Chapter Twenty-Seven: What's So Funny?
"Looks like you really could've beaten Kise."
Aomine didn't rush to attack, instead asking Yagami, "If that's the case, why won't you face me head-on?"
"Hey, is basketball really that simple in your head?" Yagami's tone grew serious too. "Win every one-on-one and you can lead your team all the way?"
"Basketball is that simple," Aomine said impatiently. "All that stuff about teamwork, trusting teammates, enjoying the game—it's just weak people comforting themselves."
"The strong only need to win everything."
"Heh," Yagami laughed with slight mockery. "You're really naive."
Even someone as strong as Jordan couldn't win games alone. The Generation of Miracles maintained their undefeated record in middle school precisely because all five (six) of them attended the same school.
What a bunch of self-centered brats.
"So you've never once considered why Kuroko won't keep playing with you guys, have you?"
"SHUT UP!" Aomine's voice dropped suddenly, a flash of hostility in his eyes.
"Even now at Touou, you can only keep playing because your teammates indulge your selfishness, right?"
"I SAID SHUT UP!" Aomine roared, the air seeming to freeze instantly. "I'm already... sick of you."
The game that followed entered a white-hot back-and-forth battle.
On one side, Yagami used passing to connect the team, feeding Fukuda to attack the basket or using screens to create shooting opportunities for Aida, occasionally forcing scores with his own rhythm.
Aida missed all three of his shots, though his off-ball movement and screening grew increasingly smooth under Yagami's direction.
The other side relied completely on Aomine's unstoppable isolation. His scoring methods proved endless—lightning-fast drives, sudden pull-up jumpers, contorted mid-air finishes...
Yagami's defense had reached its limit. He'd predicted Aomine's offensive choices multiple times, but the physical ability gap meant he still couldn't stop a single shot.
The score climbed alternately, the intensity making the scattered courtside spectators hold their breath.
Ryonan 9 - 10 Aomine
Ryonan: Fukuda 5 points/1 assist, Yagami 4 points/4 assists (including one outside two-pointer), Aida 0 points/1 assist.
Aomine scored all 10 points alone!
"You're the naive one." Aomine caught the baseline inbound, finally speaking again. "If you'd taken a couple more shots yourself instead of wasting opportunities on that scrub, maybe things would be different now."
"Is that so?" Yagami said unconcernedly. "I think Hikoichi played great."
Though it was a spur-of-the-moment decision, this simple three-on-three game sparked some ideas in Yagami. Aida's shooting touch was actually quite good in practice—his physical disadvantages and slow release just made it nearly impossible to find opportunities in games.
However, thanks to constantly observing while collecting data, his court vision was excellent. Using this to predict opponent actions, Aida showed good results both in off-ball movement and setting screens.
Moreover, Fukuda's defensive ability exceeded Yagami's expectations.
Indeed, attitude was defense's first priority.
Fukuda's defensive attitude wasn't poor—he just lacked defensive experience and couldn't read offensive players' intentions. But his help defense revealed his activity level, able to position himself in front of Aomine penetrating inside multiple times (though ineffectively).
As an interior player with elite perimeter isolation ability on offense, naturally Coach Taoka had held expectations and treated him with overly harsh standards.
Yagami couldn't help smiling. He really looked forward to this Ryonan facing those other monsters at nationals.
"What's so funny?" Aomine's voice dripped with undisguised mockery. "Already making excuses for losing?"
"Oh, yeah." Yagami slowly raised his head, the curve of his lips not fading but deepening instead. "The game... is about to end."
Aomine's pupils contracted imperceptibly. Something about his opponent seemed to have changed.
"I won't guard against your passes anymore," Yagami said calmly. "Just pass to Meguro and you'll win."
"Heh, what's that supposed to mean?" Aomine scoffed. "Are you saying you were worried about my passing threat before, so that's why you couldn't stop me?"
"Half and half." Yagami didn't elaborate further.
"Hmph, empty posturing!"
Aomine vaguely sensed an almost dangerous focus and pressure. This feeling made his body involuntarily tense.
He really disliked this feeling.
The next instant, he moved.
Aomine's terrifying explosiveness unleashed to the extreme. His right foot hammered the ground as he tore through the defense from the right like blue lightning! His speed remained inconceivably fast, seizing a half-body advantage in one step as he attacked the basket!
He'd use the most direct method to completely crush Yagami's arrogance!
Elevation! Liftoff!
Aomine would end this showdown with a tomahawk dunk that ignored everything!
However, just as his body reached its apex and his arm was about to swing down—another figure arrived from behind with equally resolute determination, appearing at his side!
Yagami Sorato!
Impossible?!
Aomine couldn't believe anyone could keep up with his motion.
Yagami's timing was suffocatingly precise, as if he'd predicted Aomine's action entirely. This wasn't passive reaction but active hunting! His arm fully extended, targeting the instant Aomine's wrist dropped—
SMACK!
An incredibly clear block echoed!
The ball flew beyond the three-point line. Fukuda and Ichikawa both chased it.
Aomine stumbled on landing, astonishment appearing on his face for the first time. He looked at that figure landing across from him in disbelief.
"HIKOICHI!"
Fukuda dove out, reaching the ball first before whipping it back to the forty-five-degree angle beyond the arc.
Aida's positioning was perfect, catching the ball cleanly. But Meguro closed the distance instantly.
Aida couldn't protect the ball!
"I GOT IT!"
Yagami had already sprinted back to receive. Aida hurriedly passed it out.
"Not bad for a punk!"
Aomine pressed up on Yagami. Now no one could stop their showdown.
"You seem to think you're really special?" Yagami's dribble rhythm suddenly changed, creating separation from the left in one step.
"That's... my move!"
Aomine stuck tight to Yagami, not allowing the breakthrough.
"That's hilarious. This is your confidence?"
"Just copying like Kise? Didn't he tell you our record—my complete domination!"
Yagami's spin didn't shake Aomine. The ball nearly got stripped instead.
"What's wrong? This all you got?" Aomine said lowly. "Then I take it back—you're not even as good as Kise."
"You're really, really loud."
Yagami's rhythm shifted again—spinning to create space, then changing speed on the drive when Aomine recovered!
"Got even faster?!" Aomine got beaten by half a step. "No, wait—it's the rhythm transition making it seem faster."
For an instant Aomine thought about relaxing. Even if Yagami scored this possession, it'd only tie 10-10. He was confident the next possession would be flawless—victory would still be his—
"How could I think like that, damn it!"
"You're not scoring on me!"
Aomine exploded with speed, arriving in front of Yagami synchronously as he elevated!
"???"
Yagami didn't have the ball!
On the left baseline beyond the arc, Aida waited quietly. The ball found his hands naturally.
Meguro had followed him the entire game, only losing him a few times. Aida had missed three open looks—hard to imagine he'd get the pass at this critical moment—
WHOOSH!
Before Meguro could recover, Aida rose, releasing the ball smoothly. He truly lacked explosiveness, but his form was textbook perfect.
The ball traced a gentle arc through the air.
SWISH!
Nothing but net. Outside shot good for 2 points.
Ryonan 11 - 10 Aomine
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