'Damn it…'
Uekusa Tomoyuki was filled with regret.
He knew everything was his fault.
He'd been so captivated by the intense duel between Ake and Sendo that he completely lost focus.
So when the basketball came flying toward him, he didn't react at all.
Now, it was too late to do anything about it.
Time ticked away, second by second.
Sendoh advanced with the ball, his eyes calm but burning with sharp determination.
Facing Ake's defense, he lowered his stance, dribbled with his right hand, and shifted lightly on his feet. He threw out a quick fake, then suddenly exploded forward, cutting to the left.
Like a leopard, he tore through the defense and charged straight toward the basket.
Leaping high, he raised his arm, ready to finish with a sure layup.
He broke through.
For a moment, Sendoh relaxed—thinking he had finally shaken off Ake.
However… Ake moved.
It was as if he had anticipated everything.
He slid sideways half a step ahead of time, his body like an immovable wall blocking Sendoh's path.
Sendoh forced the shot midair, but an invisible pressure bore down on him.
Ake's left hand shot upward, his fingertips brushing the ball, while his right arm shielded Sendoh's vision.
Forced to change his shooting angle in midair, Sendo's movement lost balance.
Clank!
The ball hit the back rim and bounced out.
Ake's eyes narrowed.
Seizing the opening, he dashed forward and grabbed the rebound before anyone could react.
Without hesitation, he sprinted toward the upperclassmen's half-court for a counterattack.
Just as he was about to enter the paint, Sendoh gave chase at lightning speed.
So fast.
The first-years widened their eyes in disbelief.
Even the upperclassmen were shocked by Sendoh's monstrous acceleration.
Within seconds, Sendoh had caught up.
The two faced each other again just outside the three-point line.
The tension between them was electric.
Ake narrowed his eyes and suddenly crossed over, feinting a drive.
Sendoh instinctively stepped back to block.
But in that instant, Ake stopped abruptly and delivered a swift bounce pass with his left hand.
The ball zipped through the defensive gap like a serpent, landing perfectly in the hands of a teammate.
By the time Sendoh reacted, it was too late to intercept.
'Damn it…'
Sendoh wiped the sweat from his forehead, frustration flickering in his eyes.
Ake's passes were simply impossible to predict.
One small lapse in attention, and the ball was already gone.
Even Coach Taoka on the sidelines only realized Ake had passed when the ball was halfway across the court.
Shock spread across the coach's face.
That kind of silent, effortless passing—so clean, so subtle—was on an entirely different level.
'Could this be his true strength?'
In all his years of coaching, Taoka had never seen a player with such terrifying passing instincts.
On the court, Ake's teammate received the pinpoint pass, charged ahead, and finished the fast break with ease.
Swish.
The ball cut cleanly through the net.
Ake didn't celebrate. He didn't even smile.
For him, this play was as natural as breathing.
He cast a calm glance at Sendoh, then turned and jogged back on defense—composed, steady, unshaken.
Watching that cool, unflappable back, Sendoh's expression stiffened for a second—then curved into a faint grin, his fighting spirit reignited.
He took the ball again.
This time, he didn't force the offense.
He drew in a deep breath, his eyes sharp as blades.
Using a teammate's screen, he created space and faced Ake one-on-one near the right wing.
Backing down against Ake, he suddenly spun and took a jump shot.
But as soon as the ball left his fingertips, Ake was already there—leaping like a phantom, his hand grazing the bottom of the ball.
The slight interference was enough.
Clank!
The ball hit the rim and bounced off again.
Before Uozumi could even secure the rebound, Ake appeared out of nowhere.
He reached in and slapped the ball away in one motion.
"What—?!"
Uozumi's eyes widened in disbelief, cold sweat running down his back.
Ake didn't waste a second.
He sprinted down the court, dribbling with explosive speed.
Uekusa Tomoyuki rushed in to block him, but Ake's movement didn't slow.
The instant Uekusa closed the distance, Ake crossed over cleanly—leaving him completely behind.
"So fast…" Uekusa gasped, his heart pounding. "Has this guy been holding back this whole time?"
Ikegami Ryoji immediately stepped in to help, but Ake had already read his movements.
With a quick glance toward Aida Hikoichi on the wing, he baited Ikegami into hesitating for just a split second.
That was all he needed.
In a flash, Ake shifted direction and broke through.
"Damn it... I fell for it!" Ikegami cursed, turning to chase—but it was already too late.
Ake shot past like the wind.
Sendoh immediately followed, sprinting full speed, the pressure mounting with every step.
Ake slowed slightly, dribbling under control, his sharp gaze locked on Sendoh.
Then—suddenly—he crossed over, stepped back, then exploded forward again.
Sendoh stayed right on him, both of them moving at blinding speed.
As Ake leapt into the air for the layup, Sendoh also jumped, blocking with everything he had.
But Ake twisted midair and performed a perfect reverse layup.
The ball spun off his fingertips, arcing gracefully toward the hoop.
Swish.
The net rippled softly.
For a moment, the gym was dead silent.
Everyone stood frozen, jaws open, unable to believe what they had just seen.
Even Sendoh—their trusted ace—was being overpowered by a first-year freshman.
The upperclassmen were speechless.
In their hearts, Sendoh was untouchable.
Even Coach Taoka couldn't sit still anymore.
The power Ake displayed had far surpassed anything he had expected.
He never imagined that the kid Sendoh introduced could be this terrifying.
After the initial shock came excitement.
Ideas started flooding Taoka's mind—
'Build the team around Ake? Around Sendoh? Or both together?'
Just imagining Ake and Sendoh side by side on the court made his heart race.
Ryonan finally had hope.
With these two aces, this year's team could go further than ever before.
At this point, Ake's value in Taoka's eyes was already equal to Sendoh's—perhaps even greater.
Beep!
The final whistle echoed.
The scrimmage was over.
Final Score:
Freshmen 64 – 54 Upperclassmen.
A ten-point victory.
But no one even looked at the scoreboard.
Every pair of eyes was fixed on the calm, crimson-haired figure standing in the middle of the court.
The same thought flashed through everyone's mind:
'This kid… is a monster.'
Sendoh exhaled deeply, trying to steady his breathing.
He looked at Ake and smiled wryly.
"I lost to you again," he said with a small chuckle. "You're getting more and more terrifying."
"Lost again?" Koshino blurted out, surprised. "Wait, Sendoh—what do you mean again?"
Everyone turned toward Sendo, their eyes wide with curiosity.
Sendo shrugged, his voice calm.
"Yeah. I lost to Ake once in a one-on-one match back in junior high. Today makes it twice."
Boom.
The entire gym seemed to explode with shock.
Then—
Clap… clap… clap.
Applause echoed from the sideline.
Coach Taoka Moichi walked over, clapping his hands, his voice firm.
"Alright, that's enough for today! Starting tomorrow, we return to normal training."
Then he looked at Ake, his eyes filled with meaning.
"Ake, come with me for a moment."
Everyone watched Ake's retreating figure in silence, their hearts heavy with awe.
They all understood one thing—
From this day forward, Ryonan had another ace.
One who stood shoulder to shoulder with Sendoh.