Step...
Step...
Ah...
Ah...
Two heavy footsteps slammed down on the court almost at the same time.
Then came two deep shouts bursting from their chests. Akagi Takenori and Kawata Masashi rose like iron towers straight out of the floor. Their knees bent just past ninety degrees before suddenly kicking off.
Both men raised their chins and stretched out their arms like they were reaching for the ceiling lights. Their knuckles turned pale from the force as they clawed at the orange basketball in the air.
Akagi Takenori's pupils shrank violently. His back molars ground with a harsh creak. The veins on his arm bulged along the grain of his skin like dried vines coiling tight over thick muscle. He funneled all his power through his fingertips and into the ball.
Kawata Masashi squinted slightly. His lashes cast a sharp shadow on his eyelids. His palm clamped onto the ball like a steel vise, and the grunt rising from his throat held a vicious edge.
The ball was caught dead between their palms, hovering in mid-air. The shape of the ball even warped slightly from the pressure squeezing in on both sides.
But in the next instant—
Ah...
A roar exploded from Akagi Takenori's throat like a sleeping beast snapping its chains.
A surge of unknown strength erupted like a volcano, shooting from his spine into his arms. His locked elbows crashed downward. His wrist bones gave a crisp snap. The force in his palm surged several times over in an instant.
"What?" Kawata Masashi's eyes flew wide. His expression shifted instantly to shock and disbelief.
He suddenly felt a crushing force erupt through the ball like a mountain crashing down.
He instinctively tried to grip tighter. But the moment he applied pressure, a jolt shot through his palm and his whole hand got knocked back by that force.
Pa...
A dull, sharp crack echoed.
To everyone's surprise, Akagi Takenori snatched the ball clean.
No one expected the supposedly even jump ball to be decided in a blink.
The players from Akita all stared wide-eyed in shock. Even the Kanagawa bench showed surprise.
Especially those who once fought alongside Akagi at Shohoku. They stared at that tall, familiar back with clear awe in their eyes.
The basketball spun into a blur in his palm, then got flicked precisely toward Aoi Kunisaku.
The moment Aoi Kunisaku caught the ball, Sawakita Eiji burst in like a gust of wind, sticking close.
…
"No way! They're already going at it?"
"This is insane! The two aces are clashing right from the start!"
"Who's gonna win this time?"
"I'm betting on Aoi Kunisaku. Sawakita Eiji's strong, but he's still not at that level."
"Aoi Kunisaku soloed Sannoh back in Nationals with a 1v5."
"I saw that match. That was the craziest basketball game I've ever watched."
…
Buzz surged through the crowd. One wave after another of excited chatter filled with surprise and anticipation.
Aoi Kunisaku held the ball steady in both hands. His eyes locked straight with Sawakita Eiji's.
Sawakita Eiji didn't lunge to steal it. He just stepped forward, blocking Aoi Kunisaku's path.
His eyes blazed as he stared down Aoi Kunisaku. A small smile tugged at his lips. "Didn't expect we'd meet again this fast."
Aoi Kunisaku grinned at that. The laugh rising from his throat carried a lazy sharpness. "Perfect. These matches are way too boring. Show me how much you've grown these past few months."
Before the words even finished, the ball spun half a turn in his hand and slammed hard against the floor.
Boom...
Boom...
Boom...
The bounce echoes exploded like a countdown.
Sawakita Eiji's smile twisted into a tight line. The light in his pupils shrank into pinpoints, locked dead on Aoi Kunisaku's shifting shoulders.
His back tensed like a drawn bowstring. His ankles pressed the floor, shifting his center of gravity. Even his eyelashes trembled in rhythm with Aoi Kunisaku's breathing.
The next second—
Sawakita Eiji's eyes widened. Aoi Kunisaku's figure in his vision seemed to lose its color. First it dulled into shadow, then blurred into a transparent outline, then even that vanished completely.
That strange, surreal change made Sawakita Eiji's pupils shrink and his heart lurch hard.
But he didn't panic or scan around. Instead, he stepped back immediately.
The bitter defeat from their last faceoff flashed through his mind.
He knew exactly what he was facing. Aoi Kunisaku's freakish speed was beyond anything he could match. Searching blindly would only make him more vulnerable.
