"Isn't this guy a point guard? He can shoot three-pointers too?" Sendoh muttered to himself.
That shot just now wasn't particularly difficult to defend.
He had simply relaxed his defense at the three-point line because Ake was a point guard.
He never expected Ake to take such a decisive three-point shot.
'Is he really that confident in himself?'
Sendoh wasn't the only one thinking that—every other regular on the team shared the same thought.
Ake's lips curved into a faint smile. Without a word, he jogged back on defense.
Three-pointers weren't his specialty, but if he aimed for it, scoring one wasn't a problem.
The practice match continued.
For the next several minutes, the game was locked in a fierce stalemate.
Both the White Team and the Red Team went back and forth with equal momentum, attacking and defending relentlessly.
The intensity of the match only grew.
The White Team, led by Sendoh, repeatedly broke through the Red Team's defense with sharp teamwork, sinking basket after basket.
Meanwhile, the Red Team, centered around Ake, kept surprising their opponents with his unpredictable passes—each one so sudden and precise that the White Team struggled to keep up.
Under Ake's lead, the substitutes were playing far beyond expectations, giving the regulars a massive headache.
The two sides battled without pause, the score rising point by point—but neither could pull ahead.
Coach Nakamura, watching from the sidelines, was stunned.
He hadn't expected the game to be this close.
When the match started, his goal was only to test Ake's skill—he never thought the substitute team might actually win.
But judging from the current score, the final outcome was still anyone's guess.
Meanwhile, everyone in the Basketball Club—except Ake—was in shock.
Especially the regulars.
They knew better than anyone how weak the substitutes had been.
Yet just by adding Ake, the entire team had transformed.
Bang!
The basketball bounced once, landing in the hands of the substitute power forward.
It was another brilliant pass from Ake.
'Oh no.'
Kirihara Hayato immediately sensed danger and tried to intercept, but he was a step too late.
The power forward raised the ball and shot.
Swish! The ball went cleanly through the net.
"Damn it."
Ito Hiroki clenched his fists in frustration.
No matter how hard he defended, he couldn't stop Ake's passes.
The Red Team took possession again.
Ake subtly began guiding his teammates' movements with gestures and glances.
Without realizing it, Ake had become the Red Team's spiritual leader.
Coach Nakamura's eyes flickered as he observed him.
He had noticed something new—Ake possessed not only excellent technique but also exceptional court vision and leadership.
A player with such high basketball IQ, paired with those precise passes…
He wasn't just a good player.
He was starter material.
Just imagining Ake and Sendoh working together on the same court filled Coach Nakamura with excitement.
Back on the court.
Ake had dribbled to the White Team's three-point line.
Once again, Sendoh was the one standing in front of him.
Sendoh's eyes gleamed with anticipation.
He wanted to see what Ake would do next.
Ake, on the other hand, remained calm and composed.
The two faced each other—one attacking, one defending—locked in a tense standoff.
Then—Ake made his move.
He dribbled quickly to the right.
Sendoh followed, eyes fixed on the ball.
'A pass? Or a fake?'
Sendoh's muscles tensed, ready to react to any sudden move.
But before he could decide, Ake abruptly switched direction—darting left.
Sendoh tracked the movement instantly.
Just then, Kobayashi Koichi quietly closed in from the side, ready to help Sendoh steal the ball.
At that moment, Ake suddenly stopped his dribble.
Sendoh thought he was about to change direction again—but instead, Ake stepped back sharply and passed.
Whoosh!
The ball shot straight between Sendoh and Kobayashi, bouncing perfectly toward the substitute center inside the paint.
'Not good!'
Sendoh and Kobayashi's hearts sank at once.
The timing and angle of that pass were simply flawless.
Even though Sendoh had been fully focused, Ake still found an opening.
The substitute center caught the pass and immediately jumped for a quick shot—
Swish! The ball banked cleanly into the basket.
Minute by minute, the game continued.
Ake's dazzling passes drew gasps and cheers from everyone watching.
"Holy cow!" someone shouted from the bench.
Before long, the final minutes arrived.
The score stood tied at 38 to 38.
The White Team had possession.
Kirihara Hayato didn't hesitate—he passed the ball straight to Sendoh, their ace.
Sendoh dribbled confidently into the Red Team's half, but Ake was already there, waiting for him.
This was it—the final play.
Sendoh slowed down, analyzing the court instead of rushing in.
He was confident he could break past Ake's defense at any moment.
But just as he prepared to move—
Slap!
A sharp sound froze the gym.
To everyone's shock, Ake's hand had poked the basketball cleanly out of Sendoh's grip.
For a second, the entire court went silent.
'The ball got stolen?!'
Impossible.
They all knew how strong Sendoh was—a nationally recognized player.
Yet Ake had just stripped the ball right out of his hands.
Expressionless, Ake immediately pushed the ball forward, sprinting toward the White Team's basket.
Throughout the game, he had focused mainly on passing.
This was his first time using his special skill: [100% Steal Rate].
It wasn't truly 100% accurate— His body can't keep up with it but his success rate was well over 50%, which was already terrifying.
Ake dribbled fast and low, Sendoh chasing close behind.
One red figure. One white.
Both streaked across the court like blurs of motion.
Ake reached the paint first and went up for a layup.
Sensing Sendoh closing in behind him, he suddenly adjusted midair—throwing the ball hard against the backboard.
Clang!
The ball bounced off sharply at an angle.
Sendoh's eyes widened.
'What is he doing?'
Then he saw it.
The basketball had bounced perfectly into the hands of the substitute small forward, who had rushed in at the right time.
'No way!'
The White Team realized too late what Ake had done.
Kirihara Hayato sprinted toward the small forward in a desperate attempt to block.
The substitute, caught up in the moment, didn't hesitate.
He jumped and threw the ball toward the hoop.
But his nerves betrayed him—his throw was too strong.
Bang! The ball hit the backboard and bounced out.
And at that exact moment—
Beep!
The final whistle sounded.
Final Score: White Team 38 – 38 Red Team.
A draw.
The substitutes erupted in cheers, celebrating the unbelievable result.
The regulars, on the other hand, stood frozen, dazed by what had just happened.
The team that once could never stand against them had just fought them to a tie.
Sendoh approached Ake, extending a hand.
"It was a great game. Let's play again sometime."
Ake took his hand and replied politely, "Please continue to guide me in the future."
Kirihara Hayato came over next, his face full of admiration.
"I didn't expect you to be this strong. We'll definitely go far in this tournament."
One by one, the regulars praised Ake, expressing their respect and expectations.
Only Ito Hiroki stood off to the side, his gaze complicated.
He finally realized the truth—
The gap between him and Ake wasn't small.
It was like an infant facing an adult—utterly helpless.
In the basketball club, strength decides everything.
If Ake was stronger than him, then his starting position was no longer his.
Sure enough, the next day, Coach Nakamura announced Ake as an official regular, replacing Ito Hiroki as the new starting point guard.