Ace of the Bench

The gym was cold that afternoon.

Not physically—Seiryō's facility always kept a steady warmth—but cold in atmosphere.

Like something heavy hung in the air, waiting to drop.

Daniel Ishikawa felt it more than anyone.

He stood in front of the projector screen, towel around his neck, sweat still dripping from Takeda's brutal conditioning earlier. The team gathered behind him—Marcus stretching his shoulders, Shunjin drinking water, Yuuto tying his shoes tighter like he was bracing.

Coach Hikari dimmed the lights.

The big screen flickered on.

A paused frame of Ryu Kazen.

Frozen mid-drive.

Eyes glowing with that strange blue grid.

Ball low, body coiled like a spring, defender already falling behind.

Coach Hikari stepped beside Daniel.

Her voice was quiet, controlled.

"Daniel… this is your assignment."

The gym went silent.

Takeda crossed his arms.

Marcus muttered a curse under his breath.

Yuuto stared with wide eyes.

Even Shunjin—normally loud—didn't speak.

Daniel swallowed.

"…You want me to guard him?"

Hikari didn't smile.

She didn't soften it.

She didn't say "try your best."

She simply nodded once.

"Yes."

Daniel felt his stomach twist.

Ryu Kazen wasn't just fast—he was unreadable.

He had acceleration that defied physics.

A first step faster than Daniel had ever reacted to in his life.

"Coach… he scored 112 points by himself," Daniel said quietly. "And I'm just—"

"A defender," Takeda interrupted sharply.

"A good one. But good isn't enough for Ryu Kazen."

He pointed at the screen.

"Kazen eats good defenders."

Hikari clicked the remote.

The clip played.

Raijin High vs. Hakuro Academy.

Ryu got the ball.

One step.

The Raijin captain reacted too late.

Two steps.

The help defender slid. Ryu shifted pace, slipped between them like water.

Layup.

Soft. Controlled. Effortless.

Score: Hakuro 198 – Raijin 0.

Marcus exhaled. "God damn…"

Hikari rewound the clip.

"This is where defenders fail."

She zoomed in on Ryu's torso—not his legs, not the ball.

"Everyone watches the eyes. Or the ball. Or the feet."

She turned to Daniel.

"You won't."

Daniel blinked. "Then what do I watch?"

Takeda stepped forward.

"The hips."

He tapped the screen.

"The hips tell the truth. Eyes lie. Feet distract. Shoulders bait you. But hips… they show direction."

Daniel nodded slowly.

Coach Hikari played another clip.

This time, she slowed it to 0.5x speed.

Ryu came off a screen, defender trailing.

The defender looked at Ryu's eyes.

A fatal mistake.

Ryu's hips twisted the other direction. Acceleration. Explosion. Bucket.

Takeda spoke again, voice hard:

"You will not defend Ryu with your eyes.

You will not defend him with your instincts.

You will defend him with your analysis."

Daniel felt his pulse rise.

Yuuto whispered, "This is insane… Ryu moves like a glitch."

Marcus muttered, "Feels like he teleports."

Shunjin scoffed, "No human's that fast."

Takeda slowly turned toward him.

One look—and Shunjin shut up instantly.

Hikari switched the screen to another angle.

This time, Ryu was at the top of the key.

Hands relaxed.

Ball bouncing lightly.

Almost lazy.

Then—

WHOOM.

Acceleration.

Like he hit a turbo boost.

The defender froze.

Ryu's pace changed three times in half a second.

He blew by. Dunked.

Daniel felt a chill run down his spine.

Hikari turned to him directly.

"You will study every inch of this footage."

Takeda added:

"You must become the wall he cannot pass."

Daniel clenched his fists.

He wasn't the scorer.

He wasn't the flashy player.

He wasn't the ace or the blade or the rhythm.

He was the one who guarded the toughest assignments.

He always had been.

But this?

Guarding him?

Hikari stepped closer, lowering her voice.

"Daniel, listen. Ryu Kazen is not your enemy."

Daniel looked confused. "He's… not?"

"No."

She pointed at his chest.

"Your real enemy… is hesitation."

Daniel felt that hit hard.

Because it was true.

He always played safe.

He always doubted.

He always second-guessed.

Hikari continued:

"Before you can guard a monster, you must stop fearing one."

Daniel felt his breath catch.

Takeda walked to the side and flicked on another set of lights.

The court brightened halfway.

"Daniel. On the line."

Daniel stepped to the baseline.

Yuuto whispered, "Bro… be strong."

Marcus smacked his shoulder: "We believe in you."

Shunjin actually nodded—an uncharacteristically serious nod.

Daniel inhaled deeply.

Takeda flexed his fingers, cracking them.

Then he dribbled a ball once.

Hard.

"You'll be guarding me."

Daniel froze.

Marcus's eyes widened.

Yuuto stiffened.

Shunjin's jaw dropped.

Hikari exhaled through her teeth.

"Oh no…"

Because everyone at Seiryō knew.

Takeda was a former defensive nightmare—and his handles were lethal.

Takeda smirked like a wolf.

"If you can't guard me… you won't survive Kazen for even a second."

Daniel shifted into defensive stance.

Takeda dribbled once.

Daniel didn't blink.

Takeda dribbled twice.

Daniel lowered his hips.

Takeda whispered:

"Let's see if you really want this."

