BEEP~~~
With the three-point battle between Akashi Asuka and Midorima Shintarou finally decided, the second quarter came to an end.
"Even Akashi lost… so it seems the strongest shooter really is Midorima!"
In the stands, Itsuki Shun watched Seiho and Shutoku both step off the court and muttered in admiration.
"Indeed."
Beside him, Hyuga Junpei nodded in agreement but quickly added, "Though that's only considering the shooting guard position. And even with 22 shots, only one miss? In high school, that's probably second only to Midorima himself."
His words silenced the rest of the Seirin team instantly.
Indeed, making 21 out of 22 shots was an incredible accuracy, practically unthinkable for any other team.
And even more importantly, Akashi wasn't a pure shooting guard.
This was evident from his duel with Midorima: Akashi could often block Midorima's shots, but Midorima had almost no chance of stopping Akashi.
"Looks like Midorima's exhausting himself quite a bit!"
Even from several dozen meters away, it was clear: the difference in stamina between Midorima and Akashi was staggering.
Akashi maintained a relatively calm breathing rhythm, while Midorima's sweat was soaking through his jersey.
"Shutoku has likely already revealed their trump card, yet Akashi hasn't even shown his full strength. I wonder how much this monster has grown after one summer…"
"If that's the case, the second half… no, probably by the third quarter, the final winner will already be determined."
Not only Seirin, but the other teams with "Generation of Miracles" members were skeptical about Shutoku's prospects.
Although the scores were close, anyone could see that Seiho hadn't yet unleashed their full potential, while Shutoku was nearly cornered.
·····
"Let's go! Time for the final strike."
Ten minutes later, the whistle signaled the start of the third quarter.
Akashi Asuka rose from the bench, adjusted his wristbands, and strode onto the court.
Shutoku had the first possession.
Their strategy remained the same: as Takao Naruse dribbled past midcourt, passes became frequent, and the rotating screen formation provided Midorima with shooting opportunities.
However, this time…
Before Midorima could find a chance to shoot, he sensed something was off.
Akashi didn't stick to close-guard defense. Instead, he created a deliberate distance, but despite this space, Midorima felt an even stronger sense of threat.
At that moment, Miyaji Kiyoshi quietly positioned himself beside Akashi, giving Midorima a subtle signal.
Seeing this, Midorima decisively drove to the right, creating some space for a shot, but just before releasing the ball, a massive shadow suddenly loomed from the side.
SLAP!
There was no time to react.
The basketball was mercilessly swatted away by a giant hand.
Immediately after, Midorima sensed another shadow flash by. A gust of wind followed, and Akashi had already snatched the ball and sprinted in the opposite direction for a fast break.
"When did—?"
The speed of this defensive-to-offensive transition stunned not only Midorima but also Miyaji Kiyoshi nearby.
He had been blocking Akashi's position just moments ago, so when did Akashi slip past to get in front of Midorima?
Midorima chased as hard as he could, but no matter what, all he saw was Akashi's back growing farther away…
In the first quarter, Midorima had almost exclusively relied on ultra-long-range threes.
In the second, to cooperate with Shutoku's new formation and find open space, he had run almost continuously.
Though his stamina wasn't yet depleted, the difference in energy levels was already apparent.
SWISH!
Akashi raced beyond the three-point line and scored.
72:68.
"Damn it! Launching the all-out attack now? Not a single chance left for us!"
Takao dribbled across midcourt, sensing Seiho's defensive pressure intensifying. A bad premonition began to form in his mind.
Midorima faced Akashi again. Akashi still kept his distance while defending.
This posture…
Seeing Akashi completely relaxed, Midorima's eyes narrowed. He knew Akashi had likely entered Animal Instinct.
Ordinary offense won't work. Then… I'll have to change my approach.
With that thought, Midorima set up to shoot, not a feint. Against an opponent in Animal Instinct with a skill that counters fakes, any attempt at deception would be foolish.
This was an outright, open attack.
Akashi had no choice but to react; if he didn't, Midorima would score without hesitation.
But the moment Akashi responded…
BOOM!
Seeing Akashi leap to block, Midorima swiftly executed a bounce pass, sending the ball to Kimura Shinsuke in a blind spot behind Akashi.
"Nice pass!"
Kimura praised and immediately jumped to shoot.
This was his only opportunity; if he delayed even slightly, Omuro Yoshikasu or Tsutomu Iwamura could intervene.
The ball left his fingertips. Kimura felt it might score.
Then, almost like a phantom, a hand appeared above the ball…
SLAP!
The crisp sound echoed.
Kimura and Midorima froze instantly.
Akashi, back turned to Kimura, slowly withdrew his right hand, eyes cold, and spoke to Midorima:
"Weak and powerless offense. You don't really think such attacks can break through my defense, do you?"
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Completed version available on Patreon.com/Veltoria