13 Crowned King-part 1

After the basketball club activities concluded with the talent test, there was a moment of rest. Ryu went to the corner where his bag was and grabbed a drink. Many eyes turned in his direction, all of them looking at Ryu with astonishment.

Ryu then sat down on the floor and took a sip. "This is exhausting, insane. I don't know why everything seems easier now. I only started my physical training a week ago," Ryu muttered to himself as he clenched his hand, reminiscing about the sensation he felt when he first held a basketball seriously.

He lowered his head and wiped the sweat from his hair. But that didn't matter; he wanted to know who and what this crowned king, the gorilla of this school, really was.

As he was about to get up and leave the basketball court, a woman approached him. Ryu recognized her instantly; it was Miyuki Kato, a senior he knew.

Approaching Ryu, Kato Miyuki flashed a beautiful smile that could make every guy in the room blush. Ryu returned the smile and asked, "What can I do for you, Miyuki senpai?"

"I just wanted to congratulate you," Miyuki replied.

"Oh? Congratulations for what?"

"Well... Coach Kenshin is very interested in you. I've never seen him so excited since watching Akihiko Ren in his final year."

Ryu's face displayed confusion, but before he could ask, Miyuki continued speaking.

"Anyway, capturing Coach Kenshin's attention is a good sign. I hope you can give your best for all of us."

"Um, thank you, Miyuki senpai. I'm proud to have caught Coach Kenshin's eye like that. And who is this Akihiko Ren senpai? He wasn't present at the opening ceremony."

Hearing Ryu's question, Miyuki became nostalgic. She took a deep breath and said, "That's him, the unworthy king. He was an incredibly talented player, primarily in the position of a point guard. Everything seemed to be under his control when he played. However, an incident led him to lose interest in basketball and turned him into a delinquent student who only caused trouble. Currently, he's suspended from school and unable to attend events."

"So, he was that good? Why did he lose interest instead of honing his talent?"

"I don't know either. He suddenly became a completely different person, seemingly forgetting basketball in his heart."

"By the way, senpai, may I ask something?"

"Eh, of course, go ahead, ask."

"What is the 'crowned king,' and who are they?"

"AAAHHH, ARE YOU SERIOUS?????"

"YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT???" Kato Miyuki exclaimed loudly, shocking many people in the vicinity. Ryu felt embarrassed, looking at Miyuki with a pout.

Miyuki, realizing how loud she had been, also felt embarrassed. She reached out and held Ryu's hand.

"I'm sorry, Ryu. I didn't realize I was speaking so loudly," Miyuki said while holding Ryu's hand.

Ryu was also shocked by Miyuki senpai holding his hand like this, so he replied, "It's okay, Miyuki senpai. So, will you tell me?"

"Of course, I will. Discussing this topic might take a while. It's better to talk in the school garden," Miyuki suggested.

"Okay," Ryu agreed.

Three minutes later, they both arrived at the school garden. The garden was beautiful and refreshing, filled with lush plants and tall trees providing shade and coolness.

They found a comfortable place to sit and began their conversation.

"So, the 'crowned king' is a group of extraordinarily talented young players, considered the greatest young talents worldwide. They all attend Kizuna Junior High School and consist of six members on the same team."

"True to the name and reputation of Kizuna Junior High School, they've been unbeatable since the formation of the 'crowned king.' The school's best record was only five losses in a season, but since the crowned king was formed, they haven't faced any defeats at all."

"They've swept every competition with a perfect record, including the Winter and Summer Supercups. Their dominance continued until they graduated, and they amassed numerous trophies, including those from the Summer and Winter Supercups."

"Of the six, their captain, Akumetsu Noroi, suggested—or rather, ordered—all of them to split up and find other schools to prevent basketball from becoming too dull because of their dominance."

"And it turned out just as he said. They all scattered to find good schools under the condition that there should be no crowned king members on the same team again. They obeyed Noroi's order, as he was the one in control of the crowned king, making him quite formidable."

"Akumetsu Noroi himself joined Ryusei High School, a frequent Super Cup champion. His unique skill is 'Galaxy Eyes,' which allows him to control the entire rhythm of the game, including passing and dribbling between teammates or opponents. Thanks to his Galaxy Eyes, he achieved a 100% passing accuracy, and his ability to foresee the future using Galaxy Eyes played a significant role in that."

"Galaxy Eyes," Ryu repeated in awe, absorbing the fascinating story of the crowned king and their legendary captain, Akumetsu Noroi, in the serene school garden.