“Man, why’s he gotta be so worked up about it?”
Aizen walked out of the judo club without any hesitation, not even bothering to change out of his clothes.
His white judo uniform and black belt made him stick out like a sore thumb wherever he went.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to change—it was that if he stayed any longer, that captain might’ve literally torn him apart.
So the faster he got out, the better!
“So, which direction is the basketball club anyway?” Aizen looked up at the cat perched on top of his head.
It was a Japanese bobtail, adorable on the outside, but its eyes had this smug look to them—like it was looking down on a piece of trash.
‘What, just because I tried to check your gender by seeing if you had balls earlier, you’re holding a grudge?’
“Figure it out yourself.” The little bobtail was female and clearly still pissed.
“And you’re seriously planning to show up at the basketball club dressed like that?”
“What’s wrong with it?”
“Suit yourself.”
With a light thump, the cat used Aizen’s head as her personal pillow.
“Tch, it’s just a cat.
What’s with the attitude?” Aizen couldn’t help muttering under his breath.
“People who keep cats are idiots.
Now, a Husky—that’s a real pet.
They give you a reason to buy new furniture every other week.
Smart people get dogs.
Cat owners are all morons, especially the ones with female cats—”
RRRIP~
…
Before long, after asking around and checking directions, Aizen finally found the basketball club.
“Whatever, let’s just get this beginner mission done first.”
Aizen pushed open the doors to the basketball club, his face now sporting three fresh claw marks from the cat, looking impressively intense.
Shrrreeeek~
The sound of the door opening successfully drew the attention of everyone in the basketball club.
Except for the players currently on the court practicing, everybody else turned to look at him.
“Wait, aren’t outsiders prohibited from entering during training hours?”
“He’s not one of our club members, is he?”
“Definitely not.
Look, he’s wearing a judo uniform.
He’s here to challenge us!”
“Holy crap!
The judo club is trying to step on our turf?
Let’s get him!”
Before Aizen even had time to react, a chaotic scramble broke out, and a motley crew of basketball club’s members grabbed brooms and various other objects, surrounding him before he’d taken more than a few steps inside.
‘What the hell—is this how Japanese junior high basketball clubs welcome new members?’
He’d heard stories about NBA veterans hazing rookies, but he didn’t realize Japan had similar traditions.
These people were more hardcore than Gotham’s citizens—ready to throw hands on sight.
Aizen panicked, immediately throwing himself into an Ip Man pose and shouting, “What are you guys trying to do?
You want to fight?
Fine, let’s do this the old-fashioned way—one-on-one!
One fighter against one fighter!
No jumping in, no fouls!”
“What kind of stance is that?
It looks so weird!”
“Are you stupid?
Haven’t you ever seen Ip Man?”
“Ip Man?
Kung Fu?
He’s definitely here to cause trouble!
Guys, let’s get him!”
The basketball club’s members were boiling with anger—one single guy dared to come challenge their club?
This was absolutely outrageous!
“STOP!
What the hell are you all doing holding brooms like that?
Are you trying to start a riot?”
At that moment, a student who was even taller than Aizen walked over.
The club members parted like the Red Sea, respectfully greeting him with, “Captain Nijimura!”
His name was Nijimura Shuzo, a second-year junior high student, and the current captain of the Teiko Basketball Club.
“Captain, we’re not trying to cause trouble—it’s this guy from the judo club who came here to pick a fight!”
‘Judo club?’
Nijimura Shuzo finally got a good look at Aizen—dressed in a white judo uniform, black belt signifying combat prowess beyond his years, a bobtail cat sleeping on his head, handsome features, but with three bizarre cat scratch marks across his face.
“Excuse me, what exactly are you trying to do here?”
“What am I trying to do?” Aizen instinctively replied.
“Obviously I’m here to fight—I mean, I’m here to join the basketball club.”
Shuzo’s mouth twitched.
He’d clearly heard the word ‘fight’ loud and clear.
He was always happy to welcome people who wanted to join the basketball club.
Except for troublemakers.
And Aizen…
he looked like the walking definition of a troublemaker.
He’d already caused chaos in the basketball club before even joining, nearly starting an all-out brawl.
If he actually made it into the club, what kind of disaster would follow?
“Aizen, 13 years old, international transfer student, first-year at Teiko Junior High.
Three-time consecutive national elementary school judo champion.
An absolute prodigy in judo.”
Right at that moment, a pink-haired girl also walked over, casually rattling off Aizen’s background information.
‘How does she know so much about me?
Is she secretly in love with me or something?’
Aizen took one look at her face and immediately perked up.
“Hey, you seem to know quite a bit about me.
How about I treat you to some ramen later?
But first, let me join the basketball club.”
‘Ramen?’
‘Treat me?’
“Really?” Momoi Satsuki’s eyes lit up.
She’d never had a boy offer to treat her to anything before.
She quickly handed him an application form.
“Here’s the club enrollment form!
Fill this out right now, and we can go get ramen together afterwards!”
“Hey, Momoi!” Shuzo called out to stop her.
“Haha, sorry Captain!
I got a little carried away.” Satsuki stuck out her tongue apologetically, momentarily forgetting that she’d only just joined the basketball club herself.
Shuzo rolled his eyes, then turned to Aizen seriously and said, “I don’t know what made you give up judo to try and join the basketball club, but I’m not going to approve someone like you—a half-baked amateur.”
‘Don’t be like that!
If you don’t let me join, how am I supposed to complete my mission?
I only have three days.
It’s not like I can transfer schools that fast!’
Meanwhile…
Inside the Teiko basketball club’s coach’s office, coach Shirogane Kozo was sitting there, half-happy and half-worried.
Teiko had always been strong.
Under his guidance, they had long become a nationally renowned basketball powerhouse across all of Japan.
Every year, countless talented players were drawn to enroll at Teiko, creating a virtuous cycle that ensured a steady flow of fresh talent.
And this year, luck had truly smiled upon them.
They had recruited five geniuses in one go.
Akashi Seijuro, Midorima Shintaro, Haizaki Shogo, Aomine Daiki, and Murasakibara Atsushi—covering every position from point guard to center.
It was practically divine providence!
The moment Kozo laid eyes on them, he was stunned.
Raw talent was practically radiating from them like visible light.
With these five players on the roster, Teiko’s performance for the next three years was guaranteed.
Making it to the national tournament was just a question of whether they’d win every game or not.
But a coach like Shirogane Kozo, who had been a national team player in his youth and was now dedicated to coaching, naturally wasn’t satisfied with merely making it to nationals.
He wanted championships.
An unprecedented two-peat.
Three-peat.
More.
And he had the ability to make it happen.
His basketball club had what it took.
Unfortunately, in last year’s national tournament semifinals, Teiko had stumbled and fallen.
They lost to a team that, on paper, was weaker than them.