Back on the court.
Both teams knew that the earlier clash between Aoi Kunisaku and Maki Shinichi had pushed the Tempo to a near-unbearable pace. Now they both tried to slow things down and control the flow.
Kainan started with the Ball. Kiyota Nobunaga Dribbled forward, scanning the court and checking his teammates' positions for a good Offensive chance.
Just then, Rukawa Kaede closed in fast. His eyes were sharp like a hawk's, and a cold aura radiated off him, mixed with intense fighting spirit.
That fire wasn't aimed at Kiyota. It came from watching Aoi and Maki's explosive showdown. Their performance had completely ignited something in him.
He knew he still couldn't match either of them. But in his heart, he vowed he'd prove himself one day—he'd catch up with them.
"Wild Instinct, huh…" Rukawa muttered to himself.
He'd heard about it earlier while resting. He didn't fully understand what it was yet, but he was sure—given his talent—he'd get it eventually.
In a flash, Rukawa's eyes turned even colder, like they could freeze the air.
That sudden shift made Kiyota freeze. Rukawa reacted fast and went for the Steal.
Smack—
The ball was cleanly stolen. Rukawa pushed off with both legs, bursting past Kiyota like an arrow.
"Ahhh—!" Kiyota grabbed his head in frustration and quickly turned to chase after him. "Damn you, Rukawa! Get back here!"
But Rukawa ignored him, sprinting full speed toward Kainan's basket.
He wasn't as fast as Aoi or Maki, but he wasn't easy to catch either.
Takasago Kazuma quickly dropped back to guard the paint, bracing for impact.
Shinzou Ichirou also raced back, covering the area around the Three-Point Line.
Rukawa's eyes narrowed. He didn't expect Kainan to recover so fast.
Mitsui Hisashi and Miyagi Ryota were shocked too.
Mitsui: "Damn! How do they have so much stamina?!"
Miyagi: "Why are they so damn fast?!"
Takato Riki smirked to himself on the sideline. "When it comes to running, Kainan won't lose to anyone."
By now, Rukawa was breathing hard. His stamina was draining fast, and he was getting frustrated.
The first half's crazy Tempo—pushed by Aoi and Maki—had everyone constantly sprinting even without the Ball. The short halftime break wasn't nearly enough to recover.
Rukawa's eyes lit up. He lowered his body and made a sudden Quick Direction Change, slipping past Shinzou Ichirou and diving into the paint.
Takasago locked onto him instantly, watching every move closely.
Rukawa didn't hesitate. He jumped in front of Takasago and went straight into his shooting motion—quick and smooth.
Takasago didn't expect such decisiveness. He jumped up too, trying to Block.
But he underestimated Rukawa's skill. Mid-air, Rukawa suddenly pulled the ball down and slipped it under Takasago's arm, then flicked it toward the Rim with a Hook Shot.
Then—
Rukawa's heart skipped a beat. Every hair on his body stood up.
Before he could react, a giant hand shot out from the side and smacked the ball hard.
Smack—
The sharp sound made Rukawa's pupils shrink.
He didn't even look at the ball. He turned his head and saw the one who blocked him—Maki Shinichi.
"That bastard," Rukawa cursed in his head. At the same time, he truly felt the savage aura pouring off Maki. "So this is Wild Instinct?!"
Shohoku lost the ball. Kainan took possession again.
Takasago rushed forward with the ball. But just past Half-Court, Akagi Takenori stepped up and blocked his path.
Takasago quickly Passed to an open Kiyota.
Kiyota caught it and dashed toward Shohoku's basket. No one was in front of him. He moved like a wild monkey, reaching the paint in just a few seconds.
Miyagi Ryota tried to stop him, but he couldn't keep up.
Kiyota jumped with one hand holding the ball, ready for a Slam Dunk.
But before he could even smile—
His body froze.
His heart seemed to stop.
He felt like a bloodthirsty beast was staring straight at him. His arm wouldn't move at all.
Smack—
The loud sound echoed through the gym. The basketball was slapped away by a big hand that had suddenly appeared behind him.
After landing, Kiyota Nobunaga slowly turned his head, his face frozen in shock, almost scared out of his soul.
He thought he saw a pitch-black panther opening its bloody jaws toward him, ready to devour him whole.
Kiyota shivered all over and nearly collapsed on the spot.
The basketball bounced off the backboard and flew straight into Maki Shinichi's hands.
Just as Maki was about to move, he suddenly felt an intense pressure lock onto him.
His pupils shrank. He looked up and saw Aoi Kunisaku staring right at him.
That crushing aura—even stronger than what Maki himself gave off—sent chills down everyone's spine.
All the players on the court froze. Both teams felt the overwhelming pressure pouring out of Aoi. It was like they'd seen a ghost.
On Shohoku's bench, Sakuragi Hanamichi's anxious urge to play was instantly replaced by a serious look. His eyes locked tightly onto Aoi on the court.
Coach Anzai adjusted his glasses, the lenses flashing with intelligence.
Ayako covered her mouth, wide-eyed. "Such terrifying focus. Even from the sidelines, we can feel it."
Kogure Kiminobu wiped sweat from his forehead and nodded. "Yeah… what a scary guy."
Shimizu Kanon smiled. "That's why I said, Saku-chan is gradually waking up."
In the stands—
Sakuragi's gang all shivered, their eyes wide in disbelief.
Mito Yohei said seriously, "I thought I was already impressed by that guy. Turns out I wasn't even close."
Takamiya Nozomi wiped his forehead. "He's terrifying… best not to mess with him in the future."
Okusu Yuji added, "We never messed with him to begin with!"
Noma Chuichirou pointed toward the court. "Now's not the time for that—watch the game, it's starting again!"
…
On the court—
Aoi Kunisaku and Maki Shinichi stared each other down, locked in a silent standoff.
The next moment, Maki moved.
He faked a shot, trying to trick Aoi and create space.
But just as he raised his arms, Aoi's hand was already reaching in.
Maki's eyes shrank. He instantly canceled the fake and switched to a real change of direction.
Thud…
The ball hit the floor. Maki was about to dribble again—only to see Aoi's other hand flying in, nearly slapping the ball away.
"He read that?! This guy… he's so fast!" Maki gritted his teeth and, using all his strength, flung the ball toward Shinzou Ichirou at the three-point line.
That forced pass pulled his muscle a bit. It hurt, but he could handle it.
Shinzou Ichirou caught the pass cleanly.
"Got it," he thought, glancing at Mitsui Hisashi guarding him. "He's defending, but… I can still shoot."
He bent his knees, raised the ball high, and jumped to take the shot.
But then—
Smack!
Before he could even aim, a red blur flashed past. The ball vanished from his hands.
What?!
Shinzou's eyes went wide. "So fast… it was just a flash! How? Wasn't Maki just—?"
He looked over at Maki.
Maki stood frozen, disbelief written all over his face.
That moment just now… he hadn't even reacted.
How was that possible?
Was this some kind of joke?
He turned his head in shock, staring at Aoi Kunisaku's back as he blew past him. In his heart he thought, "Has he been holding back all this time? Or… is this his real power?"
Boom… boom… boom…
Aoi had already crossed Half-Court. Like a red lightning bolt, he dashed straight for Kainan's basket.
The Kainan players all panicked and started sprinting back.
But no matter how hard they ran, the gap between them and Aoi only grew.
This was insane.
With no one able to stop him, Aoi stormed into the paint and jumped with the ball, slamming it down in a clean, powerful Dunk.
Clang—
The ball dropped through the Net.
Shohoku 36 to Kainan 44.