And then—

Takeda exploded forward.

Lightning fast.

Daniel reacted—barely.

He slid.

Takeda crossed.

Daniel guessed left.

Wrong.

Takeda shot past him with a speed Daniel didn't think a grown man could produce.

The ball kissed the backboard.

Shunjin winced. "Bro got cooked."

Coach Hikari didn't laugh. She didn't smile.

"Again."

Takeda walked back.

Daniel got in position.

Sweat already forming.

Takeda dribbled loosely—one hand, relaxed.

Then—

he stopped.

Freezing mid-movement.

Daniel blinked.

Takeda whispered:

"This is what Ryu does.

He kills your momentum…

…then strikes."

Takeda moved again—this time slower, more deliberate.

Daniel tracked the hips.

Left shift.

Right push.

Small lean.

Daniel followed the angle.

Takeda smiled—finally.

"Good."

Then he sped up.

Daniel stuck to him.

Takeda raised an eyebrow.

"Oho… you learned that fast."

Hikari stepped in.

"Daniel, what did you focus on?"

Daniel kept sliding, breath tight.

"His… hips.

Not the ball.

Not the eyes."

Hikari nodded.

"Good. That's the first step."

Takeda suddenly crossed behind his back—sharp.

Daniel lost balance for one second—

Takeda got by.

Again.

But this time?

It wasn't a blowout.

It wasn't effortless.

Daniel had read him—not perfect, but enough to force Takeda to adjust.

Yuuto whispered, amazed:

"He's adapting…"

Marcus nodded. "He's seeing it."

Takeda dribbled back to Daniel.

"You're getting closer."

Daniel swallowed.

"Closer… isn't enough to stop Kazen."

Takeda's expression sharpened.

"That's why we're not done."

He pointed at the ceiling.

The gym lights flickered.

One row shut off.

Half the court went dark.

Daniel stared.

"What…?"

Coach Hikari picked up the remote.

"This is your next drill."

On the dark side of the gym—they placed Takeda.

On the light side—Daniel.

Hikari pressed a button.

The lights began flickering randomly.

On.

Off.

On.

Half-bright.

Dark again.

Marcus stepped back, stunned.

"This is insane…"

Yuuto whispered, "Bro… this is nightmare mode."

Shunjin muttered, "Is this really training… or torture?"

Takeda dribbled once.

The sound echoed.

"You will guard me… with incomplete vision."

Daniel's pulse skyrocketed.

Hikari explained:

"Ryu's biggest weapon isn't speed.

It's unpredictability.

He moves in-between frames… between blinks… between steps."

She pointed at Daniel.

"You must react… without seeing everything."

Takeda exploded into motion.

Lights flickered.

Everything became shadows and flashes.

Daniel dropped low, sliding on instinct.

He couldn't see Takeda clearly—just parts.

A shoulder here.

A foot there.

A shadow crossing over.

But he tracked the hips.

Even in the dark.

He slid.

Takeda twisted.

Daniel adjusted.

For the first time—

he didn't get completely broken.

Takeda finally got past him, but it took real effort.

Daniel fell onto his palms, panting.

His lungs burned. His legs trembled.

Takeda stood above him.

"…Better."

Daniel looked up, sweat dripping off his chin.

"I'm not… good enough yet."

Takeda crouched down, meeting his eyes.

"Not yet. But you're closer than anyone else on this team."

Yuuto walked over, eyes wide.

"That was crazy… you were reacting like a machine."

Marcus added:

"Bro, honestly? You're the only one here with a chance at stopping Ryu."

Daniel shook his head.

"I didn't stop anything.

He still beat me."

Takeda rose, voice cold, hard, and compelling.

"But he didn't humiliate you."

Daniel froze at those words.

Takeda continued:

"Daniel Ishikawa… you have something no one else on this team has."

Daniel slowly stood.

"What…?"

Takeda pointed to his chest.

"Fearlessness isn't your strength.

Courage isn't your strength.

Technique isn't your strength."

Daniel looked confused.

"Then… what is it?"

Takeda's eyes burned with respect.

"You learn while bleeding."

The gym went silent.

Yuuto felt chills.

Marcus looked stunned.

Shunjin actually understood it.

Daniel's breath hitched.

Takeda continued:

"You adapt faster under pressure than anyone I've coached."

He placed a hand on Daniel's shoulder.

"And that is exactly the kind of fighter who can challenge someone like Ryu Kazen."

Daniel stared at the floor, feeling his heartbeat thunder.

He didn't feel proud.

He didn't feel confident.

But he felt something new.

Purpose.

Coach Hikari stepped beside him.

"Tomorrow, your training intensifies.

We'll start building your anti-Ryu system."

Daniel inhaled deeply.

His arms shook.

His legs wobbled.

His entire body ached.

But his voice was steady.

"I'm ready."

Takeda smirked like a general watching a soldier sharpen into steel.

"Good."

He pointed at the projector—Ryu Kazen frozen mid-smile.

"Because that boy…

…isn't slowing down for you."

Daniel stood tall.

Sweat dripping.

Chest rising and falling.

Eyes focused.

And he said, voice low but certain:

"I'll be the wall he breaks against."

The lights finally stopped flickering, settling into a steady glow.

The gym felt warm again.

But Daniel?

He felt like he had stepped into a battlefield.

And he wasn't turning away.