Chapter 4: Cracks in the Foundation

The gym at Hikawa High was old and worn down, its wooden floorboards creaking underfoot as Seisen High's team arrived for their game. Yukito Aizawa stood at the entrance, surveying the court and the team they were about to face. Hikawa's players were stretching on the opposite side, their movements casual, unaware of the storm that was about to hit them.

Yukito turned to his own team, their faces still pale from the grueling conditioning session the day before. But there was a new edge in their eyes—a sharpness that hadn't been there before. They were tired, yes, but more than that, they were hungry. Hungry for something more than just a win.

Sora Miyazaki stood at the front of the group, arms crossed, scanning Hikawa's players with a bored expression. He hadn't spoken much since practice, but Yukito knew he was ready. Sora's anger was always just beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to explode. And Yukito had every intention of using that.

"Remember what I said," Yukito spoke, his voice low but commanding. "This isn't about points. This is about breaking them. We play hard, we play fast, and we don't stop until they've lost more than just the game."

The team nodded, their faces set in grim determination. Yukito glanced over at Hikawa's coach, who was giving his team last-minute instructions, oblivious to what was coming.

"Let's go," Yukito said, leading his team onto the court.

The whistle blew, and the game began.

From the very first tip-off, it was clear that this wouldn't be a normal game. Seisen's players, under Yukito's ruthless direction, moved like a well-oiled machine. Their passes were sharp, their movements deliberate, but more than anything, their intensity was suffocating. Hikawa's team struggled to keep up, their earlier confidence quickly crumbling under the pressure.

Sora took control immediately, driving through Hikawa's defense with raw power. Every shot he made was aggressive, every steal vicious. But it wasn't just about the points—every play was designed to wear Hikawa down mentally. Yukito had instructed his players to be relentless, exploiting every mistake, every hesitation, and amplifying it.

Halfway through the first quarter, Hikawa's players were already showing signs of frustration. Yukito watched from the sidelines, his arms folded, eyes never leaving the court. This was exactly what he had planned.

Seisen led by 10 points, but it wasn't the score that mattered—it was the shift in the game's energy. Hikawa's players were starting to hesitate on every move, second-guessing themselves with every pass. Their coach called a timeout, trying to regroup, but Yukito could see the cracks forming.

During the timeout, Yukito gathered his team. "You see it, don't you?" he said quietly. "They're cracking. Now, we break them completely."

Sora nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. "Leave it to me."

The second half began, and Yukito's team came out even stronger. They weren't just playing basketball anymore—they were dismantling Hikawa piece by piece. Sora was unstoppable, driving into the paint with reckless abandon, drawing fouls and making it clear that this wasn't just a game. It was a message.

By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Hikawa's spirit was broken. Their players moved sluggishly, their heads hung low, defeated before the final whistle. Seisen's lead had ballooned to 30 points, but the numbers didn't matter to Yukito. What mattered was the look on Hikawa's players' faces—their fear, their frustration, their hopelessness. It was exactly what Yukito had wanted.

As the final buzzer sounded, Yukito's team celebrated briefly, but Yukito's eyes were fixed on the Hikawa bench. Their coach was trying to rally his team, offering words of encouragement, but it was too late. The damage had been done.

Yukito turned to Sora, who was wiping sweat from his brow. "Good work."

Sora smirked. "That was just the warm-up. Next time, we take it even further."

Yukito nodded. "We will. But for now, this is just the beginning."

That night, back at his apartment, Yukito sat in silence, staring at his phone. The game had gone exactly as planned, but there was something unsettling in the back of his mind. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched—that someone was waiting for him to make his next move.

His phone buzzed again. Another message from the same unknown number.

"That was cute, Aizawa. But you'll need more than scare tactics to take us down."

Yukito's eyes narrowed. He knew who it was—one of the Phantom Five, taunting him. They thought this was a game, that he was still playing catch-up. But Yukito wasn't the same player they had betrayed. He had evolved, and soon, they would realize just how far he was willing to go.

Yukito didn't reply. Instead, he opened his laptop and began reviewing game footage, his mind already plotting their next move.

They wouldn't see him coming.