The locker room smelled of sweat, leather, and the sharp tang of adrenaline. The fluorescent lights flickered faintly, throwing long shadows across the walls lined with lockers, gym bags strewn about like remnants of a battlefield. The echo of sneakers squeaking against tile mixed with the low hum of heavy breathing.

Marcus leaned against his locker, chest heaving, still trying to process the encounter moments ago in the hall. Yuuto stood beside him, fists clenched, jaw tight, his eyes burning with focus and a little something else: an unfamiliar fire, ignited by Rikuya Kanzaki's words.

> "Dominance."

The word kept looping in their heads. Kanzaki had said it so simply, so casually, yet it weighed more than any block or point they'd ever faced. A king of the court, a predator, someone who didn't just lead; he controlled.

The rest of the team was slowly filtering in. Daichi slung his towel over his shoulder, still catching his breath. Shunjin, glowing faintly from the last adrenaline spike, limped slightly, clutching the spot on his wrist where he'd banked the game-winning shot. Riku was laughing quietly at something Kento muttered, but his eyes still flicked nervously toward Marcus and Yuuto, sensing the tension in the room.

Hikari leaned against a locker, arms crossed, smirking faintly. She didn't need words. Everyone knew she had been watching them all analyzing, judging, calculating.

Arisa burst in, cheeks flushed with excitement. Her eyes were wide, sparkling like she'd just seen fireworks.

Coach Hikari stepped forward, clearing his throat. His expression was serious, but there was a warmth in his eyes that could cut through the stress of the entire season. "Everyone. Settle down. I want to talk. This isn't just about a game this is about what you just showed out there."

The team instinctively fell into a semi-circle around her, some leaning on lockers, others sitting on benches, still sweating, still breathing heavily.

"First," the coach continued, voice rising over the residual hum of adrenaline, "I want to congratulate you all. That was one of the tightest matches I've seen. Easton is no joke. Sho, Itsuki, Orson all of them are phenomenal. And yet… we held our ground. You adapted. You overcame. That final possession wasn't luck it was heart, strategy, and unity. That's what I want to see more than anything."

Shunjin's lips twitched into a small smile. "Coach… I just… I just did what you told us to do."

Marcus leaned forward, gripping the edge of a bench. "we meet another kingof the court too long ago"

A hush fell over the room. Every eye turned to the doorway where Marcus had spoken.

"Wait what" said Daniel.

Daichi spoke first, breaking the quiet. "Yeah.. He was different from different from Renji."

"His name is Kanzaki" said Marcus.

Shunjin's red aura flared faintly. "Leave Him to me leave all of them to me."

Yuuto's fists clenched again. "He said special isn't strong. Dominance. He's right. Being talented isn't enough. Not against him. Not against the Kings of the Court."

Marcus exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his neck. "God… how do you even reach that level? How do you be that?"

Coach Hikari stepped closer, gaze steady, cutting through the tension like a blade. "You start by respecting it. You start by recognizing that there's always someone better, someone stronger. And then… you push yourself to become stronger. Kanzaki is one of the Kings because he doesn't just play the game he defines it. But that doesn't mean you're out. It means you have a target. A goal."

Arisa stepped forward, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "And you all already made a huge leap today! Don't forget that. That shot, Shunjin's game-winner, Marcus' leadership, it all came together. You can't just focus on the Kings of the Court. You have to look at what you can do together."

The boys glanced at one another. Relief mingled with exhaustion. Even Shunjin, usually stoic, let out a shaky laugh. "Yeah… together. We really did it."

Hikari raised an eyebrow. "Together, sure… but don't think today was perfect. There were a lot of sloppy moments. Marcus, you tried to copy Sho's leadership too much. That almost cost us. Yuuto, you kept it steady, but your passes weren't always crisp. Daichi, Riku you had good positioning, but some reactions were a second too late."

Daichi groaned. "Come on, Coach. It's post-game. Can we celebrate a little?"

Hikari smirked. "Post-game reflection is part of celebration."

