He showed no hesitation, but neither did he rush into a fast break. Instead, his fingertips turned lightly as he began dribbling the basketball at an unhurried pace.
The steady, forceful sound of the ball striking the floor rang especially clearly across the court, like heavy hammers pounding again and again against the hearts of every Akita player.
Chi Tong advanced toward Akita's half with measured steps. The pressure surrounding him grew stronger with every step, unconsciously tightening Akita's defensive line.
Fukatsu Kazunari stared intently at Chi Tong's every movement, his palm damp with sweat as he rapidly weighed whether to step up and guard him closely, cutting off his rhythm.
Yet Chi Tong's previously unstoppable drives and passes kept him from acting rashly, fearing he would fall into a trap.
In the instant Fukatsu Kazunari hesitated, Chi Tong suddenly swung his dribbling hand. With a snap of his wrist, the basketball shot out like a cannonball toward an apparently unguarded empty area at the side of the court.
Fukatsu Kazunari's pupils contracted sharply. Confusion first filled his face. Why had Chi Tong passed the ball to an empty space?
But the next second, his expression changed dramatically as a thought flashed through his mind, making his heart sink. "No, stop him!"
Before Fukatsu Kazunari's cry had faded, a crisp dribble sounded across the court. Xiangtian Yanyi had appeared like a ghost in front of the ball's flight path at some point, her palm striking it precisely and instantly changing its direction.
The basketball carved a sharp ninety-degree turn through the air, escaping every Akita player's prediction as it sped straight toward the weakly defended interior!
Kawata Masashi failed to react at all. His attention had been firmly drawn to Chi Tong's seemingly casual pass, and all his defenses had