Kainan launched a counterattack.
Maki Shinichi and Aoi Kunisaku faced each other, eyes sharp like eagles, as if they could see through every move.
But at this moment, the ball wasn't in Maki's hands.
On the other side of the court, Kiyota Nobunaga dribbled the ball at full speed, charging straight for Shohoku's basket like he was going to break through anything in his way.
But just before he crossed Half-Court, a voice boomed out beside his ear like thunder.
"Watch out…"
The voice came out of nowhere, startling Kiyota so much he trembled, nearly choking on his own heartbeat.
In the same instant the voice dropped, a red blur flashed right past him.
Suddenly, his hand felt light. The basketball, once firmly under control, had vanished without a trace.
"Ah… crap!" Kiyota snapped back to reality in a panic. He spun around quickly and spotted the person who stole the ball like a ghost.
"Aoi Kunisaku…" Shock and anger surged inside him. He instinctively tried to chase him down.
But Aoi had already pulled several strides ahead.
Kiyota watched Aoi's figure disappear down the court, a wave of helplessness rising in his chest. He could only stand there and watch as the gap widened.
"Is this guy even human? When did he get that close? He flashed right past my eyes. My body couldn't react at all…" Kiyota's eyes widened in disbelief, his face full of fear.
The rest of Kainan's players froze the moment the ball was stolen. They immediately switched to Defense, scrambling to stop Aoi from scoring.
But Aoi, like a wild predator, took just one step past the three-point line, then launched himself high into the air. His right hand held the ball steady, ready for a powerful Dunk.
Muto Tadashi reacted the fastest, the first to make it back to the paint. Seeing Aoi already airborne, he didn't hesitate. He jumped too, reaching up to disrupt Aoi's rhythm.
They collided midair. Muto's body slammed into Aoi's left arm.
In that moment, Aoi's body twisted from the impact. But his eyes stayed locked. The hit felt like nothing.
He quickly pulled the ball back with his right hand, creating space from Muto's hand. Then with a flick of his wrist and a push of his fingers, he sent the ball flying.
Muto's eyes bulged. His heart clenched. "No way… he shot that? In this situation?!"
But the ball traced a clean arc above his palm and swished into the basket behind him.
Swish…
The net rippled clean. The crowd exploded.
Shohoku 38, Kainan 44.
Tweet—
Almost as soon as the ball went in, the Referee's whistle shrieked. He pointed at Muto and shouted, "Kainan number 9, defensive foul! Basket counts! One Free Throw!"
Muto gritted his teeth. A guilty look crossed his face. "Sorry, everyone," he muttered.
Maki quickly walked over and clapped him on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it. We'll get it back next play."
"…Yes." Muto paused, then nodded. His focus returned, eyes burning with fire again.
…
In the stands, the crowd had already gone wild. Voices buzzed nonstop.
But their focus wasn't on the score. It was on that unbelievable Steal and Shot.
"Did you see it clearly? How did he even steal that?"
"No idea! Looked like Shohoku's number 9 just zipped across the court out of nowhere!"
"He was way too fast. Can anyone even catch someone like that? Kainan's number 10 didn't react at all."
"You're missing the point! He made that shot while off-balance. That's insane!"
"Pfft, you must be new. For Shohoku's number 9, that's just another day."
…
On Shohoku's Bench—
Ayako's eyes went wide with disbelief. She whispered, "Aoi… did I see that right? He feels even stronger than before…"
Shimizu Kanon's gaze turned calm and distant, as if lost in memory. Her eyes shimmered as she slowly said, "Saku-chan's the type who gets stronger the longer the game goes. His real strength always wakes up late."
"Real strength? Wakes up?" Ayako looked confused, her face full of question marks. "What does that even mean?"
Shimizu Kanon paused as if gathering her thoughts, then replied softly, "Actually, Saku-chan hasn't played seriously in a long time. He couldn't find any worthy opponents. So basketball just… went cold for him. He lost the passion he used to have."
Her expression dimmed with a trace of sadness, like she was remembering something beautiful that had been lost.
The rest of Shohoku looked at her, completely puzzled. None of them understood what she meant, and confusion filled their faces.
