Nijimura's Trust: The Rising Star's Heavy Responsibility

The air in the Teikō basketball arena felt as if it were being squeezed by an invisible hand, each breath heavy and stagnant. A practice match, intense enough to simulate an official game, was reaching its climax. The starting lineup (Red Team), led by Captain Nijimura Shūzō anchoring the inside, was bolstered by Aomine Daiki, Midōrima Shintarō, and two experienced third-year starters. The bench players (White Team) consisted of Bai Ze You, Murasakibara Atsushi, Kuroko Tetsuya, and two fiercely competitive second-year students.

The scoreboard read Red Team 38 : White Team 28. The massive point difference weighed on every member of the White Team like a huge boulder. Murasakibara Atsushi, a giant on the court, surged left and right in the paint, managing to score a few points through sheer strength and height advantage. However, facing Nijimura's tough experience and help defense, his efficiency wasn't high. Midōrima Shintarō was a precise cannon on the three-point line; given even a sliver of space, the basketball would arc perfectly through the net. Each "swish" felt like an ice pick piercing the nerves of the White Team players. And most suffocating of all was Aomine Daiki's unreasonable drives and seemingly gravity-defying layups. His speed increased, his movements grew wilder, and his eyes burned with a pure, almost predatory offensive desire. The White Team's perimeter defense was useless against him, torn apart time and again.

"BEEP—!" The referee (played by an assistant coach) blew the whistle, signaling a dead ball. The White Team made another substitution, but the atmosphere was somber. Players gasped for air, sweat trickling down their cheeks, their eyes betraying their dejection.

Nijimura Shūzō stood by the sidelines, his bronze face unreadable. His deep gaze swept across every player on the court, finally settling on Bai Ze You, who sat at the far end of the bench, also drenched in sweat but with an unwavering focus in his eyes. Bai Ze You had just been subbed out for a few minutes of rest. On the court, he had primarily handled organization and linking plays, as well as defending the opponent's perimeter threats. His performance was decent, but under the firepower of Aomine and Midōrima, his brilliance had been temporarily overshadowed.

"Yū," Nijimura's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly cut through the din of the arena, "Warm up. Get ready to go in."

Bai Ze You immediately stood up, quickly stretching his wrists and ankles, his sharp gaze fixed on the intense situation on the court.

"Take Ōno out," Nijimura gave the order. Then, he made a decision that surprised everyone. He walked over to Bai Ze You, not looking at anyone else, his gaze burning into Bai Ze You's eyes. His voice was low and powerful, carrying an undeniable weight:

"You, go shut down Aomine."

"What?!" Suppressed gasps erupted from the sidelines. Asking a first-year student who had just enrolled to guard the second-year ace, Aomine Daiki, who had already shown monster-level potential? It was like asking a fledgling eagle with unformed wings to challenge a raptor soaring through the sky!

Bai Ze You's heart skipped a beat. Immense pressure instantly flooded him, almost making him gasp for air. He looked at the figure on the court, moving like a black lightning bolt. Aomine had just completed a fast break dunk after a steal. Upon landing, he let out a wild roar, exuding an imposing aura. But then, a fiercer flame ignited in Bai Ze You's chest—it was the excitement of being challenged, the thrill of being recognized, and the desire to prove himself!

"Yes, Captain!" Bai Ze You's voice held no hesitation, and the light in his eyes grew even more focused, like a tempered blade.

Nijimura nodded slightly, without any extra words. He simply clapped Bai Ze You firmly on the shoulder. That clap, heavy and warm, conveyed not just a task, but a significant trust. Nijimura saw in Bai Ze You a calmness beyond his years, excellent physical control (flexibility and balance), and a fighting spirit that never extinguished even in adversity. He needed a vanguard who could withstand the opponent's strongest firepower under immense pressure, and Bai Ze You was his choice at this moment.

"Captain Nijimura is..." Midōrima Shintarō adjusted his glasses, a flicker of subtle surprise and calculation in his eyes behind the lenses.

"Huh? You want that new kid to guard me?" Aomine Daiki heard the substitution order and arrangement. Instead of getting angry, he grinned, revealing a wild, battle-ready smile. "Interesting! Bring it on, Shiro!"

Momoi Satsuki nervously gripped her score sheet by the sidelines, her pen unconsciously scribbling on the paper. She quickly flipped to the page for Bai Ze You, filled with her observation data. Her gaze was locked onto Bai Ze You, her heart pounding. She knew this was Captain Nijimura's major test for Yū, a declaration of pushing the "rising star" to the forefront and entrusting him with core responsibilities.

Bai Ze You stepped back onto the court, taking a deep breath and clearing his mind of all distractions. He walked directly towards Aomine Daiki, his eyes calm but with an unprecedented focus, like a falcon locking onto its prey.

"Senior Aomine," Bai Ze You's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached Aomine's ears, "Please guide me from now on."

Aomine Daiki's smile widened even further. "Guide you? Just don't cry after I blow you off the court!"

The game resumed. Red Team's ball. The basketball naturally went to the hot-handed Aomine. Facing Bai Ze You's defense, he showed no hesitation. He dropped his shoulder sharply, and his right foot exploded off the ground like a spring!

"So fast!" Bai Ze You's pupils contracted. Aomine's first step was far faster than any opponent before! He instinctively slid sideways to try and block, but Aomine's power and explosiveness were perfectly combined. In the moment of physical contact, Bai Ze You felt a tremendous force, his chest tightening, and his feet were involuntarily pushed back half a step!

That half-step gap was enough for Aomine. He shot forward like a black arrow, instantly driving into the paint past Bai Ze You! Murasakibara Atsushi's massive body immediately moved to cover, but Aomine displayed incredible core strength and hangtime in the air. With an extreme pull-up and fold, he evaded Murasakibara's giant hand and flicked the ball into the basket with his off-hand!

