Morning sunlight seeped through the gym's high windows, slanting in golden stripes across the polished court. Sweat still clung to the air from the previous night that thick, metallic tang of exhaustion and resolve. The boys had slept restlessly, their bodies aching from Hikari's relentless drills.

The sound of sneakers squeaking against the floor echoed faintly as Marcus entered first, towel draped over his neck, earbuds in. Yuuto followed behind, yawning, hair unkempt but eyes already sharp. Shunjin dragged his duffel along the floor, muttering something about his legs still being "on strike."

Ren was already there, bouncing a volleyball lazily, face unreadable. When Marcus passed him, their eyes met briefly no words, just a shared acknowledgment of fatigue and something heavier beneath it.

From the far end of the gym, a cheerful voice broke the silence.

"Morning! Breakfast's ready!"

Arisa stood at a fold-out table, smiling brightly, holding a ladle over a pot of miso soup. "Coach said no one trains on an empty stomach today. You'll faint."

"Bless your soul," Yuuto said dramatically, collapsing onto a bench.

Shunjin sniffed the air. "Is that bacon? Please tell me that's bacon."

"It's not bacon," Arisa laughed. "Protein omelets and rice."

"Close enough," Shunjin said, grabbing a plate.

For a moment, the room softened. The usual tension melted into small laughs and teasing. Even Rei cracked a grin when Arisa accidentally dropped a rice ball and fumbled to catch it midair.

Marcus didn't eat much. He sat at the end of the table, rolling his wrist slowly the same hand Hikari had made him use blindfolded during yesterday's "trust" drill. The phantom feel of uncertainty still lingered.

Rei noticed. "Still thinking about it?"

Marcus didn't look up. "Yeah."

Rei shrugged. "You did fine. I couldn't even imagine letting someone else direct me like that."

"That's kind of the point," Marcus said, his tone quiet but edged. "Trust."

Before Rei could answer, the gym doors swung open.

Coach Hikari entered, clipboard in hand, her expression unreadable as always. Arisa followed, notebook tucked under her arm.

"Good. You're all early," Hikari said, scanning the group. "That means you've accepted yesterday."

Ren chuckled dryly. "Accepted or survived?"

"Both," Hikari replied, stepping onto the court. "But surviving isn't enough. Today, we move forward."

She looked at Marcus directly. "Leadership evaluation continues."

Then to everyone: "Your reforging is halfway done now comes tempering."

No one fully understood what she meant, but they'd learned better than to ask too early.

Hikari continued, "You've each shown growth in control and communication, but today will test how well you apply it under pressure. This morning will be solo re-evaluations. Afternoon surprise scrimmage."

The gym buzzed with sudden energy. Yuuto's eyebrows shot up. "Wait, a match? Against who?"

Hikari's lips curled into a faint smirk. "You'll see."

Marcus's Drill

He stood alone at midcourt, eyes locked on Hikari. The task was simple: serve accuracy, ten attempts, each hitting a 15-centimeter square marked with tape.

"Focus, breathe, execute," Hikari instructed.

The first serve hit dead center. The next two grazed the tape. By the seventh, sweat streamed down Marcus's temple. His mind flickered back to her words: 'Steel must be beaten, reshaped, and cooled to hold form.'

He inhaled, tossed, swung smack.

Perfect.

Hikari's nod was subtle but approving. "Better. You're not fighting the motion anymore."

Rei was placed in the corner, tasked with hitting fifty continuous jump shots without missing. Every miss meant restarting. By the twentieth restart, frustration boiled over.

"Damn it!" he shouted, slamming the ball.

Hikari walked up, arms crossed. "You fail because you rush. You rush because you fear slowing down."

Rei glared, jaw tight. "You think I'm scared?"

"I think you're running from patience," she replied calmly. "Start again."

And he did slower, deliberate. By the forty-ninth shot, his breath hitched, arms trembling.

Fifty. Swish.

He collapsed to his knees, panting. Hikari said softly, "Good. Now you know your pace."

Yuuto & Shunjin

The two were tasked with maintaining rhythm — synchronized passes with a metronome clicking from Hikari's phone. At first, it was chaos.

"Bro, you're off-beat!"

"You're rushing, not me!"

But after minutes of arguing, something clicked. Their movements began to sync with the tick of the metronome thud, pass, clap, breathe.

Arisa whispered to herself as she filmed, "They look… in tune."

