Victory still lingered in the air like the scent of fresh sweat and adrenaline. We had just beaten Kainan. Kainan. And now, every member of Shohoku walked a little taller.
But just as we started to believe we had found our rhythm… the universe decided to test that bond.
The Arrival
It was the following morning. I was on my way to the gym for solo drills when a luxury car pulled up at the school gates—a black sedan with tinted windows, chrome rims, and a license plate that probably cost more than Sakuragi's allowance for the next ten years.
From the back stepped someone I hadn't seen since I transmigrated into this world.
Rei Arakawa.
Tall, sharp-jawed, and deadly calm. His hair was tied loosely at the back, his eyes were cold and observant, and his steps were deliberate. He was wearing a Kaijō Academy warm-up jacket.
My blood ran cold.
"You really did transmigrate, huh," he said casually, as if discussing the weather.
I blinked. "Wait—you remember the past life too?"
"Of course," Rei smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "You vanished that day. And then I woke up in this world with a body that can dunk from the free throw line. Lucky me."
My stomach tightened. Rei Arakawa had been my only friend in my past life—my only rival, too. We had shared dreams of becoming pro players. Only difference was, he had the talent. I had the heart.
Now we were both in this world. And we weren't on the same team.
Training Tension
That afternoon, I didn't tell anyone about Rei. I ran drills with Sakuragi, helped Rukawa analyze his shooting form, even did defensive footwork with Akagi.
But something in me was off.
"Hey," Mitsui called during water break, "you're staring into space. What's going on?"
I hesitated. Then told them.
"His name's Rei Arakawa," I said. "He's from my past. And… he remembers everything."
Sakuragi dropped his water bottle. "YOU MEAN—YOU HAVE A RIVAL WITH MEMORY TOO?!"
Rukawa tilted his head. "This world has two Kudo-types? Terrifying."
Mitsui frowned. "Is he strong?"
I nodded slowly. "He was better than me in every way. And now he's Kaijō's new point guard."
That stunned everyone.
"Kaijō's already stacked," Akagi muttered. "If he's as good as you say…"
"They're aiming for nationals," I said. "And they want to crush us on the way."
Side Training: Kudo vs. Rukawa
That night, I challenged Rukawa to a 1-on-1. Full-court. First to 7.
"You sure?" he asked. "You've never beaten me."
"That's the point," I replied. "I need to push my limits."
We played.
I lost. 7–3.
But every point I scored, every fake that got him to bite, felt like a crack forming in the wall I'd been staring at since game one.
"You're better," Rukawa said after we collapsed on the floor.
"So are you," I replied. "But we'll both need to be even better for what's coming."
He nodded, sweat rolling down his face. "Then we keep pushing."
Shohoku vs. Kaijō (Practice Match Announced)
Two days later, Coach Anzai gathered us.
"Kaijō has challenged us to a practice match," he said. "Tomorrow. Closed-door scrimmage. No reporters. No crowd."
Just us and them.
"They want to scout us before the inter-regionals," Akagi muttered.
"They want to crush us," I corrected.
"I say," Sakuragi shouted, "we accept! I'll destroy whoever this Rei guy is!"
Anzai-sensei nodded calmly. "Then prepare yourselves."
Bonding – The Night Before
That night, we sat around in the dorm rec room, tension thick.
"Let's talk," I said. "No tactics. No drills. Just... talk."
Everyone blinked.
"What for?" Mitsui asked.
"Because tomorrow, we're going up against a team that knows how to break people. If we're not tight, they'll find every crack."
Akagi leaned back. "Alright. Let's talk."
We opened up.
Mitsui talked about his fear of burning out again.
Rukawa, in a rare moment, admitted he felt pressure to be the team's offensive anchor.
Sakuragi rambled about how he wasn't sure if he was comic relief or a serious player.
Even Akagi confessed that he didn't know what came after high school.
Then all eyes turned to me.
"I've always been the guy on the side," I said quietly. "But I've never wanted to stay there. I'm going to fight tomorrow—not just for Shohoku. For myself."
Sakuragi slapped my back. "NOW THAT'S THE SPIRIT, KUDO!"
Kaijō Practice Match – First Half
The court felt different with no crowd.
Cold. Precise. Almost surgical.
Kaijō moved like a machine.
Rei Arakawa was everything I remembered—unflinching, coldly strategic, reading every move before we made it. He wasn't flashy.
He was inevitable.
Kaijō led 42–34 at halftime.
"I can't get past him," Mitsui said, panting.
"He reads everything," Rukawa added.
Sakuragi kicked a chair. "He's so annoying! And good! But also annoying!"
Everyone looked at me.
"I know how he thinks," I said, standing up. "Let me run the offense."
"What?" Rukawa blinked. "You're not even our sixth man."
"I don't need to be," I said. "Just give me five minutes."
Anzai-sensei studied me. Then smiled.
Second Half – Kudo vs. Rei
I checked in.
Rei raised an eyebrow. "Finally decided to show up?"
I grinned. "Just needed to let you build a lead."
The next five minutes, I ran our offense. No hero ball. No big plays.
Just tiny disruptions.
I passed before Rei expected. Changed angles mid-drive. I called silent cuts and distracted Kaijō's center with misdirection.
Within minutes, we cut the lead to 48–47.
Rei called a timeout.
He stared at me, quietly, during the break.
"You're not the same," he said.
"I'm not," I replied. "And this time, I won't be in your shadow."
Final Stretch – Emotional Crescendo
Coach subbed me out after my five minutes. But the spark was lit.
Rukawa, emboldened, exploded for a coast-to-coast drive.
Sakuragi set an actual screen (yes, a real one) to free Mitsui for a dagger three.
Akagi blocked Kaijō's center so hard the ball bounced into the coach's bench.
The bench erupted.
We didn't win.
Final score: Kaijō 78 – Shohoku 76.
But they needed a buzzer-beater to beat us.
Rei walked over afterward and extended a hand.
"That was fun," he said. "Let's do it again. At the regionals."
I shook it. "We'll be ready."
He leaned in. "Try not to lose before then."
Post-Match Reflection
Later that night, I sat outside the gym, untying my sneakers.
Sakuragi plopped beside me.
"You were awesome," he said. "I mean, not as awesome as me—but still pretty good."
"Thanks," I said.
"You really think we can beat them next time?"
I looked up at the moon. "Not think. Know. We just need time."
Rukawa, Mitsui, and Akagi joined us. No words. Just presence.
Our team wasn't perfect.
But we were finally becoming whole.