"...You know, there's a legal way for me to settle this."
Ryouta's voice remained calm as he halted in his tracks, waiting until Hanamiya breached the inner defensive area. Then, he swiftly passed the ball to Fukumoto, who was positioned just before the three point line.
Hibiya's players also responded accordingly and swiftly as they tried to stop Fukumoto from taking the shot.
Although it was the most efficient play, Imayoshi couldn't shake the feeljng that something was a amiss. His suspicion deepened when he noticed Hikigaya, having passed the ball, step back slightly, putting a bit of distance between himself and Hanamiya.
However, Fukumoto, who had already had a Hibiya player, advanced towards him. Instead of taking the shot, he passed the ball back towards Hikigaya.
This sent a warning signal to Imayoshi, who quickened his pace in preparation for what might come next.
"Whatever, it doesn't matter anyway. You won't even get the chance."
Hanamiya retorted, maintaining his defensive stance beneath the basket. He kept a close eye on Hikigaya, who was dribbling the ball and making his way towards the hoop.
But Hanamiya wasn't just looking at Ryouta; he was also watching the silhouette of another player reaching for the ball in Ryou's hand.
A chuckle escaped Hanamiya's lips. He believed Ryouta was too overconfident as he wasted an opportunity to score a few moments ago.
Yet, just as that outstretched hand was about to snatch the ball, Ryouta pulled off a quick sidestep, evading the attempted steal.
Hikigaya shot a knowing glance at the would-be thief. His calm and composed voice cut through the tension on the court. "Do you really think that I wouldn't notice my surroundings? It seems as if it's you who's making the mistakes here..."
Imayoshi's eyes widened, shocked by Hikki's uncanny awareness. He couldn't help but mutter, "He's a damn monster."
Even Hanamiya, who had expected Imayoshi to snatch the ball away, was taken aback. But he quickly regained his composure when he saw Hikigaya accelerate.
"He's one stubborn guy, but it ends here," Hanamiya muttered, determined not to let Hikigaya get past him.
"I think this should be enough distance..."
With a calculating murmur, Hikki assessed the situation. And then, in a sudden burst of speed, he leaped towards the basket.
The entire stadium erupted in astonishment, their collective gasps echoing through the arena as Hikki defied all expectations. It was not a regular shot, and it was not even a layup. It was a middle schooler, first grader at that, who looked like he was defying gravity.
"Holy cow!" exclaimed a spectator in the stands, their voice drowned in the overwhelming shock of the moment.
Hanamiya, too, was shocked. He didn't expect a freshman to attempt a slam dunk. But as he saw Hikki's trajectory and jump height, he couldn't help but conclude that Hikki couldn't make it.
With a surge of adrenaline, Hanamiya propelled himself upwards, striving to intercept the dunk.
Noticing that Hanamiya seemed to try to intercept his dunk, Hikki's lips slightly curled upwards.
As both of them collided mid-air head-on, Hikki's powerful momentum sent Hanamiya crashing onto the ground as Hikki executed the dunk perfectly. The crowd gasped in astonishment at the unexpected turn of events.
Beneath the basket, Hanamiya lay on the ground, wracked with pain. The collision had sent him sprawling, and he groaned, trying to make sense of the sudden turn of events.
He looked up and saw a shadow descending upon him, a haunting figure silhoutted against the blinding stadium lights. The gaze that met his was icy, a chilling darkness that sent shivers down his spine.
However, Kazama ruined this dramatic movement by pulling Hikki away from Hanamiya.
"Hey, chill, man. You told me not to fight! You shouldn't either..."
Hikki slightly twitched his lips as he was pulled away, maintaining his composure. He responded, "Who said I was about to fight..."
"What? You're not?" Kazama scratched his head, clearly puzzled.
"Captain, that's not it," Fujiwara chimed in from the side, turning to Tsuna with a surprised expression. "Holy crap, you can dunk?"
Hikki chuckled, "Of course, I can do it whenever I want..."
"That's awesome, man! Could you teach me how to do it later?"
Fujiwara's excitement was palpable, and he couldn't help but want to learn from Hikki.
"...Why can't you learn from Masahiko or something?" Hikki asked as Fujiwara deadpanned.
"That giant won't teach me anything..." He spoke in a low voice.
'That's true, he'd dunk in front of you and except you to get it immediately.' Ryouta thought.
Hikki chuckled nervously. "...I'm not really into teaching, but I can give you a few tips."
"Really?! I'll take whatever you can share! This is gonna be epic!"
Fujiwara was practically bouncing enthusiastically at the thought of mastering such a flashy move.
"Oh, count me in for those tips too," the others from Meikō chimed in, including Fukumoto, who was usually quiet but clearly eager to learn something new.
Hikki chuckled and shook his head as he returned to his position. "Alright, everyone, back to your positions. We still have some time until the game ends..."
Kazama wore a content smile as he nodded in agreement. He couldn't help but be impressed by how effortlessly Hikki took charge and led the team. It raised questions about who the real captain was out on the court.
Shaking away such thoughts, Kazama refocused on the game. They were still ahead on the scoreboard, and that spectacular dunk a while ago had firmly put them back in control of the game's momentum.
Despite his concerns about Hibiya pulling off another trick, Kazama couldn't help but smirk slightly as he glanced at their opponents.
Assistant Coach Makiyama smiled slightly as he observed this turn of events. He had entrusted everything to Hikki, allowing him to take the reins, and it appeared to be a wise decision.
'Now that we've regained control of the momentum, it's time to seal the deal,' Makiyama thought to himsef.
Hanamiya appeared despondent as he had to be substituted, and his body seemed injured.
Imayoshi's smile had vanished, replaced by a deep frown.
As he watched Hikki, who had returned to a defensive position, Imayoshi couldn't escape the feeling of being held by the throat, a suffocating sensation.
"In moments like this, I should've called a timeout," Imayoshi pondered. But as he glanced at his teammates, particularly Hanamiya, who wore a dark and frustrated expression while gritting his teeth, he realised their chances might be slipping away.
Imayoshi decided not to call a timeout, and the game continued.
One one side, Hibiya looked disheartened, while on the other, Meikō seemed invigorated by Hikki's recent stunt. Hikki, his face adorned with a slight smile, decided it was time to switch things up.
Instead of trying to score on his own, Hikki saw an opportunity to dominate their opponents by attacking on all angles. With a sense of excitement, they began pressuring Hibiya relentlessly, Ryouta expertly moving the ball around.
Meikō started racking up point after point, leahing Hibiya far behind.
When the referee finally blew the whistle, signalling the end of the game, Meikō emerged victorious with a score of 86 - 59 against Hibiya.
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TBC
