On defense, Hagioka Kasayuki replayed the scene that had just unfolded in his mind—the instant when his Swift as the Wind failed.
Unlike that fleeting burst of speed, even within the "Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain, and Thunder" array, Swift as the Wind was a technique that demanded exquisite precision.
Wrist control.
Instantaneous power.
Angle.
Arc.
Such an unorthodox and lightning-quick release could only succeed if all those elements aligned perfectly in a split second.
And compared to when Swift as the Wind was used for passing, using it as a shooting technique required even finer precision.
First of all
The problem lay in the power.
To produce such a fast projectile, a tremendous amount of force was needed. But increasing the power also reduced the available arc paths. Considering the relative size of the ball and the rim, that left only a razor-thin margin for success.
If even one element was off, the shot would immediately fall apart.
Just now...
To avoid Shigure's suffocating defense and the threat of his body cutting in, Hagioka had widened his step to create separation during the crossover—stretching his stride far more than usual.
That exaggerated step caused a sharp break in his habitual rhythm, disrupting the inertia that powered Swift as the Wind.
The balance between speed and force had shattered.
Hagioka Kasayuki: "…"
But the biggest problem
Was that the threat behind him, Shigure Akihito, and the double-team closing in front from Kaijō's veterans were all part of a trap that Shigure had anticipated. He had predicted Hagioka's decision to use Swift as the Wind after the breakthrough.
Which meant
From the very moment Shigure allowed him to drive past,
That shot had already been doomed to miss.
This guy… Shigure Akihito's understanding of technique had already reached this level.
In Hagioka's impression, such intricate predictive setups had always been Nijimura's specialty.
In the stands.
Kise swallowed hard. Even after Akashi's calm explanation, he could barely imagine how much thought had gone into that single instant.
"But…"
"Did he really have to shoot there?"
"If it was a trap, couldn't he have avoided it? Even if the seniors—Fukasaya and Kurokami—were blocking in front, wouldn't adjusting his momentum take just a split second?"
Akashi shook his head.
"There was no chance for that."
"Shigure-senpai intentionally let him go by. In other words, compared to full-force defense, he held back—saving stamina for the chase."
"Against those two seniors, once Hagioka chose to shoot, any attempt to adjust his strength or reposition his feet would cause a brief pause. That pause would open him to Shigure's collapse from behind. A three-way entrapment."
"So at that position, Swift as the Wind was completely sealed off. His only options were to switch strategies—either drive hard into the paint against Kurokami and Fukasaya, or sacrifice stride length to regain control."
"But if he'd done that… he'd still be walking straight into Shigure-senpai's plan."
On the benches, Akashi Seijūrō's gaze darkened.
Of all Hagioka's Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain, and Thunder abilities, the others could be countered head-on by Shigure.
Only the Wind remained a mystery.
He'd been wondering how Shigure would neutralize it—what kind of terrifying move it would take.
Yet, to his surprise—
It was done so simply.
"As expected…"
"In basketball…"
"It's never the abilities that matter most—it's the player."
Tactics.
Ability.
Execution.
If that's the case…
Then facing the seemingly invincible Shigure-senpai—could his Emperor Eye achieve the same?
Even though Shigure possessed so many abilities…
If he could just strip away the overlapping ones
Akashi Seijūrō: "…"
Still… far too many.
On the court.
Shigure Akihito advanced into the frontcourt, stopping just outside the three-point line.
This time, he didn't rush—just dribbled naturally, eyes scanning the court.
Hagioka guarded him cautiously, not daring to let his focus slip for even a heartbeat.
"Kaijō's counterattack!"
"They just shut down Rakuzan's ace—if they ride this momentum, they might crush them completely!"
"He's not using that ultra-fast passing now?"
"Why's he holding the ball this long?"
Shigure's eyes flicked to the right.
Hagioka didn't turn his head—but in the instant his mind caught up, he realized it was a feint!
Sure enough
Shigure's crossover went the opposite direction of his gaze!
Hagioka stepped in front of him again
Whish!
A pick!
A signal—sent through Hidden as the Shadow!
Sensing it through the same ability, Hagioka quickly slipped around Fukasaya Reiji's screen!
From the stands, Aomine Daiki clenched his fist.
"He's not passing anymore, huh? Looks like he's planning to finish this himself, senpai."
From Hagioka's perspective
Shigure's aura flared to its peak. Arcs of electricity, black flame, and green light erupted—his speed hitting its absolute limit!
Pa—pa—pa!
A triple-step drive!
Talent—Agility!
Multi-step continuous drives—perfect for breaking an opponent's stance.
But though Hagioka's body trembled slightly, cloaked in dark ink-like energy, he steadied himself immediately.
Shigure smiled faintly and raised his head.
"Senpai, that endurance battle in the first half—it's just like back in junior high. Only this time, your target was the entire Kaijō team, wasn't it?"
"Because this year, we've got quite a few talented first-years. And you're just as troublesome as I expected."
"And besides…"
"This is an open strategy."
"No need to hide it. Otherwise, you wouldn't have had Nijimura sit still the whole first half, would you?"
Shigure nodded slightly, glancing toward the sidelines.
"Time flies—it's already the end of the first half. Let's wrap this up… with my victory."
Pa—pa—pa!
Once again, the triple-step drive!
Hagioka responded with Still as the Forest, tightly shadowing Shigure while anchoring his balance
Thunder roared in sync with Shigure's movements!
To the crowd, it looked like Hagioka staggered for an instant under Shigure's dribble, but he quickly regained footing.
Electric arcs.
Emerald light.
Mountain mist.
Ink-black haze—merged into one.
And then
In the next heartbeat
They shattered apart.
The ultimate move
Godai Tomokazu's—Frozen Moment!
END OF CHAPTER
CROWN BEFORE THE MIRACLES
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