Aomine Daiki Template in Slam Dunk

"Saku-chan, a new member might be rejoining the team today!" On the way to the gym, Shimizu Kanon said excitedly to Aoi Kunisaku.

Aoi Kunisaku's half-closed eyes opened slightly, flashing a hint of curiosity. "New member?"

The image of the guy who looked like Miyagi Ryota from the day before flashed through his mind. He asked tentatively, "You mean that guy who looks like Miyagi Ryota?"

"Eh? You knew?" Shimizu Kanon looked surprised, silently wondering.

Since when did this childhood friend of mine get so sharp?

Aoi Kunisaku scoffed, pretending not to care. "So the guy I saw yesterday really was him."

Shimizu Kanon's curiosity kicked in. "Weird. How do you even know about Miyagi Ryota?"

Aoi Kunisaku brushed it off casually. "Just happened to know, that's all."

No way he was gonna admit he already knew everything from watching the anime in his previous life.

If he said that, this girl would probably drag him to a hospital thinking something was wrong with his brain.

Luckily, Shimizu Kanon didn't press the issue. Instead, she recalled the info she had looked up and said, "I checked into Miyagi Ryota. He used to be the Point Guard on the team. Really fast. Not as fast as you, but among guys his age, he stood out."

Then she sighed regretfully. "Too bad he's so short. Otherwise, he'd be a great partner for you, Saku-chan."

"Tch." Aoi Kunisaku scoffed, totally dismissive. "I don't need anyone's help."

Just then, a group suddenly appeared ahead of them, blocking the path.

Aoi Kunisaku looked up. Five delinquents were forming a half-circle around him and Shimizu Kanon.

Startled, Shimizu Kanon turned pale and instinctively clung to Aoi Kunisaku's back. Her voice trembled. "Saku-chan…"

Without changing expression, Aoi Kunisaku shielded her behind him and swept his cold gaze over the group.

He quickly recognized a few of them.

The guy with the crew cut, older-looking face, and mean expression.

Aoi Kunisaku remembered him—Hotta Norio. A third-year.

Standing to Hotta Norio's right was a chubby kid with glasses and a smug face.

He looked familiar too, but Aoi Kunisaku couldn't recall the name.

The other two? Total blanks.

Aoi Kunisaku barely gave them a glance before focusing on the long-haired guy standing in the center.

Mitsui Hisashi.

Former Shohoku team member. Middle school MVP. Legendary Three-Point Shot shooter.

But after a leg injury, he spiraled down fast and became what he was now.

"Hey punk, you're from the basketball team, right?" Hotta Norio stepped forward with a mocking tone.

Aoi Kunisaku answered coolly, "What if I am? What's it to you?"

"You know who you're talking to?" the bespectacled delinquent shouted angrily.

Aoi Kunisaku didn't even look at him. He stared straight at Mitsui Hisashi. "We don't know each other. I don't like dealing with strangers. If you're lost, ask someone else. Get out of the way."

"You little punk! Looking for a beating?!" the glasses-wearing guy exploded again.

"You're really loud," Aoi Kunisaku muttered, digging in his ear, clearly annoyed. He acted like these guys were just bugs.

Finally, Mitsui Hisashi spoke. "You're a first-year, right? If you're on the team, then you must know where Miyagi Ryota is?!"

"Don't know," Aoi Kunisaku cut him off coldly. "Ask someone else."

Mitsui Hisashi's face darkened. His jaw clenched. "First-year punks sure are cocky these days."

Hotta Norio joined in, "Sounds like someone needs a lesson in respecting upperclassmen."

Right after that, the bespectacled delinquent and two others lunged at Aoi Kunisaku, fists swinging right at his face.

"Saku-chan…!" Shimizu Kanon gasped, heart jumping to her throat.

"It's fine. Just some fleas." Aoi Kunisaku said calmly.

In that moment, his entire aura changed.

Gone was the lazy, carefree look. It vanished like smoke in a storm.

What replaced it was a sharp, cold intensity.

He looked like a beast that had been lying in wait, finally ready to strike. A predator radiating a deadly chill.

The air around him trembled. A violent, overwhelming pressure burst from him and surged outward like a crashing wave.

Mitsui Hisashi and the others felt a chill shoot down their spines, like they were being locked onto by a bloodthirsty beast. It was as if their lives could be snuffed out like a flickering candle at any moment.

