The match had just started, but already it left everyone stunned.
"Wow! That's Aoi Kunisaku? He's insanely strong!"
"Only three plays in, and Aiwa Gakuen can't do anything against him."
"They're totally being crushed. Sure, they made one shot, but even I can tell they're getting pushed back hard."
"They're not even in the same league. Aiwa's gonna get wrecked."
…
The murmurs from the crowd grew louder and louder.
Anyone with a bit of basketball sense could see it—Aiwa Gakuen was clearly outmatched. Almost no one believed they had a shot at winning.
On Aiwa Gakuen's bench, the mood was suffocating, like a heavy fog smothering the whole team.
The game wasn't lost yet, but everyone's hearts felt heavy with anxiety.
"That Aoi Kunisaku is so fast," one player muttered, fear written all over his face.
"Yeah! I could only see a blur," another added, his voice full of helplessness and frustration.
"What do we do? His speed's not even something we can match. We can't catch him even without the ball. How are we supposed to play like this?"
…
Anxious murmurs spread through the bench. Every word just highlighted how shaken they were by Aoi's overwhelming skill.
Moroboshi Dai listened, his chest burning, but he didn't know how to vent the frustration.
He wanted to yell, to fire them up. But when he opened his mouth, nothing came out.
After a long silence, he finally broke through the tension.
"Pass the ball to me."
Those words instantly drew everyone's attention.
Every pair of eyes focused on him.
Moroboshi took a deep breath and forced down the chaos in his chest. He spoke calmly, "I get why everyone's shaken. That Aoi Kunisaku really is strong—way beyond what we expected. But don't forget, we're not some weak team that just rolls over! Are you really okay with handing them the win without a fight?"
The players slowly shook their heads. In their dim eyes, a spark of resolve began to flicker.
Seeing this, Moroboshi smiled slightly. His tone firmed up.
"Whatever happens in this match, I'm giving everything I've got—for our dream, and for Aiwa Gakuen's pride."
Captain…
His unshakable will stirred something in every player's chest, blending confusion, shame, and resolve all at once.
"So let me take the lead. Just back me up all the way, and we'll find a breakthrough."
Moroboshi's eyes sharpened like a blade, sweeping across each teammate.
"Yes!" everyone answered in unison.
Their voices still had hints of fear, but more than anything, they were filled with reckless courage.
…
The timeout ended in a flash.
Tweet…
The referee blew the whistle.
The match resumed.
Aiwa Gakuen's players came back onto the court with a new energy. Their eyes burned with defiance.
Every one of them carried the aura of warriors with nothing left to lose.
But Aoi Kunisaku remained as relaxed as ever. He lazily rotated his wrists, as if Aiwa's momentum meant nothing to him.
Aiwa Gakuen launched their offense. They passed with smooth coordination, slipping past Shohoku's defense again and again.
But in Aoi's eyes, it was just kids playing house. He didn't even raise an eyebrow. All he felt was boredom.
To be honest, he was disappointed. Aside from Moroboshi Dai, none of them were even worth a glance.
He didn't want to waste time.
His body vanished like an arrow released.
Just as Moroboshi crossed the three-point line, Aoi appeared right in front of him like a ghost.
Before Moroboshi could react, Aoi's long arm shot out like a viper and stripped the ball away.
"No… no way!" Moroboshi's face drained of color. The veins on his forehead bulged with pressure.
He turned to chase, but all he saw was Aoi's blurry back.
In just a few strides, the gap between them widened fast.
Damn it.
His sneakers screeched against the hardwood.
Moroboshi gritted his teeth. His eyes were full of defiance, and he pushed himself to full speed.
But no matter how hard he ran, he couldn't close the distance.
All he could do was watch as Aoi leapt beneath the basket, made a clean layup, and scored again.
Shohoku 8 to 3 Aiwa Gakuen.
Time kept ticking, second by second, in an atmosphere that felt tense but wasn't tense at all.
The match situation hadn't changed a bit. Shohoku held the court with complete control.
Aoi Kunisaku moved like a ghost, constantly pulling off steals and fast breaks.
And he wasn't the only one shining—Shohoku's whole squad brought their A-game.
Rukawa Kaede slashed through the defense again and again with sharp drives and accurate shots.
Mitsui Hisashi was solid as a rock. Every time he had an opening, he pulled up for a three—and he sank most of them.
Inside the paint, Akagi Takenori had a clear size and power advantage. Aiwa Gakuen struggled both on offense and defense, completely suppressed by Shohoku.
As the match continued, the point gap snowballed.
15 to 6.
22 to 8.
29 to 10.
35 to 17.
…
Most of the first half had passed, and the score gap had ballooned to an overwhelming 18 points.
Seeing such a lopsided score, Aiwa Gakuen's players fell into near despair.
Even Moroboshi Dai, who had been resilient the whole time, was now gasping, dripping sweat. His eyes went momentarily blank.
He had expected Shohoku to be strong, but not like this. Their power went far beyond anything he imagined.
He used to think Shohoku was just powerful because of Aoi Kunisaku.
But now he understood—every player on Shohoku's squad had serious skills. Aoi was just the strongest among them.
Moroboshi wiped the sweat from his cheek. A flicker of fighting spirit returned to his gaze.
"The game's not over. We haven't lost yet!" he shouted, trying to rally his teammates.
But this time, no one was stirred. Their eyes only showed helplessness—and resignation.
"Pass me the ball." Moroboshi raised his hand.
In that moment, his aura shifted sharply. A burning fire roared inside him.
Smack…
He caught the incoming pass firmly.
In a flash, a blazing determination erupted from him. The dull look in his eyes vanished. They now radiated sharp, intense light.
He charged ahead like a warrior carrying a live explosive, throwing himself into danger without hesitation, barreling straight for Shohoku's basket.
For a moment, the entire gym felt filled with the sound of war horns.
Dribbling with precision and force, Moroboshi relied on his technique and willpower to cut through Shohoku's layers of defense.
He shook off Mitsui Hisashi, slipped past Miyagi Ryota's block, then tricked Akagi Takenori into missing the timing.
Finally, he broke through and reached Shohoku's paint.
Seeing the rim right there in front of him, he pushed off the ground with everything he had.
"Ahhh—!"
Moroboshi let out a deafening roar, pouring all his strength into one final strike against Shohoku's basket.
His aura exploded to its peak. He was like a towering mountain, radiating terrifying pressure.
The players of Aiwa Gakuen were shaken, watching their captain's fearless charge.
'The captain hasn't given up—how could we?'
'If he's fighting that hard… then we—'
'This is our captain. The Star of Aiwa.'
A sudden surge of belief swept through the team. The flame of fighting spirit that had almost died now blazed back to life.
Smack…
But in the blink of an eye, a brutal sound of the ball getting stuffed crushed all hope like a hammer blow.
Aoi Kunisaku appeared out of nowhere, a black flash right in front of Moroboshi.
Just as Moroboshi went for the dunk, Aoi met him in midair and blocked the shot with merciless force.
The ball snapped out of Moroboshi's hand and slammed into the floor behind him.
And Moroboshi himself, thrown back by the force of the block, fell awkwardly and hard.
Thud…
He hit the ground flat on his back, the sound echoing.
In an instant, all the toughness, the bravery, the desperation he had just shown vanished like smoke.
The faint spark of hope Aiwa Gakuen had just reignited… was smothered in an instant—leaving only suffocating silence and despair.