Toyotama's Locker Room.
Minami Tsuyoshi ignored the uproar throughout the arena.
He looked around, but he could not find that familiar figure.
Kitano's words from years ago echoed in his ears.
"Turn defense into offense."
Minami withdrew his gaze, his expression once again becoming cold and ruthless.
He would use the run-and-gun offense to completely crush Shōhoku and prove it to the entire world.
Kishimoto Minori came over and cursed under his breath.
Minami expressionlessly issued his command.
"Cripple him. Make sure he leaves the court for good."
The referee's whistle sounded.
The second half officially began.
Akagi Takenori let out a furious roar.
His massive body exploded upward, completely overpowering Iwata Mitsuaki in the tip-off.
The basketball was violently slapped toward the backcourt.
Miyagi Ryota caught it securely and executed a clean crossover, shaking off Itakura Daijiro, who had tried to grab his jersey.
He completely ignored the dirty little tricks.
With a flick of his wrist, the basketball flew like a guided missile toward the right wing.
Makino Juro was already standing there.
He calmly snatched the ball out of the air with one hand.
Minami immediately closed in on him, spreading both arms wide.
His eyes were as venomous as a snake's.
"This time, I won't let you off so easily."
A mocking curve appeared at the corner of Makino Juro's mouth.
His tone was lazy.
"Is that so?"
"Then have you prepared to call an ambulance?"
Minami was enraged.
He stepped forward and tried to steal the ball.
Makino Juro did not retreat.
Instead, he advanced.
His right hand slammed the ball into the floor while his left hand received it, his body simultaneously leaning toward the right.
An incredibly deceptive feint instantly shifted Minami's center of gravity.
In the blink of an eye, Juro snapped his wrist.
The basketball struck the floor between his legs and passed through.
His body rapidly pulled back, and he slipped straight past Minami's right side.
Minami's expression changed drastically.
As he turned to chase, he secretly stuck out his left foot, attempting to repeat the same dirty trick.
But Makino Juro seemed to have eyes in the back of his head.
While moving at high speed, he suddenly stopped and pulled back, causing Minami's sneaky kick to strike nothing but air.
As Minami lost his balance and stumbled forward, Makino Juro took advantage of the opening and quietly drove an elbow into his shoulder.
With a scream of pain, Minami completely lost his balance and crashed face-first onto the floor.
He slid nearly half a meter before finally stopping.
The referee's view was obstructed, so no whistle was blown.
Makino Juro looked down at him from above, his voice dripping with mockery.
"That's it?"
"You can't even pull off a dirty trick properly. Open up your mind a little."
Kishimoto Minori rushed over furiously and pointed at Makino Juro's face, cursing him loudly.
Makino Juro slapped his filthy hand away and fired back without the slightest courtesy.
"The referee didn't say anything. Who the hell do you think you are?"
Seeing the confrontation escalate, Sakuragi strode over and shoved Kishimoto aside.
He roared protectively.
"You wanna fight? I'm right here!"
The referee quickly stepped in and issued a warning, finally calming the situation.
The game continued.
Minami climbed back to his feet, rubbing his aching shoulder.
His defensive movements became even more savage.
"You think you can win?"
"Toyotama's run-and-gun offense will tear you apart!"
Makino Juro glanced at him.
"A bunch of trash who only know how to commit fouls calls itself run-and-gun?"
The instant his words fell, he lowered his center of gravity and unleashed his ultra-high-speed dribbling.
The basketball became a blur between his fingertips.
A lightning-fast crossover flowed directly into a behind-the-back dribble, completely tying Minami's legs into knots.
Minami's center of gravity collapsed.
He fell hard onto his butt, looking like a ridiculous puppet whose strings had been tangled together.
The entire arena erupted.
Gasps and cries of shock rose one after another from the stands.
Makino Juro did not even spare the defeated Minami a glance.
He calmly rose into his shooting motion.
Swish!
The three-pointer dropped cleanly through the net.
49–36.
"Next."
Juro turned and ran back toward the defensive end.
His casual words struck the hearts of the Toyotama players like a heavy hammer.
This was no longer a basketball game.
It was a one-sided slaughter!
Kishimoto trembled with rage.
He picked up the ball and shouted as he launched a fast break.
