"Teiko's first-years…"
"How can they all be this strong…?"
Impossible!
Two years in a row…
This doesn't make sense!
A wave of existential doubt swept through the minds of the players from Heishi Middle School.
Next up, Heishi prepared for a baseline inbound.
Their point guard brought the ball up under a completely different kind of defense than in the first half, NIjimura Shuzo's lockdown presence made sure of that. Even though he could tell the opposing defense had relaxed somewhat, he didn't dare hold the ball for even a second too long.
Whoosh!
He scanned the court
And passed the ball inside, to the player matched up with the biggest size advantage.
In the paint…
Heishi's power forward vs. Teiko's power forward, Aomine Daiki.
183 cm vs. 175 cm.
"Bring it on!"
He'd watched from the bench as his team was dismantled by Teiko's first-years, though it had mostly been the upperclassmen doing the damage. Even so, seeing his teammates slowly give up resisting had left a bad taste in Aomine's mouth.
Now, with the opponent charging in, that frustration disappeared in an instant.
Thud! Thud!
Heishi's power forward went to work, classic back-down post play, using his size and muscle. Compared to Aomine, who had just entered middle school, his strength was no joke.
Thud! Another collision!
Aomine was forced back a step.
Spin move…
Fake!
Quick counter-spin…
Up-and-under!
He leapt toward the rim, going for a finger roll.
But,
Behind him, the first-year he thought he'd shaken off with those dazzling footwork combos had already recovered, despite being knocked off-balance, Aomine used nothing but raw agility to spring back up.
And that wasn't all…
From the side, Murasakibara Atsushi closed in, taking two monstrous strides from the opposite side of the paint.
In a flash, the two first-years rose, left and right, casting shadows that blocked out the gym's overhead lights. That familiar feeling of suffocating pressure made Heishi's power forward shudder all over.
Smack!
Aomine was closer, but Murasakibara's massive wingspan let him arrive at nearly the same moment.
Two hands.
Together, they swatted Heishi's layup off the backboard with a thunderous rejection!
"Haizaki."
"Ah, ah, I'm already running!"
Pass it over here!
That maniac!
The second voice Heishi wasn't familiar with, but the cold voice at the start, they knew exactly who that was: NIjimura Shuzo.
Every Heishi player's face paled.
But
NIjimura had already processed the court's flow and reacted lightning-fast.
The Heishi forward, still in shock from being sandwiched between two blockers, turned around to shout a warning after hearing that voice,
Too late!
NIjimura had already completed the pass. Far down the court, a player with gray hair and the number 12 on his back had caught the ball and was sprinting full speed into Heishi's half.
And he was fast.
Swish!
A clean fast break and score!
Landing after his layup, Haizaki Shōgo grabbed the ball from the net with a wicked grin, flashing a taunting eyebrow raise at Aomine in the backcourt.
Then,
Smack!
When the Heishi players finally returned, Haizaki shoved the ball into the chest of the dazed player about to inbound.
"The big dumb giant was right."
"You guys should probably just give up"
"Otherwise…"
"Things are going to get, "
Before he could finish his cocky line, he saw the violent brute wearing jersey number 4 walking toward him. Haizaki's voice dropped to a mutter almost instantly.
But it was clear,
NIjimura Shuzo heard everything.
Thud!
As expected,
Haizaki ate a solid punch to the head.
The way he doubled over in pain made even Heishi's players flinch.
But then,
That same lion-like presence suddenly said something unexpected.
"…Sorry, senpai."
"!?"
"Ah?"
"Ah… it's fine."
From the beginning of the match until now, no one besides Shigure Akihito had exuded such overwhelming pressure. Instinctively, the Heishi player responded.
Once he realized what he said and watched NIjimura turn and jog back on defense, his spirits fell even lower.
That moment,
He felt like he was facing a mountain.
But just then, as NIjimura scolded Teiko's No. 12, something he said jolted the Heishi player from his gloom.
"What are you getting cocky for? You're just a brat relying on raw talent."
"For someone who's worked harder and stuck with it longer, a senpai, you should have some damn respect."
"Hah?!"
"Senpai, my ass…"
"You're so stuck in the past, old man!"
