"Beautiful!!"
"Oh my god… what an accurate three-pointer..."
Outside the court, Sakuragi and his friends erupted in cheers, while Haruko stood frozen, staring at Oliver on the court. Whether it was his powerful post-up layup or the long-range three-pointer, Oliver had displayed incredible skill and precision.
He might not be any worse than Rukawa… Haruko thought to herself, stunned by Oliver's performance.
"Huff… Huff…"
On the court, Oliver collapsed to the floor, vision blurring and dizziness overwhelming him. The edges of his consciousness seemed to blur and drift away.
"Quick Recovery… start…"
With the last ounce of strength before passing out, Oliver activated his final available skill. Instantly, a cooling sensation flooded his body, as if spring water had washed through every limb. He shuddered, and the overdrawn physical fatigue rapidly receded.
He took a deep breath and pushed himself to his feet.
Skill Name: Quick Recovery
Skill Description: Fully restores the host's physical strength.
Cooldown Time: 24 hours.
Although the system promised a full recovery, Oliver knew the truth: while his body was refreshed, his mind was still foggy. The exhaustion hadn't disappeared—it had simply shifted from body to spirit. His limbs moved with energy, but mentally, he was drained.
"Come on, Oliver! Defeat that gorilla!!"
"Captain, don't lose!!"
Sakuragi's gang and the basketball team cheered from both sides. The match had come down to this: two goals each. Whoever scored next would win it all.
Match point.
Win or lose… it all rides on this final play.
Snap! Snap! Snap!
With Oliver's last shot scored, the ball now belonged to Akagi.
"Don't accuse me of bullying you," Akagi said, dribbling slowly. "You're the one who let me go first."
Though experienced, Akagi could see that Oliver was running on fumes.
"Since when did you start caring about your opponents, huh, gorilla?" Oliver grinned.
"Stop calling me a gorilla!"
"Hahaha!"
Seeing Akagi flustered again, Oliver couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"…If I have extra concern, I'd rather give it to the beggars on the street," Oliver smirked. "On the court, I don't need sympathy. What I want is your full strength."
He raised his head and stared directly into Akagi's eyes, a fire burning within him.
"Instead of holding back… why not fight with everything you've got and try to defeat me?"
Akagi's expression softened into a smile.
He's got the desire to win, skill, maturity, and pride…
He's exactly the kind of player any basketball team would kill to have.
"Very well then. Show me what you've got!" Akagi shouted, getting into a stance.
He began dribbling with intensity, picking up speed. Oliver quickly positioned himself defensively, arms wide, focused on Akagi's every move.
How could someone like him be mixed up with that red-haired idiot? Akagi briefly wondered.
Forget it. Focus on the game!
"I'm coming!!"
Akagi charged toward the right, ball in hand.
"It's not that simple!!"
Sonic Sprint—Activate!
Oliver's figure flickered like a shadow across the court. He instantly blocked Akagi's path, cutting off the drive before it could begin.
"It's useless!!"
Akagi shouted, trying his old trick of switching directions with a sudden feint to the left.
But this time, Oliver was ready. The previous attempt had been without skill assistance, but now, powered by Sonic Sprint, he anticipated and countered effortlessly.
He rotated his body before Akagi could even finish the fake, and again blocked his path.
"He stopped him again!"
"That's crazy! Even our captain can't get past him!"
The basketball team watched in shock, their pride wounded.
"Hmph! This is nothing!" Sakuragi shouted from the sidelines. "Hey, Oliver! Take him down!!"
"You can do it, Oliver!" Haruko added with a nervous smile, clutching her skirt tightly.
On the court, both Oliver and Akagi were breathing hard. Sweat poured from their brows.
"What now, Captain? No more brute force? Aren't you going to bulldoze your way in again?" Oliver teased.
Akagi exhaled sharply.
"…Even if I win using brute strength, it wouldn't feel right," Akagi admitted. "I'll beat you with skill."
"Hahaha. So even Shohoku's captain has pride on the court," Oliver smirked.
Despite the tension, both players smiled at each other. Mutual respect had bloomed from their intense clash.
Akagi narrowed his eyes and made his decision.
If I can't go around him… I'll shoot over him!
In one fluid motion, he jumped, lifting the ball for a shot.
"He's going for it!"
Reacting instantly, Oliver also leapt. But Akagi's timing had been perfect. The ball left his hand just beyond Oliver's fingertips.
Miss!
Both players landed and immediately sprinted for the rebound.
"Bang!"
The ball clanged off the rim. A rebound!
Oliver, still powered by Sonic Sprint, jumped before Akagi could and grabbed the ball cleanly out of the air.
"Amazing rebound!!" the crowd roared.
"I won't let you get away!"
Akagi reached in to steal, desperate.
But Oliver had already turned, drawing a perfect arc with his pivot, dodging Akagi's reach.
"Yes!! That's how you do it!!" Sakuragi screamed, hugging his friends in excitement.
"Oliver…" Haruko held her breath, eyes wide.
Akagi scrambled after him, but Oliver had already moved beyond the three-point line, resetting the play.
"I won't let you shoot again!!"
Akagi closed the distance fast. Oliver crouched slightly, ball in hand, as if preparing to jump.
"He's shooting!!"
Akagi didn't hesitate. He leapt to block!
But Oliver didn't shoot.
Fake move!!
With a sidestep, he darted past Akagi and charged toward the basket.
"No way!"
"He got him again!"
"He's so smart! That feint was perfect!"
Akagi quickly turned to chase, but Oliver had already leapt near the basket. He soared into the air, legs coiled like springs, eyes on the rim.
"I won't let you get this shot off!!"
Akagi jumped, extending his arm. He barely managed to make contact with the ball.
But it was already too late.
Time Check: One minute since the last use.
Bull Charge—Cooldown Complete.
Oliver grinned.
"Sorry, Captain… this time, it's mine."
Bull Charge—Activate!!
A surge of power erupted from his muscles. He pushed forward, forcing the ball downward with unstoppable force.
"Bang!!!"
A thunderous slam dunk.
Oliver landed on the court, breath heavy, heart racing.
It was over.
Final score: Oliver wins.
The gymnasium erupted.
"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
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