A small crack had formed in Midorima Shintaro's composure.
That pass from Akashi Asuka earlier might have looked like it only gave Seiho two points…
…but its side effect was like delivering true damage straight to Midorima's mind, a strike that had nothing to do with basketball on the surface, but in reality, was a blow right to the heart.
=========
"Tch! The Generation of Miracles really are a bunch of monsters. This is the first time I've seen an opponent even Akashi can't completely shut down," Kasuga Ryuhei muttered in awe.
"Idiot, what nonsense are you spouting?"
Tsutomu Iwamura clapped him on the shoulder. "Looks like they've already shown most of their cards. But we still have one we haven't used, don't we?"
"We're about to start the final quarter. You're still not planning to use your three-pointer?" he said, turning to Akashi.
Akashi only smiled slightly. "No rush. It's always good to keep one trump card in hand…"
Even if Akashi revealed his shooting guard skills against Shutoku, it would only give Seiho a slight offensive boost, it wouldn't drastically change the game.
Not because of lack of skill, but because of match-up dynamics. Just as he and Kagami Taiga were natural counters to Midorima's shooting, Shutoku's style happened to be at a disadvantage against Seiho's defense.
So instead of wasting a card here, it was better to keep it hidden.
After all, Akashi hadn't forgotten, Touou Academy's manager, Satsuki Momoi, still had her skill for gathering information and predicting plays.¹
=========
The fourth quarter began.
Right away, Akashi stuffed Midorima with a huge block.
Seiho immediately launched a fast break. Akashi drove into the lane, Otsubo Taisuke rushed in to help, and together with Midorima, they double-teamed him.
Akashi didn't even think for a second, he swung the ball out. Iwamura caught it and sank the shot with ease.
63–62.
=========
"Tch… trouble," Coach Nakatani Masaaki muttered from the bench, chin resting on his hand.
Basketball was a team sport. Five players working together will always be stronger than one, no doubt about it.
In the past, Midorima's skill so far surpassed others that his lack of cooperation didn't matter. The gap between genius and ordinary was so great that forcing teamwork could backfire.
But now, facing an opponent of equal level who could limit him, that lack of coordination had instantly become a fatal flaw.
The situation was clear, Shutoku couldn't break Seiho's defense, but Seiho could, with effort, crack Shutoku's.
Because Shutoku was effectively "down a man."
Not in literal numbers, but in cohesion, Midorima's inability to mesh defensively with the team meant he wasn't on the same tactical wavelength.
Basketball 5-on-5 isn't just five separate 1-on-1s.
=========
"Hey, hey… we're all supposed to be kings, but I'm not running myself ragged just to take a crushing loss back to school," Takao Kazunari said, dribbling on the perimeter.
He swept his Hawk's Eye across the court, taking in every detail in an instant and found no passing lanes at all.
A full-court man-to-man at a critical moment, this was Seiho's specialty.
"Takao! Give me the ball!"
Otsubo managed to barely shake off Iwamura, creating a sliver of space. Takao passed, Otsubo faked a spin to shake Iwamura, then went up strong for the dunk.
"Not happening!"
Iwamura jumped, but the height difference cost him, Otsubo had the advantage.
Just as the dunk was about to land, a massive hand appeared out of nowhere and smacked it down.
Smack!
It was Akashi Asuka, arriving just in time for the help defense.
But before Seiho could relax, an unexpected twist,
The deflected ball didn't land in their hands. Instead, it bounced right to Takao.
Grinning, Takao said, "Thanks for the pass," and turned to swing it out to Midorima but at the last second, he pulled it back.
Somehow, Tsugawa Tomoki had appeared in front of Midorima.
No doubt about it, if that pass had gone out, it would've been stolen.
"Switch defense… you two first-years, do you have to be this in sync?"
Sweat began to bead on Takao's forehead.
Since entering high school, this was the first time he'd faced a defense this airtight, both in individual skill and team coordination.
Seiho didn't feel like a basketball team, they felt like a precision machine running at full speed.
"Hey, rookie, this is a bad time to get distracted!"
Smack!
Under the suffocating defensive pressure, Takao made the tiniest lapse, and Kasuga Ryuhei pounced, stealing the ball.
"Fast break!"
Seiho wasted no time turning defense into offense.
"Crap!"
Takao's face fell as he sprinted back on defense, but they were a step too slow. Seiho scored again.
63–64.
The lead had changed.
"Ooohhhhhh!"
Seiho's bench and starters erupted in cheers.
Behind them, Midorima stared at the scoreboard, momentarily stunned.
Reversed?
For someone from Teiko, this was a rare sight. Since his second year of middle school, Teiko had never let such a situation happen.
We got reversed? I guess I underestimated them. Have I gotten too used to victory being a given since middle school?
Midorima's emotions were strange, there was anger at trailing, but deep inside, a spark of excitement.
The next instant, he caught the ball, a faint green aura seeming to radiate off him. He slipped past Akashi in a blink, raised his hands, and fired.
Whoosh!
Swish!
The ball arced high like a comet and dropped perfectly through the hoop.
Midorima adjusted his glasses and said calmly, "I am one chosen by destiny. There's no way I can lose."
=============
108 Advance Chapters Available on Patreon! Patreon.com/Veltoria [remove brackets]
250 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter
Add to Library to support