Chapter Ninety-Four: True Evil
"The second quarter has ended. We'll now begin the 15-minute halftime break."
Ryonan 49 - Kirisaki Daiichi 42
After Hanamiya's flagrant foul, Kirisaki's dirty tactics had been somewhat restrained, and the momentum of the game immediately reversed.
From trailing by 6 points at the end of the first quarter to leading by 7 at halftime, Ryonan had created a 13-point swing in the second quarter alone.
"Damn it, that Ryonan number 10 is slippery as an eel." Furuhashi ground his teeth. "Thanks to him, the refs are watching our moves way more closely now."
"Hanamiya's mood seems pretty bad..." Hara glanced at the gloomy Hanamiya in the distance. Nobody was talking to him right now, even though he also served as Kirisaki's coach.
"He hates this feeling, right? The game not going according to script." Matsumoto said with schadenfreude. "Plus, that first-year played him like a fool."
Hanamiya sat on the edge of the bench, his dangerous gaze shifting between Yagami and Sendoh.
"Hanamiya, if this continues, we'll lose the game." Yamazaki stood before him. "Don't use those methods. Let's win fair and square!"
"Hah?" Hanamiya's eyes flicked upward.
"Always winning by hurting opponents... it must feel terrible inside too..." Yamazaki gripped his shoulder. "It's only 7 points, right? If we play seriously, we won't lose. Believe in everyone's abilities!"
Hanamiya's expression became conflicted. "I don't want it to be this way either, but even if we beat them, there's still those Generation of Miracles guys. Didn't I promise I'd definitely bring victory to Kirisaki?"
"For that, even if it means using any means necessary, I have to—"
"Pfft—" Hanamiya suddenly burst out laughing. "Sorry, I really can't keep that act up anymore."
"You didn't actually think I'd say something like that, did you? Idiot?" Hanamiya's eyes turned vicious as he glared at Yamazaki. "You didn't say anything when we were winning before, did you? But now you want to play the friendship and hard work card like everyone else?"
"Don't get it wrong. Winning or losing doesn't matter to me at all." Hanamiya smiled contemptuously.
"Didn't someone say that life's misfortunes taste like honey?"
"I just want to see the guys who train hard, put in effort, and pour their youth into basketball—I want to see them grinding their teeth in frustration when they lose."
"Don't you think that's the moment that brings the most joy?!"
Yamazaki stared at him in disbelief, seemingly unable to believe someone would play basketball for such a reason.
"Hehe, let them keep their lead." Hanamiya turned his gaze back toward Ryonan. "Falling into hell when you're happiest—that's the flavor most worth savoring."
---
"TWEEET!"
"The third quarter begins!"
Ryonan's lineup stayed the same.
Kirisaki Daiichi subbed out number 8 Yamazaki, who'd played well in the first half, replacing him with number 5 Seto Kentaro.
"Isn't that number 5 a center? Is Kirisaki strengthening their frontcourt?"
"Well, Ryonan subbed out that guard in the second quarter and put in a forward, so their overall height increased quite a bit. Maybe that's the reason?"
"Morons. It's not that kind of legitimate reason." Seto, overhearing the crowd's speculation, slicked his hair back with gel. "That piece of trash—Kirisaki doesn't need him anymore."
---
Ryonan's possession.
The moment Yagami brought the ball past halfcourt, Hanamiya and Furuhashi surrounded him in a double-team.
"Early trap?" Yagami calmly passed to the right wing.
The instant he released the pass, Hanamiya simultaneously rotated toward Sendoh, even attempting to intercept the ball mid-flight.
"He read it..."
Sendoh's brow furrowed as he caught the ball.
It wasn't particularly surprising—after all, Sendoh was wide open, making him the most logical and reasonable target. It was just that Hanamiya's reaction speed was terrifyingly fast.
The moment Sendoh drove into the paint, Hanamiya was already in position, with Hara simultaneously closing in.
"What smooth rotations!" The stands erupted with exclamations.
Through Hanamiya's movement, Kirisaki was actually able to simultaneously impede both of Ryonan's aces.
Sendoh retreated to create distance from Hanamiya, threading a pass through the gap between them. Fukuda read it perfectly, cutting to the basket to receive it.
"Smack!"
Seto suddenly flashed in from the weak side, his long arm precisely cutting off the passing lane!
"What's happening?" Takao's eyes widened. "Ryonan's offensive routes are being completely predicted?"
"Actually, I've heard Hanamiya Makoto is apparently something of a genius." Kimura from Shutoku's back row said thoughtfully.
"Huh?" Takao turned to look at him. "Now that you mention it, Kimura-senpai, that does seem to be the case. He's the only player on Kirisaki who can keep up with Yagami and Sendoh's movements."
"No, I don't mean basketball talent. I mean his brain." Kimura's expression was strange. "He apparently has something like a photographic memory. Pretty sharp mind."
"Eh...?" Takao turned his head. Even Midorima looked back curiously.
"Most likely, Ryonan's offensive patterns have been completely memorized by Hanamiya." Kimura said. "Early traps, then cutting off Ryonan's offensive organization through prediction... Even without those dirty tactics, Kirisaki is a pretty troublesome team."
