The game was about to begin.
The Interhigh had always been strictly regulated, with rules enforced down to the smallest detail.
Team captains from both sides, along with the referees, had already confirmed agreement and sworn to follow all regulations of the match.
Before tip-off, both teams lined up and exchanged formal bows.
Fukuda Sogo stood on one side.
Tōō Academy stood on the other.
Haizaki Shogo looked straight at the opponent in front of him—Aomine Daiki—a satisfied grin forming on his face, his entire body radiating an uncontainable sense of excitement.
And Aomine… his eyes were blazing with wild light, equally eager, his fists already clenched in anticipation.
"You finally made it here. I thought someone would've taken you out on the way, Aomine," Haizaki said lazily.
Aomine smirked.
"Are you joking? You were the one who almost got knocked out yesterday, Haizaki."
"Ah… hahaha… enough talk. Let's settle this in court."
"Gladly."
So he's got a sharp tongue too… I didn't expect that.
A whistle pierced the air.
BEEP!
"Ready—go!"
The opening tip-off began.
Fukuda Sogo sent Haizaki Shogo, #6.
Tōō Academy sent Aomine Daiki, #5.
Both teams had silently agreed on one thing: their ace would dictate the pace from the very start.
THUD!
Both hands struck the ball at the same time. The impact was heavy—far heavier than a normal tip-off.
Neither gained control.
The ball was forced straight upward again.
Both players landed and immediately leapt again for the second contest.
THUD! THUD!
Still no winner.
The ball shot upward once more.
They landed again.
This time, they exchanged glances.
A flash of surprise… then excitement.
Bring it on… let's see who gets it first.
The third jump began.
Haizaki was a fraction late.
But—
He still reached higher.
BOOM!
At the peak, Haizaki snatched the ball cleanly.
Without hesitation, he slammed it forward toward Tōō's half court.
A fast break had already started.
Kimura Tosho had already sprinted ahead—his timing for fast breaks was excellent.
KLANG!
A one-handed dunk shattered the momentum into full ignition.
The ball slammed through the hoop, and the entire arena ignited instantly.
Fukuda Sogo's players roared. Their energy exploded upward.
On landing, Aomine glanced at Haizaki.
A flicker of admiration crossed his eyes.
That explosiveness… his athleticism is above mine in that instant. Lucky bastard.
But his expression quickly turned into a grin.
Still… this is just the beginning.
Fukuda Sogo retreated quickly on defense. Every player understood one thing clearly—
Aomine Daiki's speed was monstrous.
They immediately formed a compact half-court defensive setup, ready for impact.
Tōō's captain, Imayoshi Shoichi, received the inbound pass while observing the formation with narrowed eyes.
They've improved… their defense is much more organized now.
He dribbled past midcourt and passed the ball to Sakurai Ryo, hoping for an early three-pointer to break the rhythm.
But Kimura was already there—tight defense, perfectly timed.
Sakurai hesitated.
No opening.
He passed it back.
Imayoshi smirked.
A feint.
SWISH!
A clean mid-range jumper dropped in.
Tōō answered immediately.
The scoreboard began to breathe.
Haizaki watched the retreating Tōō players.
I'm going to take this championship… no one is stopping me.
He raised his hand.
"I want the ball."
The pass came instantly.
Haizaki caught it and walked forward, his presence changing the atmosphere entirely.
Every step carried pressure—heavy, suffocating.
The real game starts now.
The crowd felt it.
The players felt it.
Even the referees felt it.
A single thought formed in everyone's mind:
This is where things get serious.
Aomine stepped up to meet him.
No words.
Just pressure.
Haizaki accelerated.
Aomine matched him instantly.
They collided in motion—left, right, neither giving ground.
Then Haizaki spun.
Explosive drive.
He leapt.
Aiming for a dunk.
Aomine followed.
His arm shot upward.
A block attempt.
Haizaki's eyes sharpened.
"You want to block me… don't dream too big, Aomine."
BOOOOM!
What happened next defied logic.
In midair, Haizaki twisted his body unnaturally, slipping past Aomine's block attempt as if gravity itself had loosened its grip.
He rotated through space and slammed the ball in from an impossible angle.
KRAAAASH!
The dunk landed.
Silence for half a second.
Then chaos.
Aomine landed, eyes trembling—pupils shrinking and expanding rapidly.
He stared at Haizaki.
Then—
He laughed.
"Hahahahaha… good. Very good. Nice one, Haizaki!"