Nangou Koichiro's Collapse

(Note: Chapters 17, 18, and 19 have been revised. Readers are encouraged to review the plot.)

Shohoku's bench.

"Super-high-speed dribbling," Shimizu Kanon explained intently to everyone. "This was A-Ce's original playstyle, and it's one of his abilities."

Super-high-speed dribbling?

A-Ce's original playstyle?

One of his abilities?

Everyone on Shohoku looked bewildered, their eyes full of confusion, as if they had suddenly become strangers to the basketball they knew so well.

Ayako couldn't help but speak first, her face full of curiosity. "Kanon, you said this was Qing Junce's original playstyle? What does that even mean?"

The others around them also quieted down, their gazes full of anticipation as they waited for Shimizu Kanon's answer.

Shimizu Kanon tidied her thoughts slightly and slowly began, "Because A-Ce played on streetball courts since he was a child, that environment allowed him to develop a style of play completely different from orthodox basketball."

Sakuragi Hanamichi, who had been pestering the coach, also quieted down. He widened his dead fish eyes, genuinely interested in hearing what Shimizu Kanon had to say.

Shimizu Kanon continued her explanation, "A-Ce's style is not bound by any rules or forms; it's completely unrestrained. On the court, he's like a free dancer. Any move can become his way of dribbling, and any moment could be when he shoots. It's just like that seemingly casual shot A-Ce took earlier. Super-high-speed dribbling, combined with his formless shots – that's A-Ce's true playstyle."

As soon as she finished speaking, the entire Shohoku bench fell into a dead silence.

The corners of Kogure Kiminobu's and others' mouths twitched uncontrollably, their eyelids jumping.

Following Shimizu Kanon's description, they imagined Qing Junce simultaneously using super-high-speed dribbling and formless shots in their minds.

Hiss...

A moment later, everyone couldn't help but gasp. What a shocking, what an outrageous scene that would be!

Recalling Qing Junce's astonishing dribbling on the court just now, everyone felt a jolt in their hearts.

Holy crap.

Holy freakin' crap.

They thought to themselves, just imagining it sent shivers down their spines, a sense of fear rising within them.

However, they were fortunate that such a powerful player was on their side, a member of Shohoku.

Coach Anzai also listened quietly to Shimizu Kanon's explanation.

His gaze behind his glasses grew deeper and wiser.

The dribbling skills Qing Junce had just displayed had truly astounded him.

He had never seen such a way of dribbling and had to admit that he had underestimated Qing Junce's talent.

He hadn't expected this young man to be so monstrously gifted.

In that era, streetball hadn't yet become popular, so one could imagine how amazing and shocking Qing Junce's super-high-speed dribbling was.

On the court, the Tsukitake players seemed frozen in place, their gazes blank and numb as they stared fixedly at Qing Junce.

A foolish smile involuntarily appeared on their faces.

Heh heh heh...

The laughter was hollow and weak, as if they were trying to hypnotize themselves.

I must have been seeing things just now.

It was an illusion, definitely an illusion.

I'm dreaming, right? Yes, I must be dreaming!

They tried to comfort themselves again and again in their hearts, attempting to convince themselves that what they had just witnessed wasn't real.

Nangou Koichiro, who was lying on the ground, had long forgotten his pain.

His eyes were wide and dazed as he stared at the tall figure under his own basket, a deep sense of fear welling up inside him.

A demon, I saw a demon.

His heart screamed, and his confidence began to waver and crumble at that very moment.

The people of Shohoku also looked at Qing Junce with disbelief, their eyes filled with lingering shock.

They knew Qing Junce was very strong, but they never imagined he would be so outrageously powerful.

What a joke.

Basketball can be played like this?

They exclaimed inwardly, their faces filled with incredulity.

Akagi Takenori frowned, thinking to himself, "What kind of player has joined the Basketball Club?"

Mitsui Hisashi's mouth hung slightly open as he muttered, "What on earth was that?"

