"YES!!!"
The roar from Ryonan still carried traces of exhaustion,
but the confusion in their eyes had been completely replaced by killing intent.
"Beeeep!"
Timeout over.
The smoke of battle rose again.
On Shohoku's side, Sakuragi Hanamichi still strutted around like he owned the world—
swaggering with his chest out, nostrils practically pointing at the ceiling.
"Hey, Monkey Boss!"
"Ready to receive judgment from this genius?!"
"This time, I'm gonna dunk all over your head—no, I'll humiliate you!"
Even while passing by Uozumi, Sakuragi didn't forget to trash-talk.
But this time… Uozumi didn't explode.
He didn't even respond.
He simply glanced at Sakuragi coldly—his eyes calm, like a slab of lifeless stone.
That abnormal silence made Sakuragi pause for a split second.
"Tch, putting on airs."
The game resumed.
Ryonan ball.
Sendoh brought the ball up.
This time, he slowed the tempo—no longer rushing into fast breaks.
Instead, he moved like a patient hunter, searching for the fleeting cracks in Shohoku's defense.
Rukawa Kaede lowered his center of gravity, eyes locked onto Sendoh.
Cold sweat slid down his temples.
Even someone as proud as him had to admit—
The man in front of him was unfathomable.
That calm control over the entire court… it was suffocating.
Come on, Rukawa thought.
Sendoh moved.
But instead of driving, his wrist flicked subtly—
The ball shot inward like it had eyes, heading straight to the high post.
Uozumi Jun was already there, perfectly positioned.
"Not happening!!"
Akagi Takenori roared, pressing into Uozumi from behind like an iron wall.
The two giants collided once more.
But this time—
Uozumi didn't attack.
The moment he caught the ball, he pivoted sharply to the side.
Instead of forcing his way through Akagi, he used his massive frame to set a rock-solid screen.
"What?!" Akagi's pupils shrank.
At that exact moment.
A figure cut in from the baseline like a ghost.
Fukuda Kicchou!
The man who had been mocked by Sakuragi, scolded by Coach Taoka—
Now burst out with shocking explosiveness, instantly shaking off Sakuragi!
"Crap! Sakuragi lost him!" Miyagi shouted.
Sakuragi had been drawn to the clash between Uozumi and Akagi.
Just one moment of distraction—
And Fukuda seized the opening.
"Ball!"
Fukuda roared.
Uozumi delivered the pass with surgical precision, as if they had practiced it a thousand times.
Now, in front of Fukuda—
Was nothing but open space.
And...
Akagi Takenori, rushing in for a desperate help defense.
"Don't underestimate me!!"
Even delayed by Uozumi, Akagi still charged in like a towering wall at the last second.
Fukuda was about to collide with him—
But he didn't hesitate.
In midair, he tucked his body, folding like paper, slipping under Akagi's arm at the absolute limit—
Double-clutch layup!
"Swish!"
51:44.
"ROAAAAAAR!!!"
Fukuda landed and let out a hysterical scream, pounding his chest as if smashing all his pent-up frustration.
"Nice one, Fuku!"
Ryonan's bench erupted.
Coach Taoka pumped his fist.
"That's it! That's how you tear them apart!"
Akagi landed heavily, chest heaving.
He glanced at Fukuda celebrating…
Then at Uozumi retreating in silence.
He understood.
Ryonan had changed.
Uozumi was no longer the main attacker—
He had become the most dangerous support, unlocking Fukuda as a scoring machine.
"Damn it! That bastard Fuku dared to sneak attack this genius?!"
"Fast break! Fast break, Ryota!"
"Give me the ball! I'm getting it back!"
Sakuragi shouted furiously, grabbing the ball to inbound.
"Calm down, Sakuragi!"
Miyagi barked. "There's still time! Play it steady!"
Final 30 seconds of the first half.
Shohoku's last possession.
Miyagi brought the ball up carefully, especially cautious against Sendoh.
"Spread out!"
He signaled.
Akagi took position inside.
Rukawa moved along the wing.
Mitsui Hisashi waited in the corner.
A standard half-court set.
But—
Ryonan's defense had changed too.
They collapsed inward, like a tightly tied sack, protecting the paint at all costs—
allowing outside shots, denying penetration.
"If you won't come out… I'll shoot!"
Mitsui caught the ball in the corner.
Seeing the defender a step away, he rose without hesitation.
His form—still textbook perfect, like a piece of art.
The ball arced beautifully.
"Clang!"
Fatigue had stiffened his fingers—
the shot hit the front rim and bounced up.
"Rebound!!"
Akagi and Uozumi jumped simultaneously.
But this time—
Uozumi didn't even look at the ball.
He used all his strength to lock down Akagi's lower body, like a rooted tree, preventing him from jumping.
"That's mine!!"
Sakuragi soared from the side, his red hair blazing in the air.
But just as his fingertips were about to touch the ball—
Another hand got there first.
Sendoh Akira!
He slipped past Rukawa, tapping the rebound at its highest point to Koshino on the perimeter.
"Fast break!!"
Sendoh shouted as he landed—his voice calm, yet cold.
Ryonan exploded forward like arrows released from a bow.
Final 8 seconds.
"Get back! Hurry!" Ayako shouted from the sideline.
But Ryonan's counterattack was too fast—
A release of all the frustration they had built up.
Koshino took two dribbles and fired a long pass ahead.
Fukuda caught it—
No one in front of him.
"Not happening!!"
A black shadow howled in from behind—
Rukawa Kaede!
He caught up with terrifying speed, leaping high for a chase-down block.
Fukuda caught sight of him from the corner of his eye—
Shock flashed through him.
But he didn't force the shot.
Instead—
Midair, he flicked a subtle pass backward, as if he had eyes in the back of his head.
Sendoh, who had followed up, caught the ball.
Facing an open basket—
He gently laid it in.
"Beeeep!"
At the same time.
The buzzer for the end of the first half sounded.
51:46.
In the final minute, Ryonan clawed their way back—
Using relentless physical play and stubborn defense to cut the deficit to five.
"Phew…"
Sendoh landed, casually wiping the sweat off his face.
He glanced at the scoreboard.
That faint smile still lingered on his lips—tinged with provocation.
"Not bad. Just five points."
He turned...
His gaze once again locking onto Shohoku's bench.
There...
Makino Juro stretched lazily and stood up from his seat.
"Ah… halftime already."
"Looks like the second half's going to be busy."
He rubbed his eyes, looking at his teammates walking off the court.
Akagi stepped down with a serious expression, taking the towel Ayako handed him.
They were still leading—
But the pressure had never felt heavier.
Ryonan's resilience… was like an unkillable cockroach.
"You all did very well."
Coach Anzai said with a gentle smile, his glasses glinting.
"The second half… is the real battle."
He turned to Makino Juro.
"Juro-kun, are you fully recharged?"
Makino Juro unscrewed his bottle and took a sip.
His eyes slowly sharpened.
Though he still looked lazy—
The hidden edge in his gaze made the air around him subtly grow colder.
"Yeah… more or less."
He cracked his neck, joints popping like something being unsealed.
Glancing at Coach Taoka—who was passionately shouting instructions across the court—
A playful smile curled on his lips.
"Since they've caught up…"
"I guess I'll get a little serious."
"Otherwise…"
"The audience might start asking for refunds."
END OF CHAPTER
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