Prologue: The Arena and the Omen
The arena was packed.
Banners waved. Drums pounded. School chants rose like battle cries. The scent of sweat and fresh sneakers clung to the air.
We were finally here.
Inter-Regional Tournament – Opening Round: Shohoku vs. Shinkyo High.
At first glance, Shinkyo didn't look threatening. Their players were short, quiet, even a little awkward.
But when I looked at their coach, my heart stopped.
He was wearing a faded red baseball cap.
The same one worn by someone from my previous life—my old middle school coach.
The one who disappeared the night of our championship loss.
I clenched my fists.
The Clocktower Circle was already here.
Pre-Game Locker Room – Focus and Fire
"First match," Akagi said, standing before us, arms crossed. "But not our last. Unless we make it so."
Mitsui checked his knee brace. "They say Shinkyo's full of unknowns."
"They're hiding something," I muttered. "Their data doesn't match the scouting reports. Their players were all transferred in… within the last month."
Sakuragi stood, fists pumped. "I don't care where they came from. I'll slam 'em back out!"
Rukawa looked over at me. "You okay?"
"Yeah," I lied. "Just… recognizing ghosts."
He didn't press.
But I saw it in his eyes.
He knew I wasn't talking about basketball anymore.
Opening Tip-Off – A Stranger's Smile
The ref tossed the ball.
Akagi jumped high, winning the tip against Shinkyo's undersized center.
Sakuragi caught it, and in a rare moment of grace, dished it immediately to Rukawa, who slashed in for the layup.
2–0 Shohoku.
But then the air changed.
Shinkyo's point guard dribbled up with a limp… and then vanished in a blur of speed.
He cut through our defense like a blade through silk.
2–2.
I felt my stomach twist.
Their speed. Their passing.
This wasn't high school level.
This was crafted.
They were engineered players.
Clocktower Interference – Mid-Game Glitch
Midway through the first half, it happened.
The gym lights flickered.
The scoreboard reset for a split second.
Everyone paused—except me.
In that moment, I saw them.
Clocktower agents in the crowd. Blending in with banners and noise. Watching me.
One even held a phone.
Recording.
"Timeout!" Coach Anzai called, sensing something was off.
As we huddled, I whispered, "They're altering the game. Clocktower's here."
Coach didn't flinch.
"I figured," he said.
"You did?"
He nodded. "That's why I gave you that."
He handed me a folded slip of paper.
Inside: a custom counter-playbook. Not against opponents—but against interference.
"You knew?" I whispered.
"I knew someone like you would come eventually," he replied. "Now go. Protect your team."
Back to the Court – Tactical Counter
I activated Play Theta-7—a disruption strategy designed for chaos defense.
We faked right, passed left. Used intentional misdirection. I delayed our offensive timings by microseconds to throw off Shinkyo's "prediction-based" plays.
And it worked.
Their rhythm collapsed.
Akagi began dominating the boards.
Sakuragi landed a perfect backdoor cut for a reverse layup. (Yes, really.)
Mitsui drained a buzzer-beater three to end the first half.
Shohoku leads: 38–33.
Halftime – Face to Face with the Ghost
As the team hydrated, I wandered alone near the tunnel.
That's when the man with the red cap approached.
"You finally made it," he said.
"…Coach Iwasaki?"
He nodded.
"You disappeared after our middle school loss," I said. "Why are you here?"
"Because I never left," he said calmly. "When I fell into this world, they offered me a chance to rewrite the past. To build a perfect team."
I clenched my fists. "You're using kids."
"No," he said. "I'm fixing the ones like us. Who couldn't win. Who failed."
"I didn't fail," I said. "I just didn't finish."
He frowned. "And now you'll ruin the experiment?"
"I'll finish the story," I whispered. "My way."
Second Half – Shinkyo's Real Weapon
Shinkyo came out blazing.
Their SG, a scrawny freshman, suddenly awakened—scoring 10 straight points.
His shooting form was too perfect.
His footwork… was my old style. From my past life.
"They're copying you," Rukawa said, eyes narrowing.
I nodded. "Clocktower's using my own data against me."
"Then we burn the data," he said.
It wasn't a suggestion.
It was a declaration.
Final Minutes – Shohoku Goes All In
4:00 left – Shohoku down 60–63.
I subbed in.
Not to score.
To control.
"Triangle delay offense!" I barked.
Sakuragi became a screener. Rukawa played the wing. Mitsui floated between corners.
I orchestrated it like a maestro.
Pass. Cut. Fake. Score.
We tied it: 63–63.
Then, with 8 seconds left on the clock, Shinkyo missed a three. Akagi rebounded and passed to me.
I sprinted. Three defenders rushed.
I bounced it—
Behind me to Rukawa.
He didn't hesitate.
Buzzer. Splash.
Shohoku wins: 65–63.
Post-Game – Tensions Rise
As we celebrated, the man with the red cap vanished.
But not before mouthing:
"This isn't over."
Back in the locker room, I collapsed on the bench.
Sakuragi burst in yelling, "WE WON! I'M A STAR!"
"You hit one shot," Mitsui muttered.
"Still counts!" he yelled.
Even Rukawa smiled. Just a little.
Akagi stood before us.
"Whatever comes next… we face it as Shohoku. Together."
I met his gaze. "Always."
Side Story: The Masked Agent
Later that night, in the shadows beneath the arena, a Clocktower agent made a call.
"Subject Kudo has broken Pattern Sequence 3. Recommend escalation."
A distorted voice replied:
"Send in the next variable. One who never should have awakened."
The screen flashed.
Target: Sakuragi Hanamichi.
Shohoku Team Update – After Opening Round
Name
Role
Current Development
Kudo Hirata
Strategist/MC
Confirmed interference target. Tactical brilliance rising.
Rukawa Kaede
Ace SF
Bonded trust. Now fights for the team, not just self.
Sakuragi Hanamichi
Wild PF
Showing rare discipline. Targeted by Clocktower. Potential hidden trait awakening.
Mitsui Hisashi
SG Veteran
Shooting anchor. Keeps team emotionally grounded.
Takenori Akagi
Captain
Fully committed leader. Prepared to challenge system corruption.
Shinkyo HS
Clocktower-controlled
Prototype squad using copied data. Defeated, but not dismantled.
Closing Scene – The Storm Builds
As we exited the arena, rain began to fall.
Rukawa walked beside me, hoodie up.
"You think they'll stop?" he asked.
"No," I said.
"They'll come harder?"
"Yeah."
He looked up, rain dripping from his chin.
"Then we hit back harder."
We kept walking, soaked in rain but burning inside.
The war had started.
Not just for the championship…
…but for this world's soul.
[Next Time on Benchwarmer Chronicles — Chapter 38: "Trigger – The Sakuragi Variable"]
The Clocktower turns its eyes to Sakuragi, unlocking a dormant skill that could either save Shohoku or tear it apart. Meanwhile, Kudo faces another traveler who knows the final outcome of this world—and wants to rewrite it all.