"Not even giving us a single chance to break through? In that case… we'll have to pass."
Kiyoshi Teppei exchanged a glance with Hyuga Junpei. For the first round of offense, Kiyoshi had planned to imitate Akashi from the finals: penetrate the paint, then pass the ball out to Hyuga on the perimeter.
This way, they could maximize the distance between them and avoid Akashi's chase defense.
But now it seemed he had overestimated himself.
Just because Akashi Seijuro could do it didn't mean he could.
So this time, Kiyoshi abandoned the drive. Dribbling in front of Akashi, he faked a move and passed the ball.
But…
Snap!
The crisp sound of the ball hitting a hand echoed sharply in the empty gym.
"What? Steal…"
Watching his pass immediately intercepted by Akashi, both Kiyoshi and Hyuga froze again.
Akashi casually tossed the stolen ball back to Kiyoshi and said,
"Don't think that a two-on-one gives you a huge advantage. Remember, there are only two of you. That means, in front of me, Kiyoshi only has one effective passing lane besides attacking. Once you realize that, even if you cooperate, breaking through my defense isn't so simple."
"No way! Even knowing Kiyoshi's passing lanes, stopping both his pass and his attack… could it really be that easy?"
Hyuga and Riko understood Akashi's point, but theory and reality were two different things. Kiyoshi Teppei, after all, was one of the "Uncrowned Kings." Could his offense and passes really be stopped so easily?
============
Third offensive round.
Kiyoshi still held the ball. Sweat began forming uncontrollably on his forehead as he faced Akashi's defense.
This guy… he's even more imposing than Murasakibara.
After two failed attacks, the pressure on Kiyoshi and Hyuga surged.
This time, Kiyoshi didn't hesitate. From the moment the round began, he immediately passed to Hyuga on the far side.
Hyuga shot without hesitation upon receiving the pass.
But just as he released the ball, a massive shadow loomed in front of him. The gym lights were blocked, and in that instant, Hyuga felt as if a giant mountain had appeared before him.
"Damn it! What kind of monster reaction speed is this? How far apart do you think we are?!"
Slap!
No surprise. The ball was swatted away.
8:0.
Akashi adjusted his shoulders slightly.
"You have two more chances left."
============
"So… so fast! And it's not just reaction speed, seeing it up close, his burst and lateral movement are absurdly fast!"
Is this really possible for someone over two meters tall?
Riko gaped, almost questioning reality itself. From the sideline, she had seen clearly: just as Kiyoshi passed the ball, Akashi had already closed the gap.
Kiyoshi and Hyuga were at least seven or eight meters apart, yet Akashi reached Hyuga in only two steps.
Fourth offensive round.
Kiyoshi and Hyuga attempted the same tactic again, planning a driving pass into the paint.
But Akashi simply positioned himself between the two, using his jump and height to intercept a high pass midair.
9:0.
"Last chance!"
Kiyoshi dribbled, forcing himself to stay calm.
Although he and Hyuga had anticipated low chances of success, failing to score even a single point was beyond expectation.
Getting shut out… this is embarrassing. At least one point should've been made!
Exhaling, Kiyoshi's mind sharpened. As a unique center with point guard awareness, his basketball IQ was among the highest even in the Generation of Miracles.
After a brief thought, a plan formed.
Next second.
The play began. Kiyoshi tossed the ball to Hyuga and darted toward the basket.
Akashi pressed Hyuga, but before he could reach, Hyuga immediately returned the pass.
Two simple passes, yet they revealed the seamless coordination between Kiyoshi and Hyuga.
Akashi had to retreat, but this time he was lightning-fast, closing in on Kiyoshi, who prepared to jump for a dunk.
"Let's settle this! Akashi!"
Kiyoshi roared, seemingly ready to confront Akashi head-on.
Akashi's height allowed him to block most high school shots without jumping, but Kiyoshi, over 190 cm, forced Akashi to leap.
The higher Akashi jumped, the longer it took to descend.
Midair.
Just as Akashi's hand nearly covered Kiyoshi's dunk, Kiyoshi, who had appeared enraged moments ago, suddenly grinned like a sly fox.
"You finally fell for it! Akashi!"
Whoosh~
The ball, nearly released, was pulled back midair by Kiyoshi's one hand, who immediately aimed to pass to Hyuga.
This was Kiyoshi's signature move, the post-release pass!
Even Akashi couldn't have stopped Hyuga's shot if it went through.
It wasn't about reaction speed.
Akashi was still midair!
Yet in the end, Kiyoshi couldn't pass to Hyuga. As he attempted the pass, Akashi twisted his body, intercepting with his other hand.
Landing lightly, Akashi looked utterly bored.
Coldly, he said to Kiyoshi,
"You don't think I'm that idiot Murasakibara, do you? Falling for that so easily?"
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Completed version available on Patreon.com/Veltoria