System, Give Me a Boost!

"Shut up!"

"How could a genius like me possibly embarrass himself!"

Akagi finally got to his feet and headed toward the locker room with Ayako supporting him.

"Don't think you can win just because I'm gone, Uozumi."

As he passed Uozumi, he stopped and coldly tossed out those words.

Uozumi clenched his fists and said in a deep voice, "I'll defeat your substitute fair and square. I'll be waiting for you to come back."

Akagi left the court.

Shohoku had lost its pillar in the paint.

The atmosphere throughout the gym instantly became delicate.

Taoka Moichi let out a breath at the sidelines. Though it felt a little like an undeserved win, this was indeed the perfect chance for Ryonan to strike back.

"Listen up! With Akagi gone, Shohoku's interior is wide open!"

"Uozumi! Attack the basket hard!"

"Take that red-haired brat out!"

Taoka Moichi waved his fist, spittle flying everywhere.

The game resumed.

Without Akagi holding him back, Jun Uozumi completely transformed into a beast in the paint.

Bang!

Uozumi caught the ball, spun around, and bulldozed Hanamichi aside before slamming it home one-handed.

69:68.

Ryonan took the lead.

"Damn it! That monkey boss is crazy strong!" Hanamichi rubbed his aching chest, baring his teeth in pain.

"Idiot, your center of gravity is too high."

"Do you have a pig brain?"

Kaede Rukawa walked coldly past Hanamichi, his fox-like eyes full of disdain.

"What did you say?! You damn fox!"

"If that had been you, you'd have been sent flying into the stands!" Hanamichi instantly blew up, pressing his forehead against Kaede Rukawa's.

"Moron." Kaede Rukawa pushed Hanamichi's face away.

The next possession.

Kaede Rukawa had the ball.

Facing Sendoh's defense, he did not pass. Instead, he chose to force his way through.

A series of between-the-legs dribbles, followed by a huge change of direction.

So fast!

Even Sendoh was shaken off by half a step.

Kaede Rukawa drove into the paint.

With Uozumi rotating over to defend, he executed an incredibly smooth double-clutch in midair.

He evaded the block and finished with a reverse layup.

Swish!

The ball went in.

69:70.

Shohoku stayed within striking distance.

"Hmph."

As Kaede Rukawa landed, he glanced at Hanamichi.

Though he said nothing, that look clearly said: This is how you play basketball.

"Waaah! This is pissing me off!"

Hanamichi stomped in place. "Give me the ball! I want to score too!"

However, Ryonan gave Shohoku no time to catch its breath.

Akira Sendoh stepped up.

He looked at the chaotic situation on the court, a calm smile curling across his lips.

"Don't panic, everyone."

Sendoh held up one finger. "Let's score one more."

Ryonan attacked.

Sendoh dribbled past half court. Facing Kaede Rukawa's defense, he suddenly accelerated.

Not a drive, but... a pass?

No, it was a fake pass and a real drive!

The instant Kaede Rukawa's balance was fooled, Sendoh had already slipped past him like a gust of wind.

"Hanamichi! Help defense!" Lin Bei shouted from behind.

But Lin Bei did not need to call out. Hanamichi had already rushed over.

"Don't think you're getting past me, broomhead!"

Hanamichi leaped high into the air, his raised hands blotting out the sky as he tried to serve Sendoh a massive block.

His astonishing jumping ability drew gasps from the entire audience.

But Sendoh did not panic in midair.

He looked at the rookie before him, who did not know his own limits, and a sharp glint flashed through his eyes.

"You can really jump."

"But..."

Sendoh forcibly hung in the air for an instant. Only after Hanamichi began to descend did he exert force again.

A poster dunk!

Boom!

Sendoh slammed the ball through the hoop one-handed, and the enormous impact sent Hanamichi crashing to the floor.

71:70.

The entire gym erupted.

"Sendoh! Sendoh! Sendoh!"

The cheers crashed over them like a tidal wave.

Sendoh landed and looked down at Hanamichi lying on the court.

That harmless smile remained on his face, but his words made Hanamichi feel as though he had fallen into an icy abyss.

"Hanamichi, jumping high alone is useless."

"Basketball isn't such a simple sport."

Hanamichi stared blankly at Sendoh's retreating back, his fists clenched so tightly they crackled.

This was a complete disparity in strength.

The next few minutes became Shohoku's darkest hour.

Without Akagi, their interior was like a tiger with its teeth pulled.

Using his height and weight advantage, Uozumi wreaked havoc under the basket.

A hook shot went in.

A putback scored.

He drew a foul and made the free throws.

And though Hanamichi gave it everything he had, before the experienced Uozumi, he was like a headless fly crashing around everywhere.

"Foul! Red number 10! Pushing foul!"

The referee's whistle sounded again and again.

Hanamichi Sakuragi already had three fouls, panting heavily with sweat pouring down his face.

The score gap widened rapidly.

75:70.

79:72.

83:74.

There were only two minutes left in the game.

Ryonan led by nine.

In a high school game, being down nine with two minutes remaining—

And with their starting center out, it was practically a death sentence.

"Timeout!"

Coach Anzai finally called a timeout.

Shohoku's players trudged off the court with heavy steps.

Every one of them looked as if they had been fished out of water, their jerseys soaked through with sweat.

Despair began to spread.

"Damn it... damn it..."

Hanamichi punched the chair, a towel draped over his head as his body trembled slightly.

He was unwilling to accept this.

He was supposed to be the secret weapon, supposed to be a genius.

Yet he had been humiliated in turns by those two.

Lin Bei slumped in the farthest corner of the bench, holding a bottle of mineral water.

"Whew..."

He tipped his head back and looked at the glaring lights on the ceiling.

Tired.

Really tired.

Every muscle in his body was protesting, and his lungs felt as if they were on fire.

"Is this what they call youth?"

"It really is... sweaty and exhausting."

Lin Bei unscrewed the cap. Using the motion of drinking water as cover, he stirred his thoughts.

[System Notification]

[Use: Stamina Potion (Medium)?]

"Use it."

A cool liquid slid down his throat.

In an instant, the burning fatigue receded like the tide, and his depleted cells filled with vitality once more.

Lin Bei let out a long breath, and his eyes gradually cleared.

He glanced at the scoreboard.

83 to 74.

Then he looked at the smug Taoka Moichi on the other side, as well as Sendoh and Uozumi, who were receiving the crowd's cheers.

"Although I really want to just lie down and go home to sleep right now."

"But..."

Lin Bei's gaze swept over Hanamichi, who was hanging his head beside him, and Kaede Rukawa, whose face was full of unwillingness.

"If we lose to that old man, Akagi will make me scrub the floor again when we get back."

"I absolutely refuse to let that happen."

Lin Bei sat up straight.

[System Notification: Host has 1 unused skill point remaining]

[Use it now?]

"Use it."

Lin Bei's consciousness sank into the system space.

A huge roulette wheel appeared before him, countless names flashing across it.

Daiki Aomine, Seijuro Akashi, Atsushi Murasakibara...

Every one of them was a monster.

"Give me something ruthless."

"Preferably something that can score without having to run."

Lin Bei muttered inwardly.

The roulette wheel spun at high speed before gradually slowing to a stop.

The pointer landed on a green-haired man with black-rimmed glasses and bandages wrapped around his fingers.