Kazuma Takasago froze for a moment.
Then he instantly understood.
This wasn't a tactical instruction.
It was a death sentence.
"That big guy's nerves are tighter than steel wire right now. The slightest spark and he'll explode."
Maki Shinichi's voice was like a venomous snake flicking its tongue.
"Send him off."
"Understood."
Takasago nodded.
Beneath that honest-looking face, a flash of cunning intelligence flickered.
The game continued.
Kainan's offense.
Maki Shinichi brought the ball up.
This time, he didn't choose to force his way through.
Against Sendoh, who had entered the "Zone" but was already physically exhausted, he chose a more ruthless method.
Wear him down.
The ball was lofted high into the paint.
"Takasago!!"
Uozumi let out a roar.
His massive body firmly pressed against the man behind him.
There was only one thought left in his mind:
Hold the line!
Even if he died, he had to hold the line!
That extreme adrenaline rush pushed his body beyond its limits.
But it also burned away his ability to stay calm.
"Careful!"
Sendoh's voice suddenly rang out.
It was hoarse and filled with urgency.
From the outside, he saw everything clearly.
Takasago's movement was too fake.
This wasn't an attack.
It was a trap!
But it was already too late.
In Uozumi's eyes, Takasago was nothing more than an obstacle that had to be crushed.
Takasago caught the ball.
A post-up.
But instead of pushing forward with strength, he made a fake spin to the left.
The movement wasn't fast.
It was almost like watching a slow-motion replay.
But in Uozumi's overstressed mind, it was a battle signal.
"Don't even think about getting past me!!"
Uozumi roared.
His huge body moved sideways like a wall, trying to block the path.
And the moment their bodies collided...
Takasago suddenly stopped.
He didn't fight the contact.
Instead, at the instant Uozumi crashed into him, he dramatically threw his body backward and released a scream worthy of an award-winning actor.
"AH!"
The basketball was casually thrown upward.
And his body flew backward.
"WHISTLE!!"
The sharp sound of the referee's whistle instantly pierced through the arena.
The referee rushed over without hesitation.
His finger pointed directly at Uozumi.
The signal for a pushing foul.
"Ryonan #4! Blocking foul!"
That whistle sounded like a bolt of lightning striking Uozumi's head.
The entire arena erupted.
"Four fouls! Uozumi has four fouls!"
"This is bad!"
"Takasago's acting was insane!"
Uozumi froze.
His eyes widened as he stared at the referee in disbelief.
"What?! A foul?!"
"Are you kidding me?!"
An uncontrollable rage rushed straight into his head.
He clearly was the one who got hit!
"You blind or something?!"
"He ran into me! I didn't even move!"
Uozumi charged toward the referee.
Spit flew from his mouth.
His already fierce expression twisted into something terrifying.
"Uozumi! Shut up!!"
On the sideline, Taoka Moichi nearly lost his soul.
He jumped out of his seat and frantically waved his arms.
"Stop talking! Get back!"
"Captain! Calm down!"
Koshino and Uekusa panicked as well, rushing over to hold back the out-of-control giant.
But at this moment...
Uozumi's rationality had already been completely burned away by anger and frustration.
As captain.
As the pillar of the team.
Being called for such a crucial foul at the most important moment.
That pressure instantly ignited the emotional powder keg inside him.
He shook off Koshino.
Pointing directly at the referee, his voice exploded like thunder.
"Explain this properly!"
"You're calling that a foul too?!"
The air instantly became silent.
Everyone stared at the scene in horror.
Arguing with the referee during an official game?
That was suicide.
The referee's expression immediately turned dark.
No explanation.
No argument.
He simply raised both hands above his head.
Forming a cold, unforgiving "T" gesture.
"WHISTLE!!"
The whistle was short.
Cold.
Merciless.
"Ryonan #4! Technical foul!"
"Disqualified! Leave the court!"
At that moment, time seemed to stop.
Uozumi remained frozen in his shouting pose.
Like a stone statue.
That "T" gesture was like a blade.
Straight through Ryonan's heart.
"It's over…"
Taoka Moichi collapsed back into his chair.
His eyes were empty.
He looked like he had aged ten years in an instant.
The stands exploded.
"Holy crap! He got ejected?!"
"Technical foul plus four personal fouls?! The full package!"
"Ryonan is done. Completely done."
On the sidelines, Aida Yayoi covered her mouth.
Her eyes were filled with shock.
"At this most critical moment…"
"As captain, he actually made such a basic mistake?"
On the court.
Maki Shinichi watched everything happen.
There was no surprise on his face.
He didn't even spare Uozumi another glance.
He simply looked forward coldly.
"Too naive."
Maki's voice wasn't loud.
But it carried a chilling coldness.
"A captain who can't even control his emotions…"
"Still wants to rule the nation?"
"This is the limit of Ryonan."
Uozumi stood there blankly.
Looking at the referee's cold gesture.
Looking at his teammates' desperate expressions.
Only now did his reason finally return.
And what followed...
Was regret.
Like a flood swallowing him whole.
"I…"
"What did I do…"
Uozumi's lips trembled.
His legs weakened.
He nearly collapsed to his knees.
"Idiot."
A mocking voice suddenly came from the direction of the Shohoku stands.
It wasn't loud.
But among the noisy discussions, it sounded especially sharp.
Makino Juro sat with one leg crossed.
Playing with an empty popcorn bucket.
His eyes were filled with undisguised contempt.
"This is what you call a captain?"
"A captain who's stupid enough to argue with the referee and get himself ejected."
"An absolute textbook example of a teammate throwing the game."
Makino Juro sneered.
He shook his head.
Like he was watching a clown perform.
"Is that monkey boss stupid or something?"
"The referee is the one holding your life and death in his hands."
"Who the hell picks a fight with the referee?"
Sakuragi Hanamichi scratched his bald head.
Looking confused.
"Even a single-celled creature like you understands that."
"But he doesn't."
"So that's why…"
"He doesn't deserve to be captain."
Juro glanced at Sakuragi.
His tone was cold.
"Akagi may look like a gorilla…"
"But at least his brain works."
"If it was Akagi, he would swallow this anger and pay them back with his strength."
"But this monkey boss…"
Juro pointed toward the lonely figure walking off the court.
"Besides having a big body…"
"His mental strength is no different from a baby's."
"This self-destruction move…"
"Just sold Sendoh out completely."
"Not only sold him…"
"He sold him so cleanly that even his underwear was gone."
"This play…"
"I would call it…"
"Reverse Carry."
Makino Juro's words were poisonous.
But they were like a surgeon's blade.
Precisely cutting into the truth.
Rukawa Kaede said nothing.
He simply stared at the lone #7 standing on the court.
Sendoh was near the center circle.
He didn't blame Uozumi.
He didn't show disappointment.
He simply watched silently as the staff escorted Uozumi away.
Those deep blue eyes flickered for a moment.
Then became even deeper.
So deep that it hurt to look at.
No Fukuda.
No Uozumi.
The current Ryonan…
Really only had one person left.
A lone warrior.
Sendoh Akira.
END OF CHAPTER
The King Of Slacking Off - MrBehringer's Secret
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