Sawakita Eiji raised an eyebrow, his eyes filled with scrutiny and confusion.
The players on the bench all rose to their feet, staring blankly at the court as though they could not believe their eyes.
Had Kawata let his guard down just now?
Someone instinctively muttered the question under his breath, his voice full of uncertainty.
As far as they were concerned, Sakuragi Hanamichi had been blocked repeatedly and was nowhere near Kawata Masashi's level. The only possible explanation for his successful dunk was that Kawata had momentarily slipped up and given him an opening.
Everyone's eyes turned to Masashi Kawata, hoping to find an answer in his reaction.
Masashi Kawata stood beneath the basket, swaying slightly. His usual composure and disdain had vanished, replaced by an almost vacant expression. He stared straight at Sakuragi Hanamichi as though he were looking at a monster.
Only when Sakuragi's roar rang through the gym did Masashi Kawata slowly come back to his senses.
He blinked hard. The lingering sensation of their clash against his palm kept reminding him that what had just happened was no illusion. He was absolutely certain now: he had been right to feel that each block was becoming harder than the last!
The redheaded kid before him really seemed to be growing stronger, little by little, without anyone noticing.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding!"
An almost imperceptible tremor crept into Kawata Masashi's voice. His face was full of shock and disbelief.
He stared fixedly at Sakuragi Hanamichi, as though trying to see straight through him.
He could actually keep getting stronger during a game?
How was that possible?
He had spent years on the court, played countless games, and faced every kind of opponent. Some went all out from the opening whistle, holding nothing back. Some deliberately