Heavy.
His legs felt like they were filled with lead.
The basketball in his hands felt as heavy as a block of iron.
"Pa!"
One dribble.
Just slightly too high.
Only by half an inch.
But that was enough.
A shadow instantly appeared in front of him.
No unnecessary movement.
Only an overwhelming pressure that made it impossible to breathe.
Maki Shinichi.
This guy was practically a perpetual-motion machine!
Sweat soaked through his jersey, yet those purple eyes burned frighteningly bright.
The eyes of a top predator locking onto its prey.
"What's wrong?"
Maki pressed close to Sendoh, sensing the irregular rhythm of his heartbeat. The corner of his mouth curled into a cruel smile.
"Already can't run anymore?"
"Your 'magic trick' seems to have been exposed."
His voice was low.
His mockery was merciless.
Sendoh said nothing.
Or rather…
He no longer even had the strength to speak.
He clenched his teeth, using the last bit of agility left in his body to protect the ball.
He couldn't stop.
The moment he stopped, Zone would disappear.
And once that happened, Ryonan would collapse instantly.
He had to…
He had to score one more basket!
"Get out of my way!!"
Sendoh roared internally.
His center of gravity dropped.
The blue glow in the corner of his eyes erupted like a dying flame burning one final time.
One last time!
Even if his legs shattered…
He would still send this ball in!
With his body pushed beyond its limits, Sendoh forcibly squeezed out the last trace of his potential.
Once again, he performed a movement that defied common sense.
His left foot planted suddenly.
His right foot violently pushed against the floor.
His body twisted in midair, forcibly rotating 360 degrees.
A massive spin move!
He wanted to get around Maki!
"Too slow!!"
Maki roared.
If this had happened two minutes ago…
Maybe he really wouldn't have been able to keep up.
But now—
Inside Maki's "Emperor's Eye," Sendoh's movements were as slow as a slideshow.
That was the unavoidable result of exhaustion.
Maki didn't retreat.
Instead, he stepped forward.
Perfectly positioning himself on Sendoh's path.
Like an unbreakable wall!
"Boom!"
Sendoh crashed heavily into him.
This time, he couldn't "slide" past like before.
The massive counterforce threw him off balance.
The basketball slipped from his hand.
"Pa!"
A large hand ruthlessly slapped the ball away.
A steal!
"Counterattack!!"
Maki's roar exploded throughout the arena.
He didn't hesitate for even a second.
He picked up the ball and charged forward like a released tiger.
Behind him...
Sendoh stumbled to the ground.
And the desperate expressions of the Ryonan players followed.
"Get back!!"
Uozumi shouted as he sprinted back.
But it was already too late.
Maki's speed was hopelessly overwhelming.
Across half court.
Past the three-point line.
Into the paint.
Jump.
His body stretched like a fully drawn bow.
One hand grabbed the ball.
Then...
He slammed it violently into the rim.
"BOOM!!"
A dunk!
Even the basket seemed to cry out.
Score:
70 : 70
Tie game.
After landing, Maki didn't celebrate.
Instead, he turned around.
His eyes locked onto the blue figure struggling to stand back up.
There was no pity in his gaze.
Only cold judgment.
"You can't keep going, can you, Sendoh?"
Maki's voice wasn't loud.
Yet it carried clearly across the entire court.
"Your stamina has already reached its limit."
"But me…"
"I've only just finished warming up."
Maki tapped his chest.
The purple aura around him surged once again.
As if it would never run out.
The entire arena fell silent.
Everyone stared at the number 7 jersey that was barely holding itself upright.
Sendoh lowered his head.
His bangs covered his eyes.
No one could see his expression.
Sweat dripped from the tip of his nose.
"Ha…"
"Ha…"
Only his heavy breathing remained.
Had he lost?
Had the genius Sendoh Akira finally fallen before a monster of pure numbers?
But then...
Sendoh slowly raised his head.
Those eyes that should have already dimmed…
Were still shining.
Weak.
Flickering.
But that faint blue light…
Was still stubbornly burning.
He didn't make any declaration.
He simply walked to the baseline and received the ball from the referee.
Inbound.
Receive.
Advance.
His movements were no longer flashy.
No longer effortless.
But every step carried a determination that moved people.
Since tricks no longer worked.
Since his blue energy bar had already been emptied.
Then he would use his bones.
His flesh.
Everything he had.
To fight for this final point!
He only wanted to create even one more point of separation before Zone disappeared.
Even just one.
Watching that silent figure charging forward, Juro suddenly sat upright.
The playful expression on his face vanished.
Replaced by seriousness.
"Although he's just a fishing addict…"
Makino Juro murmured softly.
"But this guy's backbone…"
"Is harder than anyone else's."
"However…"
Juro glanced at the scoreboard.
Then at the unstoppable Maki.
"This is his final performance."
"The blue phantom…"
"Will eventually be burned away under the purple sun."
The arena was terrifyingly quiet.
Only rapid breathing echoed like broken bellows.
The bright red numbers on the scoreboard looked like a pair of bloodshot eyes.
Staring at every person on the court.
On Ryonan's bench, Coach Taoka Moichi's folding fan had already been squeezed out of shape.
His knuckles were pale.
He could see it clearly.
Sendoh Akira had reached his limit.
The genius who normally wore a lazy smile on his face…
Was now struggling just to stand.
"We can't keep dragging this out."
Taoka suddenly stood up.
He signaled toward the scorer's table.
"Substitution! Ryonan!"
The whistle blew.
"Ryonan number 13 out! Number 8 in!"
Fukuda was breathing heavily.
When he heard the whistle, his entire body froze.
His eyes widened as he looked toward the coaching bench.
His wild expression was filled with unwillingness.
For these final minutes…
He wanted to prove himself.
He wanted to tear apart Hainan's damned defense with his offense.
"Fukuda!"
"Look at the situation right now!"
"We'll still need you later."
Taoka's roar overwhelmed the noise of the arena.
"Ikegami! Get in there and lock down Jin!"
"Even if you have to run your legs off, don't give him another chance to shoot!"
The called player, Ikegami Ryoji, nodded heavily.
His expression was as serious as iron.
As Ryonan's defensive specialist, he knew exactly how heavy this responsibility was.
Fukuda clenched his teeth.
His eyes reddened.
He looked at Sendoh, who was barely standing on the court.
Finally…
He punched his own thigh.
Lowering his head, he walked toward the bench.
"Coach Taoka is desperate."
At the media table, Aida Yayoi pushed her glasses up while rapidly writing notes.
"Taking Fukuda off and sending in defensive specialist Ikegami."
"He wants to survive the final minutes through defense?"
"But…"
Nakamura swallowed.
Looking at the figure surrounded by the still-raging purple aura.
"Against the current Maki…"
"Can defense really work?"
On the court.
Maki looked at Ikegami entering the game.
The corner of his mouth lifted into a cold smile.
The expression of a hunter watching prey struggle for survival.
"A defensive formation change?"
"Coach Taoka…"
"You're still the same as always."
"Too cautious."
Maki wiped the sweat from his forehead.
His purple eyes narrowed.
His gaze passed over Sendoh.
And landed on the huge figure inside the paint.
Uozumi Jun.
Ryonan's captain.
At this moment, he looked like a red-eyed bull.
His chest rose and fell violently.
His eyes locked onto Takasago Kazuma.
As Maki passed his teammate, he spoke quietly.
His calm voice made people's scalps go numb.
"Takasago."
"Uozumi already has three fouls."
END OF CHAPTER
The King Of Slacking Off - MrBehringer's Secret
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