If he couldn't match speed, he had to find another way.
The only move he could think of was widening his field of vision so he could catch Aoi Kunisaku's movements.
Just as he stepped back, the corner of his eye caught a flicker of red like a streak of fire blazing past.
But before he could get a clearer look, that red flash vanished like a ghost. It disappeared without a trace, leaving only a faint ripple in the air.
Right after, rhythmic dribbling echoed from behind.
Bang…
Bang…
Bang…
The sound was getting farther away. It was moving away from him.
So he failed again?!
Sawakita Eiji knew right away that Aoi Kunisaku had broken through.
He quickly turned his body and saw Aoi already pulling away by several steps.
There wasn't a trace of frustration on his face. Instead, his eyes burned with resolve.
That move he'd just made proved his decision was right. His only flaw was the timing.
Aoi Kunisaku had already gotten past him. With the ball in hand, he burst toward Akita's paint like a red lightning bolt.
Kawata Masashi spotted him instantly.
He instinctively tried to block the path but then stopped himself.
He hesitated for a reason.
In the end, he just gave a symbolic defense.
Even though it was only symbolic, Kawata Masashi still put in full focus. He just held back a bit on strength.
He didn't want to fall for Aoi Kunisaku's trap and get called for a foul.
Aoi easily slipped past him, then leapt up and calmly laid the ball in.
Swish…
Ball through the net.
Kanagawa scored first.
Kanagawa 2 to 0 Akita.
As Aoi landed, he glanced at Kawata Masashi.
He'd felt it. The guy had pulled back on defense.
"Worried about drawing a foul?" He didn't even need confirmation. Aoi instantly guessed what was on his mind.
But he didn't care. Kawata Masashi's strength didn't even register to him.
Switch to offense.
Before Akita even got into formation, Sawakita Eiji was already shadowing Aoi, sticking close. His sharp eyes locked straight onto Aoi's.
Aoi raised an eyebrow and mocked, "Don't tell me this is your plan to stop me."
Sawakita Eiji's face was serious, completely unmoved. "Yeah, that's exactly it."
At that moment, Akita's attack was already being led by Fukatsu Kazunari, charging into Kanagawa's side.
Neither Aoi nor Sawakita paid it any attention.
"I see." Aoi's gaze darkened, as if he'd figured something out.
He sneered, cold glint in his eyes. "You think you can shut me down? You're a hundred years too early."
As soon as he finished, Aoi made a quick sidestep, aiming to get around Sawakita's side.
But Sawakita had seen this coming. He instantly took a large backward hop, widening his view.
In that moment, Aoi's disappearing figure came back into his sight.
Aoi wasn't surprised.
That trick had been used before.
He curled his lips in a mocking smile, then shifted his body. He feinted a drive, ready to pull a sudden turnaround once Sawakita shifted his weight.
But what caught Aoi off guard was that Sawakita didn't fall for it.
He blocked the path.
"Hm?"
Aoi's eyes narrowed slightly. He was a bit surprised Sawakita didn't take the bait.
But it didn't take him long to understand.
He felt something familiar coming from Sawakita.
"So it's 'Wild Instinct'…" Aoi muttered as he stared at him. He didn't move. Just stood in place.
On the other side.
Fukatsu Kazunari had brought the ball to the top of the three-point arc.
He was locked in a battle of wits with Maki Shinichi, twisting and faking across the line with constant feints and shifty footwork.
In the end, Fukatsu Kazunari came out on top. After two back-to-back convincing fakes, he managed to fool Maki's eyes.
He seized the moment and passed the ball to Matsumoto Minoru arriving on the other side.
Matsumoto didn't hesitate at all. He raised the ball, aimed, jumped, and fired. The motion was fluid and crisp.
Sendoh Akira jumped in to contest but was still a step too late.
Matsumoto had already let the ball fly.
"So fast." Sendoh muttered inwardly.
This guy—Akita's so-called "number two ace"—was no joke.
"He sped up his shot just to avoid getting blocked…"
Sendoh recalled the moment just now, silently breaking it down.
The basketball drew a clean arc through the air, then dropped perfectly into the hoop.
Swish…
A clean sound as it brushed the net.
Akita answered back with a bucket.
Kanagawa 2, Akita 3.