Prologue: The Anonymous Message
It came at midnight.
A single notification buzzed on my old flip phone—an untraceable model Coach Anzai insisted we keep for "emergencies."
The screen glowed with a single message:
"You're not supposed to exist in this world."
My breath caught.
I reread it. Again. Again.
Then I checked the sender.
Unknown.
But the feeling that gripped me wasn't fear. It was familiarity.
This wasn't a random threat. This was someone who knew the truth. About my past life. About the transmigration.
And maybe… someone who had also crossed over.
Morning at Shohoku – Unusual Energy
The next morning, Shohoku's gym buzzed like a hive before a storm. Practice hadn't even started, but half the team was already doing warm-ups, including Sakuragi, who had arrived early.
Yes, early.
"Who are you and what have you done with the real Sakuragi?" I teased.
"Silence, peasant!" he bellowed, though he looked unusually focused. "Today, I become a genius among geniuses!"
Mitsui jogged in behind him, laughing. "He found out there's a scout coming from another region."
"Oh? Who?" I asked.
"Rokurin High," Rukawa said from behind me, towel over his shoulder.
That silenced everyone.
Rokurin wasn't just another regional school.
They were undefeated in the past two inter-regional qualifiers.
Their ace player? Ren Kisaragi—a name whispered like a rumor across courts.
And he was already here.
The Arrival of Ren Kisaragi
The gym doors swung open with a quiet creak.
In walked a tall, broad-shouldered teen dressed in a dark navy warm-up jacket. His hair was snow-white, eyes like steel, and his walk was deliberate, predatory.
Behind him stood two coaches and a few younger players. They weren't just scouting.
They were studying.
"Is that him?" Sakuragi whispered. "He looks like an anime final boss."
"You're not wrong," I muttered.
Ren Kisaragi looked around, expression unreadable. His eyes landed on me—and narrowed, ever so slightly.
I felt a strange jolt in my gut.
Like recognition.
He knows.
Coach Anzai's Plan: Full-Court Scrimmage
Coach Anzai, ever calm, clapped once. "Today, we'll hold a special full-court scrimmage. Shohoku starters versus Shohoku second unit. Mr. Kisaragi will observe."
"Wait, we're the guinea pigs?" Sakuragi blinked.
"No," I corrected. "We're the showcase. Let's give him something to remember."
Rukawa smirked. "I'm in."
Mitsui grinned. "Let's burn the court."
Akagi cracked his knuckles. "No holding back."
We lined up. Starters on one end. Bench—including me—on the other.
It was time to prove we weren't just Shohoku. We were Shohoku rising.
Scrimmage Begins – Training in Action
From the first whistle, the game was electric.
Sakuragi was shockingly disciplined, rotating on defense and even calling out screens.
Rukawa ran coordinated plays, using spacing like never before.
Mitsui hit three straight jumpers off picks set by Akagi, who was playing with calculated fury.
But what stole the show?
Our bench unit fighting back.
I orchestrated the offense, slipping passes through narrow gaps.
Yasuda stole a pass off Rukawa and scored on a fast break.
Kogure hit a rare floater that had everyone cheering.
The gym vibrated with energy.
Even Ren Kisaragi leaned forward in his chair.
Ren's Challenge
After the scrimmage, as sweat dripped from every limb, Ren finally stood.
"Impressive," he said. His voice was deep, calm. "But your foundation is still fragile."
Akagi stepped forward. "Care to elaborate?"
"I will," Ren replied. "By challenging you… to a three-on-three. Right now."
Gasps.
Sakuragi laughed. "You're serious?"
Ren removed his jacket. "Deadly."
He pointed. "I'll take Kudo Hirata… Rukawa… and Sakuragi."
We froze.
"What?" Sakuragi blinked. "You want us?"
"I want to test the strange one…" Ren looked at me. "…the prodigy, and the wild card."
I narrowed my eyes. "You knew it was me, didn't you?"
He just smiled.
Three-on-Three: Kudo/Rukawa/Sakuragi vs. Ren and Two Rokurin Elites
The match began.
Ren's teammates were no slouches—tall, agile, and deadly from mid-range.
But Ren was on another level.
He moved like a shadow. Anticipated passes. Used footwork I'd never seen before.
"Keep your heads in it!" I called out. "Rukawa—flare screen left. Sakuragi—cut baseline!"
We executed. Rukawa scored. Then Ren returned with an ankle-breaking crossover and a dunk that shook the rim.
Sakuragi gaped. "That was… that was MY kind of dunk!"
Rukawa actually growled. "One more time."
We clawed the score to 8–8. Game to 9. Next basket wins.
The final possession: Ren had the ball.
I switched onto him.
Time slowed.
"I know you," he whispered. "You're not from here either."
My blood ran cold.
He spun. Drove.
I reacted.
And for the first time since arriving in this world…
I blocked someone above my level.
The ball bounced to Rukawa, who lobbed it to Sakuragi—
—slam dunk.
Shohoku wins.
Post-Match – Revelation
Ren approached me after, eyes intense.
"You're not the only traveler," he said. "But you may be the most dangerous."
"Why?"
"Because unlike the others… you're changing the story."
He handed me a card.
On it:
THE CLOCKTOWER CIRCLE
"The World Remembers."
He turned to leave.
"We'll meet again," he said. "When the real storm begins."
And just like that, he was gone.
Evening Bonding – Shohoku's Fire Rekindled
That night, we met again at the rooftop.
Akagi, Sakuragi, Mitsui, Rukawa, and me. The core.
We passed snacks around. Laughed. But there was a new kind of quiet between us. The kind born of understanding.
"Who was that guy?" Mitsui finally asked.
I shook my head. "Someone who sees this world like I do. But walks a different path."
Rukawa looked at me. "You're hiding something."
I met his eyes. "And someday… I'll tell you all of it. When I can."
Akagi stood. "No matter what happens—we play together. Win or lose. Alive or dead."
Sakuragi laughed. "Dead? Come on! I'm gonna be the King of Basketball!"
We all groaned.
But underneath the humor, the fire inside us burned hotter than ever.
Shohoku Status Update (Interim Snapshot)
Name
Role
Current Focus
Kudo Hirata
Strategic Sixth Man
World mystery, identity, leadership growth
Sakuragi Hanamichi
Wild PF
Growth through chaos, learning structure
Rukawa Kaede
Ace SF
Awakening of teamwork and rivalry
Takenori Akagi
Captain/C
Released from burden, rising clarity
Mitsui Hisashi
Veteran SG
Reliable core, overcoming past flames
Ren Kisaragi
Traveler / Rival
Enigma with power, linked to greater mystery
[Next Time on Benchwarmer Chronicles — Chapter 36: "The Clocktower Circle"]
As Shohoku prepares for inter-regional qualifiers, Kudo investigates the mysterious group behind Ren's warning. Meanwhile, Coach Anzai reveals a secret from his past… and Rukawa begins to suspect that Kudo is more than just a teammate.