The mood at Raimon Junior High was electric.
After the hard-fought match against Occult Jr. High, the team had finally qualified for the Football Frontier. Spirits were high. So high, in fact, that Endou Mamoru nearly broke the clubroom door slamming it open, his usual grin stretched from ear to ear.
"We're in, minna! We're officially in the Football Frontier! Our first opponent is… Wild Jr. High!"
The team erupted in cheers—well, almost everyone.
Sakuragi Hanamichi was half-asleep on a bench, a towel covering his head. His snores echoed through the room until Kabeyama tripped over his foot and jolted him awake.
"Huh!? We playing already?! Who scored?!"
"Practice, Sakuragi," Someoka said, arms crossed. "Though if you keep sleeping during meetings, I'll score one upside your head."
"Shaddap, Shark Teeth. I scored last match too, didn't I? Lemme nap in peace…"
Before Someoka could throw a towel at him, a new voice cut through the noise.
A tall boy stood in the doorway, duffel bag slung over his shoulder. Blond hair. Cold eyes. Serious face.
"I'm the new transfer student," he said. "Domon Asuka. I heard you're the ones representing this school. I want in."
Everyone blinked. Aki gasped. "Domon(Bobby)? Is that really you?"
Domon's eyes softened. "It's been a while, Aki."
Sakuragi peeked out from under his towel. "He looks fishy kind of gives me mitsui Vibes "
Jump Freaks and Solo Kings
Domon wasted no time.
"Wild Jr. High isn't a team you can take lightly," he warned. "They don't use flashy techniques or power plays. Their jumping ability is insane. They'll intercept anything you kick into the air—even your hissatsu shots."
"What?" Someoka scoffed. "Dragon Crash will punch right through them!"
Domon folded his arms. "Not if they're three meters above you before you even kick."
The team exchanged glances. Someoka looked annoyed. Endou looked curious.
Sakuragi, now wide awake, leaned forward. "Three meters, huh…?"
Nobody noticed the fire in his eyes. But he was already calculating.
The Book of Fire and Noodles
The next day, after a long and frustrating practice session where nothing worked, Endou suggested what he always did in times of need: "Let's make a new hissatsu!"
"From scratch?" Shishido asked.
"Why not?" Endou grinned. "Raimon never backs down!"
They were still arguing about it when Kabeyama yelled, "I'm hungry! Let's go to Rairaiken!"
At the ramen shop, the old owner overheard their griping. "Looking for new moves, huh? You should check Daisuke's(David's) old notebook. Your gramps was full of those."
"You knew my grandfather!?" Endou practically jumped.
"Course. He was a regular here. Said he left a secret notebook behind… Now get outta my shop before you drive away the paying customers."
Inazuma Sky Drop Begins, and So Does Crimson Dunk
Back at the school, Natsumi somehow found the notebook by casually flexing her school president powers.
Endou opened it reverently, flipping through pages until he found it.
"'Inazuma Otoshi'... the Inazuma Sky Drop?"
Most of the team stared blankly at the diagrams and old-school notes.
Until Goenji (Blaze) spoke up. "He's describing a double-jump combo. A pass into a leap. You'd need someone heavy for the drop…"
Everyone turned to Kazemaru.
"Oi!!"
But it was Kabeyama(Jack) who raised his hand slowly. "I… I weigh more than him…"
"Perfect!" Endou grinned. "Goenji and Kabeyama will do the Inazuma Sky Drop!"
While the rest of the team began working on this new technique, Sakuragi slipped away.
He jogged to the back field, barefoot, sweatband tied tight around his forehead.
"Jumping freaks, huh…?" he muttered.
He began vertical jumps. Reps of twenty. Then thirty. Then fifty. Practicing headers. One-leg squats. Sprint-jump-sprint drills. When the sun dipped low, he grabbed the ball, set it in front of him, and practiced one move again and again.
Jump. Air twist. Slam shot.
He missed.
Again.
Missed.
Again.
The ball flew, clipped the bar, bounced off the goalpost.
"Cheh…" Sakuragi wiped sweat from his brow. "One more…"
This time, the ball exploded into the net, netting rattling like thunder.
He called it: Crimson Header. It seemed to lack the power his Leo Impact but it could be used for surprise header attacks when people weren't expecting
Team Talk and Tragedy
The next day, the team saw Domon practicing alone too. Aki approached, but he kept his distance. Whatever shadows followed him from his past hadn't left.
