Because of Midorima's soccer-style falling-leaf shot, an eerie surge of noise inevitably rippled through the arena. And within that tide of sound from the stands
Thump.
Thump.
Before receiving the inbound at the baseline, Fukaya Reiji suddenly bounced in place twice like a compressed spring. Just from the elasticity revealed in those two jumps, some spectators already sensed something was off.
This possession
the baseline inbound was taken by Shigure Akihito.
"Man, that shot seriously startled me~"
Fukaya Reiji slapped his thigh. "Cut it out, Shigure…"
Snap.
The catch.
Fukaya glanced toward Midorima, who had already set his defensive position at the far end of the court, then lowered his gaze and said quietly:
"I've already seen where Midorima's limits are… this one's my win."
Running shoulder to shoulder with him, Shigure Akihito nodded.
That assessment was correct.
From Midorima's defense just now, the signs were already there.
The steal had been beautiful
but it was pushed to the absolute limit.
After being completely beaten off the dribble, Midorima relied on Fukui Kensuke's help defense, combined with Reiji deliberately tossing out a spinning return pass to force a technical connection—layered together to slow things down.
The instant Midorima reached for the steal and the instant he arrived at the interception point were almost perfectly overlapped.
The interception point
was right at the extreme edge of Reiji's return catch.
If Reiji's previous drive had hesitated even a fraction less, Midorima wouldn't have been able to touch the ball from behind.
As for offense
Midorima's miraculous-trajectory three-pointer…
The first time it appeared, calling it a strange sneak attack wouldn't be unfair. But to score consistently under Reiji's defense, he would need to keep unveiling something new with his shooting.
Snap.
Snap.
On the court.
As expected, Midorima Shintarō and Fukaya Reiji matched up once more.
Come on.
Senior Fukaya.
As long as I divine the optimal interception route at the start, no matter how explosive your burst is, my speed will be enough to disrupt you right at the takeoff.
Then
I just repeat that process, smother you while you can't explode, and it's over.
Just as Midorima was thinking this, Fukaya Reiji controlled the ball one-handed and didn't move at all. Midorima shot him a puzzled glance.
Is he observing my defense?
But
the unwavering gaze that landed squarely in Midorima's eyes told him the truth.
He was overthinking it.
"Your new ability is impressive. But…"
"No matter how precise your judgment is, no matter how far ahead your reads go—there's such a thing as brute force breaking all techniques."
"Shintarō, watch carefully. My next attack—"
"How many percent do you think you'll be able to read?"
Midorima: "!?"
Within his field of vision, Midorima saw the next move.
But under tactical divination, the probability of interception plunged to its lowest point since the start of the game
10%!
The figure before him
vanished in an instant!
BOOM!
BOOM!
From the spectators' perspective, Fukaya Reiji's first step looked like a fighter jet breaking the sound barrier. Under that overwhelming pressure, some even seemed to glimpse the illusion of compressed air detonating beneath his feet!
In a single blink
Fukaya Reiji was already behind Midorima. Midorima hadn't even managed to react; even after being beaten, he was still facing the original defensive direction!
"This—this is way too fast?! It's like a jet accelerating!"
"What a terrifying first step—boom, boom, an explosive launch!"
"That's way too exaggerated!"
"It's almost like the Zone! That first step—I thought he teleported!"
"Not quite the Zone…"
"But it's definitely faster than Rakuzan's Hayama Kōtarō's Thunder. In terms of speed outside the Zone, Fukaya Reiji is basically brushing against Shigure Akihito and Nijimura Shuzo—no doubt the ceiling among high school players!"
Midorima: "…!"
When he turned his head, Fukaya Reiji's speed had surged even further. Compared to the previous possession, this time he had already shaken Midorima by four or five body lengths!
It was
just too fast!
Under the stunned gazes of everyone on Yōsen, a single thought rose unbidden in their minds
Is this kind of explosive acceleration really something a human can do?!
