Bab 3 th ethreat of kaijo

The referee’s long whistle echoed across the gymnasium, signaling the end of the scrimmage. The scoreboard read a narrow victory for the second-years, but nobody was celebrating. Hyuga leaned against his knees, wiping sweat from his face while staring at Ariaki in absolute disbelief.

"A pass that bypasses perception entirely..." Izuki muttered, adjusting his hair as he walked over to Riko. "It wasn't just Misdirection. His spatial awareness is absurd. It felt like he was looking down on the entire court from above."

"That's his Hawk Eye," Riko whispered, her eyes fixed on her clipboard. "Combined with his low presence, he doesn't just pass—he manipulates the flow of the game without taking a single shot himself."

Hoga threw a towel over his head, walking up beside Ariaki at the water bench. "We lost, Aki. By two points."

"We did," Ariaki replied calmly, taking a small sip from his bottle. "My passes were a bit too slow toward the end. My body couldn't keep up with the spatial calculations as my fatigue built up."

Hoga grinned, bumping his shoulder against Ariaki's newly broadened frame. "Don't sweat it. Your passes were sick. Next time, we destroy them."

Before the team could begin their post-game stretch, the heavy double doors of the gymnasium creaked open. The ambient noise in the room instantly died down as a tall figure stepped into the light.

He wore a stylish blue tracksuit, his bright yellow hair catching the gym lights. A subtle silver earring glinted on his left ear, and his relaxed, handsome face carried a casual, almost playful smile.

"Excuse me~ Is this the Seirin High basketball club?" the newcomer asked, scanning the room with sharp, observant golden eyes.

Hyuga straightened up immediately, his expression darkening. "Who are you?"

"Ah, Kise Ryota!" Riko gasped, her eyes widening as she recognized the face from sports magazines. "From Kaijo High!"

Hoga’s eyes locked onto the blonde teenager, his instincts flaring up like a wild animal sensing a predator. Kise Ryota... One of the 'Generation of Miracles' from Teiko Middle School.

Kise walked casually onto the court, ignoring the tense gazes from the upperclassmen, until his eyes landed on Ariaki. A genuine smile broke out on his face.

"Kuro-- ah, I mean, Aki-cchi!" Kise cheered, jogging over and attempting to throw an arm around Ariaki's shoulders, only for Ariaki to calmly step aside. "Aw, so cold as usual! I came all the way here to see you after I heard you joined this new school."

"Hello, Kise-kun," Ariaki said with a polite bow. "It has been a while."

"I was really surprised, you know?" Kise said, his tone turning slightly more competitive as he looked Ariaki up and down. "You look... different, Aki-cchi. Your shoulders are broader, and you feel firmer. Did you actually start weight training after that game?"

Ariaki's blue eyes flickered at the subtle mention of their defeat against Aomine, but his expression remained unreadable. "I realized I needed a stronger foundation to support my style."

"Fascinating..." Kise chuckled, then turned his gaze toward Hoga, who was glaring at him with intense hostility. "And who's this aggressive guy? Your new 'light'?"

"Kagami Hoga," Hoga growled, stepping forward into Kise's personal space. "And you're one of those five 'geniuses' everyone won't stop shut up about."

Kise didn't back down. He spun a ball on his index finger with effortless grace. "Careful, freshie. Being tall doesn't mean you can play in our league."

"Want to test that right now?" Hoga snapped, cracking his knuckles.

"Hoga, stop!" Hyuga shouted, stepping in between them.

Kise grinned, tossing the ball back toward the rack. "Actually, I came here with a proposal from my coach. Kaijo High wants a practice match against Seirin High next week."

Riko stepped forward, her voice firm. "A practice match against a powerhouse like Kaijo? We accept."

"Awesome!" Kise smiled bright, turning back toward the exit. But right before stepping out, he looked over his shoulder at Ariaki, his smile dropping into a cold, dangerous smirk. "Oh, by the way, Aki-cchi... don't expect the same team from middle school. We've all grown. If you bring that weak mentality from back then, we'll crush you."

As the gym doors closed behind Kise, Hoga clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white.

"Weak mentality, huh?" Hoga muttered under his breath, his eyes burning with fury. "Aki, we're going to obliterate Kaijo."

Ariaki looked down at his palms, feeling the tight coil of muscles in his arms and the faint memory of the Zone flickering deep within his consciousness.

"Yes," Ariaki said softly, his voice carrying an unyielding edge. "We will."