CROSS ZERO
Chapter 9: Survivors
The Weight of Betrayal
Akira stood frozen on the court, the ball heavy in his hands.
His breath came in ragged gasps. His vision tunneled. The scoreboard glowed above him like a death sentence.
TEAM OMEGA: 11 | TEAM BETA: 11
TIME REMAINING: 9:14
4v6.
The words echoed in his head, over and over, like a curse.
Suno stood on the opposite side of the court now, smirking, arms crossed. He wasn't even pretending anymore.
Akira's grip tightened on the ball.
"So this is the true intensity of ego," he muttered.
Vox's Observation Room
High above the court, in the cold, sterile observation room, Vox sat motionless, watching the screens.
Mika Kuronami stood beside him, arms crossed, jaw tight.
"That Suno should be disqualified," she said sharply. "This is sabotage. This is—"
"Suno didn't break any rules," Vox interrupted, voice calm and cold.
Mika turned to glare at him. "He's betraying his own team—"
"And if they lose," Vox continued, "he'll qualify. Unfair and square."
He leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled.
"This is what I wanted," he said quietly. "Despair. Pressure. Evolution."
Mika's fists clenched.
But she said nothing.
The Collapse
The game resumed.
Akira passed to Taiga, who drove forward with raw power, then passed to Mitsuki.
Mitsuki caught it—
—and hesitated.
Just for a second.
But a second was all Kurasi needed.
He intercepted the ball cleanly, eyes flashing with cold precision.
"I'll dictate this game," Kurasi said.
He broke past Kaoru with surgical efficiency, dribbling with mechanical perfection.
Akira rushed to intercept—
—and Suno shoved him backward.
"All is fair in love and war," Suno said with a grin.
Akira stumbled, crashing to the floor.
Kurasi leapt, planted his feet at the three-point line, and fired.
SWISH.
TEAM OMEGA: 11 | TEAM BETA: 14
TIME REMAINING: 8:02
Akira scrambled to his feet, breathing hard. "Push for a goal! We can keep up!"
But no one answered.
Kaoru was silent, staring at the floor.
Taiga stood frozen, fists clenched.
Mitsuki didn't even look at him.
The Despair Deepens
Akira grabbed the inbound and drove forward desperately.
Oyon intercepted with ease, turned, and fired a three-pointer without hesitation.
SWISH.
TEAM OMEGA: 11 | TEAM BETA: 17
TIME REMAINING: 7:18
Akira's chest heaved.
"DAMN IT!" he shouted. "Team Omega, don't lose hope! Kaoru, don't give up! Taiga, don't forget your dream! Mitsuki, keep fighting!"
No response.
Just silence.
Akira grabbed the ball again, desperation clawing at his throat.
He drove forward—
—and Suno blocked him, ripping the ball away and passing it directly to Kurasi.
Kurasi caught it, drove to the basket, and dunked it with brutal efficiency.
TEAM OMEGA: 11 | TEAM BETA: 19
TIME REMAINING: 6:34
Akira's knees buckled.
We're… we're going to lose.
The Breaking Point
Akira grabbed the inbound again, hands shaking.
"Come on!" he shouted, passing to Taiga.
Taiga caught it—
—and immediately passed it back.
"It's over, Akira," Taiga said quietly.
Akira's eyes went wide. "No! I will survive!"
He drove forward, breaking past Oyon with pure desperation.
Kurasi stepped in and swatted the ball away.
It bounced toward Mitsuki.
Mitsuki caught it.
And then—
He just stood there.
Staring at the ball. Staring at nothing.
Akira's vision went red.
"DAMN YOU, MISSY!" he screamed, sprinting toward him. "Quit hogging the ball and GIVE IT TO ME!"
He reached Mitsuki—
—and shoved him aside.
"MOVE!"
Mitsuki crashed to the floor, the ball slipping from his hands.
Akira grabbed it, breathing hard, eyes wild.
"If you won't help," Akira snarled, "just die."