Only Coach Anzai had a thoughtful glint behind his lenses, as if something had occurred to him.
Ayako pressed further. "Lost his old passion? You mean…"
"Yeah…" Shimizu Kanon sighed softly and went on. "Back then, Saku-chan really loved basketball. He used to smile all the time during games. But I don't know when it started… I just haven't seen him smile while playing in so long."
"Eh? That's…" Ayako froze, at a loss for words. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out.
Shohoku's bench players sat quietly, lost in thought as they processed Shimizu Kanon's words. A ripple stirred in their hearts.
Coach Anzai didn't speak either, but his eyes glinted faintly with realization.
He understood. Aoi Kunisaku's current state was just as he'd suspected. His talent was so overwhelming that no one on the court could challenge him. Bit by bit, he had lost interest. But he couldn't give up the game either.
It was because he loved basketball too much. And when he couldn't find anyone strong enough to compete with, the game became dull.
Even though he understood the cause, Coach Anzai still felt helpless. This wasn't uncommon for gifted players.
But Aoi Kunisaku's case was different.
He was only a first-year. With the level of strength he had shown so far, Coach Anzai honestly couldn't imagine anyone in high school who could match him.
That boy people called the strongest in all of high school—could even he stand a chance?
Coach Anzai had his doubts.
…
On the court.
Swish…
The ball dropped clean through the net.
Aoi Kunisaku casually sank the Free Throw.
Shohoku 39, Kainan 44.
The score was closing in. The tension on the court climbed higher.
The game resumed.
Kainan launched another Offensive Possession.
The ball zipped through their players' hands like a sprite, swiftly closing in on Shohoku's basket.
Just outside the Three-Point Line, the ball landed securely in Maki Shinichi's hands.
In that same moment, Aoi Kunisaku appeared in front of him like a flash of red lightning.
They locked eyes again. Sparks flew invisibly in the air around them. Neither made the first move.
Behind Maki, his shadow began to grow clearer. The more defined it became, the stronger his presence felt.
Suddenly, Maki's eyes flashed cold. The pressure he had been building erupted.
He swung his arms. His feet lunged sharply to the side. His motion was fast as thunder, hoping to throw Aoi off rhythm with an unexpected Direction Change.
But to Aoi, it all played out in slow motion. His expression didn't waver. His gaze was sharp and calm.
At the exact instant Maki switched directions, Aoi moved his feet. He matched the timing perfectly.
Maki didn't stop. He spun and redirected the ball behind his back, smoothly returning to his original position.
The sudden switch was so fast that even Kainan's teammates, who had moved up to support Maki, couldn't react. Their eyes widened in shock.
But just as everyone thought Maki was about to break through—
Smack…
A sharp sound cracked through the air.
What shocked everyone was that, almost at the exact moment Maki completed his spin, Aoi had already cut in like a ghost and intercepted the ball from his hands.
Maki's eyes widened. His face froze in disbelief. It was like he couldn't process what just happened.
The other Kainan players were just as stunned. What they expected to be a breakthrough had disappeared in a flash. It all happened too fast.
"What the hell is going on with this guy? That move I did just now—it was pure instinct. No cue, no prep. He still stopped me?" Maki's heart was full of frustration and doubt. He couldn't figure it out.
But Aoi had no time to worry about Maki's thoughts. He instantly exploded forward, rocketing past Maki like an arrow off the string.
"Damn it," Maki growled and spun to chase him down.
But the more he ran, the more he realized—he couldn't close the distance at all.
"His speed…" Maki's heart pounded.
Suddenly, his pupils shrank.
Ahead of him, Aoi Kunisaku looked like a black panther, sleek and deadly. The pressure radiating off him was suffocating.
At that moment, Aoi's speed hit an all-time high. He became a blur, like a shadow streaking down the court.
He tore straight through to Kainan's basket. Then he leapt into the air and grabbed the ball with both hands.
With a powerful slam, he completed a forceful Dunk.
Clang!
The ball slammed through the hoop.
Shohoku 41, Kainan 44.
The score tightened even further.