If the first half of the opening quarter was all about the individual brilliance of Shigure Akihito and Hagioka Kasayuki, then the second half belonged to both teams' ultimate expression of teamwork—offense and defense at their limits.
On one side, the Rainbow Connection.
On the other, the Okayama Miracle.
One side: offense greater than defense.
The other: defense greater than offense.
From the stands, Akashi Seijūrō's eyes burned as he fixed his gaze on Hagioka Kasayuki. In that moment, the thoughtful gleam in his eyes mirrored that of Nijimura Shuzo down on the court.
At the same time, the other high school teams could hardly hide their shock.
Because everyone could see it now—around the Rakuzan players, the same ink-black aura as Hagioka's swirled. With every move they made, streaks of dark light slashed through the air, leaving trails that shook the crowd!
"…Eh?!"
"What…"
"No way, this is impossible…!"
"You're kidding, right?! All of Rakuzan just copied Hagioka's ability?!"
The entire venue fell silent in disbelief.
What kind of devil's trick was this?
Was this too part of Hagioka Kasayuki's power?!
On the court
Shhh!
Shhh!
Shhh!
Shhh!
The moment Kaijō pressed their defense across the full court, Rakuzan's side erupted in the same inky haze!
Every Rakuzan player, just as the audience had seen from above, suddenly manifested the signature ability of Hagioka: their entire bodies cloaked in the dark aura, like ink spilling across the hardwood.
The black spread across half the court. Wherever Kaijō moved, the haze scattered, yet the Rakuzan players, led by their "Black Demon King" Hagioka, flowed with it.
It was as if the fog of ink responded to their opponents' presence—whenever touched, it pushed back, driving them to react almost instantly. The ability was stretched to its very limit.
In this shadowed realm, the moment an opponent entered the black, their position became clear without even needing to look. And once they attacked
Whether it was a feint or the real thing—Rakuzan could react in perfect unison.
It was as if their opponents had been turned into marionettes, strings tied from their movements back to Hagioka. Every action the enemy took seemed to echo through him, forcing his team to move in sync.
Shigure Akihito: "…?"
What the hell?
A perception barrier?
Facing Shigure's doubtful stare, Hagioka smiled faintly.
"See it now? We're sixth-years. Never underestimate the power of time."
"Eyes."
"Habits."
"Movements."
"All of it folds back into one thing—chemistry."
"Other than myself, these four are the ones who know me best… And this, this is the place a single person alone can never reach. Even as the ace, I can only run toward it with my teammates at my side."
With a calm, proud smile—part confidence, part admiration for his team—Hagioka looked Shigure in the eye.
"Shigure, under the shroud of the Okayama Miracle, you and Nijimura may be able to unleash the Rainbow Connection…"
"But tell me—can you still see a path forward?"
Pa!
Pa!
Pa!
No sooner had Hagioka spoken than Shigure's dribble rang out again, crisp and steady. His ball control was unwavering, and his face carried the same calm smile as before.
Hagioka frowned slightly.
Something was off.
This guy… he was just dribbling in place.
What was he waiting for?
Hagioka: "?!"
Even under the perception of the shadowed domain, not only Hagioka but all of Rakuzan sensed it—someone accelerating off the ball, slicing through the ink without possession!
Number 8!
Fukasaya Reiji!
"First of all…"
"Who said Nijimura and I are the only ones who can activate the Rainbow Connection?"
"And second…"
"You asked about a path forward?"
Shigure's eyes glimmered with an unshakable spirit, calm as drifting smoke yet piercing as a blade.
Whoosh!
The Emperor Pass exploded through the ink haze—not through Nijimura this time, but straight toward the sprinting Fukasaya Reiji. The pass was so fast it whistled as it cut the air!
In that instant
Hagioka thought he saw a streak, like a shadow stitching itself into a rainbow!
The ball's speed was untouchable, but Rakuzan's players, united under Hagioka's domain, matched their synergy to its limit. Reiji was fast, explosively so, yet Rakuzan's collective defense shifted seamlessly, switching assignments in a perfect zone.
But then
Pa!
The ball hit Reiji's hands. Yet the pass carried immense force, spinning strangely—no ordinary player could possibly control it.
But Reiji knew. That spin was no accident—it was Shigure's assist, tailored for him.
Riding the momentum of the pass, he moved without hesitation!
In his mind
Shigure's ability.
Their shared memories.
Match after match flashing like fragments of film.
Whoosh!
From the stands
Aomine Daiki and Haizaki Shōgo's eyes flew wide open.
"…You've got to be kidding me?!"
On the court
Kurumiya Tosei, defending Reiji, had ridden the ink's guidance to stick with him. But in the very next second, his shock matched Aomine and Haizaki's.
The instant Reiji caught the ball
He slipped sideways, propelled by the spin. A lightning-fast side-step drift, gliding further and further, until he completely evaded Kurumiya's contest in midair!
And then—astonishingly
With a single hand, from below upward, he flicked the ball in an almost lazy arc
Swish!
The shot dropped clean.
Kurumiya: "…?"
From the right elbow, just outside the paint—an underhand scoop shot?!
No.
It wasn't even a proper shot by normal standards. He had simply raised the ball high with one hand, flicking his wrist as if tossing it toward the hoop.
"This is…"
Something he remembered, back when he watched Shigure play as a second-year.
Shigure's ability.
Meanwhile, on the court, Fukasaya Reiji had tied up his hair the moment he checked in, sharp eyes revealing his usual cold focus. Yet now
There was excitement. The thrill of channeling Shigure's ability, of proving it could flow through him too.
Even if
It wasn't something he could do alone.
And on the other side
Shigure's voice reached Hagioka's ears, steady as ever:
"The ones who know me best, and the ones I know just as well… eyes, habits, movements—all folding back into chemistry."
"There are places one alone can never reach. We have them too."
"Remember this well, senpai."
"We are Teiko."
"And that guy…"
"…is Fukasaya Reiji, who's always pushing for something higher."
END OF CHAPTER
CROWN BEFORE THE MIRACLES
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