The 1v1 – Court Heat
The gym fell silent as Jiro spun the ball on his finger, grinning. "First to five. Try not to cry when I dunk on you, LegacyBoy."
Kenji rolled his shoulders, the agency's text burning in his mind. ¥50,000 per usable sequence.
"Just play."
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First Possession – Jiro's Flair
Jiro moved like liquid, his crossover sharp enough to slice steel. Kenji stumbled—
"Too slow!" Jiro scored with a finger roll.
1-0.
Haru's tablet nearly overheated. "Kenji's lateral movement is 0.3 seconds slower than his father's peak—"
"Shut up, nerd," Rin snapped, but his eyes stayed glued to the court.
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Second Possession – Instinct Awakens
Kenji drove left—fake—then spun right. For a split second, his body flowed in a way that made the team gasp.
The ball left his fingertips in an arc so pure, the net didn't even rustle.
1-1.
From the bleachers, Coach Morita's cigarette froze halfway to his lips.
That turn… Sora's unfinished "Phantom Dribble."
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Mid-Game – The Delinquent's Mind Games
Jiro leaned in, sweat dripping. "You're thinking too much." A vicious crossover. "Basketball ain't *math*."
3-1.
Kenji's breath came ragged. Across the court, Akira stood arms crossed—then suddenly clapped.
"Stop being precious," the captain growled. "You want to win? Hatelosingmore."
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The Comeback – Ghost in the Machine
Something in Kenji snapped.
His next move was raw, instinctive—a spin so sharp Jiro nearly tripped. The ball left Kenji's hand in a blur.
Swish. 3-2.
Haru's jaw dropped. "That—that wasn't in any recorded footage! Your father never completed that spin—"
"Shut it and watch," Rin muttered, eyes wide.
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Final Point – The Unfinished Move
Kenji feinted left, then pivoted—his body twisting in midair like Sora's ghost possessed him.
But at the peak of the turn, his foot slipped.
The ball ricocheted off the rim.
Jiro snatched the rebound and scored with a layup so lazy, it was an insult.
5-3. Game.
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Aftermath – Unexpected Camaraderie
Jiro tossed Kenji a water bottle. "Almost had me. Almost."
Haru was already sketching a new move on his tablet. "If we adjust the pivot angle by 15 degrees—"
Coach Mority lit another cigarette, hiding his shaking hands. That move… it could've been perfect.
Akira shoved Kenji's shoulder—hard.
"You're not half as bad as I thought."
And for the first time, Kenji felt something dangerous:
Pride.
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