The silence filled the arena. The only thing you could hear was the heavy, nervous breathing of the crowd.
The ref held the ball up, glancing one last time between Nash and Seth.
Seth got into position, knees bent, his whole body dead still. Nash was the same way, just staring at the ball.
The ref blew the whistle and tossed the ball up.
Both of them leaped at the exact same time. No more thinking, time to show their raw explosive power. But ten centimeters and a slightly better jump made all the difference. Nash's hand hit the ball first, slapping it right back toward his teammates.
Seth landed on the floor. His face was calm as usual, but he frowned for a split second. He wasn't used to losing a duel like that, even in clear biological disadvantage.
A wave of shocked whispers swept through the crowd.
Nash didn't even wait to land fully before he was sprinting. He caught the pass from Aiko and took off. His long strides ate up the court dangerously fast.