Hikari passed behind them. "Harmony is a weapon too. Remember that."

By noon, the sky had shifted from bright blue to a deep, moody gray. The clouds hung low and heavy, rumbling with distant thunder. The gym's light dimmed slightly as shadows crawled along the walls. The boys were still catching their breath from drills when Hikari's whistle cut through the chatter.

"Midcourt. Now."

The team gathered, sneakers squeaking against the floor, the faint scent of sweat and varnished wood mixing with the charged air outside.

"Change of plans," Hikari said, her voice sharp yet calm. "Your scrimmage partners have arrived."

The gym doors creaked open with a metallic groan. A gust of cool wind swept in, and six older players stepped through, each wearing a black jersey that gleamed faintly under the lights. Across their chests, in bold silver letters, it read Katsura Academy – B Team.

For a moment, the Shujin boys just stared.

Yuuto's eyes widened. "No way… that's Katsura Academy. They're Division 2 powerhouses!"

Ren frowned, crossing his arms. "Why are we playing them? They'll crush us."

Hikari's lips curled into a faint smile. "Because the best way to test reforged steel… is to strike it."

A murmur rippled through the group.

The Katsura players, older and confident, scanned the younger team like predators eyeing prey. One of them, a tall forward with slicked-back hair and a lazy grin, tilted his head. "These the rookies? Don't blink too hard they might break."

His teammates laughed under their breath.

Marcus stepped forward before Ren could say anything, his posture straight and voice steady. "We'll take that risk."

The Katsura captain smirked. "Brave. I like it. Let's see if you can back it up."

The whistle blew.

The scrimmage began.

From the very first possession, Katsura's dominance was obvious. Their passes cut through the air like blades clean, sharp, perfectly timed. Their defense shifted in perfect sync, closing every gap before it could form.

Shunjin's first three-pointer rimmed out, bouncing high and rolling across the court. Yuuto charged down the lane for a fast break, but the tall forward blocked him mid-air, the impact echoing like thunder.

"Tempo, control!" Hikari's voice rang out from the sidelines, but her words were nearly drowned out by the squeal of sneakers and the pounding rhythm of the game.

Marcus tried to regroup, calling out commands through the chaos. "Shunjin, slow it down! Yuuto, space left!"

But Ren wasn't listening. He dribbled hard, ignoring open teammates, forcing shot after shot.

"Ren, pass the damn ball!" Marcus barked.

"I got this!" Ren snapped back, frustration flashing across his face.

He didn't. Another turnover. Katsura stole the ball clean and turned it into an effortless layup.

Within minutes, the score gap widened Katsura 20, Shujin 6.

The frustration spread like static. Yuuto started rushing his drives again, overthinking every move. Shunjin hesitated before every shot. Marcus's shouts turned desperate, his voice straining to hold the group together.

Ren's expression darkened, jaw tight. He stopped talking altogether.

The gym buzzed with the sound of pressure breathing, sneakers, and the soft thud of failure.

Timeout.

Hikari's whistle pierced the noise. "Enough!"

The boys stumbled toward the bench, gasping for air, faces flushed. The Katsura players leaned casually against the wall, smirking at the sight.

Hikari's gaze swept over her players cold, unflinching.

"What did I teach you about pressure?" she asked.

Ren wiped sweat from his chin, eyes down. "That… it reveals weakness."

"No," Hikari said sharply. "It reveals truth."

Her eyes locked onto Marcus. "What's your truth right now, Captain?"

Marcus swallowed hard, feeling every eye on him. His voice came out low, hoarse. "We're… not a team yet."

Hikari nodded once. "Then make them one."

She turned on her heel and walked away, clipboard tucked under her arm.

The words hit harder than any scolding.

Marcus stood silently for a moment, pulse hammering. Then something shifted in his expression a flicker of resolve, faint but growing.

"Alright," he said quietly. Then louder, stronger, "Alright! Let's pull it together."

Yuuto glanced up, breathing hard. "What's the plan?"

Marcus looked around, eyes meeting Ren's first. "Ren. Use that aggression. Drive hard, pull the defense, and dish when they collapse. I'll screen for you."

Ren hesitated, his ego and exhaustion at war.

Marcus stepped closer. "Trust me. I'm not fighting you I'm using you. Let's win this next play."

Something in his tone firm but respectful finally broke through. Ren nodded once. "Alright. Let's see it."

Yuuto and Shunjin exchanged a silent nod.

The next possession started differently.

