Thump…
Thump…
Thump…
The dull thuds of the basketball hitting the floor echoed out.
Aoi Kunisaku's palm dropped and rose again, the ball bouncing rhythmically between his fingers.
He dribbled with lowered eyelids. His wrist shifted loosely with each tap, as relaxed as someone strolling through their backyard. Yet that same motion made sweat bead on Sawakita Eiji's back.
Each seemingly lazy touch on the ball hid dozens of possible direction shifts. Like a venomous snake coiled in tall grass, it only needed to flick its tongue to snap its prey's throat.
Sawakita Eiji pressed his tongue to his molars. The focus from "Wild Instinct" flowed through his veins and locked into his eyes, tinting his vision in red.
He stared at the curve of Aoi's fingers, the slight bend in his knee.
Every bounce of the ball was a calculation. He mentally gauged the distance, predicted the drive angle, grounded his weight hard into the floor, and waited like a spring ready to fire.
To him, Aoi Kunisaku was no longer just an opponent, but a hunk of raw meat. A target he had to lock down no matter what.
The moment Aoi twitched, he was going to pounce and end it.
Aoi stared at him from beneath his lashes. His icy eyes lingered briefly on Sawakita before a soft chuckle slipped from his throat.
It was faint, casual—yet crisp in the tension-filled air.
Heh…
The short laugh was like a pebble dropped in a deep pond. The ripples it caused were unreadable. Whether it was mocking Sawakita or a show of pure confidence, no one could tell.
That smirk still hung on Aoi's lips.
But in the next breath, his energy changed—sharp and dangerous.
In a blink, his speed jumped from zero to max.
Whoosh…
The air twisted with the sudden explosion, like a beast charging out of the brush.
His body became a blur, too fast to follow.
Sawakita Eiji watched as the afterimage faded. He'd seen this scene before.
But this time, he was prepared.
The moment Aoi moved, Sawakita took a huge step back. He widened his view and scanned for Aoi's presence.
Every muscle in his body tensed. Every nerve stood on edge, waiting for the shift.
Then—he saw him.
Aoi Kunisaku was still there.
He hadn't moved.
He was standing exactly where the afterimage had vanished. As if he'd never moved at all. As if the blur had been fake.
'What the hell?'
Sawakita's pupils shrank. His brain went into overdrive.
The air froze. The only sound left was his own heartbeat, thudding in his ears like war drums.
There were only two possibilities.
1. Aoi had never moved.
But how do you explain the vanishing afterimage?
2. Aoi had moved—then doubled back so fast it landed him in the same place, all before Sawakita could register it.
Just thinking that sent chills down Sawakita's spine.
If that were true, it meant Aoi wasn't just fast enough to vanish and return in a blink.
It meant he had perfectly calculated Sawakita's reaction window and intentionally created a false image to mislead him.
'Don't tell me…' Sawakita's eyes widened, a jolt running through his entire body like he'd been hit by lightning.
He remembered that strange laugh from earlier.
'He did it on purpose… Used my own prediction to set a trap?'
The thought made his back go cold. But he couldn't deny it.
Aoi Kunisaku absolutely had the ability to set that kind of psychological ambush.
Heh…
Another soft laugh rumbled from Aoi's chest. The trailing note hooked into Sawakita's nerves.
Aoi grinned with calm certainty. A sharp glint flashed through his blue eyes.
Before Sawakita could react, Aoi blasted forward like a released arrow.
His sneakers screeched across the floor, kicking up a gust of pressure as he drove straight toward Akita's basket.
"Crap—" Sawakita's pupils shrank, and his heart leapt into his throat.
He bolted after him on instinct. His arms swung in fierce arcs as he tried to cut off Aoi's path with raw speed.
But Aoi had picked his timing perfectly.
He'd moved the moment Sawakita was distracted by strategy.
Now, even as Sawakita ran at full speed, the gap between them never closed.
And that was Aoi's whole point.
If Sawakita wanted to block him from the start, Aoi would bait him into thinking he had an opening.
