The uproar inside Tokyo Gymnasium reached an almost frenzied peak after Bai Ze You's earth-shattering steal and Kuroko Tetsuya's ensuing lethal cut-in score. The ice around Teikō's bench instantly melted, replaced by volcanic eruptions of joy and roaring cheers. The chant of "Phantom! Phantom! Phantom!" surged like a tangible tsunami, pounding against the gymnasium walls again and again—and crashing heavily into the hearts of every Kitano Academy player.
89:85.
A four-point gap with only one minute and twenty-eight seconds remaining loomed before Kitano like Mount Fuji, practically announcing their death sentence. The shock and disbelief on Fujita Osamu's face had yet to fully fade when they were replaced by deep despair and helplessness. The Zone state he had taken pride in, the one that had nearly turned the game around, was brutally snuffed out by that white figure's precise-to-the-millimeter, coldly composed steal. The flames of Kitano's counterattack, which had only just ignited, were extinguished by a bucket of ice water poured over their heads, leaving behind only choking ash and bone-deep chill.
Teikō's momentum was completely different. Bai Ze You's steal and brilliant pass were like a heart stimulant injected into a sinking warship, instantly steadying its dangerously listing hull and raising the sails for full speed ahead once more! Aomine Daiki's eyes burned with the wild flames of a nature reawakened after suppression. Midōrima Shintarō pushed up his glasses, and the gaze behind the lenses once again became cold and focused. Murasaki-bara Atsushi let out a low growl, his massive body radiating even more intimidating pressure. Even Kuroko Tetsuya, who was usually calm, breathed slightly faster, a determined light flickering deep in his blue eyes.
Akashi Seijūrō stood at the sideline, his crimson pupils sweeping over every player's face. He said nothing more than necessary. With a gaze infused with Absolute Will, he silently conveyed his command: End the game!
Kitano Academy called its final timeout. Coach Sakuma Ryūji's voice was hoarse as he tried to stir the players' fighting spirit with his last words, but the crack in Fujita Osamu's confidence, forcibly torn open by Bai Ze You, was clearly reflected in everyone's eyes. On Teikō's side, Akashi's voice was cold and clear as he laid out their final defensive strategy and offensive choices.
The timeout ended. Kitano Academy inbounded. Under immense pressure, their passing became hesitant! Fujita Osamu struggled to shake off Akashi's tight defense, only to be trapped by Aomine and Bai Ze You the instant he received the ball! He tried to force his way through, but Bai Ze You's eyes, seemingly capable of predicting the future, locked relentlessly onto his route. Combined with Aomine's savage pressure, Fujita Osamu could barely find room to shoot! He was forced to pass to a teammate on the perimeter!
Faced with Midōrima Shintarō's textbook defensive stance and icy gaze, the Kitano player who received the ball saw his mental defenses collapse instantly! He hurriedly launched a three-pointer!
"Clang!"
The basketball slammed into the front rim and bounced high into the air!
"Rebound!" Akashi's command rang out like a military order!
The area beneath the basket instantly became a battlefield! Murasaki-bara Atsushi's enormous body erupted with astonishing power, launching skyward like a divine giant! Under the desperate gazes of Kitano's two interior players, his massive hands securely plucked the basketball out of the air and pulled it into his embrace! Defensive rebound!
Time: 1:05!
Teikō had possession! Akashi brought the ball up, calmly controlling the tempo and draining the little time they had left. Kitano Academy plunged into one last frenzy and unleashed a full-court press! They knew this was their final chance!
Akashi Seijūrō danced on the edge of a blade. Even under Kitano's frenzied attacks, his dribbling remained terrifyingly steady. A nimble behind-the-back dribble avoided a steal attempt, followed immediately by a sudden stop that sent the lunging defender's center of gravity flying. Then came a swift change-of-pace crossover, a red bolt of lightning that tore through the first line of defense in an instant!
He advanced into the frontcourt, facing Kitano's reformed half-court defense. Akashi's gaze swept across the court. Aomine was being heavily guarded by two players, Midōrima had someone glued to him, Murasaki-bara was boxed out beneath the basket, and Kuroko was roaming the weak side with Misdire. Finally, Akashi's eyes settled on Bai Ze You at the top of the arc.
Bai Ze You had just completed a crucial steal and was now being clung to by Fujita Osamu like a wounded beast. But Akashi saw the light in Bai Ze You's eyes—calm as a deep pool, yet burning with fierce fighting spirit. It was the light of a true ace, tempered through trials in the depths of despair!
