Chapter 148: Autumn National Athletic Meet
Possession changed. Yosen on offense.
After Fukui Kensuke caught the baseline inbound, Akashi Seijuro suddenly pressed. He quickly turned his body to protect the ball, barely managing to pass to Himuro Tatsuya receiving from the wing.
Himuro quickly pushed to the frontcourt. Against Hayama Kotaro, he used continuous between-the-legs dribbles to find rhythm, then suddenly executed a one-handed in-and-out, breaking right.
"Oh! Quite a beautiful in-and-out move! Himuro's fake quality is extremely high!"
But Hayama Kotaro hadn't been beaten. His focus was intense as he quickly slid to cut him off.
Himuro stopped abruptly, stepped back to create space, and faked the shot—
"Another fake?" Hayama feared his drives, hesitating momentarily.
"Whoosh!"
Himuro released the actual shot. The ball spun through the air, tracing a beautiful arc.
"Clang!"
No good!
"He got the shot off, but the rhythm seemed a bit forced." Kise Ryota noticed the issue. "He probably wanted his defender to close out so he could drive past, right?"
"Yeah. Hayama's hesitant defense actually worked by accident." Kasamatsu Yukio agreed.
"Rebound!"
Nebuya Eikichi boxed out with full strength.
"Hm?" Murasakibara Atsushi was slightly stunned. His opponent's power had increased considerably—not what you'd expect from a mere 190-centimeter shorty.
But—
"BOOM!!"
Murasakibara backed into Nebuya and jumped, one-handing the ball over his head and slamming it back through the rim!
Nearly twenty centimeters of height difference, plus the wingspan gap—even without favorable position, Murasakibara still controlled the board easily!
Rakuzan 43, Yosen 47.
"Nice work, Atsushi!"
"Having Atsushi really lets you relax!" Himuro Tatsuya smiled.
"Hmph. I won't be happy even if you say that." Murasakibara said contrary to his words, a faint smile on his face as he quickly retreated on defense.
Playing with them really was the right choice.
The whistle blew.
Rakuzan 51, Yosen 54.
Halftime ended. Both Rakuzan and Yosen seemed reasonably satisfied with the score.
"I'll go buy a drink." Yagami Sorato stood from his seat.
"Grab me a barley tea!" Sendoh Akira said casually.
"Sure." Yagami nodded.
But once someone started, it would—
Ikegami Ryoji: "I want a Calpis."
Koshino Hiroaki: "Hyuganatsu soda."
Uozumi Jun: "Tea's fine for me too."
Uekusa Tomoyuki glanced at the others, then said cooperatively after thinking, "I'll take a Pocari then."
"..." Yagami's movement stiffened. These guys.
"Um, I'll go with Sorato." Hikoichi stood up proactively, pushing the hesitant Yagami toward the vending machines in the corridor.
"Heh, finally got a chance to boss him around like a first-year punk." Ikegami showed a smug expression.
Though Uozumi hadn't thought that way, the feeling did seem pretty good.
Sendoh helplessly pressed his hand to his forehead. This wasn't his fault.
Yagami Sorato and Hikoichi walked through the corridor to the wall-mounted vending machines in the corner. After inserting coins, the machine hummed to life, lights flashing as cans rolled into the collection slot.
"Well, if it isn't Ryonan's super rookie." A familiar voice came from behind them.
Hikoichi turned back. "A-Aomine Daiki?!"
Yagami's movement paused slightly. After retrieving the drinks, he straightened and looked calmly at him. "Hmm, why do you like wearing black when you're already so dark? Does it make you look lighter?"
Aomine Daiki stood with hands in his pockets, upper body clad only in a black tank top. Combined with his naturally fierce expression, he looked exactly like a street thug—or rather, a delinquent.
"Pfft!" Momoi Satsuki couldn't help but laugh, quickly covering her face with her notebook.
"Bastard, this is a healthy wheat color, got it!" Aomine glared at Yagami.
"Oh, so wheat in Tokyo is black."
"You punk!"
"Ahem, um... Yagami-kun, congratulations on reaching the finals." Momoi stepped between them timely, easing the atmosphere. "Beating Sannoh really wasn't easy."
