The clamor in the gymnasium had not fully faded, and the lingering heat of the first ace showdown still permeated the air when the whistle for the second match blew.
Compared to the earth-shattering clash between Sendoh and Maki Shinichi, the contest between Shohoku's Akagi Takenori and Shoyo's Hanagata Toru exuded a distinctly different aura from the start.
There was no dazzling dribbling, no lightning-fast changes in direction, only solid, physical collisions in the paint, like two steady behemoths measuring each other's territory.
Akagi Takenori represented core strength, while Hanagata Toru showcased the softer, more agile side of a center.
Gu Jin remained by the railing, his gaze fixed on the center of the court.
He had anticipated the duel between these two—Akagi's power versus Hanagata's skill, a collision of two extreme styles.
Akagi Takenori stood at the top of the key, his back to the basket, hands on his knees, breathing as steady as a clock.
His eyes, like tempered steel, were locked onto Hanagata Toru, every muscle tensed like a fully drawn bowstring.
For him, every opponent deserved his full effort, even if this match didn't garner as much attention as the previous one.
Hanagata Toru, in contrast, appeared much more composed, his green jersey gleaming softly under the lights.
He dribbled around Akagi, his footwork so light it was unlike a center, the basketball spinning unhurriedly on his fingertips, as if searching for a gap in the defense.
"Hanagata-senpai's fadeaway jumper is really strong!" cheers came from the Shoyo bench.
No sooner had the words fallen than Hanagata suddenly accelerated, dribbling with his right hand to cut into the left side of the paint, his left shoulder slightly lowered as if to post up.
But the instant Akagi's center of gravity shifted, he sharply executed a reverse pivot, arching his body backward like a bow, and raised the ball over his head with his right hand—it was his signature fadeaway jumper!
The arc of this shot was extremely high, clearly intended to evade a center's block.
"Score!" Shoyo fans shouted in unison.
But Akagi's reaction was faster than expected.
He wasn't fooled by the fake move, but instead, using the moment Hanagata turned, he suddenly took a half-step diagonally backward, extending his long arm forward like reaching for the moon, his fingertips precisely brushing the descending basketball.
"Slap!"
The slight touch altered the ball's trajectory.
"Clang!"
The basketball hit the front rim and bounced out.
Akagi calmly secured the rebound, landing with a dull thud, like a huge rock hitting the floor.
"Good defense! Captain!" Yasuda from the Shohoku bench cheered Akagi on.
Akagi, with the ball, didn't hesitate for a moment, turning and driving towards the basket.
His playstyle was simple and crude, yet carried an unstoppable momentum, his shoulder pressing against Hanagata's chest, inching closer to the basket, each step making the floor groan.
Hanagata tried to absorb the force with skill, constantly adjusting his body angle, but he was repeatedly pushed back by Akagi's brute strength.
Just as he was about to reach the rim, Akagi suddenly spun around, raising the ball high with his right hand, ignoring Hanagata's block, and forcefully slammed the ball into the basket!
"Bang!"
The thunderous dunk caused a gasp from the sidelines.
1:0.
Akagi roared as he landed, his voice filled with an irrepressible fighting spirit.
In the following few possessions, the two became entangled.
Hanagata's fadeaway jumpers occasionally found their mark, relying on precise touch and timing;
Akagi responded with powerful attacks in the paint, each score accompanied by the dull thud of colliding muscles.
The score alternated, 3:2, 4:3, 5:4...
There were no earth-shattering reversals, but there was an unyielding tenacity.
Gu Jin watched intently, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the railing.
He had to admit, Akagi's dominance in the paint was more solid than he remembered from his previous life, perhaps because Shohoku's cohesion this year was better than expected, giving him more confidence.
However, could Shohoku manage without Sakuragi Hanamichi?
"Boring." A cool voice sounded beside him.
Gu Jin turned, seeing Rukawa Kaede standing not far away, his black messy hair covering half an eye, his gaze carrying its usual aloofness.
He had clearly finished watching the first match, and now he was staring at the ongoing contest, a hint of disdain on his lips—not directed at anyone, but more like a lack of interest in such a slow-paced competition.
Noticing Gu Jin's gaze, Rukawa Kaede turned his head, his eyes suddenly sharpening: "The last score, it hasn't been settled."
Evidently, losing to Gu Jin still bothered him.
Gu Jin raised an eyebrow, a faint smile playing on his lips: "Anytime."
"Next time, I'll definitely beat you." Rukawa Kaede's voice was low, yet carried an undeniable certainty, and with that, he turned and walked towards the Shohoku bench, his back as proud as a fir tree.
