The Genius Strikes Back, Akira Sendoh Takes the Court!

After Kiminobu Kogure scored, even he could hardly believe it.

He clenched his fists excitedly, his eyes filled with gratitude and admiration as he looked at Shirakawa.

As a role player, what he desired most was this feeling of being trusted by his teammates and being able to contribute to the team.

And with a miraculous pass, Shirakawa had fulfilled that wish in the very first possession of the game.

"Nice one, Kogure-senpai."

As Shirakawa passed by him, he said it calmly.

"I-It was your pass that was amazing!" Kogure stammered excitedly.

"This is only the beginning." Shirakawa smiled, but his gaze sharpened. "Get ready to defend. The genius on the other side is about to put on a show."

Sure enough, just as Shirakawa had expected.

Shohoku's unexpected opening three-pointer had greatly provoked Ryonan.

Especially Akira Sendoh.

As he looked at Shirakawa, the playfulness and curiosity in his eyes were gradually replaced by something called seriousness.

Interesting.

Really interesting.

This guy named Shirakawa really was different from everyone else.

"Don't worry about it! It's just a three-pointer! We'll catch up right away!"

Ryonan's captain, Uozumi, clapped loudly and rallied the team.

Tomoyuki Uekusa inbounded the ball to Sendoh.

This time, Sendoh did not stand around waiting for an opportunity. Instead, he took the ball himself and began to orchestrate the offense.

Kaede Rukawa immediately stuck to him like glue, his eyes icy and filled with provocation.

He had been waiting impatiently to have a fair and square showdown with this fated opponent.

Yet Sendoh did not even spare him a glance.

He merely swept his eyes over Shohoku's defensive positioning, then curled his lips into a confident smile.

He began dribbling, his body swaying lightly from side to side with the rhythm of the basketball.

His movements were elegant and fluid, full of beauty, as if he were dancing rather than playing basketball.

Rukawa's nerves instantly tightened to their limit.

He knew it. Sendoh was coming!

Suddenly!

Sendoh explosively accelerated to the left!

So fast!

Rukawa's heart jolted, and he immediately slid sideways, trying to cut off his driving lane.

But at the instant Rukawa shifted his center of gravity, Sendoh flicked his wrist in an effortless behind-the-back dribble, transferring the ball from behind his back to his other hand!

Then his body flowed past Rukawa's right side like drifting clouds and running water!

An incomparably dazzling behind-the-back dribble past his defender!

"What?!"

Rukawa's pupils contracted. He had never expected Sendoh's movements to link together so smoothly, so quickly!

By the time he reacted and turned to chase, Sendoh had already left him two strides behind and driven into Shohoku's paint!

"Don't even think about scoring!"

Takenori Akagi had been waiting beneath the basket. With an angry roar, he leaped high like a great black bear, spreading his arms to block Sendoh's shot!

Yet facing Akagi's sky-covering defense, Sendoh did not panic in the slightest.

In midair, he made an unbelievable backward-leaning motion.

An extreme fadeaway!

His body was nearly parallel to the floor!

Only after evading the highest point of Akagi's block did he softly flick the ball toward the basket with an exceptionally gentle wrist motion.

The basketball traced a high arc through the air.

Everyone in the arena held their breath.

Swish!

Another clean make!

2:3!

Akira Sendoh answered in kind with a jaw-dropping one-on-one play that pushed his individual ability to the absolute limit!

"Waaaaah! Sendoh! Sendoh!"

The entire gymnasium was instantly set ablaze!

All of Ryonan's spectators rose from their seats, wildly cheering for their ace!

"Did you see that?! That's our ace!"

"That fadeaway jumper was too cool!"

"Kaede Rukawa? He's completely outclassed in front of Sendoh!"

Seeing that shot, Coach Taoka leaped up from his seat and pumped his fist hard.

Yes! That's it!

Sendoh! Use your unstoppable individual ability to tell them who Kanagawa's strongest high school player really is!

After scoring, Sendoh landed without even looking at the Rukawa he had beaten or the Akagi he had shot over.

His gaze crossed the entire court and settled directly on Shirakawa.

His eyes seemed to say:

Your pass was beautiful.

But before absolute individual strength, it all meant nothing.

Shirakawa understood the meaning in his gaze.

He was not angry. Instead, he smiled.

He smiled happily.

"Interesting. Now this is interesting."

Clapping his hands, Shirakawa shouted to his teammates, "Good defense! You almost stopped him! Keep it up on the next possession!"

That calm, unruffled attitude made Sendoh, who had just hit an impossible shot, feel as though he had punched cotton, leaving him inexplicably uncomfortable.

And after hearing Shirakawa's encouragement, Shohoku's players quickly recovered from the fear of being overwhelmed by Sendoh.

Yeah, that shot really had been an impossible one. It was normal that they could not stop it.

But with Shirakawa here, what did they have to fear?

Miyagi quickly inbounded from the baseline and passed the ball to Shirakawa.

Catching the ball, Shirakawa glanced at the number 7 who had just put on a spectacular display and was now staring at him with a provocative expression.

"You want to play?"

The corners of Shirakawa's mouth lifted slightly.

"Fine. Then I'll play with you."

He did not bring the ball up himself. Instead, he gestured toward Rukawa on the other side.

The meaning could not have been clearer.

"Hey, number 11."

"Here, take your toy back."

"Now it's your time to perform."