"Ah!"
On the court, Hara caught Hanamiya's pass and hit a mid-range jumper.
Ryonan 49 - Kirisaki Daiichi 44
"I'm so jealous of you brainy types..." Furuhashi muttered. "Everything just looks so easy for you guys."
Even if Hanamiya could see through the opponent's offense, he couldn't match the speed of the passes by himself. Only Seto could keep up with Hanamiya's thinking. With him on the court, Kirisaki's lockdown was complete.
"Don't say disgusting things like that. I might punch you." Seto said lazily. He'd originally thought he was pretty impressive—IQ 160, able to get good grades without even trying in class.
But after meeting Hanamiya, he understood there was more than one person who could use their brain to play basketball.
And this person... he absolutely couldn't beat.
"Come on, let me see what kind of basketball you're so proud of." Hanamiya grinned viciously at the Ryonan players.
---
Change of possession. Ryonan's offense.
The moment Yagami crossed halfcourt, he was trapped again by Hanamiya and Furuhashi. He tested it slightly and found it really was difficult to break through their two-man defense.
"Swish!"
He passed to the wing. The instant Sendoh caught it, Hara and the rapidly rotating Hanamiya formed a new trap, putting him in the same situation.
Sendoh jumped, firing a precise lob pass over everyone's heads directly into the paint.
Uozumi established position under the basket, catching the pass cleanly. But the moment he secured it, Matsumoto and Seto's double-team arrived from both sides.
"It's almost like a modified full-court press, except they're clearly targeting specific players..." Takao kept his eyes glued to the action.
Uozumi roared, forcibly creating space. He jumped for the layup.
"Don't even think about it!" Matsumoto shouted, raising both hands to establish position. His movements were completely clean.
But on the other side, Seto—using his teammates to block the referee's sightline—drove a hidden elbow hard into Uozumi's midsection!
"BANG!"
The ball's trajectory immediately warped, clanging hard off the rim.
Uozumi tried to jump again for the offensive rebound, but couldn't get off the ground immediately. This time it was Matsumoto subtly grabbing his jersey from behind, pinning him in place.
Seto grabbed the board. Kirisaki immediately pushed in transition.
After receiving the outlet, Hanamiya fired a precise direct pass to the streaking Furuhashi, who caught it and scored an easy finger roll.
Two points good.
Ryonan 49 - Kirisaki Daiichi 46
"Idiots. I've already seen through you all." Hanamiya stuck out his tongue mockingly. "No way, right? You don't actually think playing seriously will beat us?"
"After today, every Kanagawa team will be sent packing!"
---
Change of possession. Ryonan's offense.
Yagami pushed quickly, but was still trapped by the double-team at the three-point line.
"Swish!" He threw the ball skyward.
"Won't work!" Hanamiya shouted.
The instant Uozumi caught it, Matsumoto and Seto doubled again.
"Moron." A hint of mockery crossed Uozumi's determined face.
Seto immediately sensed something wrong.
Sendoh crashed into the paint, receiving Uozumi's pass and scoring an easy floater.
Ryonan 51 - Kirisaki Daiichi 46
"That big guy can pass too?" Hanamiya's face darkened. "Didn't see that in the first half..."
"There's a lot you haven't seen." Yagami said flatly.
---
Change of possession. Kirisaki's offense.
With Seto's addition, Kirisaki's ball movement became much smoother in halfcourt sets.
Hara cut into the paint, received a pass, and scored on a layup.
Ryonan 51 - Kirisaki Daiichi 48
Ryonan's possession.
Yagami lobbed it into the post again. When Uozumi looked to pass back outside, Hanamiya was already glued to Sendoh.
However, Fukuda cut from the wing, catching the pass and throwing down a one-handed slam!
Ryonan 53 - Kirisaki Daiichi 48
"Nice job, Fukuda!"
"Great pass, Uozumi-senpai!"
"Uozumi..." From the stands, Akagi watched those two passes from Uozumi, feeling something in his chest. After their battle in the finals, Uozumi's understanding of the center position had risen to another level.
"How ridiculous. If trapping could limit Ryonan's offense, we wouldn't have lost before." Mitsui crossed his arms. "Those clowns never had a chance from the start. Whether it's Yagami or Sendoh, they both look completely comfortable right now."
"Mitsui's acting like an expert again. Wasn't he watching just as nervously earlier?" Sakuragi and Miyagi whispered to each other.
"Exactly."
"You two!" Mitsui's face instantly turned red.
---
Change of possession. Kirisaki Daiichi's offense.
Once again using Furuhashi's screen to create space, Hanamiya rose up for a shot without hesitation.
"Not that easy!"
Sendoh precisely cut off Furuhashi's follow-up movement, preventing any continuation. Yagami anticipated even earlier, fighting through the screen and immediately jumping to contest!
"What?"
Hanamiya's shot was nearly blocked. He could only adjust his arc higher, severely altering his shooting motion.
"CLANG!"
The ball hit the back iron and bounced high.
"Rebound!" Hanamiya shouted urgently.
Hara, Matsumoto, and Seto all moved simultaneously toward the paint as if receiving orders.
