Atsushi Murasakibara raised the basketball high, then roared as he slammed it forward!
Shogo Haizaki's eyes widened at the sight.
The basketball flew out of Atsushi Murasakibara's hand, streaking through the air like a shooting star, and then...
Clang!
It hit the rim!
And because he had thrown it with too much force, the ball bounced straight back and smashed into Atsushi Murasakibara's face, making him lose his balance and fall to the floor.
Thud!
Miyamoto Tokima's expression changed drastically, and he rushed over to check on him!
He wasn't the only one. Everyone from Kirisaki Daiichi gathered around, and Satsuki Momoi called a timeout before going over to check the situation as well.
Atsushi Murasakibara lay on the floor with a pained expression. It was obvious he was injured.
No one had expected the injury to happen so suddenly.
He had used too much force, the ball had bounced off the rim, hit him in the face, and made him fall.
Who was he even supposed to argue with about that?
With no other choice, Miyamoto Tokima had the medical staff carry Atsushi Murasakibara off first so he could be examined.
No one had expected this turn of events, including Seijuro Akashi.
Even Seijuro Akashi had not expected Atsushi Murasakibara to get injured in a way like that.
It was really...
Off the court.
After watching what had just happened, Tatsuya Himuro immediately turned to Taiga Kagami with a serious expression.
"Taiga! Use [Meteor Jam] less from now on!"
Taiga Kagami argued back:
"Tatsuya, Murasakibara only got hurt because he didn't know how to use [Meteor Jam] properly. I'm not going to make a rookie mistake like that!"
Tatsuya Himuro hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he gave in.
"All right, then. But still, protect yourself as much as possible. Don't get hurt."
Taiga Kagami nodded and smiled.
"Don't worry, Tatsuya. I'll be careful."
...
On the court.
With Atsushi Murasakibara leaving the game, Kirisaki Daiichi had no choice but to move Dicky Anthony to center, while Miyamoto Tokima shifted to shooting guard.
Makoto Hanamiya also came on early and took over as point guard.
After stepping onto the court, Makoto Hanamiya looked at Seijuro Akashi with a sinister smile, licked his lips, and said:
"I wonder what you look like when that secondary personality of yours breaks down."
Makoto Hanamiya knew very well that the Seijuro Akashi in front of him was definitely not the Seijuro Akashi he had met in middle school.
When he had faced Seijuro Akashi back then, he had already gotten a sense of his personality.
Gentle, unwilling to lose, and deeply passionate about basketball.
That was the impression Seijuro Akashi had given Makoto Hanamiya at the time.
But later, the feeling Seijuro Akashi gave him changed completely.
Arrogant, conceited, looking down on everyone, putting victory above all else, and treating everyone around him like pawns.
That was the impression Seijuro Akashi gave Makoto Hanamiya afterward.
At that point, Makoto Hanamiya had understood very clearly that Seijuro Akashi had definitely developed a split personality!
Back then, Makoto Hanamiya had even sighed over it. He had never expected someone with such a gentle expression to end up with a split personality.
That really was beyond what Makoto Hanamiya had imagined.
Makoto Hanamiya had originally thought that after Seijuro Akashi's split personality appeared, his primary personality would at least try to take control of the body from time to time.
But unexpectedly, Seijuro Akashi's primary personality seemed to have vanished. It never came out at all.
If Makoto Hanamiya were facing the primary personality, he probably would not have bothered with trash talk that much.
But now that he was facing the secondary personality, that was different.
Makoto Hanamiya did not care how strong that secondary personality was. When it was time to roast someone, he would roast them!
Even Nash Gold had been chased down and roasted by Makoto Hanamiya, let alone Seijuro Akashi!
So, the moment Seijuro Akashi dribbled up in front of Makoto Hanamiya, Makoto Hanamiya opened fire!
"Well, well, if it isn't the famous Akashi. Why the long face?"
Seijuro Akashi frowned slightly when he heard Makoto Hanamiya's tone.
Makoto Hanamiya continued:
"I saw you dodge pretty fast just now. Looked pretty practiced too. Do you run away often?"
Seijuro Akashi's frown deepened, and displeasure began to show on his face.
But Makoto Hanamiya's mouth still had not stopped.
"Oh, look at me, almost got it wrong. You were already a coward to begin with. Otherwise, you wouldn't have sat out the Summer Cup completely!"
"Were you so scared of us during the Summer Cup that your legs went weak? You didn't dare play even a single game. Were you afraid of losing?"
"It's fine, don't be scared. You're still going to lose today anyway! Hahahahaha."
It had to be said that Makoto Hanamiya's trash-talking skills really were strong. Those few lines landed right on Seijuro Akashi's sore spot!
Not playing in the Summer Cup had indeed brought Seijuro Akashi some criticism.
But Makoto Hanamiya directly saying that he sat out because he was a coward made Seijuro Akashi furious.
Seijuro Akashi's brows twisted together, and he gritted out:
"You piece of trash!"
Makoto Hanamiya smiled disdainfully.
"So what? If I'm trash, then doesn't the fact that you didn't even dare face us in the Summer Cup make you trash among trash?"
Seijuro Akashi roared:
"Shut up! This is..."
Before Seijuro Akashi could finish, Makoto Hanamiya cut him off.
"This is an order, right? Is that the only line you know? Are you an NPC?"
Seijuro Akashi's face instantly flushed red, like a volcano about to erupt.
"You piece of trash! My orders are..."
Before Seijuro Akashi could finish speaking, Makoto Hanamiya interrupted him again, mimicking Seijuro Akashi in a mocking tone.
"Uh, uh, my orders are absolute, uh, uh. That right? Absolute? Absolute my ass."
"If they're so absolute, then why did the other [Generation of Miracles] players completely ignore you during the Summer Cup?"
"Who the hell do you think you are, giving orders?"
"And what was that again? Uh, uh, my orders can't even be defied by my parents, uh, uh? What the hell are you even saying?"
"Last time I saw your dad scold you, you looked like exactly what you are, his son. And you're still going on about how even your parents can't defy you?"
"How are you this good at acting full of yourself? Even a trash bag can't hold as much garbage as you."
Makoto Hanamiya's rapid-fire insults made Seijuro Akashi completely lose his temper.
Seijuro Akashi could not hold back anymore. He immediately hurled the basketball straight at Makoto Hanamiya's face.
Makoto Hanamiya had been prepared. The instant he saw Seijuro Akashi move, he dodged to the side.
But he never expected Seijuro Akashi to actually use [Emperor Eye], or that he would see exactly where Makoto Hanamiya was dodging!
So Seijuro Akashi predicted his movement and smashed the basketball right into Makoto Hanamiya's face.
That hit left Makoto Hanamiya seeing stars, and his vision went black.
After throwing the ball, Seijuro Akashi immediately lunged forward, ready to unload a combo of punches on Makoto Hanamiya.
But Chihiro Mayuzumi quickly wrapped his arms around Seijuro Akashi and held him back...
...
...
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