Bang!
Nango was the first to explode into the lane, his foot planting on the dotted line just in front of the free-throw arc. With one powerful step, he launched himself into the air.
Bang! Sendo leapt right after him, refusing to back down.
"From that distance… is he really going to dunk it?!" Nakamura's voice trembled with disbelief. Even without much commentary experience, he knew dunking from there was something only monsters could attempt.
Beside him, Aida Yayoi's pen froze mid-note, her eyes locked on the clash in front of her.
Nango gripped the ball in his right hand, cocking it back for a one-handed slam.
Sendo locked onto it instantly. He stretched his right arm out, aiming to swat it from behind—
Bang!Thud!
—but caught nothing but Nango's shoulder. The Shohoku guard never even flinched, hammering the ball through the rim with authority.
Beep! The referee's whistle shrilled. Count the basket—and a foul!
"YEAH!" Kano threw both arms into the air, while Eri crossed hers with a sigh.
"Ho!" The crowd erupted as Nango landed, flashing a faint smile. "Thanks," he said casually.
Sendo's face tightened. This guy… still as infuriating as ever.
"That tiny difference…" Aida Yayoi muttered with regret, though her professionalism kept her from losing composure.
"That tiny difference is everything," muttered Maki, leaving Kainan silent. After yesterday, they understood that truth all too well.
"Nango's even faster than he was in the Prefectural Tournament," Murasame exclaimed. "At full speed, maybe only Naito could stop him now."
Naito's expression soured. In a way, it was because of Nango that Miuradai's run ended in round one.
On the bench, Sakuragi thrust his finger out at Uozumi. "Heh! Monkey Boss, your days are numbered!"
"Hm? Someone said something?" Uozumi shaded his eyes with his hand, pretending to look around. "Strange, I can't see anyone…"
The comic relief ended quickly as Coach Anzai made his move.
Sakuragi checked back in—replacing Mitsui.
"What?" Coach Taoka frowned. "He's pulling Mitsui? Now of all times? What is he thinking?"
Even Nango was confused. With the gap about to shrink to just six points if he hit his free throw, why take out Shohoku's deadliest scoring weapon?
Still, he shrugged off the thought and calmly sank the free throw.
On defense, Nango's new assignment was Fukuda. Interesting.
After losing the ball twice in a row to Nango, Sendo debated changing tactics. But before he could, Uozumi stepped out to set a perfect screen.
Slipping free from Rukawa, Sendo found himself against Akagi.
He dropped his stance low, dribbling left, then right, executing two sharp changes of direction. Akagi bit on a shot fake, giving Sendo the lane. He blew past the Shohoku captain—clean.
"Sendo!" Sakuragi roared. Fired up after re-entering, he charged head-on.
Sendo kept his composure. A quick crossover slowed the pace, then he exploded again, pulling up into a sudden jumper. His form was perfect—until a hand shot up in his face.
"Don't even think about it!" Sakuragi shouted, recovering his balance with freakish speed.
Sendo's eyes widened. Even after all those moves… he still caught up?!
The instant the ball left his fingertips, he knew it was off.
"Rebound!" he barked.
But rebounding had become Sakuragi's instinct. He boxed Sendo out the moment he landed, sealing him away from the paint.
Not that Sendo tried to crash the glass—he was already preparing to fall back, wary of one man.
Bang! The ball clanged off the right side of the rim, bouncing high toward Sugadaira.
"Mine!" Sugadaira leapt to tip it in—
But thwack! Nango swooped in from behind, flicking the ball away, then sprang up a second time to secure the rebound himself.
"Fast break!" he shouted, tearing down the court with lightning speed.
Sendo didn't gamble this time. He immediately retreated, positioning himself to cut off the lane.
The gym buzzed.
"Shohoku's fast break again!"
Kano shot to her feet, fists clenched. "Go, Nango!"
"Heh. Women…" Eri muttered, shaking her head.
It was a four-man wave: Miyagi on the left, Nango in the middle, Rukawa on the right, and Sakuragi trailing close behind.
Ryonan's defense scrambled—Sendo, Fukuda, and Ikegami bracing themselves.
"Fukuda! Don't let them through!" Ikegami barked.
"Yes!" Fukuda dropped low, guarding with full focus.
But to Nango, their formation was almost insulting. So… you're just leaving it to Sendo, huh? Underestimating me like that?
His decision was instant—he was going straight for it.
He planted on the dotted line again and launched, soaring skyward with his left arm shielding and his right arm cocked back.
For a split second, Sendo froze, dazed by the sheer ferocity of the attack. Then he snapped out of it, sliding to the side before leaping to contest.
Even prepared, he couldn't stop it.
BOOM!
Nango detonated a thunderous dunk right over him.
The crowd gasped.
"Was… was that a facial?" Hasegawa stammered.
"Looks that way…" Hanagata muttered, remembering bad memories.
"This guy… on the break, he's terrifying," Fujima admitted, a shiver running down his back.
Maki, however, shook his head calmly. "Not terrifying. Just skill. You can't let him run loose, or he'll bury you."
"YAYAYAY!" Kano squealed, grabbing a stunned Eri and jumping up and down.
A minute ago, she'd said Nango looked lifeless. Now he had slammed home two vicious dunks. Eri could only grit her teeth.
"Heh… kid's fast," Nango's father chuckled, instinctively patting his pocket for cigarettes before remembering he couldn't smoke.
His mother, however, frowned with worry. "He's using so much force… I hope his hand doesn't hurt."
The audience buzzed with excitement, but Sendo could only glance at the clock—37 seconds left. On the last possession of the half, he swore he'd strike back.
Nango caught his look and smirked inwardly.
Perfect. I'll let Rukawa deal with this mess later. For now, I'm going to enjoy myself.
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