Something's wrong!
Yagami suddenly became alert. Hanamiya had never called out for rebounds this deliberately before!
"Uozumi-senpai, watch out!" He quickly shouted toward the basket.
"Too late." A flash of cold light passed through Hanamiya's eyes.
The paint instantly transformed into a battlefield. Kirisaki's three players formed a triangle formation, using every means to tie up Uozumi and Fukuda.
"ROAAAR!"
Uozumi released an earth-shaking roar. Using brute force, he shoved Matsumoto aside, furiously exploding upward. Even with three players surrounding him, he forcibly grabbed the rebound!
Seto's jump was half a beat slow. But his real target wasn't the ball.
The instant Uozumi landed and his eyes searched for teammates, Seto's descending elbow "happened" to strike precisely into Uozumi's eye!
"UNGH!"
Uozumi grunted. The ball he'd just controlled slipped from his grasp. He instinctively covered his eye. Through the gaps between his fingers, bright red blood slowly flowed out.
"TWEEEEET!"
The referee's urgent whistle blew. The game was forced to stop.
Ryonan's players surrounded him.
"Oops, sorry. But rebounding is just that dangerous." Seto wore a fake smile. "Plus, I think number 13 bumped me just now, making me lose my balance."
He even pointed at Fukuda, acting like it was all his fault.
"You bastard!"
Fukuda charged forward, throwing a punch at Seto.
"Fukuda!" Uozumi shouted to stop him.
At the same time, Sendoh also suppressed his rage to hold him back.
"Sendoh, let me go!"
"Oh my, so scary!" Seto raised both hands. "Referee, please protect me."
The referee shot a cold glare at the actual culprit, but still used hand gestures to separate Fukuda.
"Fukuda, I'm fine." Uozumi's hand pressed heavily on his shoulder. "Don't lose your cool."
"But—!"
"Fukuda-senpai, take Uozumi-senpai off the court to rest." Yagami's cold voice came from behind the Ryonan players.
Fukuda looked at Yagami. The words in his mouth instantly vanished.
Though Yagami was always fairly calm, the corners of his mouth usually carried a faint smile. At least to those who didn't know him well, he seemed like a particularly cheerful, gentle guy.
But right now, there was an icy coldness beneath Yagami's calm exterior. Just being near him felt dangerous.
"Uozumi-senpai, leave the rest of the game to us." Yagami said, word by word. "Don't worry. Trash like this absolutely won't affect Ryonan's victory."
Coach Taoka and the medical staff escorted Uozumi off the court.
The game continued.
The referee only called a common foul on Kirisaki. After all, as Seto said, rebounding situations with lots of bodies and big movements made it hard to determine intent.
Ryonan's possession.
Yagami received the baseline inbound. Without hesitation, he began accelerating.
"Yagami, don't lose your head!"
Even Ryonan's players hadn't expected him to charge mindlessly toward Kirisaki's half like this. Sendoh was also planning to punish them by attacking the paint, but only after his teammates got set.
Kirisaki's players showed no fear. They'd seen this kind of thing plenty of times before.
Just impotent rage.
Besides, these good boys all played by the rules. They just wanted to win the game.
Hanamiya made no attempt to stop Yagami, simply sticking to his body as they entered the paint.
"If you're so eager to die, I'll grant your wish!"
Fukuda rushed into the paint worriedly, boxing out Hara for Yagami. But Kirisaki's other players swarmed in as well.
Yagami used a crossover to shake off the pursuing Furuhashi, charging to one step inside the free-throw line before exploding upward. His body extended in mid-air as he hammered the ball through the rim with one hand!
"Heh, still just thinking about scoring!"
Hanamiya sneered internally with contempt. As if he hadn't anticipated Yagami would jump for the dunk at all, his speed didn't slow even slightly as he crashed into Yagami's lower body.
Under the basket, Matsumoto—using the crowd for cover—extended his foot, a cruel gleam flashing in his eyes.
"Sorato!" Sendoh couldn't see clearly what was happening under the basket, but he could already see Hanamiya's collision throwing Yagami off-balance!
However, Yagami's right hand stubbornly gripped the rim for just one extra instant.
In that split second, his single-foot landing position was perfectly, "coincidentally" placed right on Matsumoto's instep.
"CRACK!"
Accompanied by a faint snapping sound, Yagami's unbalanced body tilted backward. In the instant before falling, his out-of-control elbow—carrying all his body weight—"accidentally" struck viciously into the triumphant smile on Hanamiya's face.
"CRACK!"
The dull sound of bone meeting cartilage was clearly audible.
"AAAHHH! AAAHHH! AAAHHH!"
All three crashed to the floor. Matsumoto curled up clutching his twisted ankle. Hanamiya knelt covering his face, bright red seeping through his fingers.
Yagami also lay on the ground holding his foot, rolling around, even "unintentionally" bumping into the two beside him again. His screams were the loudest of the three.
"AAAAHHHH OHHHHH OWWWWW!"
"TWEEET!" The referee approached with a pained expression on his face.
Players from both teams crowded around. For a moment, nobody could figure out exactly what had happened.
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