Slam Dunk:Starting with perfect copy

"Beep!"

"The Ryonan team requests a substitution!"

The referee's whistle echoed, and all eyes turned to the yellow-haired player who stood up from the bench and walked onto the court.

"Player No. 6 replaced by Player No. 9!"

On Ryonan's bench, Coach Tanabe Shigeka wore a grim expression. His pregame judgment had been clear: they could dominate Shohoku even without Kenichi Uesugi. But Rukawa Kaede's explosive performance had upended his calculations.

Not only had Rukawa shattered Shohoku's scoring drought by challenging Sendoh head-on, but he had also revitalized his team's morale. Coupled with Akagi's resurgence, Tanabe felt the game slipping dangerously out of Ryonan's control.

"We can't afford to lose," Tanabe thought grimly. The county competition was approaching, and a loss here could shake the team's confidence. It wasn't a risk he was willing to take.

As Kenichi Uesugi stepped onto the court, Shohoku's Sakuragi Hanamichi grew restless on the bench.

"That yellow-haired guy is on the court! I want to play too! I'll crush him!"

The substitutes struggled to hold Sakuragi back until Coach Anzai whispered, "You are our secret weapon."

Calmed by the coach's words, Sakuragi finally settled down.

On the court, Kenichi Uesugi exchanged high-fives with Konosuba, who had been substituted out.

"It's up to you now, Kenichi," Konosuba said.

"Don't worry," Kenichi replied confidently.

From the sidelines, Yayoi Aida, observing and recording, turned her attention to Kenichi Uesugi. "Let's see if this guy is as strong as they say,"she thought.

As the game resumed, Uekusa wasted no time. He advanced the ball to the front court and passed directly to Kenichi Uesugi,

recognizing that Ryonan needed their best scorer to regain momentum.

Kenichi caught the ball and was immediately confronted by Rukawa Kaede, who squared up defensively. Rukawa, understanding the gravity of the situation, defended with unwavering focus.

Kenichi, impressed by Rukawa's intensity, smirked. After holding off the defense for a few seconds, he suddenly leapt into the air.

"Is it a quick shot?" spectators wondered aloud.

Rukawa reacted instantly, jumping to block the shot. His timing was impeccable—or so he thought. When the basketball left Kenichi's hands, it appeared to rise straight up. Rukawa swatted at the ball but found himself grasping at nothing.

"Swish!"

The basketball dropped cleanly through the net.

Rukawa landed, bewildered. He turned to see Kenichi casually wiping sweat from his forehead. Despite his strong defense, he hadn't even seen the shot clearly.

Kenichi glanced at Rukawa with a mix of admiration and confidence. "Your defense was solid," he admitted, "but it won't stop me."

The crowd buzzed with confusion and awe. On Ryonan's bench, substitutes clapped enthusiastically, even though most hadn't grasped what just happened.

Coach Anzai, however, watched with quiet concern. "That technique... It's as difficult as it is energy-draining," he mused.

Kenichi's "Kagero Shot Blue," inspired by Himuro Tatsuya, was an intricate double-shot maneuver. The first shot sent the ball straight up, creating a feint. As the ball descended, Kenichi used his incredible hang time to shoot again, seamlessly finishing the play.

Rukawa, like most defenders, had reacted to the initial movement, leaving him unable to contest the true shot.

Tanabe Shigeka observed from the sidelines, visibly shaken. "Kenichi's skills are beyond expectations," he thought. "How many other techniques is he hiding?"

Kenichi himself felt the strain of his effort. "This shot is exhausting," he admitted silently. "I can't afford to use it too often."

Despite the energy cost, Kenichi's presence had already changed the game's dynamic. With his unique skills and confidence, the battle between Shohoku and Ryonan was far from over.