Outside the court, the entire gymnasium felt as if someone had hit pause. Even the air seemed frozen in place.
Every pair of eyes was fixed on the court. Students stared with mouths hanging open—wide enough to fit a basketball—as shock slid into confusion and finally settled into pure disbelief.
Even the members of Kainan and Shoyo looked stunned.
'What… did they just see?'
Someone had actually passed the ball using his elbow.
For many, it was the first time witnessing such a move in real life.
Simply unbelievable.
"Th-that guy… he… he really used his elbow?!"
Kiyota Nobunaga's eyes looked ready to pop out of their sockets. He pointed a trembling finger at Ake, the rest of his words stuck somewhere halfway up his throat.
Coach Taoka Moichi froze the moment he saw Ake flick the ball back to Fukuda Kiccho with nothing but a twist of his elbow.
He stared at the calm young man retreating on defense, admiration flickering openly in his eyes.
He never imagined Ake could manipulate passing techniques to such a degree.
That elbow pass had already exceeded anything he thought possible in high school basketball.
The most excited, however, was Aida Hikoichi.
"Th-th-this…" He nearly jumped out of his seat, his entire body trembling as he pointed at Ake. "A-Ake… Captain… he…!"
His face was flushed, his eyes shining. The pen he'd been using to record Shohoku player data had already clattered to the floor—his mind was filled entirely with the image of that unbelievable pass.
No one knew how long the silence lasted.
Then someone let out a gasp.
And suddenly—like a fuse igniting an explosive—the entire stadium erupted.
"Whoa… what was that?!"
"I've never seen that kind of pass before!"
"Behind-the-back elbow pass? What kind of move is that?!"
"Does he have eyes back there!?"
The stands descended into chaos. Cheers surged like tidal waves, drowning the arena in noise.
That pass didn't just look cool—it felt like a visual shock that defied the laws of basketball.
On the court, Shohoku's players stared at Ake retreating calmly, their expressions twisted in complicated emotions.
Confusion, astonishment, fear, disbelief…
'Was that really something a human could do?'
Miyagi Ryota felt a heavy pressure settle onto his shoulders. Cold sweat gathered on his forehead.
'You've got to be kidding me… this guy is a monster, isn't he!?'
Rukawa Kaede stared silently at Ake. Flames burned in his eyes—hotter, brighter, hungrier. He didn't say a word, but the fighting spirit within him roared as if wanting to burn Ake to ash.
But despite the shock Ake caused, the game wasn't going to stop for anyone.
With that unbelievable play behind them, Shohoku heightened their alertness to a terrifying degree.
The game resumed.
"Let's take one back!" Takenori Akagi bellowed, trying to shake off the crushing pressure Ake had placed on them.
He swung the ball and passed it securely to Miyagi Ryota.
Facing Ake again, Miyagi's nerves tightened. The image of that elbow pass still spun through his mind. His grip on the ball tightened as he calculated his next move.
Before he could decide on a breakthrough or pass, a voice called out:
"Here!"
Mitsui Hisashi had found an opening and raised his hand.
Miyagi composed himself, intentionally took two steps back to ensure Ake had no chance to steal the ball, then flicked the pass safely toward Mitsui.
Mitsui caught the ball, adjusted instantly, leaned back, and jumped before Koshino could close in.
Swish.
A perfect arc. A perfect shot.
Shohoku refused to fold.
As the game progressed, the teams slipped into a heated back-and-forth.
Sakuragi Hanamichi started running wildly across the court. Fukuda Kiccho, forced to follow him everywhere, could only trail helplessly.
Ake noticed.
'Probably Anzai-sensei's plan…'
At first glance, Sakuragi's movements looked random, but he always appeared at the most unexpected and opportunistic moments.
And then—
Mitsui Hisashi found himself double-teamed. Just as Uozumi blocked his vision, Sakuragi suddenly rushed in from behind, spreading his arms to obstruct Uozumi.
A perfect screen.
Mitsui seized the moment and sent the ball flying again—another clean score.
Soon after, Miyagi Ryota tried to break past Ake, but Ake's defense was airtight. Miyagi looked ready to be forced out of bounds…
Until Sakuragi once again materialized between them, blocking Ake's pursuit. Miyagi bolted through the opening and dropped the ball in cleanly.
Even in the paint, while Akagi and Uozumi pushed back and forth with equal strength, Sakuragi slipped behind them unnoticed. Instead of stealing the ball, he gave Uozumi a subtle push to break his balance.
That tiny nudge was all Akagi needed.
He powered forward, leapt, and slammed the ball into the hoop.
No one expected Sakuragi's chaotic movements to actually help Shohoku gain momentum.
More than half of the second half had passed.
84 to 76.
Shohoku had narrowed the gap to eight points.
The Ryonan players were starting to feel the pressure.
If this continued, Shohoku might actually catch up.
Coach Taoka Moichi stood up, brows tightly knit. His gaze swept across the court, stopping on Ake.
"What in the world is that kid doing…?" he muttered.
Up in the stands—
"Shohoku… they're really this good?" Jin Soichiro said, unable to hide his surprise.
Beside him, Kiyota Nobunaga pouted, throwing a disdainful glance at Sakuragi.
"What's so special? He's just a red-haired monkey running around."
Hanagata adjusted his glasses. "If they don't suppress Shohoku now, things might get worse later."
Fujima Kenji frowned slightly.
'What should Ryonan do…?'
In the press box, Aida Yayoi froze mid-shot. Her eyes locked onto the scoreboard as she whispered, "When did Shohoku get this strong…?"
Rukia also set down her pen, eyebrows raised in mild surprise.
But just as quickly, she regained her calm.
She wasn't worried.
She believed Ake would turn things around.
Shohoku's bench erupted with life.
Substitutes cheered loudly:
"Shohoku! Shohoku! Shohoku!"
"Nice one, Sakuragi!"
"Let's go, everyone!"
Ayako and Coach Anzai smiled as momentum shifted in their favor.
Shohoku burned with renewed energy.
Ake watched it all.
He dribbled calmly, each bounce steady like a heartbeat.
Mitsui crouched low in front of him, eyes fixed on the ball. Miyagi stayed even closer, arms spread, constantly trying to disrupt Ake's rhythm.
One on the left, one on the right—they completely sealed off his path.
But Ake's expression didn't change at all. His eyes remained tranquil, almost serene.
Then—
Just as Shohoku prepared to launch another aggressive push…
Ake let out a quiet breath.
He stopped dribbling.
His shoulders relaxed.
The hand on the ball lowered slightly.
And then—
He did something that left the entire stadium utterly speechless.