I Died on the Court, Now I'm Back to Rule It

The buzz of the crowd was still echoing in their minds as Horizon High watched Toyonaka close out their match against a tough Nara team.

And at the center of it all—like a storm wrapped in human skin—was Misaki.

The court had become his stage. Every possession ran through him. He dribbled through double-teams like they weren’t even there, slashed through the defense with explosive speed, and scored over hands in his face like gravity didn’t exist.

"They’re calling him Black Thunder now," Kaito muttered as they walked to the loker room

"Not surprised," Dirga said, eyes fixed on the screen. "He didn’t pass once in the second half. Just... devoured them."

It was like watching a man possessed. Something had changed in Misaki since the camp. Maybe that match with Buzz had flipped a switch inside him. Maybe he was tired of being underestimated.

Whatever it was—he was more terrifying now.

"Still can’t believe Toyonaka didn’t get a nickname squad," Taiga added, tying his shoes with a smirk. "We’ve got The Titan, The General, and The Maestro. They’ve got—Black Thunder. That’s it?"

"Honestly, I’d be fine if no one named us anything," Hiroki laughed nervously. "It just adds pressure."

Dirga stayed quiet.

He could feel it in the air—the shift. From camp camaraderie to battlefield silence.