"Ahhhh!"
"You've got to be kidding me!"
"A middle school game, and we're seeing this level of intensity?!"
"You call that…"
"…a middle schooler?!"
On the spectator stands, Rakuzan High's players—aside from those who had faced Shigure Akihito before, and the five-man group that joined from Okayama this year—were all stunned speechless.
Unbidden, a thought flashed through their minds: If we were the ones on the court right now… could we stop that block?
A shiver ran through them all. The answer was obvious…
No.
"…I knew it might get intense, but I didn't expect the scene to be this 'spectacular,'" Rakuzan's captain admitted, still in shock.
"'Spectacular'?"
The starting small forward beside him blinked, then quickly retorted:
"That's terrifying, not spectacular!"
"This isn't about whether it looks impressive!"
"Even if a middle schooler went all out—or even a high schooler—no one plays at this level!" the small forward continued, his face pale. "Shigure Akihito… fine, the super inside-offense technique even Hagioka didn't recognize earlier was one thing… but with that slender build, where does he get the strength to overpower Ibu's muscle-bound guy… with just one arm?!"
He gaped at the court, where Shigure Akihito, during a dead-ball break, was demonstrating footwork to Teiko's center.
"This guy…"
"…is he giving live lessons?"
Raiyomi Tosei, former Okayama #30 small forward and now Rakuzan's backup small forward, cast a glance at Hagioka, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Well? Hagioka, if it were you out there
"You wouldn't lose to him in strength, right?"
The question made the entire Rakuzan team freeze for a second.
"…"
"Oi, oi!"
"No way!"
"Hagioka's already broken the two-meter mark in height recently… Shigure Akihito's at most 185 cm, with that big a size difference—there's no way he can match Hagioka's power!"
Hagioka nodded—he knew his own physical strengths.
But…
"My body's growth has already slowed a lot. I can feel the limit coming. Shigure Akihito… maybe the scene is so crazy you've forgotten"
"He's only in his second year of middle school."
"When he gets to high school… as his body develops, his physical abilities will explode even more."
Rakuzan team: "…"
Damn.
Right—second year of middle school…
Second year of middle school, my ass!
Hagioka's thoughts darkened. After last year's Nationals final, he'd had his worries—but none of them had come true.
This guy
Even in a middle school basketball scene where there are no opponents left who can match him—shows no sign of slacking.
It's like he's playing a basketball video game—unlocking more skills, chasing higher achievements, and reveling in crushing his opponents with even more ferocious victories.
And compared to last year
The growth rate… is ridiculous.
Teiko bench.
Aomine Daiki smirked, excitement flickering in his otherwise serious gaze. "Shigure-senpai and that muscle gorilla are having fun. When's it my turn? I don't want to wait until the second half."
Midorima Shintarō gave a cold snort, pushing up his glasses. "Using dunks even a monkey could pull off to score on Shigure-senpai… idiotic."
But behind his words, his eyes—like those of the other first-years—were locked on Shigure Akihito, heavy with respect.
So strong…
Too strong.
As expected—the correct way to challenge Shigure-senpai… is with threes.
—
On court.
Ibu's sideline inbounds play ended with their offense completely broken up by Teiko.
Now—Teiko attacked again.
Akashi stood outside the three-point line, handling the ball with smooth, efficient precision, not giving the defense a single chance to steal.
Meanwhile, Shigure Akihito moved to the power forward spot. With his build and strength, stopping him from getting position without the ball was almost impossible.
The moment he got to his spot, Akashi's pass found him perfectly, then Akashi moved to space out.
Ibu's defensive answer
Nebuya Eikichi.
The two… finally matched up directly from the start of a possession.
Nebuya spread his arms wide, excitement in his eyes.
"Shigure Akihito! Come at me head-on!"
"Don't think you can beat my muscles with tricks!"
"It's impossible!"
"Muscle…"
"…is the strongest!"
But
Right before receiving the ball, Shigure made a feint
Sendoh Akira's Shadow Flash Catch.
Shadow Flash Catch: When a teammate passes from a bit farther away, fake a cut to one side, then instantly change direction to the other side to lose your defender before catching the ball.
So when Nebuya lunged in to contest, Shigure's off-ball cut almost completely shook him off.
Smack!
Shigure caught the ball and instantly raised it
A shooting motion.
Nebuya jumped immediately
Only to see Shigure smile mid-motion, his feet still planted.
A pump fake.
"Hey~"
Then
Dream Shake, spin!
Shigure swept past Nebuya's soaring frame.
Smack!
Gather step!
With the ball secured, Shigure was technically in a dead-ball state—something Nebuya read as a cue for immediate offense.
And indeed—Shigure went for the hook finish.
No contact
From start to finish
It was skill, the complete opposite extreme of Nebuya's muscle.
Nebuya's pupils contracted.
Thud!
Landing hard, he exploded up again for a second-jump block, height more than enough to meet the hook shot.
But
Shigure had been waiting for that.
Takenori Akagi's Dream Shake!
Pivoting on one foot
Spin
He turned a clean circle, tossing the ball off the glass
Bounced back
Caught
Seiji Kiyota's Quick-Release Layup!
Quick-Release Layup: The moment you catch, you immediately float the ball up for a lightning-fast finish.
Swish!
The net snapped crisply.
Shigure smiled easily at Kuroko and Murasakibara
While behind him, Nebuya sprang up for a third jump, completely missing the lightning-quick layup.
"Didn't expect it~"
"The 'lightweight' mighty-force Nebuya Eikichi~"
"You can jump pretty well~"
"Like a flea?"
Nebuya: "…Huh?!"
Being toyed with like a flea three times in a row didn't bother Nebuya much
But being called lightweight? That hit him right in the pride.
Smack!
He slapped his arm hard.
"My muscles…"
"…are top quality!"
Shigure: "…?"
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