Slam Dunk:Starting with perfect copy

The evening air around Shohoku grew tense as Kenichi Uesugi's one-handed dunk echoed through the basketball hall. Even the usually boastful Sakuragi Hanamichi stood momentarily stunned, his jaw slack as he tried to process what just happened. The ball, still spinning slightly, landed on the hardwood with a resonating thud.

"Whoa!" Hikoichi exclaimed, nearly dropping his notebook. "Kenichi, that was incredible! You dunked from the free-throw line like it was nothing!"

Sakuragi quickly snapped out of his daze. "Hey, hey, hey! Don't get too excited about this guy!" He jabbed a finger at Uesugi. "You think you're better than me just because you can jump? This genius can do it too... I was just, uh, distracted by the lighting in here!"

Kenichi gave him a half-smile. "Lighting, huh? Maybe you should focus on landing your dunks before calling yourself a genius."

Sakuragi turned beet red. "What did you say?! I'll show you, yellow-haired punk!"

"Alright, alright," Haruko interjected, stepping in to mediate. She turned to Kenichi, her curiosity piqued. "You're not from Shohoku, are you? Are you with another team?"

Kenichi hesitated for a moment, trying to think of a casual response. Before he could answer, Hikoichi jumped in. "Yes! He's from Ryonan High! We're here to—uh—get to know Shohoku's legendary basketball spirit!"

Kenichi shot Hikoichi a look that screamed really?, but it was too late. The damage was done.

"Ryonan, huh?" Haruko's eyes lit up. "I've heard about your team. You guys are really strong this year!"

Sakuragi, however, wasn't as welcoming. "Ryonan? Are you spies?!"

"Spies?" Kenichi replied dryly, arms crossed. "If we were spies, do you think we'd just walk into your gym and announce it?"

Sakuragi scratched his head, clearly flustered. "Uh... I guess not... but still!"

Hikoichi, sensing the tension, quickly tried to change the subject. "Anyway! Sakuragi-san, could you tell us more about your teammates? Like... oh, I don't know, Kaede Rukawa?"

At the mention of Rukawa, Sakuragi's face darkened. "That sleepy-eyed fox? He's nothing compared to me, the great Sakuragi Hanamichi! I'm the ace of Shohoku!"

Kenichi raised an eyebrow but decided to hold his tongue. Hikoichi, meanwhile,

scribbled furiously in his notebook, eagerly documenting every bit of intel Sakuragi inadvertently spilled

.

Just as the conversation started spiraling into another round of Sakuragi's self-aggrandizing tales, the gym door creaked open. In walked Rukawa, his usual calm demeanor in place. He glanced briefly at the unfamiliar faces before grabbing a ball and heading to the other end of the court to practice his jump shots.

"Speak of the devil," Kenichi muttered, watching Rukawa's smooth, precise movements. Even without trying, Rukawa exuded a quiet confidence that was impossible to ignore.

Sakuragi, noticing where Kenichi's attention had shifted, immediately puffed out his chest. "Hey, don't waste your time watching him! If you're impressed by me, just admit it already!"

Kenichi ignored Sakuragi and turned to Hikoichi. "Alright, we've seen enough. Let's go."

"But we just got here!" Hikoichi protested, clearly not ready to leave.

Kenichi patted him on the shoulder. "Trust me, you've gathered more than enough 'intel' for one night. Besides..." He glanced at Sakuragi, smirking. "We wouldn't want to distract this 'genius' from his training any longer."

Sakuragi opened his mouth to retort, but before he could, Kenichi and Hikoichi had already made their way to the door.

As they climbed back over the fence, Hikoichi couldn't help but marvel at the day's events. "Kenichi, you're amazing! That dunk... Sakuragi's reaction... and Rukawa... wow, Shohoku is something else!"

Kenichi simply nodded, his thoughts focused on the upcoming practice match. "Tomorrow will be interesting," he muttered to himself, already strategizing how to make the most of the game.

Little did he know, both teams were in for a clash that would be far more intense than anyone expected.