On the court.
Morishige Hiroshi's massive frame was suspended midair above Shohoku's paint. Both hands clutched the ball as he struck a fearsome dunking pose, like a beast about to unleash a violent blow.
Nothing unusual—at first.
But in that seemingly sure-win moment, Aoi Kunisaku appeared ghostlike in front of Morishige. He too was in the air, one hand firmly pressing down on the ball in Morishige's grip.
That figure—it was none other than Aoi Kunisaku.
For a brief instant, it felt like time stopped. The entire arena was frozen.
Absurdity, shock, disbelief, and anticipation surged through everyone's hearts.
A single thought popped into everyone's mind.
'Is Morishige Hiroshi… about to get blocked by Aoi Kunisaku?!'
Players from both Shohoku and Meihou froze on the court. No one moved. Everyone just stared blankly at the two suspended in air, waiting to see who would come out on top.
Even Morishige's eyes flashed with surprise.
Just a moment ago, the lane had been wide open. There had been no one in his way.
But in the blink of an eye, Aoi Kunisaku appeared in front of him.
He hadn't seen that coming at all.
If not for his naturally slow-witted personality, he might've jumped in fright.
Morishige had a childlike nature. Feeling the ball slipping from his hands instantly ignited his competitive fire.
His eyes focused. Veins bulged across his arms. His muscles swelled. A massive force exploded from his hands as he tried to reclaim control of the ball.
Aoi Kunisaku felt the sudden surge of power through the ball. His gaze sharpened.
The next second—
Everyone in the arena widened their eyes. The tension blanketed the gym like a heavy net.
Aoi Kunisaku's straight body started tilting backward. Under Morishige's force, it looked like he'd be slammed down at any moment.
People held their breath. Hearts raced. All eyes locked on the two players midair. One thought echoed in everyone's mind.
'Is this where the so-called "strongest high schooler" Aoi Kunisaku finally gets defeated?'
Shohoku fans, neutral spectators, even Meihou's own—everyone watched, their nerves stretched to the limit.
Morishige's power kept surging like a tidal wave. Aoi Kunisaku's body leaned further back. He looked like he was about to collapse.
But at the last possible moment, Aoi Kunisaku's hand shifted from the top of the ball to the bottom in one swift turn.
By then, the ball was nearly slammed into the rim. The scales of victory were tilting hard toward Morishige.
Aoi Kunisaku's body, affected by Morishige's force, had already begun to fall.
And just as everyone thought it was over, Aoi Kunisaku flicked his wrist under the ball.
The force wasn't strong. But a strange smile curled on Aoi Kunisaku's lips.
The next moment—
Clang!
A thunderous boom echoed through the gym.
Morishige's hands smashed down on Shohoku's rim.
But the crowd's expressions turned strange.
Even though Morishige completed the dunking motion, the ball didn't go in.
Instead—it bounced off. For some reason, it flew away from the rim.
Silence.
The gym fell into an eerie stillness. No one could speak. Everyone was stunned by what just happened.
Aoi Kunisaku landed softly, staggered back a few steps from the force. But his gaze stayed firm. That eerie smile on his lips hadn't faded.
The quiet lingered, as if time had frozen again.
Then—boom! The crowd exploded.
Whispers flew. Shocked faces looked around. No one could believe what just happened.
The ball bounced out.
The dunk failed.
What the hell just happened?
Neither the spectators nor the players had a clue.
Morishige Hiroshi clutched Shohoku's rim, looking down from above at Aoi Kunisaku, who stood below flashing that eerie grin.
Usually, Morishige enjoyed this kind of dominating position.
But right now, it gave him no satisfaction at all. Only frustration and anger filled his chest.
He'd felt it clearly.
Right before the dunk landed, the ball started slipping. That force—it had to be Aoi Kunisaku's doing.
In the end, the ball smashed against the rim and bounced off, totally out of his control.
In the stands—
The players from Kainan were frozen, eyes wide in disbelief.
"It didn't go in? What the hell just happened?" Kiyota Nobunaga's eyes bulged. His voice trembled with confusion.
Shinichi Maki looked equally dazed. His eyes filled with doubt. "Was it… a mistake?" he muttered.
