The Ace's First Real Command!

Beep—!

With Ayako's whistle, Shohoku's first full-strength 5-on-5 scrimmage, held in preparation for Ryonan, officially began.

This time, it was no longer starters against reserves, but a true clash of heavyweights.

The Red Team, led by captain Takenori Akagi, featured Kiminobu Kogure and the three strongest third-years, forming a traditional, experienced lineup balanced inside and out.

The White Team represented Shohoku's future. Shirakawa personally directed the team, with Ryota Miyagi, Kaede Rukawa, Hanamichi Sakuragi, and Yasuharu Yasuda, another second-year starter playing shooting guard.

This lineup was bursting with talent and explosive potential, but its flaws were just as obvious—instability, especially with Sakuragi as such an unpredictable X-factor.

"Shirakawa, are you sure you want Sakuragi on the court?" Before the game, Miyagi leaned close to Shirakawa and asked quietly, "Yasuda's three-pointers may not be as good as Kogure's, but at least he's more reliable than that amateur, right?"

"Relax. I have my reasons." Shirakawa merely gave a mysterious smile and offered no further explanation.

The game began with Akagi and Sakuragi taking the tip-off.

This time, Sakuragi seemed to be holding back a surge of energy. As the basketball reached its highest point, he let out a roar and launched himself upward with all his strength. His terrifying leap was even higher than Akagi's!

Smack!

He fiercely slapped the ball toward the White Team's backcourt.

"Nice one, Sakuragi!" Miyagi shouted as he quickly caught the ball and launched a fast break!

Miyagi exploded forward like lightning, instantly shaking off the defender assigned to him.

"Pass it! Little Miyagi! Pass it to this genius!" Sakuragi sprinted full speed down the other side like a red Ferrari, yelling for the ball as he ran.

It was a perfect two-on-one fast-break opportunity!

However, just as Miyagi was about to pass to Sakuragi and let him open the game with a thunderous dunk, a lazy yet unquestionable voice reached his ears.

"Slow down."

It was Shirakawa.

He had not joined the fast break at all. Instead, he jogged along at the very back, unhurried as an old man taking a stroll.

Hearing that, Miyagi slammed on the brakes and forcibly stopped, his face full of confusion.

"Shirakawa? Why? This is such a great chance!"

"A chance?" Shirakawa scoffed. "Look up."

Miyagi instinctively raised his head and realized that the Red Team had recovered extremely quickly. The experienced Kogure had already cut off Sakuragi's path to the basket, while captain Akagi stood beneath the hoop like an iron tower.

If Miyagi had really passed just now, Sakuragi would most likely have been disrupted by Kogure. Even if he caught the ball and charged to the rim, he would have run straight into Akagi's wall of steel. The likely outcome would have been a turnover or a blocked shot.

Cold sweat instantly broke out across Miyagi's back.

He had taken things too much for granted. He had underestimated those experienced upperclassmen.

"Give me the ball."

Shirakawa's voice sounded again.

Miyagi did not dare hesitate any longer and immediately passed the ball to Shirakawa, who had just reached beyond the three-point line.

The moment Shirakawa received it, the Red Team's defense tensed.

Everyone knew how terrifying his three-point shot was. One of the third-years immediately threw himself at Shirakawa, trying to disrupt his shot.

But Shirakawa only made a convincing shooting fake and easily fooled him.

Then, with an ultra-fast change of direction, he blew past his opponent in an instant!

"So fast!"

The third-year only saw a blur before Shirakawa vanished from his sight.

After breaking through the first line of defense, Shirakawa did not continue driving at the basket, because he knew Akagi was waiting inside.

His gaze swept across the court like radar.

Kaede Rukawa was tightly guarded in the left corner.

Yasuda, at the right forty-five-degree angle, had an average opportunity.

Sakuragi... was still battling Akagi under the basket like an idiot.

And after passing the ball, Miyagi had used his speed to circle around from the other side—

Silently reaching the front of the basket.

There was a massive opening there!

Found it!

The corner of Shirakawa's mouth curled upward.

He did not even turn his head. While charging forward at high speed, he flicked his wrist lightly behind him.

Whoosh!

As if it had eyes in the back of its head, the basketball traced a precise arc and flew straight toward Miyagi, who was cutting into the open space!

A no-look behind-the-back pass!

"Damn!"

Miyagi's eyes went wide when he saw the pass!

That pass was ridiculously comfortable! He did not even need to adjust his steps. All he had to do was follow his momentum and jump!

He leaped high, caught the basketball in midair, and easily laid it into the hoop.

The ball went in!

Two points counted!

From Shirakawa receiving the ball, to breaking through, passing, and finally Miyagi scoring, the whole sequence took less than five seconds.

It was smooth as flowing water and a feast for the eyes!

"Good... good ball!"

Ayako, standing at the sidelines, could not help cheering softly.

Her pen raced across her notebook: Shirakawa—excellent court vision, ghostly passing, overall awareness far beyond the high school level.

After scoring, Miyagi excitedly ran toward Shirakawa, wanting to give him a high-five.

"Shirakawa! That pass was insane! Do you have eyes in the back of your head?"

But Shirakawa ignored him and merely glanced at him coolly.

"What's so insane about it? It's basic. Next time, cut faster. Don't make me wait that long."

"..."

Miyagi's raised hand froze awkwardly in midair.

Could this guy not praise someone even once?

Though he complained inwardly, Miyagi had to admit that playing with Shirakawa felt incredible.

He felt like a top assassin. All he had to do was find an opening in the enemy's defense, and the sharpest "weapon"—the basketball—would automatically be delivered into his hands.

The Red Team attacked.

Akagi pounded the ball inside, using his height and strength advantage to force Sakuragi aside before banking it in.

Although Sakuragi's jumping ability and strength were astonishing, he was still leagues behind Akagi in experience and skill.

"See that, idiot? Basketball isn't just about brute force!" Akagi roared triumphantly at Sakuragi.

"You damn gorilla!" Sakuragi yelled furiously.

It was the White Team's turn to attack.

This time, the moment Shirakawa caught the ball beyond the three-point line, he faced the Red Team's tightest defense.

Two players immediately trapped him!

This was a tactic Akagi had arranged in advance. They would rather leave everyone else open than give Shirakawa an easy shot!

"Oh? So we're playing double teams now?"

Shirakawa looked at the two upperclassmen facing him as if confronting a great enemy, an amused smile appearing on his face.

He showed no trace of panic. While watching his teammates' movements from the corner of his eye, he dribbled at an unhurried pace, seemingly slow but impossible for the defenders to get a handle on.

His body swayed slightly with the rise and fall of the basketball.

It did not feel like he was playing an intense game. It felt more like he was dancing an elegant waltz to music.

Just as the two defenders were nearly driven mad by his bizarre rhythm and prepared to rush in for a desperate steal—

Shirakawa suddenly made an incredibly convincing move to force his way left!

"Stop him!"

The two instinctively shifted left together, trying to seal off his path.

However, at the instant their centers of gravity shifted—

Shirakawa moved like a phantom and, from an unbelievable angle, passed the ball straight through the gap between them!

The basketball threaded between their bodies and flew accurately to the player who had long been waiting on the other side...

Kaede Rukawa!