On the court.
Maki Shinichi was being driven crazy by Sendoh.
No matter how he changed direction, accelerated, or tried to bully his way through with his back against him.
Sendoh always used his height and long legs to appear one step ahead, blocking his path before he could attack.
That feeling was like throwing a punch into cotton.
Or like being wrapped up by a gentle stream of water.
He had all the strength in the world, but nowhere to use it.
The frustration was enough to make him spit blood.
"This guy…"
Maki protected the ball, leaning his back against Sendoh as he breathed heavily.
He turned his head and happened to meet Sendoh's face.
Sweat covered his features, yet that signature smile remained.
There was no provocation.
No arrogance.
Only pure enjoyment.
Enjoying the duel.
Enjoying basketball.
A figure suddenly flashed through Maki's mind.
That lazy guy who always threw out trash talk, yet whose eyes were as cold as ice.
Makino Juro.
"Completely different from that guy…"
Maki thought silently.
Makino Juro gave people the feeling of an endless abyss.
A terrifying combination of calculation and pressure that made it impossible to breathe.
But Sendoh…
Sendoh was like the wind.
Like water.
A kind of control that was impossible to grasp, yet existed everywhere on the court.
"But don't think this alone can stop me!"
Maki's eyes sharpened.
Suddenly, he spun around, took a step back, created half a body's worth of distance, and pulled up for a jumper!
If he couldn't break through—
then he would shoot!
But that was exactly what Sendoh wanted.
The instant Maki released the ball, Sendoh's long arm had already risen like a curtain blocking the sky.
A perfect visual disturbance.
"Bang!"
The basketball struck the front rim and bounced high into the air.
"Rebound!!"
Under the basket, Uozumi Jun had already secured his position.
Using his massive body, he completely sealed off Takasago.
His long arms stretched out.
He grabbed the rebound firmly.
"Great rebound, Captain Uozumi!"
The Ryonan counterattack started instantly.
Smooth and unstoppable, like flowing mercury.
...
At the reporters' booth.
Nakamura watched the smooth transition between offense and defense.
He scratched his head with a curious expression.
"Miss Aida, I've always had a question."
"A point guard, or PG… what exactly is their responsibility?"
Aida Yayoi's eyes never left Sendoh, who was advancing with the ball.
Her tone was professional and sharp, with a hint of excitement.
"A point guard is the brain of the team."
"Their biggest responsibility is to read the situation and initiate the team's offense."
"When should they push the fast break?"
"When should they slow down and run a half-court offense?"
"Who should receive the ball?"
"How should the tactics be executed?"
"All of it is decided in a single moment."
"You could say the point guard is the coach on the court."
Nakamura nodded in understanding.
But then he remembered all those shorter guards and became confused.
"Then… shouldn't you find someone smaller?"
"Like Miyagi Ryota?"
"After all, shorter players have a lower center of gravity, making them harder to steal from, and they're faster."
Aida Yayoi gently shook her head.
A meaningful smile appeared on her lips.
"That's what the textbooks usually say."
"But it doesn't mean a point guard must always be short."
She pointed toward the figure standing out among everyone on the court.
Her eyes shone brightly.
"When a player has the height of a center…"
"The scoring ability of a forward…"
"But the delicate skills and vision of a guard…"
"When someone like that appears at the point guard position…"
"That is a 'Magician.'"
As she spoke, Ryonan's offense had already reached the front court.
Sendoh stood at the top of the arc.
He dribbled calmly.
Slowly.
Those eyes seemed to have a panoramic radar installed inside them.
The positions of all nine players.
Their movements.
Even the rhythm of their breathing.
Everything was captured.
Maki didn't dare relax.
He pressed tightly against him.
At that moment, Sendoh's gaze shifted toward Koshino at the left corner.
Maki's instincts screamed.
His center of gravity unconsciously shifted one inch to the left, preparing to intercept the passing lane.
A fake.
At that exact instant—
Sendoh's wrist moved subtly.
The basketball did not fly toward the left.
Instead, as if it had eyes of its own, it slipped past Maki's waist at an unbelievable angle and flew toward the right side of the paint.
"What?!"
The entire arena gasped.
There was clearly nobody there…
No.
A figure arrived like a storm.
Fukuda Kicchou!
He only started moving the moment Sendoh released the pass.
One spin.
He shook off his defender.
And right as the spin finished...
the basketball landed perfectly into his hands.
The player arrived.
The ball arrived.
This pass was so perfect it was like someone had fed you food directly to your mouth—
and even wiped your lips afterward.
Fukuda caught the ball and immediately attacked.
Facing Takasago's defense, he showed no fear.
He forced his way upward.
"Swish!"
The basketball hit the backboard and fell through the net.
Another flawless combination.
"WAAAAAH!!"
The crowd erupted again.
"That pass was insane!"
"Did he unlock a third eye or something?!"
"What an amazing pass, Sendoh!"
Aida Yayoi covered her face with both hands.
Her usual image as a composed female reporter completely disappeared.
Her eyes turned into hearts.
She was completely captivated.
"Sendoh is so cool, hehe! This is what you call art!"
Nakamura stared at her in shock, cold sweat dripping down his face.
"M-Miss Aida…"
"Your drooling…"
...
On the Shohoku stands.
Silence.
Everyone stared at the numbers on the scoreboard.
Kainan 8 : 16 Ryonan
"H-How is this possible…"
"Ryonan actually pulled away?"
"Against the defending king, Kainan… they're leading by eight points?"
Mitsui Hisashi muttered in disbelief.
Miyagi Ryota's expression was serious.
His fingernails dug deep into his palm.
"So this is…"
"The advantage of a tall point guard?"
"His vision is too wide."
"The passing angles are almost unlimited."
"If it were me, I couldn't even make that pass."
He crossed his arms, his brows tightly furrowed.
"Not only that…"
"Sendoh's control over the rhythm is perfect."
"Kainan has completely been dragged into Ryonan's pace."
Sakuragi watched Sendoh shining on the court.
His face turned green with jealousy.
"That damn hedgehog!"
"How dare he steal the spotlight from this genius!"
"What's so special about that pass?"
"This genius can do it too!"
Makino Juro lazily leaned against the back of his chair.
He glanced at the furious Sakuragi and casually delivered the finishing blow.
"You throwing the ball is called hitting people."
"His passing is called art."
"Watch carefully."
"Open your eyes a little wider."
"This is what true 'control of the court' looks like."
Just as Makino Juro said.
The entire game was being controlled by Sendoh.
Over the next few minutes, Sendoh transformed into a magician on the basketball court.
Against Maki's suffocating pressure, he always found the most unexpected solution.
A behind-the-back pass after a post-up, assisting Koshino for a mid-range shot.
A no-look bounce pass while moving, allowing Uozumi to score easily.
Even Ikegami, whose offense was average, found himself with an open layup opportunity because of Sendoh's control.
Everyone scored.
Everyone played comfortably.
As long as someone found an opening—
the ball would appear in their hands immediately.
That feeling pushed Ryonan's morale to its absolute peak.
Every player looked like they had been injected with adrenaline.
"BOOM!!"
With Uozumi receiving Sendoh's high lob pass and completing a powerful two-handed dunk over Maki—
the score froze.
14 : 25.
The lead had expanded to 11 points.
END OF CHAPTER
The King Of Slacking Off - MrBehringer's Secret
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