Bang… Bang… Bang…
Screech… Screech… Screech…
Swish…
Clang…
…
On the court, the players from Kanagawa and Akita dashed from side to side, locked in a fierce back-and-forth battle.
Both teams unleashed their full skills with every attack and defense. Every move was pushed to the limit. The game was so intense, it had the entire crowd gasping and unable to look away.
Everyone stared at the court, eyes wide open, mouths unconsciously forming an "O," even their breathing syncing with the rhythm of the game.
The match entered a fever pitch from the very start.
Fast didn't even begin to describe the tempo anymore.
It was like two violent tides crashing again and again. You could hardly see any signs of structured defense.
All that remained on the court was nonstop offense. One wave after another, the charge never stopped. Each player burned like a flame, throwing their full strength into the clash.
But the most jaw-dropping performance came from Akagi Takenori.
He completely shattered everyone's expectations, even breaking a few perceptions of reality.
Before this match began, many were convinced Akagi would struggle against Kawata Masashi. That he'd get overpowered.
After all, Kawata Masashi's reputation was well-known. His past results were top tier.
And most of all, during the Inter-High Summer Tournament, Akagi couldn't even stand up to him. He'd been crushed so hard it almost made him question himself.
But when the whistle blew and the match started, everything that unfolded on the court was nothing like anyone expected.
Right now, Akagi Takenori radiated an aura too powerful to ignore. He looked like a god descending from the heavens.
His eyes were full of grit. His movements were sharp. Every jump, every grab—pure power.
He didn't flinch against Kawata Masashi. Not only was he able to keep up with him in physical contests, but in rebounding and inside scoring, he even got the edge sometimes. The crowd erupted in cheers again and again.
People had to remember—Kawata Masashi was hailed as the strongest center in high school basketball. He'd even played as a guard before.
He was a rare powerhouse who combined strength, speed, and skill.
A former national team center once said: even in college, Kawata Masashi would rank among the top three centers in the country.
That meant the version of him now on the court had already reached a collegiate top-level standard.
And yet Akagi Takenori was holding his own in this head-on clash.
Facing an opponent with that kind of strength, Akagi didn't back down. He met him blow for blow, brute force for brute force.
Their battles under the rim were explosive every time, packed with impact.
Akagi displayed explosive strength and technique he'd never shown before. He didn't just hold off Kawata Masashi's attacks. He also boxed out and posted up with enough presence to overwhelm him.
That's how terrifying Akagi Takenori had become.
On Kanagawa's bench.
Uozumi Jun stared dumbfounded at Akagi dominating the court.
His eyes were locked like magnets, unable to look away.
The man tearing through the paint now didn't seem like the stubborn rival he remembered.
He had never seen Akagi Takenori so ferocious.
This version of Akagi gave off even more pressure than the match back in their second year when he'd been overwhelmed for the entire game.
Back then, Uozumi had seen hesitation in Akagi's eyes. But now, they burned with pure determination, absolute resolve, and fearless edge.
"Akagi…" he muttered the name softly, his eyes still glued to the transformed Akagi storming the court.
Hah… hah… hah…
Anzai Mitsuyoshi looked toward the towering force guarding the paint. His eyes narrowed with a pleased smile. A light chuckle rose from his throat.
He didn't know why Akagi Takenori seemed like a different person today. Charging through the paint with such presence. Every move he made screamed domination.
But as a coach, he couldn't be more pleased.
Takato Riki and Taoka Moichi both had their eyes wide open, staring at that powerful silhouette charging back and forth.
They'd known Akagi for years. They were beyond familiar with him.
But the Akagi on the court now? He didn't feel familiar at all.
His performance left both of them stunned.
Ah…
Clang…
A deafening slam echoed through the gym.
Akagi Takenori's massive frame surged forward. The ball smashed through the rim with a gust of wind. The metal hoop rattled loud and deep.
Kawata Masashi stared at Akagi's back, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.
Suddenly, his mind flashed back to the Inter-High Summer Tournament months ago.
Back then, he'd crushed Akagi so hard the guy couldn't even lift his head.
But now…
No one knew what happened to him, but somehow he became this fierce.
Of course, it wasn't just Akagi Takenori. The rest of Kanagawa's players were constantly putting pressure on Akita too.
At point guard—
Fukatsu Kazunari vs. Maki Shinichi.
