Chapter Twenty-Six: Not Running Away
"As expected, absolutely ridiculous. Like a monster..."
Yagami couldn't help sighing. Pure individual ability casually crushing all defense—no wonder Fukuda's confidence had been completely shattered.
Clap clap clap.
Yagami clapped his hands, snapping the other two out of their daze.
"Now then, let's take this nice and slow."
"What do you mean 'nice and slow'..." Fukuda muttered, seeing absolutely no path to victory.
Aida inbounded from the baseline. Yagami caught it at the top of the arc as Aomine lazily defended in front of him.
"That unmotivated already?"
The moment Yagami spoke, a quick crossover into a spin move cleanly took him inside the three-point line.
"Oh?"
Aomine's eyes instantly sharpened as he spun to press Yagami. Only the ball had already vanished from his hands—
SMACK!
The basketball found Fukuda precisely. Ichikawa beside him barely reacted as Fukuda cut straight to the rim for an easy finish.
Ryonan 1 - 1 Aomine
Aomine grinned, the smile of someone spotting interesting prey. "Getting better."
Possession changed. Aomine caught the baseline inbound.
This time, accounting for Aomine's speed, Yagami didn't press too tight—maintaining a step-and-a-half distance prevented getting blown by in one move.
Aomine seemed to read his mind, lips curling as he pulled up from beyond the arc!
"Guard the drive, not the shot—naturally you'd think that way!"
Yagami lunged forward. Obviously too slow to block the shot. But he simply placed his palm over Aomine's vision.
"???"
CLANG!
The ball hammered off the front rim. Aomine hadn't anticipated that defensive approach.
"We stopped him!"
Fukuda rejoiced, sealing Ichikawa behind him while waiting to secure the board.
However, from the other side of the ball's trajectory, a blue figure exploded into the paint like lightning!
Aomine Daiki!
He'd never considered letting teammates grab rebounds!
BOOM!
Aomine elevated, his terrifying explosion and vertical leap letting him arrive first despite starting late. Just as Fukuda moved, Yagami's figure appeared in the air simultaneously!
SMACK!
Both palms hit the ball at once—
CRASH!
The ball hammered through the net as the rim groaned under the burden.
The strength gap was obvious!
Aomine's one-handed putback slam!
Ryonan 1 - 2 Aomine
The entire court seemed to fall silent for an instant.
Aida's jaw dropped wide enough to fit a whole egg—athletic ability completely beyond high school comprehension.
And Aomine was just a first-year like him.
"Why are you spacing out again? The game's not over." Yagami's voice pulled them back from shock.
Aomine, about to check Yagami's expression, felt slightly surprised. "Still not giving up?"
Possession changed.
Yagami made no special moves. As Aomine pressed up on defense, he fed it directly inside.
Fukuda caught it. After feeling Ichikawa's position with his back, he bumped once and scored on a soft hook shot.
Ryonan 2 - 2 Aomine
"Nice pass, Yagami." Fukuda said gruffly, slowly switching to defensive mode.
"Hey, are you planning to just keep running away?"
Aomine frowned. The first possession he'd sensed Yagami's offensive intent, but this time their matchup hadn't even begun before he passed.
"How is this running away?" Yagami looked shocked. "Didn't you hear my teammate praise my beautiful pass?"
"Then just lose like that."
Possession changed. When Aomine caught the ball, both Yagami and Fukuda closed in.
"I thought you'd do this from the first possession," Aomine mocked. "If you were smart enough."
Ichikawa stood wide open inside, but Aomine showed no intention of passing.
Facing the double team, Aomine worked rapid between-the-legs dribbles, rhythm unpredictable.
"Don't reach!"
Fukuda, about to attempt a steal, stopped at Yagami's shout. But in that instant, Aomine executed a massive crossover that blew past Fukuda in one step.
Yagami navigated around Fukuda's obstruction.
Aomine stopped on a dime, gathering the ball as his body rose for a jumper seemingly without adjustment!
SWISH!
Great touch—nothing but net.
Ryonan 2 - 3 Aomine
"You two, trap whoever gets the ball!" Aomine called out. "Leave the rest to me!"
"O-okay."
"I won't let you keep running away." Aomine said fiercely.
"Hikoichi, remember to move like I said."
"Got it!"
Possession changed. Yagami passed to Aida on the wing beyond the arc.
Meguro and Ichikawa immediately trapped Aida. Aomine ran toward the now-open Fukuda.
WHOOSH!
Aida didn't hesitate, firing it back out to Yagami.
"Hmph, knew it!" Aomine's help defense was a fake—his attention never left Yagami.
After spotting Aida's passing target, Aomine recovered quickly.
Yagami had gained a step, but didn't shoot—instead he drove inside.
Aomine's recovery speed was shockingly fast, cutting him off again.
However, the ball-less Aida appeared on Aomine's left, blocking his path forward.
Meguro reacted quickly, pressing up on Yagami as he penetrated. But Ryonan's movement was already complete—
Pick-and-roll switch!
Aida's screen freed Yagami to cut inside for a floater.
"Just this?" Aomine had already tracked back inside, elevating with Meguro to trap Yagami!
"I'm not that naive."
Yagami adjusted mid-motion, passing it out beyond the arc.
Aida, who'd stayed outside after setting the off-ball screen, now stood in open space!
He caught it, took a deep breath, recalled hundreds of practice reps, and released with textbook form.
The ball arced through the air.
CLANG!
A crisp brick echoed. The ball hit the front rim and bounced up!
"Damn it!" Aida yelled in frustration. Such a great opportunity wasted.
"REBOUND!"
Five bodies collided under the basket. Yagami sealed Aomine, Fukuda boxed out Ichikawa. Everyone fought desperately until ultimately the shortest of the five—Meguro at five-ten—secured it.
"GIVE IT TO ME!" Aomine shouted.
Meguro, preparing to clear the three-point line before reorganizing, froze and instinctively passed it out.
Yagami jumped the passing lane and stripped it.
Aomine immediately pounced.
With offensive possession still active, Yagami didn't hesitate—one step toward the basket, elevating for a floater.
Aomine's massive frame engulfed him, launching with maximum effort to contest!
Yagami tucked slightly in mid-air, creating the briefest pause to avoid the block. His fingertips adjusted the release.
The ball sailed over Aomine's contest toward the rim.
SWISH!
Clean through the net!
"NICE!" Fukuda couldn't help shouting.
Ryonan 3 - 3 Aomine
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