Sakuragi, meanwhile, didn't say anything. But after seeing Domon jump straight over Kabeyama to block a shot, he smirked.
"Maybe I do need more jump reps…"
Later, Endou found out his mom didn't want to talk about David. That soccer had "taken him away." That night, his father gave him a pat on the shoulder and simply said:
"Soccer's good for you, Mamoru. Keep going."
Laughter Before the Storm
Training for Inazuma Sky Drop was… chaotic.
"Kabeyama, JUMP!"
"I'm TRYING!"
"Goenji, don't blast him!"
"Oops."
Sakuragi watched them crash into each other for the seventh time and nearly choked on his juice box.
Even Domon cracked a smile.
The day ended with bruises, sweat, and barely any real success. But the will was there.
And alone on the field again that night, Sakuragi leapt higher than ever before.
He spun. Slammed. Scored.
Crimson Dunk was ready.
To Be Continued…
Wild Jr. High loomed ahead. Jumpers. Aerial beasts. Sky dominance.
But Raimon had answers.
They had the Inazuma Sky Drop And Crimson Dunk.
💥Crimson Dunk
Type: Shooting Technique (Offensive)
User: Sakuragi Hanamichi
Inspiration: Slam Dunk-style aerial dominance inspired by Sakuragi and Akagi.
Debut: Chapter 6 – The Sky, the Dunk, and the Shadow of the Past
Description:
Crimson Dunk is a solo hissatsu technique that takes full advantage of Sakuragi's freakish vertical jump and physical strength. It's a powerful aerial strike, where Sakuragi launches himself high above defenders—often higher than they can react—twisting in mid-air and slamming the ball downward with a force akin to a basketball dunk.
As he jumps, a fiery crimson aura explodes around him, shaped loosely like a beam striking . The dunk motion channels all his kinetic force into a downward arc, making the ball accelerate harder the closer it gets to the ground.
Visuals:
Aura: It looks like a Gangster is about to pummel u with a bat from above.
Trail: The ball leaves behind streaks of red and orange light as it's slammed down.
Final impact: Dust and grass explode upward from the force of the shot, and the net trembles violently.
Requirements & Style:Jump Power: Sakuragi must build up momentum with a strong sprint and timed leap.
Focus: It only activates when he's in a locked-in, "flow state" mindset—blocking out distractions like taunts, fear, or even pain.
Solo Execution: Unlike Dragon Tornado, this is not a combo move—it's his personal finisher, meant to challenge defenders directly in the air.
Tactical Use:
Crimson Dunk is Raimon's answer to teams with aerial dominance like Wild Jr. High. When defenders leap to intercept shots, Sakuragi can beat them in raw vertical height and use the dunking arc to bypass mid-air blocks.
☁️ Inazuma Sky Drop
Type: Shooting Technique (Combo – 2 Players)
Users: Goenji Shuuya (Blaze) & Kabeyama (Jack)
Debut: Chapter 6 – The Sky, the Dunk, and the Shadow of the Past
Description:
Sky Drop is a high-altitude combo shot where Kabeyama launches Goenji into the air using a powerful squat-assisted lift, allowing Goenji to unleash a electrifying shot from an elevated position. The technique bypasses ground defenses and capitalizes on Goenji's fire power combined with an aerial advantage.
Kabeyama acts as the springboard, bracing his arms and body like a platform. Goenji runs in, steps onto Kabeyama's clasped hands or shoulders, and gets propelled upward. Once airborne, Goenji strikes the ball mid-flight and fires a electrifying ball toward the goal, resembling a meteor falling from the sky.
Visuals:
Trail: The ball leaves a fiery trail in the shape of a tailing comet or shooting star.
Final Impact: Upon scoring, the ball hits with a searing BOOM
Requirements & Style:Teamwork: Requires perfect timing and trust between Goenji and Kabeyama.
Stamina: Kabeyama needs strong core and arm strength to launch Goenji effectively.
Height Advantage: Designed to counter teams with aerial defense like Wild Jr. High.
Tactical Use:
Sky Drop is a workaround for defenders who can block ground-based sure-kill techniques. By shooting from above, Goenji increases the angle of entry into the goal and makes it harder for keepers to react.