"Thanks." Yagami nodded slightly, then suddenly showed a mischievous smile. "Though I didn't expect you'd still be here."
"Yagami!"
Just as Aomine was about to explode, the brave Hikoichi blocked him.
"Actually, we were really hoping Touou would win!"
"Oh?" Aomine raised an eyebrow. "Didn't think you guys—"
"Yeah, such a shame." Yagami interrupted. "Not being able to personally defeat you in an official match to complete our revenge—very regrettable."
The air suddenly quieted for an instant.
"Heh, don't think just because Touou lost once you'd have a chance." Aomine stepped forward. Hikoichi, caught between them, suddenly felt an invisible pressure.
Yagami grabbed Hikoichi's collar and pulled him back, his voice flat. "Don't be so tense. Save that intensity for the Winter Cup."
"Won't need that long." Aomine smirked coldly.
"Hmm?" Yagami waited for more.
"The Autumn National Athletic Meet." Momoi Satsuki explained. "Yagami-kun will definitely be selected for the Kanagawa team. We might face each other there."
"Autumn National Athletic Meet?" Yagami remembered seeing that term in Weekly Basketball.
The Autumn National Athletic Meet—abbreviated as Autumn Kokutai—was a large-scale comprehensive sports event held every autumn in Japan. Basketball teams were organized by prefecture, and along with the Inter-High and Winter Cup, it was considered one of high school basketball's three major national tournaments.
But unlike the Inter-High's school-based competition, the Autumn Kokutai formed teams by prefecture. Which meant—
"Kanagawa and Tokyo..." Yagami said thoughtfully.
He didn't finish, but the meaning was clear.
Momoi continued explaining. "Following past practice, the Autumn Kokutai basketball competition is held in October, with prefecture selections usually in September. I'm really looking forward to your performance then, Yagami-kun."
"I see." Yagami murmured.
Coach Taoka definitely knew about this, but probably wanted to wait until after the Inter-High nationals to explain it to the players.
Yagami slowly sipped his drink, names flashing through his mind—Maki Shinichi, Kise Ryota, Rukawa Kaede, Sakuragi Hanamichi... He had a feeling quite an interesting team would emerge.
"I'm actually kind of looking forward to it." Before realizing it, Yagami had finished his drink. He looked around, then accurately tossed the empty can into a distant trash bin. The metal clanged crisply against the sides.
"But before that, I'm taking the Inter-High championship."
Aomine Daiki froze momentarily, then burst out laughing.
His laughter echoed through the corridor, drawing sidelong glances from passing spectators.
"Interesting!" Aomine stopped laughing, his eyes flashing with excitement. "It's settled then. Let me see how you plan to snatch the championship from Yosen or Rakuzan's hands."
"I'll be waiting at the Autumn Kokutai."
Yagami Sorato met Aomine Daiki's gaze directly, unflinching.
Just then, the whistle signaling the end of halftime sounded. Yagami nodded to both of them and turned to leave.
"Wait." Aomine suddenly called him back.
Yagami turned around.
Aomine's expression became uncharacteristically serious. "If your finals opponent is Akashi, remember to be careful. That guy's far more troublesome than what you've seen from recordings or the sidelines."
Is he referring to the dual personality?
Yagami thought of certain things. Some matters could only be truly experienced when standing on the court.
"Thanks for the warning." After a moment's silence, Yagami nodded slightly and turned toward the arena entrance.
Momoi Satsuki watched Yagami's departing direction, saying softly to Aomine, "Daiki, you seem really interested in him."
Aomine didn't deny it. He just stared at the corner where Yagami disappeared, murmuring, "That guy's changed a lot since I first saw him."
"Maybe he can also reach that place."
By the time Yagami Sorato and Hikoichi returned to their seats, the third quarter had already started—two minutes in.
Both lineups remained unchanged.
Rakuzan's ball. Akashi Seijuro pushed it up.
Just past halfcourt, Yagami suddenly noticed a slight change in Yosen's defensive matchups—Fukui Kensuke, who should have been guarding Akashi Seijuro, was on the right wing defending Hayama Kotaro. Standing before Akashi was the ten-centimeter-taller Himuro Tatsuya.
"Does this make a difference?" Yagami asked.
"Probably just testing. This is their first time matching up." Sendoh Akira said.