Fukui Kensuke rotated to help, but before he could even reach his defensive spot
BOOM!
Another airburst exploded beneath Fukaya Reiji's feet. In the next instant, he vanished from Fukui's field of vision.
Fukui's eyes went wide in shock.
This guy
Unlike the previous possession, after reaching top speed explosively, he not only maintained it without decelerating, even his turning speed didn't drop in the slightest!
BOOM!
BOOM!
As Fukaya Reiji moved
Demon Spider
Rope Garb.
Within that manifested phantom of pressure, the rope-like garment binding Fukaya Reiji's body remained unchanged. But the spider silk used for traction suddenly multiplied severalfold compared to before!
From every direction, following Fukaya Reiji's crossovers, the rope garb tugged and pulled his body as a whole!
And then
Fukaya Reiji carved a lightning-shaped breakthrough line across the court, blowing past Liu Wei and Okamura Kenichi in succession. Even at the instant of changing direction, his explosive speed made it look as though there was no deceleration at all—he remained at top speed throughout!
Okamura Kenichi was beaten in a single step and cried out in alarm:
"This is bad…! He's too fast!"
Liu Wei muttered under his breath:
"If you wait to react, it's already too late…"
The final line of defense
only Murasakibara Atsushi remained, ignoring everyone else on Kaijō. His expression was taut, gravity unmistakable in his eyes.
"Senpai—don't think you're getting past me!"
But in that very instant
"Murasakibara."
"You're still far from it."
"As a center"
"So-called ultra-wide defensive help can't display its full power in one-on-one perimeter defense, because…"
"My speed is fast enough."
BOOM!
Fukaya Reiji's figure
even the courtside reporters' cameras only caught a blurred afterimage. The clearest shot was absurdly his shoes, visibly warped from the force of his push-off!
Hiss!
The demon spider clenching its silk in its mouth violently yanked again, its force surging to a new level. Behind Fukaya Reiji's sprinting figure, saliva dripped ferociously as it strained without pause!
The usually naive face of Murasakibara darkened instantly.
That gloomy senpai
hadn't even been at his top speed just now.
CLANG!
Fukaya Reiji went coast-to-coast
solo penetration through Yōsen!
Dunk!
And with that as the signal
Beep!
Yōsen.
Called a timeout.
…
Kaijō Bench.
After Fukaya Reiji put on such a performance, every Kaijō player stared at him in awe. Aside from the words too strong, their minds were utterly bereft of any other description.
At that moment, Nijimura Shuzo looked at the silent yet intensely focused Fukaya Reiji and suddenly asked:
"How was it, Reiji? Still within your expectations?"
The reply came after a long pause.
"…Yeah."
"Barely."
"Just a little more…"
"A little more, and I almost couldn't stop myself from entering the Zone."
Nijimura Shuzo nodded.
"With Midorima's current ability, with his judgment, he can clearly see the situation—but the game he envisioned was never going to happen."
"If it's Midorima"
"Next"
"He'll probably force the match into the main phase decisively. As for us, we'll just follow the plan we set earlier and play it steady."
After that
Fukaya Reiji didn't take in much of the tactical arrangements from Nijimura Shuzo and Shigure Akihito.
He was still immersed in his duel with Midorima.
And
absolutely certain.
That this was his victory.
Having tasted victory, having proven his pursuit of genius—at that instant, dazzling light flared in Fukaya Reiji's eyes, burning so fiercely his pupils trembled!
Snap.
At that moment
beside him.
Kurokami Shinji slapped Fukaya Reiji on the shoulder.
"Reiji~"
"I told you~"
"You're one of the talented ones too. No matter how you slice it, beneath Teikō's Twin Stars, the number one has to be Fukaya Reiji~"
Aren't monsters meant to be defeated?
The instinct to keep charging at monsters
that part is absolutely right.
…
Soon.
The timeout ended.
Just as Nijimura Shuzo predicted, from the first quarter through the latter half of the second, the game's one-on-one isolation tone was broken—by Yōsen, of all teams.