Akashi flicked his wrist! The basketball became a precise orange-red streak of light, a bounce pass that pierced the gap in the defense and arrived safely in Bai Ze You's hands!
Trust!
At the final moment that would decide the championship, Akashi Seijūrō handed the scepter of offense to the "White Phantom" who had just saved the team!
Bai Ze You caught the ball! Fujita Osamu charged up like a madman, his eyes filled with the ferocity of someone staking everything on one last gamble! He intended to use every shred of his remaining strength to wash away the humiliation of being stripped of the ball!
Time: 45 seconds!
Bai Ze You drew a deep breath. The roar of the Dome, Fujita Osamu's heavy breathing, the expectant gazes of his teammates, Momoi Satsuki's tightly clenched fists... everything seemed to fade into background noise. His world held nothing but the basketball in his hands and the opponent before him.
He chose not to force his way inside! Instead, he dribbled steadily one step beyond the three-point line. His center of gravity sank extremely low as his sharp eyes watched Fujita Osamu's shifting balance.
Fujita Osamu was enraged by Bai Ze You's composure! He suddenly stepped forward and reached out, trying to steal the ball!
Now!
Bai Ze You's core strength exploded! His right hand suddenly performed an explosive-speed pullback dribble! At the same time, his center of gravity swayed like a roly-poly toy, following the ball's path as he made a huge step-back fake!
Fujita Osamu's center of gravity was completely fooled! His body involuntarily pitched forward as he lunged for the ball!
A cold glint flashed through Bai Ze You's eyes! He did not choose to step back and shoot. Instead, in the instant Fujita Osamu's weight tipped forward and his feet became disordered, Bai Ze You flicked the ball from the pullback dribble forward to the left with his left hand in a lightning-fast same-foot drive! His entire body shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, slipping past Fujita Osamu's unstable side and blowing by him in a single step!
A clean, decisive same-foot drive! He used a convincing step-back fake to draw out the defender's center of gravity, then instantly accelerated through the defense!
"Damn it!" Alarm bells rang in Fujita Osamu's mind, but his balance was already gone. All he could do was watch the white phantom sweep past him!
After getting around Fujita Osamu, Bai Ze You had only Kitano's interior defender in front of him! He did not slow down in the slightest! The moment the opponent's massive body closed in to block him, Bai Ze You displayed his peerless flexibility and balance, unmatched throughout Teikō! His body seemed boneless in midair as he performed an extreme twisting fold, avoiding the blocking arm! At the same time, his right wrist flicked lightly, like the most precise instrument!
High-arcing bank shot!
The basketball spun elegantly over the defender's fingertips and struck the upper edge of the square on the backboard with pinpoint accuracy!
"Swish!"
The crisp sound of the ball passing through the net was heavenly!
91:85!
The lead had widened to six points!
"Woooooahhhhhh—!!!" The entire Tokyo Dome boiled over! The cheers of Teikō's supporters nearly blew the roof away!
"Bai Ze! Bai Ze! Bai Ze!"
"Kill the game! Finisher!"
Time: 38 seconds! Six-point lead! Kitano Academy had completely lost hope of a comeback! Fujita Osamu stood dejectedly where he was, staring at the white figure calmly retreating on defense after landing. His eyes held nothing but utter helplessness. He had lost—and he had lost wholeheartedly.
Kitano Academy's final offensive attempt was feeble and powerless. Fujita Osamu forced up a three-pointer, but under the combined interference of Akashi and Bai Ze You, the ball went wildly off target. Murasaki-bara Atsushi grabbed the rebound again and held it firmly until the final buzzer sounded!
"Beeeep—!!!"
The game was over!
Teikō 91 : 85 Kitano
Three consecutive National Tournament (IH) championships! The Teikō Dynasty had forged a new, unshakable monument!
Teikō's players instantly rushed onto the court, embracing, shouting, and leaping wildly! Sweat and tears mingled and flowed freely! This was their moment of glory!
Bai Ze You was surrounded by his exhilarated teammates. Aomine laughed loudly as he slapped Bai Ze You hard on the shoulder. Midōrima rarely showed a smile, but one appeared on his face now. Murasaki-bara rubbed Bai Ze You's hair with his enormous palm. Kuroko stood silently to the side, warmth in his eyes. Kise Ryōta shouted excitedly, "Little Bai Ze! That was so cool! That final crossover and layup! That was insanely cool!"
