"What's Rakuzan going to do now?"
Watching the chaos unfolding on court, Haizaki Shōgo shook his head, a thin layer of sweat gliding down his temple.
"What else can they do…? Just start praying for them, I guess."
"Even that monster Hagioka Kasayuki's not gonna be enough this time."
"Man… this is brutal."
Moments earlier
In Kaijō's offensive possession, Hagioka Kasayuki had suddenly stepped up to the free-throw line, taking a familiar defensive stance that immediately drew the attention of Teikō's former members watching from the stands.
There was no mistaking it
That was the Ultra-Wide Range Defense.
Even without the aid of the Zone, with Hagioka's physicality, wingspan, and mastery of Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain, Shadow, Thunder, he could already deploy a version close to it in his normal state—something only Murasakibara Atsushi and Shigure Akihito had managed before.
But until now, under the overwhelming rhythm of Rainbow Connection and Shigure's relentless pull on the court, Hagioka hadn't been able to fully unleash it.
Now, however
With Zone activation layered atop that monstrous base
He finally released it.
The Ultra-Enhanced Ultra-Wide Range Defense.
And yet
Much like Kaijō's players themselves
That terrifying Zone-based defensive field, which should've exuded suffocating pressure, instead felt… strangely harmless.
"Senpai," Shigure said softly, dribbling at the top of the arc, one hand tucked behind his back, his eyes locked on Hagioka's form.
"You know this better than anyone."
"Even with Zone…"
"It's the same."
Within the black haze of Nanchiruyin—the Unknown Shadow—Hagioka's senses and reactions intertwined with his Zone-enhanced perception, forming a spherical defense domain with himself at the core.
That sphere's diameter spanned from the top of the three-point arc to under the rim… maybe even farther.
But Shigure understood one crucial thing
No matter how vast the sphere, its diameter could never perfectly overlap the semicircular arc of the three-point line.
There would always be a gap.
He knew exactly where that gap lay.
Tap— tap
As the ball bounced rhythmically, the blazing aura of the Flame Man erupted once again
His calm like the forest— consumed by black fire.
Breakthrough!
Zone Hagioka gave chase.
Rainbow Connection— engage!
Swish— snap— snap— snap!
Just like Rakuzan's lightning-fast "Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain, Thunder" relay, Kaijō's passes now surged even faster—supercharged by Shigure's Emperor's Pass and the blazing synergy of Flame and Green Light.
The ball traveled
Through Nijimura Shuzo,
To the 45-degree arc,
Then from Fukasaya Reiji at the corner,
Down the baseline
And finally into the hands of Kurokami Shinji beneath the rim!
Without question
That single possession shattered Hagioka's Ultra-Wide Range Defense.
All in one clean, flowing motion.
"One possession?!"
"They broke through Zone-level Hagioka in a single possession?!"
"Under the rim— Kurokami turns— Tajika Makoto's Thunder in Motion is a step too slow!"
Kurokami spun. Though his finesse wasn't yet as refined as Fukasaya's—unable to execute the full "Emperor's Hook" variety of free-form moves—his raw technique…
Was more than enough.
Spin!
Sendō-style Aerial Tomahawk!
BOOM!
A perfect slam!
...
And on Rakuzan's following possession
That was when Haizaki muttered his quiet requiem.
Now, Tondo Kaoru could barely breathe.
Pressed relentlessly by Fukasaya Reiji, whose defense burned with both the Flame Man's fire and the brilliance of the Green Light.
"Ugh!"
Tondo gritted his teeth, trying to break through with Thunder in Motion and Nanchiruyin's intuition
To no avail.
That pressure!
It was suffocating.
He couldn't even make the next dribble step after the catch.
"Damn it…"
"Hagioka!!"
Whoosh!
Tondo's pass instinctively avoided Shigure's mark, but he'd forgotten one crucial fact
There were four Shigure Akihitos on the court now.
Slash!
Kurokami Shinji, standing just over two meters tall, cut in sharply, leaving Tajika behind with shocking agility—so fast it was as if Hagioka himself had reappeared at the game's start!
Snap!
Steal!
"Oh no!!"
"Kurokami Shinji with the steal!"
"Kaijō's counterattack!"
Rakuzan's defenders all sprinted back. Tajika Makoto, assigned to mark Kurokami, was the first to react—but
He couldn't close the gap.
Not even Thunder in Motion could keep up with that blazing run!
Fwoosh— fwoosh!
The air itself felt scorched.
Kurokami's eyes gleamed
So this…
This is what it feels like to play like that guy Shigure…?
It's…
So damn fun!
The sound of sneakers slamming the floor echoed like thunder.
But just as Kurokami lost himself in the thrill, the guiding pulse of Nanchiruyin's link to Shigure flickered—his focus split for an instant.
BOOM— BOOM—!
Twin thunderclaps roared as Hagioka burst free from Shigure's dark flame
And in the blink of an eye, overtook Kurokami.
"Don't even think about getting past me."
Hagioka's glare flashed.
"Tch… then how about this!"
Ultimate Shadow!
The Shadow— takes flight along the ground!
SWISH!
A feinting pass like a phantom!
Kurokami's body dropped almost flat to the court, flying forward in a near-horizontal dive
a blur of movement wrapped in black flame and green light!
The illusion— the fire— the light
Merged into one unstoppable drive!
From Rakuzan's bench, Mibuchi Reo couldn't help but exclaim,
"Now that's earth-shaking…"
But even that
Wasn't enough to surpass Hagioka.
His Zone brilliance intertwined with thunder within the dark haze of Nanchiruyin—eyes sharp, utterly unfooled by the illusionary feint.
He stepped up
And cut Kurokami off cold.
END OF CHAPTER
CROWN BEFORE THE MIRACLES
🔥 Rookie Recruit – Read 15 chapters ahead
🔥 Starting Five – Jump 35 chapters ahead + 6 bonus chapters!
Huge thanks to everyone already on Patreon—you're the real MVPs! 🙌Bonus chapters, early access, and all the good stuff are live. 👀✨
And for the rest—it's not too late to be part of the team. 🚀
👉 patreon.com/MrBehringer