"Back in line!"
Seijuro Akashi's cold voice rang out, leaving no room for argument.
Eikichi Nebuya and Reo Mibuchi froze for a moment when they heard him. Then they greeted Miyamoto Tokima and returned to the team.
Only then did Seijuro Akashi's expression ease slightly.
He locked eyes with Miyamoto Tokima.
"I will win this match."
Miyamoto Tokima met Seijuro Akashi's gaze without giving an inch.
"I'm looking forward to it."
"Hmph!"
Seijuro Akashi gave a cold snort and said nothing more.
After both sides finished their friendly exchange, they began preparing for the jump ball.
On Kirisaki Daiichi's side, the starting lineup was still the same Five Tigers.
Center, Atsushi Murasakibara. Power forward, Shuzo Nijimura. Small forward, Shogo Haizaki. Shooting guard, Dicky Anthony. Point guard, Miyamoto Tokima.
Rakuzan High School's lineup was the same as well.
Center, Eikichi Nebuya. Power forward, Chihiro Mayuzumi. Small forward, Kotaro Hayama. Shooting guard, Reo Mibuchi. Point guard, Seijuro Akashi.
Naturally, Rakuzan High School's jumper was Eikichi Nebuya.
As for Kirisaki Daiichi, they maintained their old tradition: Dicky Anthony and Atsushi Murasakibara played rock-paper-scissors.
In the end, Dicky Anthony actually won again.
Atsushi Murasakibara stared at his own fist in frustration and muttered:
"How did I lose again?"
With his back to Atsushi Murasakibara, Dicky Anthony smiled smugly.
He had already noticed Atsushi Murasakibara's habit. Most of the time, Atsushi Murasakibara's first move in rock-paper-scissors was a fist!
In other words, rock!
Dicky Anthony had figured that out, so he threw paper right away and won!
In the end, Dicky Anthony stood at the center line and faced Eikichi Nebuya for the jump ball.
Seeing that everyone was ready, the referee tossed the basketball high into the air.
Eikichi Nebuya and Dicky Anthony both leaped up, reaching for the ball above them.
In the end, Dicky Anthony, who held an absolute advantage in both height and wingspan, tipped the ball into the backcourt.
There was nothing anyone could do about it. Dicky Anthony's height and wingspan would be top-tier even in the NBA, let alone here in Japan.
Here, Dicky Anthony basically had a mismatch against everyone he faced!
What made it interesting was that the basketball landed in Shogo Haizaki's hands, but before Shogo Haizaki could even secure it, Atsushi Murasakibara snatched it away.
He ripped it straight out of his arms.
After having the ball stolen from him, Shogo Haizaki froze for a second. Then he snapped back to his senses and shouted:
"Murasakibara! What are you doing?!"
Atsushi Murasakibara did not answer. He just pouted and dribbled forward.
Shuzo Nijimura patted Shogo Haizaki, who was still stunned, on the shoulder and said with a smile:
"Murasakibara probably lost rock-paper-scissors and got a little upset, so he wants to take the first possession."
Shogo Haizaki still wanted to say something, but Shuzo Nijimura cut him off.
"Murasakibara only did it because Tokima gave him permission."
Hearing that, Shogo Haizaki stopped talking. If Miyamoto Tokima had agreed, then what was there for him to care about?
On the sidelines, Satsuki Momoi crossed her arms unhappily and pouted.
"That awful Tokima, letting Murasakibara-kun do whatever he wants! Hmph!"
Satsuki Momoi had already decided she would make Miyamoto Tokima pay once they got home, but Miyamoto Tokima had no idea.
He was still standing on the court, grinning darkly to himself.
In truth, Miyamoto Tokima had indeed agreed to let Atsushi Murasakibara take the first attack, but he had also given Atsushi Murasakibara a task.
That task was to attack straight at Seijuro Akashi on the first possession!
Miyamoto Tokima wanted to see how Seijuro Akashi would handle a powerful center like Atsushi Murasakibara.
Although Atsushi Murasakibara was a little afraid of Seijuro Akashi, he would absolutely obey Miyamoto Tokima's request.
So he slapped the basketball down and charged straight at Seijuro Akashi.
Watching Atsushi Murasakibara rush toward him, Seijuro Akashi fell into thought.
Stand his ground, or dodge?
If it had been anyone else, even Daiki Aomine, Seijuro Akashi would only have thought of standing his ground.
Because even if Daiki Aomine came at him, Seijuro Akashi was confident he could steal the ball.
Of course, Seijuro Akashi was also confident he could steal the ball from Atsushi Murasakibara. But he was not confident he could withstand Atsushi Murasakibara's bull-like charge!
After all, Daiki Aomine had already shown everyone firsthand what happened when someone tried to take Atsushi Murasakibara's bull-like charge head-on.
If even Daiki Aomine, a power forward, had been sent flying three meters, then wouldn't he, a point guard, end up flat on the floor?
After thinking it over, Seijuro Akashi still decided to stand his ground!
Because his pride would not allow him to dodge!!!
Seijuro Akashi took a deep breath, and his crimson eyes instantly changed.
He activated his Animal Instinct!
At the same time, his golden eye also began to focus, observing Atsushi Murasakibara's movements.
He stared intently at Atsushi Murasakibara, waiting for the right moment.
Seeing that Seijuro Akashi had not dodged, Atsushi Murasakibara immediately gathered the ball and held it at his waist, charging toward Seijuro Akashi as if he were carrying an explosive pack.
Seijuro Akashi gritted his teeth, his face twisting from the force he was putting in.
Then, in the instant before Atsushi Murasakibara was about to crash into him, Seijuro Akashi still dodged aside.
There was no helping it. He really did not dare take that gamble. He was afraid one hit like that would send him straight off the court for emergency treatment.
But after dodging, Seijuro Akashi did not stay idle. He reached out and swiped at the basketball Atsushi Murasakibara was holding at his waist.
The moment Seijuro Akashi struck the ball, he suddenly felt as though he had hit a wall. It was ridiculously solid!
Smack!!!
A loud slap rang out, but the basketball at Atsushi Murasakibara's waist did not move at all.
Seijuro Akashi had failed to knock the ball away from Atsushi Murasakibara!
When Miyamoto Tokima saw this, he nearly burst out laughing.
Forget Atsushi Murasakibara's current strength. Even with Atsushi Murasakibara's strength in the original work, Seijuro Akashi would never be able to knock the ball away from him like that.
The only chance Seijuro Akashi had to steal Atsushi Murasakibara's ball was when Atsushi Murasakibara was dribbling.
Once Atsushi Murasakibara gathered the ball, Seijuro Akashi basically had no chance of knocking it loose.
If Seijuro Akashi couldn't knock it away when Atsushi Murasakibara was gripping the ball tightly with both hands, then there was no way he could do it when Atsushi Murasakibara was charging forward in that explosive-pack stance.
A gap in strength was not something that could be made up for just because you wanted it to be!
Because Atsushi Murasakibara had gathered the ball one step outside the three-point line, after two steps, he landed right on the free-throw line.
Logically speaking, Atsushi Murasakibara would never choose to attack from that position. But this time, he did!
He stepped on the free-throw line and leaped violently into the air, gripping the basketball in his right hand as he drew his arm back like a fully pulled bow!
Off the court, Taiga Kagami watched this scene and muttered:
"He isn't planning to use [Meteor Jam], is he?!"
That's right. Taiga Kagami had guessed correctly!
Atsushi Murasakibara was planning to use [Meteor Jam]!!!
...
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on p-@-treon.
p-@-treon/GhostParser (45 Chapters Ahead)
You can also follow as a free member to read a few advanced chapters.