In an instant, Chi Tong shook off three defenders. He drove through as though no one stood in his way, charging straight to Shohoku's basket.
Akagi's eyes widened as he jumped with every ounce of strength he had to block the shot. His massive frame formed a barrier beneath the basket as he fought to defend Shohoku's last shred of dignity.
Facing Akagi's all-out defense, Chi Tong's expression remained utterly calm.
He rose into the air with the ball, keenly spotted an opening in the defense, and abruptly twisted his body. With an exceptionally difficult midair double clutch, he slipped perfectly past Akagi's block.
Then he snapped his wrist and slammed the basketball toward Shohoku's hoop.
"Chi Tong, don't even think about it!"
Just as Chi Tong rose with the ball, about to finish the dunk that would seal the victory, a furious shout filled with defiance suddenly exploded across the court. Immediately afterward, rapid footsteps approached from behind, so close together they almost became one continuous sound. They cut through the air with the resolve of someone staking everything on one final attempt. Chi Tong's gaze sharpened. His keen eyes instinctively swept toward the sound, causing his dunking motion to pause for a fraction of a second.
That momentary hesitation was an insignificant opening, yet it gave an unexpected turn of events a chance to take shape.
At that very instant, a blindingly fast blur appeared. As though materializing out of thin air, it flashed precisely through the narrow gap between the basketball and the hoop.
But Chi Tong seemed to have anticipated this. His eyes darkened, and he drove his arm forward. His briefly interrupted dunk regained its fierce momentum, continuing toward the basket with unstoppable force.
The ball plunged through the net, and the deafening crash of