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Second year, National Junior High School Boys' Basketball Summer League, Finals.
A month had passed since the group stage.
Teiko Middle School successfully fought their way through the tournament and entered the finals.
Their opponent in the finals was a junior high school called Kamata Nishi.
All of the "Uncrowned Kings" (the five players without a championship) had been eliminated by Teiko. This was unexpected by many. It could only be said that the Uncrowned Kings were unlucky.
Hayama Kotaro was defeated by Teiko in the preliminaries.
Hanamiya Makoto chose to forfeit.
Nebuya Eikichi, like last year, lost to Kiyoshi Teppei. It could only be said that fate played a part.
In the third elimination match, Teiko faced Kiyoshi Teppei again. Murasakibara Atsushi, also a center, gave Kiyoshi Teppei no chance, resulting in a one-sided domination.
Mibuchi Reo faced Teiko in the semifinals, ultimately succumbing to defeat, leaving his team to finish third in the tournament.
This was somewhat surprising, however, it was irrelevant to Teiko.
On the court, Ryu and the others formed a circle, facing each other.
"This is the last match. Winning means becoming champions and achieving a two-peat. Does anyone have anything to say?" Akashi said calmly to the group.
Midorima murmured with his eyes closed, "I want to say that I'll try my best to shoot three-pointers. That's all."
Although Aomine had changed somewhat after Ryu's persuasion, he still maintained a bored expression. "No, nothing to say."
Murasakibara Atsushi thought for a moment, then said, "I want to finish the match quickly so I can get some snacks."
Configuratively, only Ryu remained.
This might be his last match with everyone in middle school.
He closed his eyes, reminiscing about all the times he had spent with everyone.
Ryu's lips curved slightly, and he opened his silver eyes, saying, "Remember this beautiful moment!"
No one understood what Ryu meant, but none of that mattered.
They had only one goal: the championship.
Soon, under the watchful eyes of everyone, the final match of this year's National Junior High School Tournament officially began.
Whistle...
With the sacred whistle, the basketball was tossed into the air by the referee.
Murasakibara Atsushi leaped into the air, his legs tensing, and almost at the very moment the basketball reached its highest point, he successfully tipped it.
"Murasakibara!"
Just as Murasakibara was about to tap the ball toward Akashi, Ryu's voice reached his ears.
Murasakibara's hand, poised to pass the ball, suddenly paused, then with lightning-fast reflexes, he hooked the ball toward Ryu instead.
Ryu caught the ball.
Perhaps it was because he was about to leave everyone, but he was filled with surging power.
He thought of a famous catchphrase, a slight smile playing on his lips, and spoke: "Everyone, it's the last game, let's focus all our attention!"
With that, Ryu looked at the Kamata Nishi team ahead, and without hesitation, dribbled the ball and charged toward them.
Akashi and the others were completely bewildered.
Ryu felt very strange to them today, as if they were seeing him this way for the first time.
However, they were still in the game and didn't have time to think about it further.
Like a raging tiger descending a mountain, Ryu's mere glance was enough to intimidate the Kamata Nishi player who was about to block him.
Ignoring his opponent, Ryu swept past him, his speed like a thunderbolt in the wind, swift and ferocious.
Ryu raced forward with lightning speed, the basketball swaying in his hands, his eyes fixed only on the basket awaiting its inevitable demise.
Stepping onto the three-point line and leaping into the paint, ball in hand, he slammed the ball down, rattling it through the net.
9 minutes and 57 seconds. This was the time on the scoreboard.
Three seconds—just three seconds—and Ryu had gone from the opening buzzer to the Kamata Nishi basket and dunked.
A gasp of astonishment erupted throughout the arena.
Watching the unparalleled Ryu, everyone seemed to experience a hazy illusion.
In their eyes, Ryu was like an invincible emperor, reigning supreme and invincible in every way.
2-0.
The Kamata Nishi captain snapped out of his daze, took a deep breath, and addressed his teammates, "Cheer up! Teiko isn't like the teams we've faced before. We have to go all out."
"Yes…"
Kamata Nishi rallied, ready for a decisive battle with Teiko.
However, the five members of Teiko each had their assigned roles, aiming to use their superior skill to completely shut down Kamata Nishi's five players.
Thud…
Akashi intercepted the ball from the opposing point guard and passed it to Aomine.
Aomine received the ball and, like Ryu before him, transformed into a streak of blue lightning, striking Kamata Nishi's basket. He gripped the ball with both hands, jumped, raised it high, and slammed it down.
Clang…
The rim shook violently, emitting a series of painful groans.
4-0.
The Kamata Nishi players wiped away cold sweat. 'Damn it, these Teiko players are all monsters!' They simply couldn't believe their opponents were so strong.
Kamata Nishi's bench.
The Kamata Nishi coach frowned, watching the situation on the court.
He had heard rumors about Teiko and read reports about them, but seeing it with his own eyes today truly shocked him.
This level of strength was more than enough for the high school league.
Offense and defense changed hands.
Kamata Nishi inbounded the ball again.
This time, their offense slowed down considerably.
The opposing point guard passed the ball to the shooting guard.
Although the distance to Ryu wasn't far, this was Midorima's job; he wouldn't interfere because he trusted Midorima to handle the opponent.
Sure enough, Midorima stood in front of Kamata Nishi's shooting guard, his green eyes behind his glasses flashing with a sharp, eerie light.
The Kamata Nishi shooting guard was drenched in cold sweat, his jersey back instantly soaked.
The momentum was too strong.
The Kamata Nishi shooting guard couldn't handle this intense mental pressure.
His eyes swept across the court, and he wanted to pass the ball.
But Midorima didn't give him the chance, raising his arm and reaching out.
Thud…
The basketball was knocked away by Midorima's palm.
Ryu was the fastest.
He calculated the ball's landing point in an instant. Without thinking, he rushed over. Just as the ball was about to go out of bounds, he gained control of it.
"Again!" Ryu shouted, then dribbled and charged forward once more.
The wind howled past his ears, The basketball danced in his hands like a playful sprite, both exhilarating and lively.
Faced with the defense of the two Kamata Nishi players, Ryu remained unmoved.
He pushed off again with his feet, increasing his speed to a whole new level.
In his sprint, Ryu transformed into a silver lightning bolt once more.
Passing by the two Kamata Nishi players, he effortlessly broke through them with a double crossover.
Seeing the unstoppable Ryu, the Kamata Nishi players desperately chased after him.
Unfortunately, Ryu's speed was simply too fast.
In a few breaths, he was under the basket.
Facing the towering center of Kamata Nishi, Ryu showed no fear.
A guy not even as tall as Murasakibara was like an ant before him.
Ryu leaped, ball in hand, then, with one hand, he traced a beautiful crescent arc before gently tossing the basketball into the air.
The basketball obediently rose high into the sky, then quickly descended.
It landed perfectly through the hoop.
6-0.
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