Standing on the basketball court, Tanaka Ryuuji was covered in sweat, his chest heaving as he struggled to breathe. Blood poured from his nose, dripping down onto the floor below him. His vision blurred slightly, but he forced himself to stay standing.
"Tanaka! Are you alright!?"
His teammates rushed toward him, their faces filled with panic and concern, while his coach hurried over as well, clutching a towel. The noise around him grew louder, but Tanaka barely paid attention to any of it.
Instead, his eyes were locked onto the scoreboard.
3rd Quarter
Away 43 – 70 Home
Teiko Middle School versus Yukigaoka Middle School—and to everyone's shock Teiko was being completely overwhelmed.
Tanaka slowly raised his hand to his face, feeling the warm blood continuing to flow from his nose. At the same time, a sharp, splitting headache throbbed deep inside his skull.
It started again, huh…
Tanaka was born with something abnormal—something his grandmother called divine energy. According to her, it was a power that only gods possessed, something no human body should ever hold. Because of it, Tanaka had been able to see spirits and sense auras ever since he was a child.
And it was never a good thing.
When he was younger, he would suddenly fall into painful fevers without warning. His body would burn, his head would feel like it was splitting apart, and no medicine ever seemed to help. During those times, his grandmother would always stay by his side, watching over him with a worried expression.
He still remembered her words clearly.
"Ryuuji, the divine power you possess is too great for a human body to handle. Don't even think about becoming a shaman—your body will break, and eventually, the gods will come to take you."
"Even if you see strange things… even if it hurts like this… don't tell anyone. Just live a normal life."
Back then, he didn't fully understand what she meant. But one thing was clear to him—he wanted a normal life more than anything.
So he endured everything in silence.
Even when the pain came suddenly during school, even when his body felt like it was breaking apart, he forced himself to act normal. Over time, he got used to it. He made friends, attended classes, and lived like any other student.
And then… he discovered basketball.
It quickly became his passion. Strangely enough, this was also where he first realized that his so-called "divine power" had a use. It felt like something was guiding him, correcting his movements, showing him what to do. In just a few days, he learned the fundamentals. Within a month, he became a starter on his school's team.
And only a few months later, he stood on the court of his first tournament.
Even then, his grandmother watched him with worry in her eyes. She knew the risks better than anyone. But when she saw how genuinely happy he was while playing, she eventually sighed and gave him a single piece of advice.
"No matter what happens… never use the full power of your divine energy."
Tanaka promised her.
And for a while, he kept that promise.
But in the finals, everything changed.
Their opponent was Teiko Middle School—the undefeated team of this era. A team made up of prodigies known as the Generation of Miracles, players who dominated every game with overwhelming skill.
And the rumors were true.
From the very start, Yukigaoka was completely suppressed. They couldn't keep up with Teiko's speed, precision, and overwhelming presence.
By the end of the first quarter, the score was 41 to 3.
For the first time, Tanaka truly felt despair on the court. He looked at his teammates, at their exhausted and defeated expressions, and realized that no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't win like this.
Even with the guidance of his divine power…
it wasn't enough.
Unless he used more.
Much more.
He hesitated.
He remembered his promise.
But then he looked at his teammates again—their love for basketball, the frustration in their eyes, the way they refused to give up despite everything.
And in that moment…
He broke his promise.
When the second quarter began, everything changed.
Tanaka moved differently. It was no longer just instinct or practice—his movements became something else entirely. Every pass was intercepted before it was completed, every shot was blocked before it could reach the hoop. His presence alone felt overwhelming.
It was as if a god had stepped onto the court.
Teiko, who had dominated so easily before, suddenly found themselves unable to score even once. No matter what they tried, Tanaka was always there, stopping them with perfect timing and impossible precision.
By the end of the second quarter, the entire gym had fallen silent.
The same team that had crushed their opponents without effort was now being completely shut down—by a single player.
From Teiko's perspective, it felt almost unreal. The first quarter had been like a warm-up, as if they were allowed to play freely. But the second quarter… felt like they were being completely overwhelmed, as if Tanaka had simply decided the game was over.
This continued into the third quarter.
Until suddenly—
Tanaka froze.
For a brief moment, his body stopped moving. That single opening was enough for Teiko to score again.
But before anyone could react, blood suddenly poured from Tanaka's nose.
The game came to an immediate halt.
Players stared at him in shock and confusion. Some of them even looked toward the last person who had been near him, wondering if something had happened—but no one understood what was going on.
Tanaka was quickly taken off the court.
And just like that, everything changed again.
Without Tanaka, Yukigaoka had no way to fight back.
Teiko regained control of the game and, without much resistance, secured their victory. They were crowned champions once again, their title as the strongest team remaining untouched.
But despite their victory, a different story spread among the players and spectators.
A single player had completely shut down the Generation of Miracles.
Even if it was only for a short time, it was enough.
Tanaka became known as the God of the Court.