After all, Yosen couldn't completely limit Akashi through Fukui Kensuke, and he looked like he couldn't hold up much longer anyway.
"What a coincidence." Akashi Seijuro said expressionlessly.
Himuro's brow furrowed slightly, not understanding his meaning. But he quickly dismissed the stray thought, focusing intently on his opponent.
Akashi didn't rush to attack. Instead, he dribbled slowly at the top while observing Himuro's defensive stance.
Himuro's center of gravity pressed very low, arms spread wide, eyes sharp—completely different from his usual gentle image. He looked like a coiled spring ready to explode.
"Unfortunate."
Another cryptic assessment from Akashi, then continuous hesitation moves as he broke right.
Himuro slid over sharply to cut him off.
But this was just the beginning. Akashi immediately stopped, behind-the-back to his left hand while his body tilted left.
Himuro's feet reset, his weight shifting left half a step.
"Oh? Not bad. Your center's very stable."
A trace of approval flickered in Akashi's eyes. His movement changed again. His right foot pushed off the ground, his body explosively accelerating right!
"He beat him!!"
Akashi blew past Himuro's side by half a step. Himuro could actually still react, forcefully reversing his momentum to chase.
But Akashi didn't continue deeper. Instead, he pulled up near the free throw line.
Himuro leaped desperately to contest, his fingertips just missing the ball.
"Swish!"
Long two-pointer good.
Rakuzan 59, Yosen 60.
Possession changed. Yosen on offense.
Fukui Kensuke dribbled past halfcourt, passing to Himuro Tatsuya posting up at the right forty-five.
"Wait, is this?"
"Akashi's switching onto Himuro?"
"I see. So that's why he said 'coincidence'?" Himuro caught the ball with his back to Akashi Seijuro, feeling the defensive pressure from behind.
"Good thinking." Sendoh nodded.
Akashi Seijuro had an unavoidable disadvantage—his frame. So in one-on-one situations, Himuro actively using his body to lean on him not only avoided steals or dribble disruption, but could also suppress his movement.
"Let's see how Akashi responds..."
After adjusting his leverage position, Himuro began dribbling backwards in the post. Akashi absorbed the force while retreating.
Now!
Sensing the pressure release behind him, Himuro pivoted explosively on his left foot toward the baseline, raising the ball as if shooting.
Pump fake!
"What?!"
Akashi didn't jump, but seemingly predicting Himuro's move, his hand was already blocking the shooting angle!
Fortunately, Himuro never intended to actually shoot. He brought the ball back down, immediately reversing toward the middle to drive—
"Smack!"
The instant Himuro brought the ball to his side, a crisp strip sounded!
"Completely read?!!" Sendoh's pupils contracted. Even from the stands, it was hard to understand Akashi's judgment.
The ball came loose, bouncing toward the sideline.
Himuro tried to save it, but Akashi had already seized possession.
Rakuzan counter!
Akashi Seijuro, Hayama Kotaro, and Mibuchi Reo speared into Yosen territory like three arrows. Himuro and Fukui chased desperately.
Wait—Murasakibara Atsushi too!
His full-court defensive speed somehow didn't lag behind those guards and wings at all!
Three-on-three in transition.
Akashi used a rhythm change to easily shake Fukui at the free throw line, his speed undiminished as he rose directly into Murasakibara!
"Aka-chin!" Murasakibara shouted, his massive hand swinging to block!
Akashi's expression didn't change. His hand gripped the ball firmly, faking a pass to Mibuchi Reo in the corner.
But Murasakibara's reaction was equally astounding—he used his other hand to swipe horizontally, intercepting the pass!
"Oh?!"
In that instant, Akashi flicked his wrist. The ball went through Murasakibara's legs, bouncing to Hayama Kotaro cutting through.
Hayama caught it, avoiding Himuro's help in midair with a small floater—
"Swish!"
Two-pointer good.
Rakuzan 61, Yosen 60.
Rakuzan had taken the lead!!!
"Atsushi, is this the capital you had for disobeying me?" Akashi Seijuro stood calmly under Yosen's basket. Though small in stature, his presence completely matched the 208-centimeter Murasakibara Atsushi.
"Show me how much you've grown in these six months."
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