Marcus set a solid screen at the top of the key, letting Ren cut through the middle. The defense collapsed immediately. Ren faked the shot, drew two defenders, and kicked it out to Shunjin on the wing.

"Now!" Marcus shouted.

Shunjin released. The shot arced high. Swish.

The sound sliced through the tension.

"Let's go!" Yuuto roared, slapping Ren's back.

Momentum shifted.

Ren's eyes lit up. He intercepted a pass on the next play, sprinting downcourt with Yuuto at his side. Yuuto caught his pass mid-stride and laid it in clean.

Arisa, filming from the sideline, gasped. "He's… different."

Hikari's lips curved faintly. "He's learning what leadership means."

Marcus dove for a loose ball soon after, sliding across the polished floor to save it before it rolled out. He popped up, fired a pass to Shunjin, who swung it instantly to Ren corner three.

Swish again.

The gym erupted. Even the Katsura players stopped smirking.

The energy on the court flipped completely.

Every pass, every movement started to sync. Yuuto and Shunjin communicated with quick glances. Daichi and Sora on the bench were shouting encouragements. Kenji and Kento stood, fists raised, yelling, "Let's go, Captain!"

Ren's aggression turned into rhythm. Marcus's calm turned into authority. Together, they stopped playing as individuals they moved like one heartbeat.

When Marcus called the next play, even Ren followed without question.

"Pick! Pass! Swing!"

Shunjin released from the corner. Swish.

The score climbed Katsura still led, but Shujin's energy had changed from survival to challenge.

By the final quarter, Katsura's confidence had thinned. Their laughter was gone. Their plays grew sloppy. Shujin fought for every point, their defense tightening, their communication crisp.

But Katsura's experience showed. They closed the game strong, holding their lead until the final buzzer.

The scoreboard read Katsura 100 – Shujin 58.

Not a victory but not a loss of spirit either.

The Katsura captain walked over, smirking, though there was respect in his eyes now. "You kids hit harder than you look."

Marcus wiped sweat from his chin. "We're just getting started."

The older player chuckled. "Good. We'll be watching." He offered a quick nod before leaving the court with his teammates.

The gym fell silent again, save for the sound of rain beginning to hammer the roof.

Ren walked past Marcus, clapping his shoulder. "You're still bossy… but I'll admit, you led us."

Marcus laughed weakly. "Guess reforging hurts for a reason."

Yuuto grinned tiredly. "I can't feel my legs."

"Good," Shunjin said between breaths. "Means it worked."

Hikari approached, clipboard tucked under her arm, her tone unreadable.

"You lost," she said flatly.

Yuuto groaned. "Yeah… we know."

"But," she added, her voice softening, "you fought as one. That's worth more than the scoreboard today."

The group went silent. Her approval was subtle, but powerful.

Thunder rolled again outside, deep and heavy, as if echoing her words.

"Pack up," she said finally. "Tomorrow, we refine what you learned today. The reforging isn't over."

The boys began gathering their gear, too tired to talk, too proud to complain. The rain outside grew louder, drumming against the roof like applause.

Marcus lingered by the window, watching droplets race down the glass. The world outside was gray and blurred, but peaceful.

Hikari walked up beside him, her reflection faint in the windowpane.

"You wanted to be a leader," she said softly.

Marcus nodded, voice low. "Yeah. Didn't think it would mean breaking first."

Hikari smiled faintly. "Every blade breaks before it cuts."

They stood there in silence for a moment, listening to the rain.

Behind them, Arisa was quietly reviewing the footage, a small smile tugging at her lips. The team had been broken, beaten but not defeated.

And as the thunder rolled once more, Hikari glanced toward the empty court, her eyes gleaming.

"They're getting closer," she murmured. "Closer to becoming something extraordinary."

Later That Night

The rain had eased into a drizzle. Most of the team had gone back to the dorms, except Marcus, who stayed behind shooting free throws alone. The squeak of his shoes echoed across the empty court.

Arisa entered quietly, holding an umbrella. "Coach said not to overdo it."

"I'm fine," Marcus said, not looking up.

"You always say that," she replied. "But… you don't have to carry everything alone, you know."

Marcus caught the ball, finally meeting her eyes. "Maybe not. But if I stop now, who picks it up?"

She smiled gently. "Then make sure it's worth carrying."

He chuckled, setting the ball aside. "You sound like your mom."

"I take that as a compliment," she said, laughing.

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.