Akagi Takenori's tightly coiled thigh muscles exploded in an instant.
His entire body shot upward like an arrow released from a bowstring.
He wanted to win.
More than anything—
He wanted to prove, on this stage, that Shohoku was no longer a weak team.
Akagi's pupils locked onto the basketball.
At the exact moment the ball reached its highest point—before it even began to descend—
His fingertips had already touched it.
"Smack!"
Almost simultaneously, the referee's sharp whistle pierced the air again.
"White #4!"
"Jump ball violation!"
The referee signaled coldly.
Possession—Shoyo.
Akagi froze mid-motion, still in the posture of tipping the ball.
"WOOOOAHHH!!!"
On the opposite side of the stands, the green ocean erupted instantly.
"Shoyo! Shoyo! Shoyo!"
The overwhelming cheers crashed against Akagi like waves, leaving him momentarily dizzy, almost suffocated.
"What violation?!"
"I already got the ball!"
Sakuragi Hanamichi stared wide-eyed, disbelief written all over his face.
Akagi clenched his teeth, sweat sliding down his hardened face.
"Forget it, Akagi!"
"Get back on defense!"
Mitsui Hisashi clapped his hands and shouted, trying to steady the team.
Up in the stands, however, the mood among Ryonan's players turned grim.
"This isn't good…"
Uozumi Jun leaned forward slightly, his massive frame tense, his brows knotted deeply.
"Even someone as composed as Akagi is making this kind of rookie mistake… You can imagine how much pressure he's under."
Sendoh Akira twisted open his lemon drink, speaking casually:
"It is his final year, after all."
"But if they get overwhelmed by Shoyo's momentum right from the start…"
"Shohoku might collapse before they even get a chance to fight back."
On the court.
Shoyo began their offense.
The ball was in the hands of #9, Itou Taku.
Miyagi Ryota lowered his center of gravity, eyes locked onto his opponent, ready to use his speed to steal the ball.
But the moment he stepped closer—
A massive shadow fell over him.
Itou stood at 180 cm, while Miyagi was only 168 cm.
That 12-centimeter gap.
On a basketball court.
Was a chasm.
Worse still—
He was the shortest among Shoyo's starters.
"Tch. Shorty."
Ito curled his lips in disdain, making no flashy moves at all.
He simply raised the ball high above his head with both hands.
Miyagi jumped desperately, arms flailing—
Like a child trying to reach candy placed too high.
But he couldn't even touch Itou's elbow.
"Damn it…"
Miyagi gritted his teeth, fury blazing in his eyes.
"Whoosh"
The ball sailed cleanly over his head.
A high arc—
Effortlessly bypassing Shohoku's first line of defense.
Inside—
Hanagata Toru received the pass.
With his back to the basket, he posted up against Akagi Takenori.
"As long as I stop this guy, we still have a chance!"
Feeling the pressure behind him, Akagi's eyes flashed fiercely.
When it came to strength—
He had absolute confidence in himself!
"RAAAH!"
Akagi roared, driving his chest hard into Hanagata's back.
But unlike Uozumi—
Hanagata didn't choose a brute-force post-up.
He calmly adjusted his black-rimmed glasses.
A glint flashed behind the lenses.
He turned.
Jumped.
His body leaned far back in midair.
Akagi's block had reached its absolute limit—his arm stretching like a wall that covered the sky.
And yet—
Hanagata's body bent like it had no bones, drifting backward with unnatural flexibility.
With a soft flick of his fingertips—
"Swish!"
A crisp net sound.
Nothing but net.
2 : 0.
"WOOOAHHH! HANAGATA! HANAGATA!"
Shoyo's cheer squad erupted again, their voices deafening.
"No… no way…"
On Shohoku's bench, Yasuda and Shiozaki stared in shock.
"That guy with glasses… he's 197 cm tall—how can his movements be that smooth?!"
"A fadeaway jumper? A center using a fadeaway?!"
It completely shattered their understanding of what a center should be.
In their minds
A center should be like Akagi or Uozumi.
Battling under the rim, finishing with brute-force dunks.
And yet
Here stood a giant—
With guard-like finesse.
"This is trouble."
On Ryonan's bench, Coach Taoka Moichi crossed his arms, his gaze sharp as a hawk.
"This game isn't just about winning or losing."
"It's a battle for the title of Kanagawa's number one center."
"Akagi Takenori represents the classic power-type center."
"Hanagata Toru… is the pinnacle of a finesse center."
"If Akagi can't adapt to Hanagata's style—"
"Shohoku's interior pillar will collapse."
Beside him, Aida Hikoichi scribbled frantically:
"Finesse center… Hanagata Toru… unbelievable!"
Possession switched.
Shohoku attacked.
As Miyagi brought the ball up the court
The sight before him filled him with despair.
Green jerseys connected into a single mass—
Like an impenetrable wall.
Shoyo's defensive formation was strange.
It looked like a zone.
But each player was also locking onto a man.
No matter where Miyagi looked—
All he saw were towering arms raised high.
"Damn it, I can't see anything inside!"
He tried to find a driving lane.
But Shoyo's four giants stood near the paint.
Like four pillars holding up the sky.
Completely sealing it off.
"Pass it, Ryota!"
Mitsui Hisashi broke free in the corner and shouted.
Miyagi instinctively raised the ball to pass
But the moment he did—
Itou Taku raised his hand too.
That single motion—
Blocked Miyagi's entire passing vision.
"Damn it!"
Forced to stop his dribble, Miyagi could only pass the ball back out—
To Rukawa Kaede, who stepped up to receive it.
Rukawa caught the ball.
In front of him stood defensive specialist—
Hasegawa Kazushi.
At 190 cm, with long arms.
He was like a massive spiderweb, covering every possible attacking lane.
Rukawa's face remained expressionless.
He lowered his stance and tried to force a breakthrough with speed.
Thump! Thump!
The basketball pounded sharply against the floor.
Rukawa feinted right—
Then exploded left.
Against a normal defender, that move would have worked.
But Hasegawa simply took one long stride—
Using his leg length advantage to instantly cut him off.
"Don't underestimate Shoyo's defense."
Hasegawa's voice was cold.
Rukawa frowned slightly.
Forced to stop, he attempted to pass inside to Akagi.
"Whoosh!"
The ball had just left his fingertips—
When a long arm shot in from the side.
"Smack!"
A crisp sound rang out.
The ball was intercepted mid-air.
Shoyo's #7—
Nagano Mitsuru.
"What?!"
Rukawa's pupils shrank.
"Fast break!"
From the sidelines, Fujima Kenji shouted.
Shoyo surged forward like a rising tide.
Despite their height—
Their speed was no less terrifying.
Hanagata received the pass
Took off near the free-throw line
And released a one-handed floater.
"Swish!"
4 : 0.