The three delinquents who had rushed forward to punch Aoi Kunisaku froze in place the moment they felt that terrifying pressure. It was like someone cast a paralyzing spell on them.

They looked at Aoi Kunisaku with eyes full of fear, like they'd just seen a ghost. None of them dared take another step forward. Huge drops of sweat rolled down their foreheads and slid along their cheeks.

Mitsui Hisashi also stared in disbelief, his body trembling slightly against his will.

Without even sparing them a glance, Aoi Kunisaku grabbed Shimizu Kanon's hand and calmly walked straight through the middle of the five of them.

None of them dared stop him.

Only after the two were far out of sight did Mitsui Hisashi and the others breathe again, each one letting out a long exhale of relief.

Hotta Norio muttered with lingering fear, "What the hell is that guy? He's seriously not someone to mess with."

The bespectacled delinquent swallowed hard, his voice still shaking. "That was terrifying. I really thought I was gonna die just now."

Mitsui Hisashi's face darkened like storm clouds, as if water could drip from it.

He turned, glaring at Aoi Kunisaku's disappearing back, grinding his teeth so hard they clicked. His eyes burned with humiliation and hate.

He, the top dog among the third-year delinquents, had been frozen in fear by a first-year punk. That was beyond disgraceful.

"Damn bastard…" he cursed under his breath. "Basketball team…"

On the other side, once they were far enough away, Aoi Kunisaku had already gone back to his lazy self.

Shimizu Kanon finally relaxed too and let out a sigh. "That scared me to death. I thought you were really gonna fight them."

Aoi Kunisaku looked relaxed, as if nothing had happened. "Even if I did, there's nothing to be afraid of."

"But what if you got hurt?" Shimizu Kanon said, full of concern.

Aoi Kunisaku waved her off. "Those guys aren't even worth worrying about."

"But that move you used—pretty rare for you." Shimizu Kanon said thoughtfully.

Aoi Kunisaku knew what she meant. "It was just the easiest way."

Shimizu Kanon couldn't help laughing. "Never thought your move could be used to break up a fight."

Aoi Kunisaku's mouth twitched. Break up a fight, my ass. That was intimidation, okay?

Tired of engaging with her wild imagination, they soon arrived at the gym doors.

But as soon as they opened the door, both of them froze.

Inside, most people were standing along the court sides.

On the court, two people were sprawled in an extremely weird position.

It was Sakuragi Hanamichi and Miyagi Ryota. Miyagi was on top of Sakuragi, arms tightly wrapped around his legs.

Meanwhile, Sakuragi had his butt sticking up, body wiggling forward, arms stretched out trying to grab a basketball lying just ahead.

Their posture was so ridiculous it was borderline suggestive.

The scene left Shimizu Kanon completely stunned.

Aoi Kunisaku couldn't help twitching at the corner of his mouth.

What the hell were these two idiots doing?

Kogure Kiminobu noticed them and called out, "You're here!"

"Kogure-senpai," Shimizu Kanon greeted politely, then asked with a confused look, "What happened here?"

"Uh… this is pretty much what it looks like," Kogure said, helplessly pointing at Miyagi Ryota and Sakuragi Hanamichi on the floor. "That guy is Miyagi Ryota. He was in the hospital and couldn't come to practice."

Ayako added from the side, "He's a handful. You're gonna have your work cut out for you."

Just then, Rukawa Kaede walked over with a basketball and stood in front of Aoi Kunisaku.

"Let's play a game," he said calmly.

That one sentence instantly quieted the room.

Several first-years held their breath, nervous for Rukawa.

They still remembered vividly how Aoi Kunisaku had completely destroyed him last time.

"Rukawa really has guts. If it were me, I'd have given up already," said Yamada Tadashi with a sigh.

"Yeah," Kuwata Toki nodded.

Aoi Kunisaku shrugged and walked toward the other side of the court. "Whatever. I'm bored anyway. Let's play."

The moment he agreed, the energy in the gym spiked.

Everyone stopped watching Miyagi Ryota and Sakuragi Hanamichi. All eyes turned to Aoi Kunisaku and Rukawa Kaede.

One by one, they crowded around the half-court, eager to see what was about to go down.