Miyagi Ryota's eyes widened in astonishment. "What did I just see?"

A flicker of hesitation crossed Rukawa Kaede's eyes, and he couldn't help but wonder, "Should I still challenge him to a one-on-one when we get back...?"

Time ticked by, second by agonizing second.

In the subsequent plays, Qing Junce fully displayed his terrifying skill, showing everyone what a truly unstoppable scoring king looked like.

Even though he hadn't yet unleashed his more exaggerated super-high-speed dribbling or his incredibly difficult formless shots, his current performance alone left the spectators and players stunned, speechless, and even breeding a sense of fear in their hearts.

Yes, fear. A feeling of awe and dread that arises involuntarily when facing absolute power.

Bang...

Bang...

Bang...

The sound of the basketball hitting the floor echoed relentlessly under Tsukitake's basket.

Qing Junce and Nangou Koichiro found themselves on a collision course once again.

Without a moment's hesitation, Qing Junce drove to the basket and leaped high.

In mid-air, he held the ball in one hand, feigning a slam dunk.

Seeing this, Nangou Koichiro, believing Qing Junce was going for a dunk, immediately jumped, reaching out his hand to block with all his might.

At this critical moment, a strange smile curved Qing Junce's lips. With a subtle flick of his wrist, the ball traced an odd arc, zipping past Nangou Koichiro's outstretched hand at a peculiar angle.

Nangou Koichiro reacted desperately but was a step too late, his entire hand slamming heavily onto Qing Junce's arm.

Beep...

At the same time, the referee's sharp whistle blew.

Swish...

The ball smoothly found the net.

Immediately, the referee's voice rang out clearly, "Tsukitake number 15, foul on the shot. Basket counts, and-one."

"Damn it!" Nangou Koichiro's face was filled with frustration, his heart brimming with unwillingness.

Meanwhile, Qing Junce stood calmly at the free-throw line. He caught the ball, shot, his movements fluid and effortless.

With a swish, the ball easily dropped into the net, a clean free throw.

In the following minutes, similar scenes played out repeatedly.

Qing Junce and Nangou Koichiro met again, this time still under Tsukitake's basket.

Qing Junce took flight from just before the free-throw line.

"Ah..." Nangou Koichiro roared, jumping up to block him as well.

Qing Junce held the ball with both hands, his motion sweeping from right to left, top to bottom in a circle, artfully evading Nangou Koichiro's hands and smoothly releasing the shot.

Nangou Koichiro sensed something was wrong and frantically tried to adjust his move to block, but in his haste, his elbow inadvertently brushed Qing Junce's arm.

Beep...

The referee's sharp whistle sounded once more.

Swish...

As expected, the ball dropped into the hoop.

Simultaneously, the referee's voice announced again, "Tsukitake number 15, defensive foul. Basket counts, and-one."

Nangou Koichiro's eyes widened, disbelief and despair clouding his gaze as he looked at the referee.

Why? Why is this happening? he screamed inwardly, consumed by rage.

However, one can never predict their own fate.

Qing Junce dribbled again, a red lightning bolt streaking towards Tsukitake's basket.

Nangou Koichiro chased desperately from behind.

Close, so close, I'm almost there, he chanted in his mind.

Finally, the moment Qing Junce leaped, Nangou Koichiro surged into blocking range.

He jumped with all his might, putting every ounce of energy into it.

He specifically noted the distance between them, a secret smile playing on his lips. No foul this time.

He breathed a sigh of relief, thinking, You're not scoring this time.

Hmph...

Qing Junce let out a soft hum. The wrist holding the ball flicked, sending the basketball directly towards the backboard.

The ball hit the backboard and bounced back quickly, colliding with Nangou Koichiro's hand by sheer chance.

The ball, using the rebound from hitting Nangou Koichiro's hand, sprang out again, landing perfectly, impossibly, into the basket.

Swish...

The ball entered the net.

The crisp sound of the ball brushing the net was music to anyone else's ears, but to Nangou Koichiro, it sounded like thunder.