CROSS ZERO
Chapter 8: The Betrayal
TEAM OMEGA: 5 | TEAM BETA: 3
TIME REMAINING: 15:00
The game resumed with renewed energy.
Kurasi Toru caught the inbound pass, his small frame deceptively quick as he drove forward. His teammates moved around him in lazy patterns, passing the ball with almost casual disinterest—like they were playing a practice scrimmage instead of a do-or-die elimination match.
Suno read the play immediately.
He darted in, intercepted the pass with clean precision, and turned on a dime.
No hesitation.
He launched himself toward the three-point line, planted his feet, and fired.
The ball arced through the air in a perfect parabola.
SWISH.
TEAM OMEGA: 8 | TEAM BETA: 3
TIME REMAINING: 14:47
Suno landed, clenching his fist triumphantly. "LET'S GO!"
His voice echoed through the court, filled with confidence—almost too much confidence.
Akira exhaled, wiping sweat from his forehead. "If we keep this up, we'll for sure win."
Taiga nodded, clapping Suno on the back. "Nice read, man. Keep it up."
But Mitsuki stood off to the side, watching Team Beta's reaction—or rather, their lack of reaction.
They didn't look frustrated. They didn't look worried.
They looked… amused.
The First Crack
Kurasi caught the ball on the next possession, dribbling slowly near half-court. He glanced at Oyon and smirked.
"They aren't half bad," Kurasi said casually. "Don't you think?"
Oyon grinned. "Maybe. But they're still very trash."
Kurasi chuckled—a low, cold sound—and passed the ball to Oyon.
Oyon didn't even look at the basket. He passed it back to Kurasi without hesitation.
Kurasi caught it, leapt immediately, and fired a three-pointer with mechanical precision.
SWISH.
TEAM OMEGA: 8 | TEAM BETA: 6
TIME REMAINING: 14:22
Kaoru's eyes widened. "Oh hell nah. They just did that like that?"
Suno wiped his face, breathing hard. "Listen up. If we keep mass-producing points, even if they score, it won't be enough. We took the lead early—just keep being in the lead. Increase the defense. Then we'll win."
Akira frowned, turning the words over in his mind.
It's not a bad plan… but our formula dictates we score two points more often than risky three-pointers. If we keep doing that and they keep scoring threes, it won't be long before they overtake us.
He opened his mouth to say something—
—but stopped.
No. Trust the plan. Trust the team.
Kaoru's Test
The game resumed.
Akira caught the inbound and broke past a defender with a quick crossover, sending a clean pass to Kaoru.
Kaoru caught it, dribbling lazily for a moment, eyes darting around the court.
Then he clicked his tongue.
"Something smells fishy to me and my monster," he muttered. "And it isn't the breakfast I had this morning."
Without warning, he sent a lob pass high into the air—aiming for Suno, who was standing way beyond the three-point line.
Suno's eyes went wide. "Damn you!"
But his instincts kicked in. He leapt, catching the ball mid-air, and fired from long range.
The throw was weak—off-balance, easily interceptable.
But Team Beta didn't react.
They just… stood there.
The ball floated through the air, almost in slow motion, and somehow—impossibly—slipped through the defense and dropped through the hoop.
SWISH.
TEAM OMEGA: 11 | TEAM BETA: 6
TIME REMAINING: 12:18
Suno landed, stumbling slightly, then threw his arms into the air. "YES! LET'S GOOOO!"
Taiga stared, mouth open. "He made it from there?!"
Kaoru turned away, grinning to himself. "I have seen what I wanted to see."
Mitsuki raised an eyebrow, watching Team Beta carefully.
They didn't even try to block it. What are they thinking? If this is their strategy, it's failing woefully.
Akira felt a cold knot forming in his stomach.
Maybe they were just taken unawares… right?
Team Beta didn't react. No frustration. No urgency.
They just prepared to continue.
Suno pumped his fist. "Team Omega! Let's push for the win!"
The Collapse Begins
Kurasi attacked immediately on the next possession.
