A Meal with Everyone

After finishing his statement, Aomine felt an overwhelming wave of exhaustion and weakness surge through him. His body seemed to have been drained of all energy, and his legs, as if losing their strength entirely, gave way beneath him. Suddenly, he found himself collapsing, unable to remain standing.

His knees buckled, and before he could react, he dropped into a half-kneeling position.

"Are you okay?" Shiro swiftly rushed over, steadying Aomine before he could fall completely.

"I think I'm fine… just really tired," Aomine responded weakly. "Let me lie down for a bit." With that, he slumped directly onto the gym floor.

Shiro crouched beside him and said, "You're still too young, Aomine. Without proper conditioning, your body can't the strain of tapping the Animal Instinct like that."

"So, this is called 'Animal Instinct'? It feels amazing when it's activated! But I haven't figured out how to trigger it consistently yet. Do you know how I can do it again?" Aomine asked, excitement bubbling beneath his exhaustion.

"It'll come naturally" Shiro reassured him. "Once you've unlocked it, activating it will become easier over time. But you need to build up your stamina first—don't force it. If you overdo it, you'll burn out before you ever get the chance to beat me again."

Hearing that, Aomine's eagerness to force the Animal Instinct disappeared, though he still threw Shiro a defiant look. "Fine, I'll let this one slide. But next time, I will beat you!"

Shiro grinned. "I look forward to it. Just remember, though—I wasn't even playing at full strength this time."

Aomine rolled his eyes and closed them, finally relaxing.

"Shiro" called Akashi, as he and the others approached. "Is Aomine alright?"

All eyes turned to Shiro, waiting for his response.

"He'll be fine. Just a bit exhausted—he needs to rest, that's all." Shiro flashed a reassuring smile toward Akashi.

Hearing this, the group relaxed. Satisfied that Aomine wasn't seriously hurt, they dispersed, heading back to their classrooms. And so, the showdown between Aomine and Shiro came to an end.

Later that afternoon…

"Akashi, long time no see!" Shiro greeted Akashi cheerfully.

"Yeah, it's been a while. How about we all hang out this afternoon? It's a good reason to celebrate—congratulations to everyone who made the first string! I'll treat you all." Akashi smiled warmly at the group.

"I'm in," Shiro replied without hesitation.

"Akashi's treating us? Sweet, I want barbecue!" Murasakibara exclaimed with a glint of excitement in his eyes. He stared at Akashi with the enthusiasm of someone who had just won the lottery.

"No problem. Does anyone mind if we go for barbecue?" Akashi asked the group kindly.

"None from me" Shiro replied. Aomine, still stretching after his nap, chimed in as well. "Can I bring someone along?"

"Of course," Akashi agreed. "Oh, and Midorima—don't skip. We'll all meet at the school gate after class."

"Got it" Midorima answered reluctantly, unable to resist Akashi's invitation.

"Alright, see you all this afternoon." Akashi waved as he left the gym, and one by one, the others followed suit.

As Aomine struggled to stand, Shiro offered him a hand. "Need help getting back to class?"

"Yeah, thanks, Shiro" Aomine leaned on Shiro's shoulder as they made their way out of the gym.

Just as they exited, a cheerful voice called out, "Daiki!" A gust of wind passed by them, and a flash of pink caught Shiro's eye. A girl with a high ponytail and a sweet fragrance rushed toward Aomine, her pretty face showing a mix of anger and concern.

"What happened to you, Daiki?! Are you okay? You know, Auntie told me to keep an eye on you—how am I supposed to explain this to her?"

"Oh, it's just you, Momoi. I'm fine!" Aomine brushed off her concern casually. "I just overdid it a little during basketball. By the way, let me introduce you—this is Shiro. He just made the first string with me. Shiro, this is Satsuki Momoi. We've known each other since we were kids."

Shiro smiled warmly. "Nice to meet you, Satsuki Momoi. I'm Kamikawa Shiro, but you can just call me Shiro. It's a pleasure to meet a friend of Aomine's." His voice was soft and welcoming, carrying a gentle warmth that was hard to resist.

Momoi returned the smile, feeling an instant sense of familiarity with him. "Nice to meet you, too, Shiro. Just call me Momoi."

"That's a beautiful name" Shiro said sincerely. "It's as bright and refreshing as the month of May."

Momoi's cheeks flushed at the compliment. "Thanks, Shiro. You're really handsome, too."

Shiro chuckled. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Thanks for helping Daiki out today" Momoi added. "I'll take him from here—he and I are in the same class anyway."

"No problem at all. Aomine's my friend, too. Take care of him." With a wave, Shiro turned and left for his classroom.

As Shiro walked back to class, a familiar notification echoed in his mind.

"Ding! Victory in 1v1 against Aomine Daiki: +30 Skill Points."

"Thirty?" Shiro murmured in surprise. "Why is it 30 points?"

"Ding! As the host has entered an anime world, defeating members of the Generation of Miracles grants a 10x skill point bonus."

'Hah! Looks like I should keep farming points from the Generation of Miracles' Shiro thought. "System, show me my stats."

Player Profile

Name: Kawakami Shiro

- Age: 12

- Height: 176 cm

- Weight: 64 kg

- Strength: B

- Speed: B

- Stamina: B+

Skills:

- Stephen Curry – 3-Point Shooting

- Kawhi Leonard – Lockdown Defense

- Allen Iverson – Crossover Dribble

- Tracy McGrady – Pull-up Jumper

- Kobe Bryant – Fadeaway Jumper

- Magic Johnson – No-look passing

Skill Points (SP): 1995

'Almost there… Just a little more, and I can unlock another NBA skill. The grind never stops!' Shiro thought eagerly.

The school day flew by, and at 3:40 PM, the final bell rang, marking the end of classes. Since basketball club activities were paused for team selection today, Shiro packed his bag and headed for the school gate, eager for the dinner Akashi had promised.

When he arrived, everyone was already there—except for Aomine and Momoi.

Just as he began to wonder where they were, the two appeared in the distance. Aomine grinned and waved, while Momoi trailed slightly behind, looking shy.

"Hey everyone, this is Satsuki Momoi, my childhood friend," Aomine introduced her.

"Hi! I'm Satsuki Momoi. You can just call me Momoi" she said with a polite bow.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Akashi Seijuro" Akashi greeted her warmly.

"Hey, Satsuki-chan!" Murasakibara called lazily. "Barbecue's gonna be awesome!"

"Uh… 'Satsuki-chan'?" she muttered, her lips twitching in amusement.

"Don't mind him" Shiro said with a smile. "He's a bit eccentric, but he means no harm"

Momoi laughed softly. "It's fine"

After brief introductions, the group headed to a nearby barbecue restaurant. Seated around the grill, they enjoyed delicious food while chatting and laughing together.

"Barbecue is the best!" Murasakibara exclaimed with joy, devouring his food like a bottomless pit.

Throughout the meal, the group bonded, discussing basketball techniques and team dynamics. Though Momoi didn't understand all the specifics, she quietly enjoyed being part of the lively conversation.

As the evening ended, the group parted ways at the restaurant entrance, each member satisfied and content. Watching his teammates leave, Shiro smiled, 'I won't let this team fall apart like in the original story. This time, things will be different.'

He had finally found his place in this new world.