On Yōsen's offensive possession, Midorima adjusted his glasses and ran up the middle. Fukaya Reiji noticed that he didn't seem to have any intention of receiving the ball in the backcourt.
Like an ordinary player, Midorima entered Kaijō's half and began dragging Fukaya Reiji through off-ball movement. At that moment, everyone on Kaijō noticed something unusual about Yōsen's positioning.
And it was team-wide.
Shigure Akihito: "?"
Murasakibara ran out
This guy…
He actually runs plays?
Murasakibara pulled all the way beyond the three-point line like a tactical hub, receiving Fukui Kensuke's pass. At the same time, Liu Wei and Okamura Kenichi stationed themselves on either side of the free-throw line.
After completing the pass, Fukui Kensuke immediately cut down toward the baseline to set a screen for the suddenly accelerating Midorima Shintarō, who was moving from the baseline toward the free-throw line.
Then
After providing a less-than-ideal screen with his smaller frame, Fukui Kensuke immediately drifted out beyond the arc, receiving Murasakibara's pass.
Murasakibara, meanwhile, continued his cut without hesitation.
On the other side
The moment Midorima crossed the free-throw line, Okamura Kenichi and Liu Wei—two towering two-meter players—stepped in simultaneously to set a double screen. A massive wall suddenly rose before Fukaya Reiji.
Because the screen didn't have a clearly telegraphed lane—waiting until Midorima passed through before suddenly closing
Strictly speaking, that sudden close-out could easily have been called a moving screen. But Yōsen judged the timing perfectly, snapping the door shut just as Fukaya Reiji was about to follow Midorima through.
Otherwise, if bodies tangled before the door closed, any further movement would've been a clear moving screen.
The suddenness of the play and the sheer width of the screen stopped Fukaya Reiji cold for a beat. Even Kurokami Shinji, who rotated into position, was completely caught off guard.
As for Shigure Akihito
Good grief…
After running a perimeter action to facilitate Fukui Kensuke's ball movement, Murasakibara cut straight to the baseline, dragging Shigure Akihito far away from the scrum.
Shigure Akihito: "..."
Isn't that
the elevator doors?
Whoosh!
At the far end.
Midorima turned back to receive the pass. The ball arrived as if guided by his will.
"Senpai, on the court, the power you can use isn't just your own. To move toward the strongest, you must polish every weapon available to you."
"This"
"is what you taught me."
"So I'll use this—just as promised"
"to hand you defeat."
Midorima rose into his shot. And even under these circumstances, he released that lightning-fast falling-leaf shot.
Because
70%!
The remaining 30% margin
came from Nijimura Shuzo, who had read through the play and slipped around the screen.
He was there.
But
half a move late. Just a fraction.
Midorima's shot went up cleanly. The strange arc floated past the dome lights overhead, and the familiar long wait of his signature high-trajectory three unconsciously pressed down on everyone's hearts.
Swish!
An orange streak traced a serpentine path through the air. Only when the net rippled upward did that suffocating pressure finally ease.
On the court.
Midorima fixed a sharp gaze on Fukaya Reiji, battle intent igniting in his eyes.
However
Facing Midorima's high-quality counterattack after the timeout, Fukaya Reiji calmly pulled the tie from his hair.
"The power of teammates, huh…"
"If that's the case"
"then what comes next for you…"
"is one step straight into the gates of hell."
Snap!
Snap!
Snap!
As Fukaya Reiji spoke
behind him.
Nijimura Shuzo took control of the ball, Shigure Akihito moving alongside.
ROAR!
ROAR!
The Lion!
The Mammoth!
Rainbow light and crimson glow, layered over the same pitch-black foundation—two ferocious auras surged toward Yōsen from afar like raging flames of entirely different natures, making everyone on Yōsen instinctively tense up!
Up to this point
the two monsters whose stamina had barely been touched.
Were coming.
END OF CHAPTER
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