People began to anticipate his return. They believed that once he recovered, he would be the one to dethrone Teiko.
But that day never came.
A week later, shocking news spread.
Tanaka had been withdrawn from basketball by his family.
Permanently.
And just like that… he disappeared.
Two Years Later
Tanaka now lived in Tokyo, staying with his aunt as he attended a new school. His life had become quiet—normal, just like he once wanted.
Standing by the open window of his room, he let the cool breeze brush against his face before slowly turning toward the picture on his desk.
It was a photo of his family.
They were smiling.
Happy.
Alive.
But they weren't here anymore.
He still remembered that day clearly. After collapsing from the backlash of using his full power, his parents rushed to the hospital to see him.
They never made it.
A car accident.
The other driver was drunk.
That's what everyone said.
But Tanaka couldn't accept it.
In his mind, there was only one reason.
It's my fault.
I broke my promise.
The gods punished me.
"I'm sorry…"
His voice trembled as tears streamed down his face.
"I'm sorry… Mom… Dad…"
His breathing became uneven, his vision blurring as guilt consumed him.
And then—
Everything went dark.
A Dream
Warm light surrounded him as Tanaka slowly opened his eyes.
He found himself standing in a field filled with flowers, their colors more vivid than anything he had ever seen. The air felt calm, almost unreal.
In the distance, he saw a river.
And on the other side—
Two familiar figures.
"…Mom? Dad?"
Even though they looked blurry, he knew it was them.
But they were moving away.
Slowly getting farther and farther.
"Wait!"
Tanaka ran forward, desperation filling his voice.
"Where are you going!? Take me with you!"
He reached out, trying to catch up, his hand stretching toward them.
Just as he was about to cross the river—
A glowing hand grabbed his shoulder.
He froze.
Turning around slowly, his eyes widened in shock.
Standing behind him…
Was himself.
But different.
His body radiated a warm, divine light, and his eyes shone with an overwhelming presence.
"Do you really want to cross to the other side?" the figure asked calmly.
Tanaka hesitated, confusion filling his mind.
"I… I don't know…"
"I can grant any wish you have," the figure said, extending a hand toward him.
"Really…? But who are you?"
After a moment of hesitation, Tanaka reached out and took the hand.
The instant their hands touched, a blinding light engulfed everything.
The figure smiled.
"My name is—"
"Baraya, Baraya Agabaraya!"
The voice cut through the light.
Familiar.
Desperate.
"Oh Divinity! Follow the Mandate of Heaven!"
"Baraya, Baraya, Agabaraya"
The light shattered.
Tanaka gasped as he woke up, his body trembling.
His grandmother was holding him tightly, tears streaming down her face as she struggled to breathe.
"You little brat… how dare you try to cross the Three Rivers of Hades!?"
Her voice trembled with anger and fear.
"How could you…!?" Tears streamed down her face as she hugged him tightly.
Tanaka fainted again.
When he woke up later, he learned that his grandmother had been hospitalized after suffering a seizure.
From that day on, his divine power only grew stronger.
And more dangerous.
Even using a small amount caused intense pain.
So he trained.
Every single day.
For two years.
Learning to suppress it, to control it—just enough so that the backlash wouldn't destroy him.
Present Day
Knock. Knock.
"Ryuuji! It's time for school! Anna-chan is waiting for you!" his aunt called from outside.
"Yeees~" Tanaka replied lazily as he got up.
Today marked the start of his life as a junior high school student at Meguro Dai-juni Junior High School. It was close to his new home, which made things easier.
After getting dressed in his black uniform, he checked himself in the mirror. It wasn't bad—he looked decent enough. Maybe a little above average.
His mother would've approved.
When he went downstairs, his cousin was already there.
Yamada Anna.
She was taller than him despite being the same age, with long dark blue hair and a naturally striking appearance. She worked as a model and an actress, and even though she wasn't famous yet, Tanaka could tell from her aura that she had a bright future ahead of her.
"Good morning, Bro!!" she greeted him cheerfully. "Are you excited for today?"
"Yeah," he replied with a small smile as he sat beside her.
"I'm going to make friends with everyone in my class today! And then maybe join clubs, and—"
She continued talking enthusiastically, barely stopping for breath.
Tanaka listened quietly, responding every now and then.
A few minutes later, his aunt brought their breakfast.
"I know you're excited, Anna," she said gently, "but don't be too pushy with people, alright?"
Then she turned to Tanaka with a concerned look.
"And you… try to make some friends too."
Tanaka nodded.
"Don't worry, Aunt Sanae. I will."
He understood her concern.
For the past two years, he had been consumed by grief and the burden of controlling his power. He hadn't really lived like a normal student.
But now—
Things were different.
This time, he would live normally.
Make friends.
Enjoy school.
Just like he always wanted.
-End-
If you do like my work, do buy me a coffee
ko-fi.com/foglfanficwriter