Minami received the pass and charged straight toward the basket, madness filling his eyes.
Juro stood directly in his path.
Minami pushed forward at full speed, the basketball pounding against the wooden floor with a deep, thunderous rhythm.
Makino Juro planted himself firmly in front of the free-throw line, like an iron tower that could never be crossed.
The air between them was so tense that it practically sparked.
As the distance between them rapidly closed, Makino Juro suddenly raised his eyes.
"Consider this a warning."
"Don't play dirty. Otherwise, I'm afraid I won't be able to hold myself back."
Minami sneered.
He suddenly planted his foot and accelerated.
A warning?
In Toyotama's dictionary, there was only one word.
Win.
By any means necessary.
Makino Juro watched Minami's malicious movements.
His gaze turned completely cold.
"I'm not like them. I'm not willing to sacrifice myself for the sake of a dream."
"My dream is to lead them to a championship."
"And if something gets in our way on that road, I'll split the mountain open if there's a mountain in my way, and kill the Buddha if there's a Buddha in my path!"
The words struck Minami's nerves like a hammer.
Split the mountain open?
Kill the Buddha if he stands in the way?
The arrogance was simply outrageous!
Minami gave his distant teammates a subtle signal.
Itakura Daijiro immediately understood.
His massive body shifted sideways, perfectly blocking the main referee's line of sight.
Yajima Kyohei also cut in from the side.
The two formed a hidden human wall.
The referee's vision was completely obstructed.
A cruel smile slowly appeared on Minami's lips.
He suddenly accelerated and pressed tightly against Juro.
His right knee secretly rose, aiming directly at the muscles of Makino Juro's thigh.
At the same time, his left elbow concealed a killing blow as it smashed viciously toward Juro's vulnerable ribs.
He was going to completely cripple this arrogant rookie!
If words could not get through to him, then he would simply shut up and take the beating.
Makino Juro did not retreat.
Instead, he stepped forward and pressed his body directly against Minami's.
Both arms shot forward like swimming dragons.
"Redirecting Force!"
Minami only felt his knee and elbow slam into something as soft and bottomless as a mass of cotton.
The killing power he had accumulated was instantly drained away.
His heart was filled with shock.
Before he could react, Makino Juro's hands smoothly guided his momentum, drawing a perfect circle through the air.
All the force Minami had just unleashed was borrowed and redirected.
Then it was sent straight back into his own body.
His center of gravity completely collapsed.
His own momentum carried him forward.
Makino Juro's shoulder suddenly sank.
At that very instant, his power exploded.
His right foot stomped heavily against the floor.
Boom!
"Killing Move, Top-Heart Elbow!"
Makino Juro's elbow transformed into a colossal battering ram.
Wrapped in devastating, unstoppable force, it crashed squarely into Minami's chest.
Time seemed to stop.
Minami felt as though his soul had been ripped from his body.
The basketball arena before his eyes disappeared.
In its place was a vast golden field.
A gentle breeze swept across the waves of wheat.
It was the deepest image buried within his memories.
"Coach Kitano, why are you leaving?"
"We worked so hard just to get into Toyotama!"
Young Minami shouted the question at him.
Coach Kitano looked at the group of children.
Deep helplessness filled his wrinkled face.
"As the saying goes, the winner becomes king."
"If we cannot win the National Championship, we'll never earn everyone's recognition."
"I'm tired."
"I think it's time for me to rest."
The scenes of his memories shattered in an instant.
The excruciating pain of reality swallowed Minami like a tsunami.
Bang!
A dull impact that made everyone's scalp tingle exploded across the court.
The bones in Minami's chest seemed to cry out under the terrifying force.
The destructive power tore through his entire body.
His entire body was launched into the air.
Like a kite with its string cut, he flew backward several meters!
Kishimoto Minori had been preparing to catch him when a black blur suddenly slammed directly into his arms.
"Ah!"
The two crashed into each other, rolled into a tangled heap, and slammed onto the floor.
They slid nearly a meter before finally coming to a stop.
The entire arena fell deathly silent.
Everyone stared wide-eyed.
For a moment, even their breathing seemed to stop.
END OF CHAPTER
The King Of Slacking Off - MrBehringer's Secret
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