Bang!
Hagioka Kasayuki cut in at just the right moment to receive the pass from Tondo Kaoru.
With Reo Mibuchi and Kotarō Hayama closing in, he calmly held the ball high. With a flick of his wrist, he dished it off to the power forward, Hino Shinya, who had cut sharply from the side straight into the paint.
Reo Mibuchi's eyes narrowed
Neither Hagioka Kasayuki nor Hino Shinya had exchanged hand signals or even a glance. Their passing, their cuts—everything relied on a chemistry built over six long years, from their Okayama days to Rakuzan now.
Just thinking about it was terrifying.
On the other side, Hino Shinya kept it simple.
Stop.
Pull-up jumper.
Swish.
Even Nebuya Eikichi had only just made it back in time and couldn't contest. If even he was too slow, the two first-years filling in the lineup stood no chance.
After all, back in junior high, the "Okayama Miracle" had been famous for their average height.
And now, in high school…
Their average was nearly 195 cm!
On the court, Rakuzan, ever-disciplined, instantly shifted from offense to defense after scoring.
Reo Mibuchi called for the ball from Hayama, intentionally avoiding Hagioka's defense, and launched a long pass upcourt to another first-year.
"Catch it!"
Whoosh!
The moment he released the pass, Mibuchi exploded into a sprint.
But in terms of pure running, Rakuzan's Kamimori Tosei wasn't any slower. Getting free through off-ball movement wouldn't be easy. Realizing this, Mibuchi called for the ball back.
Rakuzan spread the floor.
Pa! Pa! Pa!
Unlike in middle school, Mibuchi didn't even bother with his signature triple-threat stance of "heaven, earth, void." Instead, he simply put the ball to the floor.
Kamimori hadn't expected that—he was beaten instantly by Mibuchi's sharp, efficient drive.
Hagioka rotated to help, but Mibuchi pulled him in and immediately dished the ball. Hayama darted forward like a drill, leading the charge!
Two long strides into the paint, he gathered and went up
But in that instant
A huge hand came from behind, followed by a towering shadow that blocked out the light!
Smack!
The ball was sent flying!
From the sidelines, the rookies watching thought they saw only a streak of dark lightning engulfing Hagioka, like an arrow driven forward by thunder.
He had already closed out on Mibuchi, and yet in the blink of an eye, he was there on Hayama too, delivering a block!
"How?!"
Hayama froze, stunned.
"Still haven't figured it out?"
"Rookies…"
"Watch closely."
"Did you really think such a simple play could break my defense?"
Mibuchi quickly recovered the loose ball. His instincts in sudden situations were far sharper than any of the rookies'. Securing it, he rose from beyond the arc for a three.
But the very next second, his brow furrowed—
Hagioka's movement!
Of course…
The same figure who had blocked under the rim now took a giant stride and leapt again, soaring up in front of Mibuchi!
And this block
It wasn't ordinary.
The height—was overwhelming!
The only one who could compare would be Shigure Akihito, though no one knew just how far his physical ability had grown now.
"Tch"
Lucky he pulled back. How high are you going to jump?!
Mibuchi had dealt with wide-coverage defenders before.
The trick was simple
Target the blind spots of that circular zone.
A skip pass, a sharp cross-court swing.
Unfortunately, Hagioka couldn't cover everything. But the first-year on the receiving end still couldn't finish against Rakuzan's center, Tajika Makoto.
Rakuzan secured the rebound. Tondo Kaoru pushed it forward, scanned the floor, and swung it back to Hagioka.
At the top of the arc, Hagioka held the ball in one hand with casual elegance.
His defender: Reo Mibuchi.
"Senpai…"
"This is just an entrance test. You don't have to target us so much, do you~?"
Mibuchi's tone was as smooth as ever, but his face betrayed no emotion. One hand pressed lightly at Hagioka's waist, probing for space, hoping to contest the instant Hagioka went up.
But looking at Mibuchi—someone of Shigure's generation, radiating unshaken fighting spirit—Hagioka was momentarily dazed.
That brat Shigure…
Does he even realize?
That since entering high school, Hagioka himself had become someone entirely different.
And as the thought flickered through him, though he knew Mibuchi wasn't anywhere near Shigure's level, Hagioka instinctively let a trace of his true power spill out.
He palmed the ball.
Stood tall.
And around him
A black mist began to coil and spread, thick as ink, flowing outward.
"It's rare to face someone of Shigure's generation. Hard to hold back…"
"Future juniors of Rakuzan"
Nanji…
Ruinous Shadow!
Smack!
Through-the-legs crossover!
Mibuchi's eyes widened, every nerve on edge.
It was strange
The danger, the sheer force of presence was suffocating.
But the speed—was actually slower than before. If he went for the steal now…
There was a chance!
He reached out
And in that instant, under Hagioka's oppressive aura, everyone watching could faintly see it: a shroud of black mist.
His hand cut through the fog
And then
Hagioka moved, as if in sync with Mibuchi's own motion, as though Mibuchi had propelled him forward. The ball slid smoothly into Hagioka's right hand.
A single step, a clean drive—Mibuchi was left completely behind.
"…?!"
What was that just now?
It wasn't just reflexes.
Hagioka…
It was as if his movement had been linked directly to Mibuchi's, like they were bound by an unseen lever.
One forward, one back—forever untouchable.
END OF CHAPTER
CROWN BEFORE THE MIRACLES
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