When these two stood on the court, their aura alone was too strong to look at directly.
Fukatsu Kazunari's eyes were calm. Maki Shinichi radiated sheer dominance.
In terms of ability, the two were nearly equal. If Fukatsu Kazunari had a slight edge, it was because of his insanely refined technique.
His ball handling looked like dancing on his fingertips. Every pass seemed precisely calculated, always finding his teammates at just the right moment.
At shooting guard—
Matsumoto Minoru vs. Sendoh Akira.
As the team's "second ace," Matsumoto Minoru was no joke.
Although still a bit below Akita's top scorer, Sawakita Eiji, he was right on Sendoh's level.
Both of them played the shooting guard position, and their styles were incredibly similar. All-around types with versatile skillsets.
On offense, they could use individual talent to break through defenses and drive straight to the basket.
They could also read the court, set up plays, and ignite their team's offensive rhythm.
On defense, they were sharp and quick. They never missed a chance to steal or block.
From the very start, the two locked horns.
Matsumoto Minoru faked out a defender and drove inside. Sendoh immediately rotated to help and stuck to him tight.
Matsumoto Minoru had no choice but to pass the ball.
Not long after, Sendoh grabbed a rebound and launched a counterattack, only to have Matsumoto Minoru glue himself back on like chewing gum.
They chased and countered, traded blows with no one giving an inch.
Matsumoto tried everything, but he couldn't completely shut down Sendoh's presence.
Sendoh also threw all his tricks, but couldn't fully stop Matsumoto's offense either.
Their back-and-forth seemed like a never-ending loop.
At small forward—
This position had the biggest skill gap of all.
Nobe Masahiro vs. Rukawa Kaede.
Nobe Masahiro's overall ability was clearly a step behind Rukawa Kaede.
Aside from his strength, which barely kept up, in terms of dribbling, cutting speed, and stop-and-go agility, he was clearly outclassed.
Normally, this kind of mismatch would let Rukawa Kaede dominate on offense. But once they got near the paint, everything changed.
With Kawata Masashi guarding the paint, Nobe Masahiro used years of experience in positioning to weave an invisible net in the limited space.
He was like a heavy, stubborn boulder, using his wide shoulders to block Rukawa's driving lanes. Even when faked out, he could still reach in and alter the shot angle.
And it worked.
Every time Rukawa drove into the paint, his flow got jammed.
Nobe's box-outs looked clumsy but always managed to shut down the cleanest shot paths. Rukawa was forced to adjust his shooting form or pass at the last second.
Several times, just as Rukawa was about to jump for a layup, Nobe's pressure threw him off balance. He had to twist mid-air and dish the ball to someone outside.
And then there was the power forward match-up—
Sawakita Eiji vs. Aoi Kunisaku.
From the first moment, Sawakita Eiji stuck to Aoi like a piece of superheated gum, oozing pure aggression, never more than a step away.
As soon as Aoi stood beyond the three-point line, Sawakita stepped up. His nose was practically brushing Aoi's back.
When Aoi faked a drive inside, Sawakita shifted and sealed the lane without hesitation. Even the squeaks of his shoes carried a sharp intensity.
What shocked everyone most was that Sawakita Eiji opened the game in "Wild Instinct" mode. His eyes burned like fire. His whole body coiled like a spring about to explode. Every defensive move felt like life or death.
Honestly, it wouldn't be hard for Aoi Kunisaku to shake him off.
With his speed, he could blast past even this version of Sawakita in an instant.
But the problem was, he'd have to keep running the whole time.
The moment he stopped, Sawakita would be right on top of him again.
Aoi finally understood—this guy was clearly out to settle things with him.
No matter how he changed direction or accelerated, Sawakita stuck to him like a shadow that wouldn't let go.
"Huff…"
Aoi took a deep breath and let it out slowly. A flicker of helplessness flashed under his lashes. But it was quickly erased by a mocking grin.
"You seriously think you can keep up with me?"
As soon as he spoke, he waved toward Maki Shinichi, signaling for the ball.
Maki didn't hesitate.
When your ace calls for the ball, you give it to him.
Smack…
In the next second—
The ball dropped into Aoi Kunisaku's hands.
Sawakita Eiji instantly dropped into a crouch. His back curled like a fully drawn bow. His whole body coiled like a predator ready to pounce.
His eyes locked onto Aoi Kunisaku and didn't let go.