Mitsuki's Awakening
Mitsuki lay on the floor, staring up at the ceiling.
His chest heaved.
His mind was blank.
Damn you, Akira.
Why won't you just let me lose in peace?
And then—
He saw himself.
Not the version lying on the floor.
But the version from before.
Flashback
A younger Mitsuki, sprinting down the court, long blue hair streaming behind him like lightning.
His teammates shouted at him to pass, to slow down, to wait.
But he didn't listen.
"Keep up!" he shouted, grinning.
He was unstoppable.
Until—
A sharp CRACK.
His knee buckled.
He collapsed, screaming, clutching his leg.
ACL tear.
The doctors said he'd heal.
They said he could play again.
But the fear never left.
The fear of running.
The fear of that crack happening again.
So he came to Cross Zero to lose.
To give up on his dream.
On his own terms.
Present
Mitsuki's eyes snapped open.
He stared at Akira, who was still running, still fighting, still refusing to give up.
Piece of shit.
And then—
He felt it.
Chains.
Heavy, invisible chains wrapped around his leg, binding him, holding him down.
I won't lose after the shit you spewed against me.
The chains vibrated.
Blue electricity crackled along them, sparking, surging—
—and they SHATTERED.
Mitsuki stood up.
His eyes burned with blue light.
And he ran.
The Lightning Returns
Akira drove forward, weaving through defenders, vision tunneling.
I feel it. I sense it.
He turned his head—
—and saw Mitsuki.
Running.
Not jogging. Not hesitating.
Running.
His long blue hair streamed behind him like a bolt of lightning. His eyes blazed with intensity. His feet moved faster than Akira had ever seen anyone move.
He overtook players like they were standing still.
"GO, MISSY!" Akira shouted. "GO!"
He threw the pass.
Suno lunged to intercept. "What a bad pass—"
Mitsuki caught it mid-air.
"Die, idiot," Mitsuki snarled.
He blitzed past Suno.
Past Oyon.
Past Kurasi.
Past everyone.
He leapt at the three-point line, body twisting mid-air, and fired.
The ball arced through the air.
SWISH.
TEAM OMEGA: 14 | TEAM BETA: 19
TIME REMAINING: 5:02
Mitsuki landed, breathing hard, eyes blazing.
"We're not done yet," he said.
The Shift
Kurasi's eyes narrowed. He turned to Suno.
"You didn't tell us about that one," he said coldly.
Suno's face went pale. "I never knew his Core was speed! Damn it!"
Kaoru stood on the sideline, watching.
Then he cracked his neck, grinning.
"I feel bored standing around," he said. "Don't you, Taiga?"
Taiga's eyes burned.
"Shut up," he said. "And let's win."
Kaoru's Beast
Kurasi caught the inbound and passed to Oyon.
Oyon passed to another teammate—
—and Taiga intercepted.
"I'll be the superstar!" Taiga roared.
Kurasi stepped in front of him, eyes cold. "You've been analyzed, fool."
Taiga grinned. "Sure. Maybe I gave away my Core. But my buddy's getting creative."
He threw the ball backward—
—and Kaoru caught it.
His eyes flashed orange.
Behind him, a shadow emerged—a massive, wild beast with sharp claws and burning eyes, pointing forward.
"SLAM SLAM BANG SLAM BASH!" Kaoru shouted.
He broke past four players—including Suno—with wild, unpredictable movements.
Ankle breaks. Spins. Fakes.
Pure chaos.
He leapt at the three-point line, tongue out, grinning like a maniac—
—and fired.
SWISH.
TEAM OMEGA: 17 | TEAM BETA: 19
TIME REMAINING: 3:14
Taiga pumped his fist. "PUSH FOR IT, TEAM OMEGA!"
Akira's eyes flashed with binary light—purple and electric.
He turned to face Team Beta, breathing hard, grinning.
"We'll be the survivors of this game," he said. "Mark our words."
END OF CHAPTER 9