Yukito Aizawa stood in front of his computer, the USB drive clutched tightly in his hand. He hadn't been able to sleep since the stranger gave him the evidence. The information on this drive was more than just a collection of files—it was a weapon, one that could shatter the carefully constructed image of the Phantom Five and the system that protected them.
He plugged the USB drive into his computer, his heart pounding as the files began to load. Emails, financial records, game footage—all of it lay bare before him. His fingers hovered over the keyboard, itching to dig into the details. He started by opening one of the emails. It was a correspondence between a referee and a sponsor, discussing "influencing" the outcome of an upcoming match in exchange for payment.
The deeper Yukito dove, the more his suspicions were confirmed. Bribes, match-fixing, and secret deals were all laid out in black and white. Some of the emails even referenced high-ranking officials in the basketball league, indicating that the corruption extended far beyond just the Phantom Five. It was systemic.
Yukito couldn't help but smirk as he watched the web of deceit unfold in front of him. This wasn't just about basketball anymore—it was about exposing the rot at the heart of a sport that had once meant everything to him.
But as he reviewed the files, a creeping sense of paranoia began to set in. The Phantom Five were powerful, and their influence reached farther than he had ever imagined. If they knew he had this evidence, they wouldn't hesitate to come after him. His career, his future, his reputation—all of it would be at risk. They had destroyed others before; they could destroy him, too.
He had to be smart about how he used this.
Yukito's mind raced with possibilities. He could leak the information anonymously, send it to a major news outlet or a journalist who specialized in sports corruption. But that would make it hard to control the narrative. The Phantom Five had loyalists everywhere, and they might be able to twist the story in their favor if they moved fast enough.
No, he needed a plan. Something bold, something public, something undeniable.
The next day at practice, Yukito couldn't help but feel the tension building in the air. He went through the motions on the court, but his mind was elsewhere, turning over possibilities. He noticed the Phantom Five watching him—well, most of them, anyway. Kaoru, their captain, was absent again, his mysterious injuries keeping him off the court. Yukito wondered if Kaoru knew what was coming, if he was hiding behind the scenes, waiting for the inevitable fallout.
"Yukito, focus!" Coach Takanashi barked, snapping him out of his thoughts. The coach had no idea what Yukito was planning, no idea that the very foundation of the team was about to be rocked. Yukito gritted his teeth and pushed through the rest of the practice, playing the role of the star athlete for just a little longer.
Later that night, Yukito met with Ryo, his oldest friend and the only person he trusted with the truth. They sat together in Ryo's small apartment, the dim light casting long shadows across the room.
"You really think this is going to work?" Ryo asked, staring at the USB drive sitting on the coffee table between them.
"It has to," Yukito replied, his voice firm. "This is our chance to bring them down. Once this goes public, the Phantom Five will be exposed. They won't be able to hide anymore."
Ryo frowned, leaning back in his chair. "You're playing with fire, man. These guys aren't going to just roll over and let you take them down. They'll fight back."
Yukito nodded, his jaw clenched. "I know. But I'm ready for it."
Ryo sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Alright. So what's the plan?"
Yukito took a deep breath, laying it out. He would leak the files to a trusted source, someone in the media who had the reach and credibility to make sure the story couldn't be buried. But before that, he would confront the Phantom Five directly. He wanted to see their faces when they realized their empire was about to crumble. It was a risky move, but Yukito needed to look them in the eyes and let them know that their reign was over.
Two days later, Yukito made his move.
It was game night, and the gym was packed with students, faculty, and local fans. The air buzzed with excitement as Seisen High prepared to face off against one of their biggest rivals, and the Phantom Five were, as usual, the stars of the show. Even Kaoru, the injured captain, had shown up, though he remained on the sidelines, watching with cold, calculating eyes.
Yukito stood at the edge of the court, his heart pounding in his chest. He had made sure everything was in place—the files were ready to be leaked as soon as the game ended. But first, he had to confront them.
As the game was about to begin, Yukito walked over to the Phantom Five's bench, his expression calm but his eyes burning with intensity. The other players stared at him, confused, as he stopped in front of Kaoru.
"We need to talk," Yukito said, his voice low.
Kaoru raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "About what?"
"About the game," Yukito replied, his gaze flicking to the rest of the Phantom Five. "About how you've been rigging it from the start."
For a moment, there was silence. Then, Kaoru's lips curled into a small, mocking smile. "You have no idea what you're getting into, Aizawa."
Yukito's eyes narrowed. "Oh, I know exactly what I'm doing. And by the time tonight is over, everyone else will too."
Kaoru leaned back in his seat, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous light. "You're making a big mistake. You're going to regret this."
But Yukito didn't back down. He stared Kaoru down, unflinching. "We'll see."
The game went on as planned, but Yukito played like a man possessed. Every move he made on the court felt sharper, more deliberate, as if he was channeling all of his anger and determination into every shot, every pass. The crowd cheered, oblivious to the tension simmering beneath the surface.
By the time the game ended, Seisen had won, but Yukito wasn't focused on the victory. As the final buzzer sounded, he pulled out his phone and sent the files. Within moments, the information was out in the world.
The fallout would come soon enough.