He drove forward with surgical precision, eyes scanning the court like a computer analyzing data. He sent a through ball past the defense—a perfect, laser-guided pass that landed directly in Oyon's hands.
Oyon caught it, leapt, and dunked it with brutal efficiency.
TEAM OMEGA: 11 | TEAM BETA: 8
TIME REMAINING: 11:03
Suno clenched his jaw. "Keep up, Team Omega!"
The game resumed.
Akira grabbed the inbound and immediately passed to Mitsuki, who lobbed it high for Suno.
Suno leapt—it was an easy dunk, right in front of him, no defenders nearby—
—and he missed.
His hands fumbled the ball. It slipped through his fingers and dropped outside the court.
Turnover.
Suno crashed to the floor, eyes wide.
"I—I'm so sorry!" he stammered. "I caused us to miss—"
Taiga grabbed his shoulder, pulling him to his feet. "Oi. Don't apologize. We're winning because of you. Just make sure to catch it next time, alright?"
Suno nodded quickly, but his hands were shaking.
Akira watched him carefully.
That was way too easy. He should've caught that.
Kurasi's Declaration
Kurasi caught the ball on the next possession, dribbling slowly at half-court.
His eyes locked onto Suno.
And he smiled.
"Let me show you," Kurasi said calmly, "why I am a prodigy."
He drove forward.
His teammates moved in perfect synchronization, covering angles, trading passes with mechanical precision. Team Omega scrambled to keep up, but it was like chasing shadows.
Kurasi broke through the defense with ease.
Suno stepped in front of him, arms spread, ready to block—
—and Kurasi slipped past him like he wasn't even there.
Suno stumbled, turning to watch helplessly as Kurasi planted his feet at the three-point line and fired.
SWISH.
TEAM OMEGA: 11 | TEAM BETA: 11
TIME REMAINING: 9:14
Suno dropped to his knees.
"Sorry," he whispered.
Kaoru sighed. "Typical."
Akira stood frozen for a moment, staring at Suno.
Then, slowly, he walked over.
His footsteps echoed across the court.
He stopped in front of Suno, looking down at him.
"Suno," Akira said quietly, voice trembling. "Don't fuck with me."
Suno looked up.
"Are you…" Akira's fists clenched. "Are you betraying us?"
Silence.
The entire court went still.
Kurasi walked over, hands in his pockets, smirking. Oyon followed, grinning like a predator.
Suno stood up slowly.
And then—
He smiled.
"Yes," Suno said.
The word hung in the air like a knife.
"I betrayed you."
The Truth
Akira's breath caught.
Taiga's eyes went wide. "What?!"
Kaoru tilted his head, expression unreadable.
Mitsuki didn't move. He just stared at Suno, jaw tight.
Suno brushed off his jersey, straightening up. "After all, I produced results. The top person qualifies, right? And with my performance—even if we lose—I'm guaranteed to qualify."
He gestured dismissively at the rest of Team Omega.
"Without you losers."
Mitsuki's voice was cold. "So when you stayed longer during lunch… when you gave us the alias that you were scouting…"
Suno grinned. "I ratted you out."
He spread his arms wide.
"Cores. Strategies. Everything. I gave it all to Team Beta. In exchange, they agreed to give me some shiny moments to overshadow you pieces of shit."
Kurasi chuckled. "We made a deal. He tells us everything about your team. We let him look good. Everyone wins."
Oyon cracked his knuckles. "Well… almost everyone."
Suno turned back to Team Omega, eyes gleaming.
"You're essentially playing a 4v6."
Akira's world tilted.
His vision blurred. His hands shook.
4v6.
We never had a chance.
Taiga's fists clenched so hard his knuckles turned white. "You bastard—"
Kaoru put a hand on Taiga's shoulder, stopping him.
"Don't," Kaoru said quietly. "He's not worth it."
Mitsuki just stared at Suno, expression empty.
And Akira—
Akira felt something inside him break.
END OF CHAPTER 8