The mountain breeze rolled softly across the court, but no one was calm.
It was time.
The first official game of the three-way challenge had begun—Toyonaka vs. Kurama Team. The Horizon squad gathered near the sideline, stretching and sipping water. But Dirga wasn't there to relax. No—he stood at attention, eyes locked on the court like a general surveying the battlefield.
Every detail mattered. Every quirk. Every slip-up.
This is our only chance to observe their limitations.
He looked toward Kaito, who nodded back. Both of them had the same job: watch the game, break it down, and turn that knowledge into survival.
Because whoever lost the first match… would have to immediately face the next challenger without rest.
That wasn't just a game. That was a death sentence.
…
Game 1 – Toyonaka vs. Kurama
