The crowd was still frozen by what they had just witnessed.
Shigure Akihito, in his warped Zone fused with Green Light, had crushed the air itself, shut down Nijimura's Zone, and then rammed home a self-alley-oop dunk so violent it shook the entire gymnasium.
Even now, the rim was still trembling faintly.
But Nijimura Shuzo… was not done.
Ball in his hands, he stood at halfcourt, chest rising and falling, sweat streaming down like rain. His black hair stuck to his forehead, his eyes blazing beneath furrowed brows.
Dragged into the abyss?
He smirked faintly. Fine. Then I'll fight you there.
"Captain…" Fukaya's voice cracked from the sideline. His fists clenched around his knees as he leaned forward, unable to sit still. "You can't let him dictate the pace anymore! Don't let him swallow you whole!"
The rest of Teiko's bench looked pale. Some couldn't breathe properly, others had tears in their eyes. The duel on the court wasn't basketball anymore—it was something far more terrifying.
Nijimura didn't answer. He didn't need to.
Step.
Step.
The sound of his sneakers against the floor felt heavy, but every ounce of his body screamed forward.
Shigure crouched low, eyes dead cold, lightning snapping in black arcs. His defensive stance was sharp, perfect, suffocating.
If I falter once, he'll eat me alive.
Nijimura slashed left—Shigure mirrored instantly.
Crossover right—smothered.
Spin, step-back—swallowed whole.
Every path was sealed.
The black tide was endless.
And yet—Nijimura's lips curved upward.
"Perfect."
He jammed his shoulder forward and exploded straight into Shigure's chest.
BOOM!
The sound of bodies colliding echoed like a cannon. Nijimura powered upward, wrenching his body into a desperate layup.
Gasps. Screams. The gym roared.
But then
SMACK!
Shigure met him at the apex, palm slamming the ball against the glass. The thundering block sent the ball careening back to the floor.
"Blocked again?!"
"Shigure-senpai's completely shutting him down!"
"Captain Nijimura can't score at all…!"
The voices of Teiko's underclassmen cracked with panic.
Shigure snatched the ball off the bounce, already sprinting downcourt. His speed tore the air apart, his jersey flapping like a black flag of war.
But—
FWIP!
Nijimura's hand, flashing from behind, ripped the ball free in a clean steal!
"What?!"
"He got it back?!"
"No way—Captain!"
The gym erupted.
Shigure's eyes widened slightly, his head snapping back to meet Nijimura's burning gaze.
The captain rose smoothly, flicked his wrist, and released a mid-range jumper.
Splash!
The net sang with a clean swish.
2–1.
Shigure slowed to a halt, black arcs sizzling faintly from his eyes. For the first time since he'd erupted, his expression faltered—not in fear, but in recognition.
"…You're still standing."
Nijimura wiped sweat from his face, smirking. "Of course I am. You think dragging me into the abyss means I can't breathe there?"
On the sideline, Kuroko's fists clenched tightly in his lap. His face was pale, his eyes unblinking. "Captain Nijimura… even in that abyss, he refuses to drown."
Kise leaned forward, golden eyes blazing with admiration. "Unbelievable… even after all that, he's still firing back. That's Nijimura-senpai for you."
Aomine's jaw hung open. His throat felt dry. That's impossible. Shigure-senpai was unstoppable. How is Captain still…
Haizaki's lips twisted into a sharp grin. "Heh. That's Captain for you. Bastard never lets anyone get the last word."
Back on the court, the duel raged on.
Shigure drove again, his rhythm brutal, his speed inhuman. Black lightning cut the air as he sliced past the three-point line.
But Nijimura lunged into his path, slamming his chest into Shigure's drive.
BOOM!
They staggered, neither yielding.
Shigure's eyes narrowed. His hand flashed, crossover—his body blurred—step through—he rose for the shot.
But again—
SMACK!
Nijimura's hand met the ball with raw instinct, swatting it away!
The gym exploded in screams.
"He blocked Shigure-senpai again!"
"Impossible!"
"Zone versus Zone—no, this is beyond that!"
Shigure landed, teeth gritted. His black arcs flared like violent sparks, his chest heaving. Damn it… this body… this rhythm… how long can I keep this up?
He shook it off, glaring.
Nijimura caught the ball, turned, and charged. His lion's aura roared to life, mane flickering in lightning arcs.
"Come on, Shigure!"
He barreled forward, muscles screaming, sweat spraying off his frame.
Shigure leapt to meet him.
BOOM!
Their bodies collided again. The sound was thunder. The court shuddered under their weight.
The ball slipped free, ricocheting high into the rafters.
Both men fell, crashing to the hardwood.
Silence.
The ball landed far off, bouncing toward the sideline. The referee's whistle pierced the air.
"Out of bounds! Teiko possession!"
For a heartbeat, the gym froze.
Then—
Applause. Screams. Roars of disbelief.
Even Coach Hakugin's hands trembled against his clipboard. This… this isn't basketball. This is war.
Both players staggered up, their legs shaking. Their jerseys were soaked, their faces pale, but their eyes—those eyes—still burned with fire.
Nijimura tilted his head back, sweat dripping, lips curling in defiance.
"See, Shigure? You're not the only one who can fight in the abyss."
Shigure's breath rasped, his gaze cold, arcs flickering like dying embers.
"…Then drown with me, Nijimura."
Their duel, balanced on the knife's edge, dragged into the next possession.
The abyss deepened.
And neither man turned away.
END OF CHAPTER
CROWN BEFORE THE MIRACLES
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