kingdom. They could do whatever they wanted. But Tendou had only been there one day, and already, Hara felt like an outsider. The club felt unfamiliar. The new recruits were like they'd been injected with adrenaline, working themselves to the bone. It made him feel like he didn't belong. "Click your tongue all you want. What can we do? Obviously, we take him down and take the club back," Hanamiya said. There was no way he'd surrender that easily. He was already scheming to mess things up during the training match. "He wants to win people over? I want to see how he manages that." Just like Hara thought—the basketball club was his kingdom. If Tendou took that away, how was he going to go around elbowing people like he pleased? "Keep the pressure on those rookies!" ... The match resumed. Tendou paired himself with a few promising freshmen to go against Hanamiya and the regulars. Opening offense. Tendou didn't go easy—just straight-up launched three consecutive three-pointers, all net. Hanamiya didn't even jump or contest—just raised his arm—and gave up a clean three. "That was dead-on!" "No wonder he's captain—it's like child's play for him!" The guys on the sidelines couldn't help but praise. Hanamiya ignored them and prepped for offense. He wasn't here to score—he was here to hit people. "My turn now," Hanamiya said with a "cheerful" smile and went straight for Tendou. His athleticism was good. Beyond his absurd IQ, his physical skills were at a national level. But Tendou was better. One step and he blocked Hanamiya's path. Hanamiya didn't hesitate—he slipped in a sneaky elbow to Tendou's chest. It was subtle enough that the referee wouldn't have noticed. In Hanamiya's eyes, this was how basketball was supposed to be played. From a young age, he'd known he wasn't one of those natural talents like the Generation of Miracles. His brain was his strongest asset. So he used it fully—to eliminate threats before they became problems. No matter how strong someone was, if you got them injured and benched, problem solved. His philosophy: "Why fix a problem when I can just remove the cause?" He was also heavily influenced by Imayoshi Shōichi. Imayoshi wasn't just some smug bastard. According to info Momoi gathered, their team actually had a real coach at first. But come second year? That coach mysteriously vanished. It was widely believed that Imayoshi orchestrated his removal. And Kirisaki Daiichi now? Also without a head coach. Very likely Hanamiya's doing again. Hanamiya didn't fear Tendou—he went right at him. He liked to play dirty, yes—but he had a twisted sense of honor. If he got caught, that was a failure. You had to be subtle. Guys like Kiyoshi Teppei were easy prey—soft, forgiving. One good injury and he was out for a year. But Tendou? Not soft. He didn't tolerate Hanamiya's dirty play. When the elbow came, Tendou countered with an even nastier one. BANG! Hanamiya's chest slammed straight into Tendou's iron elbow. The sound echoed through the gym. The ball dropped. Hanamiya's smug face turned blank—frozen. "...Huh? Why isn't Hanamiya-senpai moving?" one of the rookies whispered. Hanamiya touched his chest, winced, and mumbled, "...I think I need a drink or something..." And he quickly left the gym. Once he was far enough away—he screamed. "Holy shit, that hurt! That bastard's elbow is made of freaking iron!" He broke into a cold sweat. It felt like he nearly died. If not for pride, he might've dropped right there on the court. So much for the pretty face and celebrity glow—Tendou was just as dirty, if not worse! Hanamiya had seriously underestimated him. Behind that model-like appearance and his title as the Generation of Miracles' leader hid a devil with a darker heart than his own. Hanamiya had never been humiliated like this. "...You're dead tomorrow, Tendou. Just wait." He went home early—done for the day. ... Meanwhile, back at the basketball club, training went on. Seto and the others, without Hanamiya to lead the dirty play, still had muscle memory: stepping on feet, pulling jerseys, throwing elbows. But the rookies? Not angry at all. In fact, they asked for tips on how to be more like them. Seto was beyond awkward. He hadn't meant to hit so hard—it was just instinct. And these were their juniors, right? But instead of complaints, they were asking, "Senpai, teach us how to become iron-blooded warriors!" Seto had no idea what to say. The others were in the same boat. These rookies were way too adorable.

Chapter 113 - 114: "Aren’t This Year’s Rookies Just Too Adorable?"

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