Kento laughed, leaning against a locker. "Well… if this is what celebration looks like, I'm terrified of pre-game."

The room erupted in chuckles and groans, the tension of the past minutes melting into a mixture of camaraderie and relief.

Coach Hikari raised a hand, silencing the chatter. "Alright. Enough banter. I want each of you to reflect for a moment. Think about what you did well, think about what you need to improve, and think about what drives you forward. Today wasn't just a game — it was a lesson. And next time, you'll carry it with you."

Arisa, still flushed with excitement, moved closer to the team. "And for those of you on the bench thank you! Your support kept us going. Marcus, Yuuto… everyone… today, you felt it. You lived the game. That's what matters."

She paused, looking at the boys individually, her gaze lingering on Yuuto. "Especially you. The way you handled the final possession… you didn't just play you led. You made everyone feel the play. That was incredible."

Yuuto's cheeks flushed faintly. "Thanks, Arisa. But… I couldn't have done it without Marcus, Shunjin, Daichi… everyone."

Marcus gave him a small nod. "We did it together. But yeah… Kanzaki's words still sting. 'Dominance.'"

The team fell silent, everyone reflecting on the presence of the King they had met.

Then Coach Hikari chuckled softly, breaking the silence. "You know… the thing about the Kings of the Court isn't just skill. It's not just strategy. It's presence. Authority. Dominance isn't something you force — it's something you earn, something you grow into. Today, you got a taste of it. And you know what? You survived it. You adapted. That's more than most teams can claim."

Shunjin's grin returned, wider this time. "Survived it? Coach… we beat Easton today. We won."

Marcus laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah… we survived the first game, and maybe we started building our own."

Yuuto, quiet as ever, let a small smile touch his lips. "This isn't over. But now… we know what it feels like. And we'll get stronger."

The locker room door clicked, and the sound of footsteps faded down the hall. Coach Hikari and Arisa, satisfied that the team had reflected enough, gave the boys space. "Alright," the coach said, "time to hit the showers, boys. Talk, reflect, plan. You earned it."

Arisa waved, smiling. "Don't forget to celebrate, too!"

As the door shut behind them, the boys were left alone. The room felt different now quieter, yet electric with residual adrenaline. Towels were grabbed, water bottles uncapped, and slowly, conversation shifted to strategy, mistakes, and victories.

Shunjin slumped against a locker, towel around his neck. "Man… that fadeaway… still can't believe it went in."

Daichi slapped him on the shoulder. "Believe it. You earned that. That's all you, man."

Marcus leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching Yuuto sit quietly on the bench, lost in thought. "You okay?" he asked.

Yuuto looked up, crimson aura faintly flickering in his eyes. "Yeah… just thinking. Kanzaki. 'Dominance.' We haven't seen what it looks like. And we're not there yet to handle him."

Riku, always the jokester, nudged Yuuto. "Thought you said you were going to slayer all the Kings of the Court are you backing down Yuuto"

"Of course not I would never backing down or go back on my words."

"Good thats more like it" said Riku

Yuuto didn't smile immediately, but a small, almost imperceptible twitch of his lips betrayed amusement.

The boys laughed quietly, tension lifting further. Towels dropped to the floor, and the chatter became lighter easing about plays, poking fun at mistakes, recounting the moments that led to Shunjin's game-winner.

Marcus finally spoke, tone serious but reflective. "You know… one day, we're going to meet Kanzaki again. And when we do… I want us ready. Not just to survive, not just to adapt… but to dominate too."

Yuuto nodded, fists tightening slightly. "Pulse isn't enough if we can't match dominance. But Pulse… combined with dominance… that's unstoppable."

The laughter, the jokes, the splashing of water from the showers beginning, mixed with quiet reflection, formed a strange harmony. It was the sound of a team that had just survived a war, learned a lesson, and was already growing stronger.

Shunjin, towel over his shoulders, finally broke the silence. "Next time we face one of the Kings… I'll be ready. And so will we all."

The boys nodded, one by one.

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