Gu Jin watched his retreating figure, thoughtfully.
The next confrontation, indeed, wouldn't be too far off.
He remembered clearly that before the Prefectural Tournament began, Shohoku and Ryonan had a practice game, a crucial match to test the true strength of both teams.
However, after this Public Welfare Cup clash, he wondered if the storyline of that practice game would change, or become even more intense.
The match on the court was already nearing its end.
The score stood at 10:8.
Akagi secured the victory with a final powerful bank shot; the basketball hit the precise spot on the backboard, grazed the rim, and dropped into the net.
The moment the whistle blew, Akagi clenched his fist, tilted his head back, and let out a low growl, sweat dripping down his chiseled cheeks, the fire in his eyes not yet extinguished.
Hanagata Toru, panting, walked up to Akagi and extended his hand: "You're very strong, Akagi."
"You too." Akagi gripped his hand, his strength steady.
Although the cheers from the sidelines weren't as fervent as the previous match, they were genuine enough.
Shohoku's players gathered around, patting Akagi's shoulder, while Shoyo's players quietly returned to their bench; Hanagata Toru's face, though showing disappointment, also carried a sense of relief.
Gu Jin withdrew his gaze and looked towards Ryonan's direction.
Sendoh was saying something to his teammates, and noticing his gaze, he gave a distant gesture.
Gu Jin smiled.
Whether the practice game would arrive as scheduled or not, the upcoming Prefectural Tournament was destined to be even more intense due to the warm-up of this Public Welfare Cup.
And he was greatly looking forward to the opening of this spectacle.
The cheers in the gymnasium continued, the afterglow of Akagi and Hanagata Toru's duel had not yet faded, and the electronic screen on the sidelines already displayed the next matchup—Muto Tadashi versus Fujima Kenji.
Almost everyone knew that the suspense of this duel was even lower than the previous one.
Muto Tadashi was a key rotation player for Kainan, solid in strength but lacking absolute dominance, while Fujima Kenji, as one of Shoyo's dual aces, could both drive with the ball and control the overall game, making him one of Kanagawa's top guards.
Moreover, a few days ago, Fujima had defeated Murasame, already demonstrating sufficient strength.
Gu Jin leaned against the railing and watched for a moment, then knew the outcome was without suspense.
He was not very interested in contests with a significant disparity in strength, and now felt even more bored, so he simply turned and walked out through the stands' aisle.
The afternoon sun slanted through the corridor windows, casting long light patterns on the floor.
Gu Jin had just reached near the exit when a voice, tinged with a hint of arrogance, suddenly sounded from behind him.
"Are you Gu Jin?"
Gu Jin paused, turning to look.
The speaker was a tall, slender young man, dressed in a well-fitted tracksuit, his blond hair somewhat dazzling in the sunlight, his eyes carrying unconcealed scrutiny, and a faint, mocking smirk on his lips.
Gu Jin thought for a moment, then recognized the other party: "Mike Okita?"
Ryokufu High School's ace player, and also the person rumored to have a close relationship with Fujisawa Eri, the conglomerate heiress.
Mike Okita raised an eyebrow, seemingly unsurprised that he recognized him, and slowly walked forward, his tone carrying a hint of pressure: "I heard you rejected Eri? Your guts are not ordinary."
Gu Jin frowned.
"I really dislike this way of conversing." Gu Jin's tone grew cold, the aloofness in his eyes unconcealed, "If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving."
"Wait." Mike Okita took a step forward, blocking his path, the mockery on his face turning into a direct warning, "I hope you don't come to Ryokufu, and certainly don't get too close to Eri."
His tone carried a kind of self-righteous dominance, as if Gu Jin's wishes were not worth mentioning at all.
Gu Jin looked at him, suddenly finding it a bit laughable.
This kind of spoiled rich kid probably thought the whole world should revolve around him.
"Nonsense."
He couldn't be bothered to say another word, sidestepping Mike Okita and walking straight out of the gymnasium.
The sunlight fell on him, making his back straight, without the slightest pause.
Mike Okita stood frozen, clearly not expecting Gu Jin to react this way.
In his opinion, both Ryokufu's reputation and Eri's background were enough to make any high school student flattered, although Gu Jin's rejection was what he wanted.
But Gu Jin actually didn't fawn over his goddess?
Such a cold and dismissive attitude was simply an insult to her.
Therefore, every thought of a pervert is contradictory.
He stared at Gu Jin's disappearing back at the doorway, the look in his eyes under his blond hair slowly darkened, his clenched fists turning white at the knuckles.
"Gu Jin..." He murmured the name, a hint of gloom in his tone.