Slam dunk, hit 100% of the three-pointers at the beginning!

At that moment, no one could figure out what Ryu was planning.

"What is that number 10 from Shōhoku doing?"

"He's so close to the basket, why not take the easy two points?"

"Hey! Does that guy even know how to play basketball?"

In the stands, the audience erupted with questions as Ryu stopped at the three-point line.

Even Shōhoku's bench was baffled.

Ayako tilted her head, her curious gaze fixed on Ryu. "What's this overconfident freshman thinking?"

Meanwhile, Sakuragi, Shōhoku's self-proclaimed "secret weapon," couldn't hold back. Standing up, he flailed his arms and shouted: "Hey, exchange student! What the heck are you doing?!"

Coach Anzai, on the other hand, remained seated, his ever-present serene smile not wavering.

The other players, including Yasuda and the first-years, were tense. Even Akagi and Kogure, who had been smiling moments earlier, froze in disbelief.

"Is he actually going to shoot a three-pointer?" Kogure muttered, his voice tinged with worry. "This doesn't make sense."

For anyone watching, it was clear: a safe two-pointer was the smart play. Why risk it?

On Ryonan's side, confusion mirrored Shōhoku's.

"Why is he stopping? He should just drive to the basket!"

Even though no one could understand Ryu's decision, Ryonan's players instinctively fell back into their defensive positions.

Coach Taoka clenched his fists, his temples throbbing. As a seasoned coach, he knew exactly what Ryu was about to do.

"A three-pointer? Is he underestimating us? Ikegami, shut him down!" Taoka barked, his voice echoing through the gym.

Ikegami nodded firmly. He didn't need the reminder; he was already racing to block Ryu.

"Kid, don't think you can make another fool out of me!" Ikegami growled, his pride wounded by Ryu's earlier plays.

But Ryu simply smiled.

There was something unsettling about that smile, and it made Ikegami even more determined to stop him.

"Remember my name," Ryu said, his voice calm yet firm. "I'm Ryu—the one who's going to beat you."

Initially, Ryu had intended to drive to the basket for an easy layup. However, just before he took the shot, the system's notification rang in his head:

[Mission: Score three three-pointers while being guarded by Ikegami Ryōji.]

[Progress: 1/3 completed.]

[Reward: Perfect Shooting Form.]

[Perfect Shooting Form: Grants textbook-level shooting mechanics. Without relying on the Full-Court Shooting skill, this increases near-shot accuracy to 90%, mid-range to 80%, and three-pointers to 65%, with stamina consumption reduced to 60% of normal. For the first three attempts, accuracy is guaranteed at 100%.]

For Ryu, this reward was game-changing. While the Full-Court Shooting skill was powerful, its stamina drain was enormous. The Perfect Shooting Form was exactly what he needed to become an efficient scoring machine.

And so, he stopped.

Ikegami moved to block him, his frustration boiling over. "You're full of yourself, rookie!"

Ryu didn't respond. Instead, he calmly dribbled the ball twice, adjusted his stance, and jumped.

Ikegami reacted immediately, leaping into the air to contest the shot.

But Ryu's release was quick and precise, the ball already leaving his hands before Ikegami's fingers could reach it.

Ikegami cursed under his breath, landing hard on the court. "Rebound!" he shouted to his teammates, hoping for a chance to recover.

Uozumi and the others scrambled for position under the basket, preparing for the rebound.

But they wouldn't get the chance.

"Swish!"

The ball sailed through the hoop, perfectly clean.

"Wow! That number 10 from Shōhoku did it again!"

"Another three-pointer? This guy is unbelievable!"

"He's amazing! And he looks so cool doing it!"

Female students in the crowd screamed with excitement, their cheers echoing through the gym.

Taoka's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? It went in?"

He had been convinced that Ikegami's defense was airtight, but Ryu's shot had rendered it meaningless.

Of course, Taoka didn't know that Ryu's activated skill guaranteed a 100% success rate.

Meanwhile, Hikoichi furiously jotted down notes. "Unbelievable! This needs to be documented—immediately!"

Ayako and the others on Shōhoku's bench erupted in cheers.

"Ryu did it again! Another three-pointer!" Ayako clapped her hands in delight.

"He's incredible!" Yasuda exclaimed, standing up in excitement.

Even Akagi let out a small sigh of relief. "At least it went in…" he muttered before glaring at Ryu. His expression seemed to say, Don't pull that again unless you're sure.

But Ryu, unfazed, smirked and shrugged.

"Why settle for two points," he said, his voice carrying across the court, "when you can get three?"

The comment sent waves of irritation through Ryonan's team.

"That guy is so cocky!" one of them muttered, fists clenched.

"Someone shut him up!" Ikegami growled, his face a mix of anger and humiliation.

But Ryu had already turned back to defend, his calm smile showing no signs of fading.