40 : 28!

"Too slow! Shiro!" Aomine shouted at Bai Ze You as he landed, his tone full of provocation.

Bai Ze You pursed his lips, not responding. He quickly ran back to his position on defense, his eyes even more focused. In that play, he had personally experienced the terror of Aomine's "wildness." Speed, power, explosiveness, aerial combat... Aomine held an overwhelming advantage.

The next possession, Aomine tried the same tactic, aiming to overpower with sheer speed and strength again. But this time, Bai Ze You was prepared. He didn't choose to confront head-on. The moment Aomine started his drive, Bai Ze You used his superb sense of balance and reaction speed. His body, like a flexible willow branch, slid sideways to absorb the force, while his left hand shot out like a viper from its den, swiftly reaching for the basketball!

"Slap!" A light sound!

Bai Ze You's fingertips precisely touched the basketball! Although he didn't fully steal it, he greatly disrupted Aomine's dribbling rhythm, forcing him to stop and readjust. The offensive timing was delayed, breaking the Red Team's fluid offense. Midōrima ended up taking a rushed three-pointer, which bounced off the rim!

"Oh?" Aomine glanced at Bai Ze You with some surprise. "Your reaction isn't bad."

Nijimura's eyes by the sidelines flashed with approval. Bai Ze You hadn't acted recklessly; instead, he used skill and anticipation to compensate for the absolute physical disadvantage, successfully defusing a crisis. This was what he valued—playing with your brain.

For the next few plays, Bai Ze You stuck to Aomine like a shadow. He no longer tried to block Aomine's drives head-on. Instead, he used his superb anticipation and sliding step technique to consistently position himself on Aomine's least comfortable breakthrough routes. He lowered his center of gravity, his feet moving like a butterfly dancing through flowers, his body skillfully absorbing impact and maintaining balance like a roly-poly toy during contact. Aomine's speed still held an advantage, but each drive became less effortless, requiring more stamina and more complex changes of direction.

When Aomine tried to deceive with feints, Bai Ze You's focused eyes seemed to see through the fakes. He had undergone rigorous balance training and had an exceptionally keen sense for changes in center of gravity. Most of Aomine's non-core feints were calmly seen through by Bai Ze You, who didn't easily lose his position. Even if he was faked out half a step, his inhuman flexibility and core strength allowed him to twist his body at incredible angles to quickly recover and interfere.

"This guy... he's like sticky candy!" Aomine became somewhat frustrated by the constant pressure, and his offensive efficiency clearly dropped. While he could still score through sheer talent, each score became exceptionally difficult, requiring far more effort than before.

On defense, Bai Ze You had successfully contained the ferocious beast that was Aomine!

Even more surprisingly, on offense, with some of the defensive pressure lifted, Bai Ze You began to reveal his prowess as a "phantom"!

During a set play, Bai Ze You held the ball at the top of the arc. He was guarded by a third-year player from the Red Team known for his steady defense. Bai Ze You's eyes were calm, and his dribbling rhythm suddenly changed! A highly deceptive crossover dribble feinted a drive to the right, his center of gravity extremely low, his shoulders and gaze full of deception!

The experienced defender's weight instinctively shifted to the right!

At that very instant, Bai Ze You's left wrist flicked with the dexterity of a magician. The basketball, as if imbued with life, was delivered in an incredibly concealed quick bounce pass behind his back, precisely passing through the defender's instinctively outstretched arm and the gap exposed by the shift in his center of gravity!

A no-look behind-the-back bounce pass!

The basketball, like a surgical scalpel, was precisely delivered to Kuroko Tetsuya, who had successfully cut to the basket using Murasakibara's screen! Kuroko caught the ball with open space in front of him and easily laid it in!

40 : 30!

"Beautiful pass, Bai Ze-kun!" Kuroko said calmly as he landed, a hint of recognition in his eyes.

"Woah!!"

"How did he pass it through there?!"

Exclamations erupted from the sidelines. This pass was not only precise in timing and concealed in technique, but more importantly, it demonstrated the calmness and vision to perceive the entire situation under intense defense and deliver a fatal blow!

Bai Ze You's assist acted like a shot of adrenaline, instantly igniting the White Team's momentum! The substitute players, suppressed for so long, seemed to be injected with new vitality. The dejection in their eyes vanished, replaced by burning fighting spirit!

"Great play, Yū!"

"Keep it up!"

Teammates swarmed to high-five Bai Ze You.

Nijimura Shūzō by the sidelines finally curved his lips into a clear smile. He saw it! He saw the resilience and intelligence Bai Ze You displayed under immense defensive pressure, and the leadership potential he showed in finding opportunities in adversity and revitalizing the team with his passes! This brilliance, erupting under heavy pressure, shone even brighter than scoring in smooth sailing!

"The burden of a rising star..." Nijimura murmured to himself, his gaze fixed intently on the figure in the white jersey on the court. "It seems you've caught it."

The game continued, the score gradually closing. Aomine Daiki's fighting spirit was further ignited by Bai Ze You's tenacious defense, and his offense became even more ferocious. Meanwhile, Bai Ze You, under the responsibility entrusted to him by Nijimura, under the trusting gazes of his teammates, and under the nervous watch of Momoi Satsuki, was transforming at an astonishing speed. He was no longer just a freshman with extraordinary talent who had just arrived. He was beginning to truly understand the weight of Teikō's First String, and what Captain Nijimura Shūzō's heavy "trust" truly meant.

The white phantom, on the Teikō court, faced the wildest storm head-on for the first time, and within the storm, he steadily shouldered his responsibility. His wings, tempered by pressure and trust, were becoming tougher, stronger.