Maki Shinichi squinted, frowning. His sharp eyes darted between Morishige and Aoi Kunisaku.
He knew it clearly. This wasn't just a simple mistake.
A strong hunch told him that the missed shot had something to do with Aoi Kunisaku.
But how exactly did Aoi Kunisaku do it?
On Meihou's bench—
Coach Nomoto Reizou also wore a puzzled look.
He'd been sure that Morishige Hiroshi would slam that one in.
But unexpectedly, something went wrong.
Step…
Morishige let go of the rim and dropped back to the floor.
His expression darkened. He stared straight at Aoi Kunisaku, voice laced with irritation. "You really are a pain in the ass!"
Everyone nearby stiffened at his words.
Did that mean Aoi Kunisaku really had something to do with the missed dunk?
What exactly happened in that instant?
Aoi Kunisaku curled his lips into a confident smile. He met Morishige's glare head-on and said coolly, "That all you've got?"
Their eyes locked. A fierce pressure spread between them.
It felt like the sky darkened above them—thunder cracked, lightning flashed, winds howled, and rain poured.
The intensity between them made every nearby player shiver.
The match between Shohoku and Meihou remained fierce.
After that missed dunk, Shohoku's momentum surged.
Aoi Kunisaku dribbled the ball calmly into Meihou's half.
The Meihou players were on edge. They locked eyes on Aoi Kunisaku, afraid he'd vanish from sight and reappear right beside them.
Thump…
Thump…
Thump…
The sound of the ball hitting the floor echoed like drums in their chests.
Aoi Kunisaku bounced the ball slowly, step by step.
Though alone, he placed an invisible weight on the entire Meihou squad.
His gaze swept over them.
His eyes weren't sharp or vicious. But they carried an invisible force.
Every Meihou player his gaze passed over felt their heart skip a beat.
The next second—
Aoi Kunisaku vanished like a phantom from their view.
Where'd he go?
Meihou's players widened their eyes. Their hearts clenched. Tension swept over them as they looked around frantically.
Then—like a ghost—Aoi Kunisaku reappeared, already stepping across the three-point line.
The two closest—Oomon Saburou and Nakayama Tenri—felt their skin crawl. A chill raced from their feet to their scalp. They shuddered uncontrollably.
They knew full well how dangerous Aoi Kunisaku was. They didn't dare let their guard down. They instantly rushed in to double-team.
But Aoi Kunisaku was like a shifting mirage. He appeared in their sight only for a flash.
Then—
Thud…
The ball hit the floor hard with a dull impact.
Aoi Kunisaku swapped hands mid-dribble and dashed forward. His red figure shot toward the paint like a bolt of lightning.
Morishige Hiroshi noticed the move. He reacted fast, setting up a firm defense.
His massive frame stood like a mountain in front of Aoi Kunisaku. His intense pressure filled the space.
They faced off again. Their eyes met. The air around them froze. Time seemed to stop again.
Then—
Thud…
The dribble echoed loud.
Aoi Kunisaku went between the legs. Then instantly behind the back. His motion was quick and clean.
As he spun, he just avoided a sneaky hand reaching to steal.
Maeda Ryu'u had thought he'd catch him. But Aoi Kunisaku, like he had eyes on the back of his head, dodged without even looking.
He spun right behind Maeda, slipping out of reach.
Now Maeda Ryu'u stood awkwardly, stuck between Aoi Kunisaku and Morishige.
Without hesitation, Aoi Kunisaku jumped to shoot right behind Maeda.
Morishige saw it and reacted quickly.
He couldn't get around Maeda. So he jumped straight up, arms stretched wide to block the shot.
But then—his eyes widened.
Aoi Kunisaku was already in the air—and leaning back fast.
Anyone who'd seen him play before knew what was coming.
A fadeaway jumper.
Aoi Kunisaku looked calmly at the wall of body that was Morishige Hiroshi. No emotion showed on his face.
His body leaned back farther and farther, almost parallel to the floor. Then—he released the ball.
It soared high, tracing a dramatic arc over Morishige's hands. It swished through the net.
Swish…
Nothing but net.