Momoi Satsuki had long since burst into tears. She rushed down from the stands and cheered with the players, her gaze toward Bai Ze You filled with pride and admiration.
Yet amid this ocean of joy, one figure seemed unusually quiet, carrying even a trace of barely perceptible loneliness.
Nijimura Shūzō.
He stood at the far edge of the bench in a neat warm-up jacket, a thick bandage covering his left eye. A satisfied smile rested on his face as he watched the players celebrating freely on the court, especially that white figure who had stepped forward at the final moment—Bai Ze You. But in his uncovered right eye, deep regret and reluctance were clearly reflected.
This should have been his battle, his final battle. For Teikō's three consecutive championships, for the final glory of the captain, he should have given every last drop of sweat on the court and shed his final tear. Yet that damn fracture, that damn injury, had pinned him to the cold bench. He could only watch as the younger players, tempered through blood and fire, completed this final ascent.
Especially Bai Ze You. The newcomer he had personally discovered and placed such high hopes in. At the team's most perilous moment, he had stepped forward, shouldering the responsibility that should have belonged to Nijimura Shūzō with a priceless steal and a game-sealing individual attack, clearing the final road to the Teikō Dynasty's third championship.
Relief and pride were mixed with indescribable bitterness and emptiness.
Akashi Seijūrō walked over to Nijimura. The coldness on his face seemed to melt somewhat at the instant of victory, but his eyes remained deep. Facing Nijimura, he bowed deeply and solemnly.
"Captain," Akashi said in a low, clear voice carrying unprecedented respect, "Teikō has achieved three consecutive championships. This is your dynasty, opened by your own hands and led by you to where we are today. Thank you."
That bow, that "Captain," and those words—"your dynasty"—were like a key, instantly opening the floodgates of Nijimura's complicated emotions. Relief, pride, the lightness that came after laying down his responsibility, and the deep regret of being unable to take the court himself... all those emotions surged forth.
Nijimura Shūzō's eyes instantly reddened. He forced himself to hold back, refusing to let the tears fall. Instead, he patted Akashi's shoulder hard, then looked toward Bai Ze You, surrounded by his teammates on the court, and the other players, all overflowing with excitement.
"Well done... You all did well..." His voice was slightly hoarse, yet full of strength. "Teikō... is in your hands now!"
His gaze finally settled on the glaring "85" on the scoreboard. That was Kitano's score, and it was also the final chapter of Nijimura Shūzō's career as a Teikō player. He had been unable to personally take the court and place the period after that number, but the young players—especially that white phantom—had completed this final battle for him.
Bai Ze You seemed to sense Nijimura's gaze. He broke free from his excited teammates and quickly walked over to Nijimura. Seeing the complex emotions in his captain's eyes and the glaring bandage, Bai Ze You was overcome by a powerful sense of respect and reluctance as well.
"Captain..." Bai Ze You spoke in the clear voice characteristic of a boy, yet with extraordinary solemnity. "We won! Your Teikō won!"
Nijimura looked at the boy before him, his eyes bright and his jersey soaked with sweat. He saw the pure reverence in those eyes and the determination of someone who had fulfilled his mission. The last trace of regret in his heart seemed to be replaced by a stronger emotion.
It was inheritance. It was hope.
He reached out his large hand and vigorously ruffled Bai Ze You's sweat-damp hair, just as he had during the newcomer selection back then.
"Yū," Nijimura said, his voice carrying the relief and hope of someone who had set down a heavy burden, "you did well... better than I imagined. Teikō's future will depend on you all."
With that, he raised his head and gazed toward the brilliant lights on the Dome's ceiling, as if he wanted to burn this moment—and this court, symbolizing both the peak and the end of his basketball career—deep into his heart.
The road to the finals was also the road to Nijimura Shūzō's farewell as Teikō's captain.
He could not personally step onto the final battlefield, but his spirit and will had long since merged into Teikō's bloodstream.
Bai Ze You's sudden emergence, taking up the flag from his hands and offering a breathtaking victory, had presented this honored captain's final battle with the most glorious and stirring conclusion!
The name "Nijimura Shūzō" would forever be engraved in the foundation of the Teikō Dynasty. And the road to the future would be led by that rising "White Phantom," guiding the new generation of Teikō forward without fear!
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