An unprecedented sense of absurdity surged through Akagi's mind.
Then came a deep, creeping self-doubt.
Then who am I?
Why did I even come back?
As the captain…
Did I come back just to watch the show?
…
At that moment.
Makino Juro on the court seemed to sense something.
He was holding the ball in one hand, just about to fling it to Miyagi Ryota, when the corner of his eye caught two familiar figures at the entrance.
The cold, oppressive expression on his face instantly flipped a full 180 degrees.
Those half-lidded, faintly violet eyes—sharpened by the "Murasakibara Atsushi Template"—lit up like lightbulbs.
Like he'd just seen his savior.
"Hey! Gorilla!"
Makino Juro suddenly waved toward the tunnel.
"You finally made it back!"
"Hurry up! Sub me out, sub me out!"
He pointed at the faint beads of sweat on his forehead, putting on an exaggerated pained expression.
"I'm dying out here—this job is not humanly possible!"
"I'm about to collapse—get in here and take over, I need a break!"
That shout instantly shattered the tense, fiery, one-sided domination that had filled the arena.
The veins on Akagi Takenori's forehead twitched violently.
That brief sense of "I'm unnecessary here" was gone in an instant.
In its place surged an overwhelming urge to run onto the court and punch this brat.
"This bastard…"
Akagi gritted his teeth—yet the corners of his mouth rose uncontrollably.
He took a deep breath and pushed Ayako's supporting hand aside.
Though his ankle still throbbed with pain—
He straightened his back and strode toward the bench.
Makino Juro…
Akagi repeated the name silently in his heart.
…
The game didn't stop just because Akagi had returned.
Shohoku's fast break was still in full swing.
Juro might have been complaining about being tired, but his hands didn't slow down one bit.
"Miyagi!"
With a flick of his wrist—
A quarterback-style full-court pass.
The basketball flew like a guided missile, locking onto Miyagi Ryota sprinting ahead.
"Nice pass!"
Miyagi caught it and slashed into Ryonan's territory like lightning.
Facing Sendoh Akira's defense, Miyagi didn't force the play—he threw a flashy behind-the-head pass instead.
Rukawa Kaede, trailing behind, caught it, took off—
and slammed it home!
BANG!
The lead stretched to 14 points!
Under Makino Juro's interior dominance and fast-break orchestration, Ryonan's defense had been completely torn apart in just a few minutes.
"BEEP!"
The referee's whistle blew.
Ryonan called a timeout.
Coach Taoka Moichi could no longer sit still.
If he didn't stop the game now, Uozumi's mentality would shatter beyond repair—no amount of glue could fix it.
Both teams headed to the bench.
On Shohoku's side, the atmosphere was as lively as if they had already won the championship.
"Hahahaha! Did you see that?!"
"That Monkey Boss was so scared his legs turned to jelly!"
Sakuragi Hanamichi laughed wildly as he walked, still making faces toward Ryonan's side.
Makino Juro, meanwhile, shuffled toward the bench. As he passed Akagi, he casually tossed a towel over.
"Catch."
Akagi instinctively grabbed it, looking confused.
"Since you're back, you're up next."
Juro dropped onto the bench, grabbed a water bottle, and chugged it down.
Then he slumped into the seat like a puddle of mud, as if his body had been hollowed out.
"The paint's way too crowded—it reeks of sweat. The bench air feels much sweeter."
Akagi clenched the towel.
Looking at this junior—who had just carried the team yet now acted like he wanted to retire on the spot—he finally couldn't hold back his roar:
"You idiot! What kind of playstyle was that?!"
"Who told you to play in the paint?!"
Makino Juro rolled his eyes lazily.
"As long as we win, doesn't that solve everything?"
"Broaden your perspective, Captain."
"Besides…"
He pointed toward Ryonan's bench, where everyone looked like they'd just attended a funeral. A sly grin tugged at his lips.
"Look at Uozumi's face."
"Doesn't it feel even better than beating him yourself?"
Akagi followed his gaze.
Uozumi Jun sat with a towel over his head—clearly going through the biggest psychological collapse of his life.
Akagi fell silent.
It did feel good.
So good, in fact, it made him wonder if something was wrong with him.
"Alright, everyone—gather up!"
Coach Anzai stood, smiling gently, his glasses reflecting a wise glint.
"Hehehe…"
"Well played."
He looked at Makino Juro, his eyes full of praise—and a hint of undisguised surprise.
That level of interior dominance just now…
Even someone as experienced as Anzai found it astonishing.
That strength. That reaction speed. That absolute control over the ball…
Is this really something a high schooler can have?
"Akagi, how's your ankle?" Anzai asked, turning his head.
Akagi immediately stood at attention, his voice booming:
"No problem, Coach! I can play!"
To prove it, he even stomped his injured foot.
His face twitched in pain—but he didn't make a sound.
A true warrior.
"Good."
Anzai nodded, his tone turning serious.
"Ryonan won't give up so easily."
"Sendoh-kun hasn't fully exerted himself yet."
"What comes next… is the real battle."
He paused, his gaze shifting between Makino Juro and Akagi.
"Juro-kun, rest for a few minutes."
"Akagi, you're in."
"We press the advantage—and crush Ryonan's fighting spirit completely!"
"YES!!!"
Shohoku's roar shook the entire bench.
…
Timeout over. The game resumed.
Akagi Takenori stepped back onto the court.
The moment his bandaged, towering figure appeared at center court—
the entire Shohoku crowd erupted into thunderous applause.
"Gorilla! Gorilla!"
Akagi took a deep breath, feeling the hardness of the court beneath his feet.
His ankle still hurt—
but his heart had never felt steadier.
Because he knew..
behind him, on that seemingly ordinary bench—
sat a monster beyond monsters.
As long as that guy was there…
Shohoku had a safety net.
Akagi looked up at Uozumi, who had stood again. Though bloodshot, his eyes had regained a sliver of fighting spirit.
"Uozumi."
Akagi's voice was low and firm, laced with a hint of teasing.
"What you just faced… was just our substitute's greeting."
"Now…"
"It's the starter's turn to play with you."
Uozumi stared at him—
then glanced toward the bench, where Makino Juro had already wrapped himself in a jacket and was preparing to nap.
His lips twitched.
Suddenly...
facing Akagi Takenori didn't seem so terrifying anymore.
At least… Akagi was human.
That Makino Juro earlier?
He was practically Godzilla wearing human skin.
"Bring it on, Akagi!"
Uozumi roared, trying to drive out the fear inside him.
"This time—I won't lose to you!"
…
At that exact moment.
Makino Juro flipped over on the bench and muttered:
"System, settle the reward for that mission."
[Ding!]
[Mission Complete: The Pride of a Center]
[Congratulations, Host, for completely crushing Uozumi Jun (Achievement Unlocked: Dual Dimensional Suppression — Psychological & Physical)]
[Distributing Rewards…]
[All Attributes +2]
[After winning the match, you will receive: 50% Unlock Progress of the Akashi Seijuro Template, Skill Points +1]
END OF CHAPTER
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The King Of Slacking Off - MrBehringer's Secret
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