"Talk to me when you've survived three years. You have no idea how many hardships that takes."
"With your attitude? You'll probably quit halfway through. I honestly doubt you'll even be at Teiko by third year."
"Hmph!"
"Well, you definitely won't be."
Thud!
Haizaki: "!"
Damn it…
That bastard brute!
Hardships?
What a joke. He's just one year older!
What could he possibly know?
Tch!
Of course, Haizaki only dared complain inwardly. He even avoided eye contact, he knew full well this brute was scarily good at reading people.
Meanwhile,
Back on their half of the court, the Heishi players exchanged looks after brushing past NIjimura.
The ball was inbounded,
Smack.
Their captain, the point guard, slowly dribbled forward and raised his hand.
"Everyone…"
"Don't think about anything else."
"Forget that they're Teiko's first-years, or that they're the so-called Twin Stars of Teiko…"
"The embarrassing score doesn't matter either…"
"We…"
Don't have supernatural "talent."
Don't have dumb luck.
But we've loved this game enough to work for it, for three years, and we're still standing here…
He couldn't bring himself to say the last part out loud.
But his teammates, who'd walked this journey with him, understood.
"Let's go!"
"Slow the pace!"
"Play around the pick-and-roll! Avoid the paint as much as possible… NIjimura too!"
"Take advantage of our height. Except for the center, all their first-years are around 175 cm."
"Yeah! Let's gooo!"
But in the end,
The outcome didn't change.
No matter the determination, the gap in strength wouldn't vanish.
End of the 3rd quarter.
Teiko vs Heishi: 112 – 16.
Smack!
Heishi's shooting guard came off a screen, pulled up at the top of the arc…
But Midorima Shintarō's tight defense altered the shot mid-air with a fingertip block.
Rebound.
Murasakibara Atsushi snatched the ball down.
Immediately, he looked for his sly-eyed captain.
NIjimura caught it.
Long pass!
In the blink of an eye, Teiko transitioned.
It was a perfect pass, well-timed and pinpoint. As Midorima received the ball, even he couldn't help but be impressed.
NIjimura's vision and timing were already on another level.
Flawless!
But unlike Haizaki and Aomine, who rushed to dunk,
Midorima, of course, opted for a three-pointer on the break.
Swish!
Pull-up just before the arc. A smooth release.
Three months into the season, his shot form had already evolved.
That high-arching rainbow three,
In Shigure Akihito's eyes, it was starting to resemble Midorima's future self from the original series.
Swish!
Three-pointer, nothing but net!
The impact was so clean it bounced hard off the floor.
Midorima: "…"
That was his third.
Nine points.
Still behind Aomine. He'd pass him in the fourth.
"That arc is insane!"
"It's not as far as Shigure Akihito's crazy deep-range threes, but that kind of arc… and he's 3-for-3?"
"And after Shigure, Teiko has another three-point specialist…"
"That freak Shigure…"
"Is there anything he can't do?"
Hearing the whispers from the crowd, the tsundere Midorima pushed up his glasses and pretended not to care, but inside, he snorted coldly.
He looked over at Shigure Akihito sitting on the bench,
Then at NIjimura Shuzo on the court,
Then at,
Murasakibara.
Aomine.
Midorima: "…"
Arc.
Accuracy.
Next… Distance.
He hadn't succeeded yet…
But soon,
His eyes locked onto Fukaya Reiji, sitting on the bench. Even though his bangs covered his eyes, Midorima could somehow feel his gaze.
And then,
His expression sharpened.
They weren't working on the same thing.
But the meaning was identical.
To refine the one thing you're best at, and use it to climb higher.
If Fukaya-senpai could do it, so could he.
That was the path shown by a senior. A path already proven.
But…
My talent will surpass yours, senpai.
That one shot you sacrificed everything to chase,
I'll hit it consistently.
I'll surpass you in every way!
"Nice shot, Shintarō. Keep it up."
Midorima: "!"
"Yes, sir!"
Moved by the encouragement from Fukaya, who had earlier received his support, Midorima responded with rare sincerity, even pausing mid-stride to bow slightly.
Off to the side,
Shigure Akihito blinked in surprise.
Was this the same Midorima?
So respectful to a senpai?
Really?
End of chapter...
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