Then the moment his speed kicked in, Sawakita would be forced to chase.
Once that happened, if Sawakita still wanted to stay glued to him, he'd have no choice but to run.
But with Sawakita Eiji's speed, staying on Aoi Kunisaku's heels was nearly impossible.
Even in "Wild Instinct" mode, Sawakita was just barely managing to keep up.
Then the court erupted into a breathtaking spectacle.
The sharp screech of sneakers on the floor rang out like war drums, one after another.
One red, one white. Two blurs streaked across the court like arrows, tearing from one end to the other in an instant.
Aoi Kunisaku dribbled with one hand, his fingertips gliding across the leather with uncanny control. The basketball seemed enchanted, sticking to his palm like it was alive.
His eyes locked on the defense. Every gap, every crease, he saw it all. Each shift in direction was as precise and vicious as a hunting leopard.
Sawakita Eiji shadowed him closely. His red jersey snapped in the wind. Sweat flew from his brow with each thunderous stride.
He clenched his teeth, forcing his legs to work harder and close the distance. Anything to slow Aoi down.
They sprinted side by side like two trains on collision paths, tearing through layers of resistance.
Akita's defenders moved to intercept, but Aoi weaved through effortlessly.
With explosive bursts and razor-sharp rhythm, he dashed left and right, slipping past every block. Dragging Sawakita with him, he pierced through Akita's defense like it was nothing, diving into the key.
From the moment Aoi began his run, Kawata Masashi never took his eyes off him.
He knew exactly where this play was heading—the paint.
Sweat soaked into his jersey. His legs coiled with power. He was ready to spring.
Akagi Takenori braced himself. That iron-tower frame locked into place right in front of Kawata.
His back pressed tightly against Kawata's chest. Arms stretched wide like steel gates. His whole body trembled with tension, determined to hold Kawata in place and buy Aoi room to shoot.
As Aoi burst into the paint, the entire zone seemed to drop in pressure.
He pushed off the floor hard with one foot. His body soared. The ball raised high in his hand, glinting coldly under the lights.
Right behind, Sawakita leapt too. Eyes wide, he let out a low growl like a beast. Even if the odds were slim, he refused to give up the chance to contest.
Kawata Masashi, though blocked by Akagi, still managed to obstruct Aoi's vision.
He jumped high behind Akagi. Arms fully stretched to block the line to the hoop.
In front was Kawata Masashi, a wall of muscle and wingspan. Behind, Sawakita Eiji lunged like a wild animal.
Aoi hovered in the air, unfazed. His arm still cradled the ball. His blue eyes churned with unreadable shadows.
At this point, his path to the basket was completely sealed.
Kawata's body loomed over the hoop. His broad shoulders and long arms sealed the direct shooting lane shut.
He grinned grimly at Aoi, as if declaring the outcome was already his.
Seeing this, many believed Aoi had no choice but to pass.
Even using a Formless Shot required space to execute.
And clearly, this wasn't enough space.
But those people didn't really understand the Formless Shot.
It wasn't just a freeform jumper from the front, nor was it just a flashy behind-the-back shot.
In the split second that followed, a piercing light flared in Aoi's eyes. Like lightning tearing through the night.
He snapped his wrist. The ball shot out like a bullet—toward the side of the backboard.
That greenish-blue streak tore through the frozen air.
Whoosh…
Kawata Masashi's eyes widened. His arm swung instinctively.
The ball brushed just past his fingers and slapped the backboard with a crisp thunk.
Every eye followed its arc.
Then—bounce.
It rebounded perfectly.
Bang…
It hit Kawata's outstretched arm. A misjudged reaction. Too slow to pull back.
Then came the unthinkable.
The ball hit Kawata's arm and—almost like magic—ricocheted again. This time back toward the board.
But this time, it hit the center square.
That changed the rebound angle entirely.
With less force now, the ball dropped cleanly.
Swish.
Right through the hoop.
For a moment, the entire arena froze in stunned silence. Everyone stood dumbstruck.
They'd just witnessed Aoi Kunisaku make a shot that defied every expectation.