Another hunter party waves from a nearby football field.
Hunter:"Hey guys, match?"
Reva glances at Zodiac.
No one answers.
Maru can feel the tension hanging in the air.
Reva:"Not today."
They walk past.
Maru looks confused.
Maru:"Even if we're 10 , we could've played, right? Numbers don't matter that much."
Tara chuckles.
Tara:"Heh… it's not about that."
Maru:"Then?"
Fugu spins his naginata.
Fugu:"To vent frustration it has to be one-on-one sports"
He lets the ball drop.
Maru blinks.
Maru:"…Huh?"
The Court
An empty basketball court.
Cracked concrete.Bent hoop.
Grim:"Five-on-five."
Maru lights up.
Maru:"Oh! Basketball! Because we're ten today!"
Reva smirks.
Reva:"You'll understand soon."
Maru grins, already picturing dunks.
Vyan:"I only play to dunk."
Tara:"Hit the brakes, hero."
Before Tip-Off
Sain stretches quietly.
Vyan nudges him.
Vyan:"You good?"
Sain hesitates.
Sain:"…I've never dribbled."
Silence.
Tara:"You've never played basketball?"
Sain:"I've played. Just… never dribbled."
He thinks.
Sain:"Same way I never learned how to toss in volleyball."
Fugu laughs.
He pats Sain's shoulder.
Fugu:"You'll learn mid-game."
Team Selection
No ceremony.
Reva:"Vyan. Fugu. Tara. Maru."
Grim:"Anya. Lily. Maya. Sain."
Tip-Off
Grim vs Fugu.
The ball goes up.
Fugu times it perfectly.
His fingertips redirect the ball backward—
Straight to Maru.
Maru explodes forward.
But he hasn't played in ages.
The ball bounces too high.
Slips.
Out of bounds.
Silence.
Then laughter.
Maru laughs too, scratching his head.
Inbound to Anya.
Sain tenses.
She looks at him.
Passes.
Anya:"Try dribbling."
Sain freezes.
The ball feels wrong in his hands.
Vyan charges.
Fast.
Aggressive.
Sain panics.
High pass.
Too high.
Grim catches effortlessly.
Fugu steps up.
Grim doesn't look.
No-look bounce pass.
Maya.
Flicks .
One-touch pass.
Lily.
Set shot.
SWISH.
1–0.
Reva exhales.
Reva:"Our turn."
Tara's Control
Tara brings the ball up.
Maya guards her.
Tara lowers her stance.
Crossover.
Sharp.
Maya stumbles.
Ankle break.
Anya:"Tch."
Sain steps in.
Tara accelerates.
Left.
Sain mirrors.
Right.
Sain stays.
Grim chuckles.
Grim:"Didn't know we had another one who could slow her down."
Tara smirks.
Dribble between Sain's legs.
Uses his height.
Spins past.
Tara:"Tall guy problems."
Anya steps up.
No lane.
No pass.
Sain guards Reva.
Lily shades Maru.
Grim cuts Vyan.
Tara kicks it out.
Fugu.
High-arc three.
SWISH.
1–1.
Anya's Drive
Anya attacks.
Vyan in front.
She crosses.
Gets past him.
Maru rotates.
She slips past him too.
Vyan recovers.
Double-team.
Anya pivots.
Kick-out.
Maya.
Instant pass.
Grim.
He rises.
Fugu jumps.
Too late—
Another hand appears.
BLOCK.
Maru.
Reva:"Good Job Hero!"
Loose ball.
Tara grabs it.
Fast break.
Sain backpedals.
Cuts the angle.
Tara tries between-the-legs again—
Sain spins.
The ball clips his shin.
Almost out.
A blur—
Vyan sprints.
Grabs it.
Leaps.
Lily contests.
Doesn't matter.
DUNK.
The rim screams.
Vyan:"TAKE THAT!"
Reset — Lily Runs the Play
Inbound to Lily.
She signals Sain.
Lily:"Bring it up."
Sain nods.
Dribbles awkwardly.
Vyan closes in.
Sain passes immediately.
Lily attacks.
Maru steps up.
She threads a pass.
Anya cuts.
Reva presses.
Kick-out.
Maya—
Intercepted.
Tara.
Fast break again.
Psychological Play
Sain meets her.
Again.
Tara:"Are you stalking me?"
Sain:"…I have no interest in you."
Silence.
Then—
Laughter explodes.
Grim (laughing):"Well played."
Vyan:"Did he just reject you mid-play?"
Tara:"HEY!"
Sain panics.
Sain:"I— I didn't mean—"
Too late.
Tara passes.
Maru vs Grim — Air War
Maru catches.
Drives.
Jumps.
Lily contests.
Not enough.
Another shadow—
BLOCK.
Grim.
Grim:"Payback."
Ball deflects.
Sain grabs it.
Surrounded.
No dribble.
No pass.
He throws.
Wrong form.
Wrong arc.
IN.
Silence.
Reva's eyes widen.
Copy Attempt
Next play.
Reva drives.
Lily guards.
She attempts the same ugly shot.
Rims out.
She looks at Sain.
Smirks.
Reva:"…Almost."
Rebound War
Fugu:"REBOUND!"
Vyan:"Mine!"
Grim jumps.
Swats the ball away—
But another body collides.
Sain.
Both hands.
Solid.
Vyan grins mid-air.
Vyan:"Didn't expect that."
Final Score Push
Loose ball.
Maru follows.
Second jump.
DUNK.
2–3.
Last Possession
Maya brings it up.
Eyes scanning.
Perfect timing.
Anya cuts.
Straight line.
Reva slides.
Cuts her off.
Tara reaches.
Ball slips.
Out of bounds.
Grim signals.
Post-up.
Vyan pushes.
Doesn't move him.
Turn.
Hook—
BLOCKED.
Fugu.
But Grim lands first.
Put-back layup.
3–3.
Tie game.
Reva raises her hand.
Reva:"Fugu. Clear out."
Fugu nods.
He dribbles high, drawing Grim into a switch.
At the top of the key—
HARD CROSS.
He slips past Grim's shoulder just enough.
Not to score.
To force rotation.
Fugu (thinking):Now.
A sharp chest pass.
Reva catches it in stride on the right wing.
She accelerates instantly.
Maru seals Sain near the paint.
Vyan body-checks Lily off the cut.
Tara shades Anya, denying the passing lane.
Maya slides over—
Late.
Reva attacks the gap.
Two steps.
Explodes off her left foot.
Maya reaches.
Reva rises above it.
LAYUP.
Glass.
IN.
Aftermath
They collapse.
Sweat-soaked.
Laughing.
Breathing hard.
Grim sits upright.
Looks at Reva.
Grim:"…Satisfied?"
Reva wipes her face.
Smiles.
Reva:"Yeah."