Bab 2.true value

The next afternoon, the energy inside Seirin High’s main gymnasium was charged with tension. Riko stood at the sideline, blowing her whistle to gather the team for a full-court practice game: First-Years against the Second-Year veterans.

"Listen up!" Riko shouted, her voice cutting through the echoes of squeaking sneakers. "First-Years, this isn't just a scrimmage. Show us what you've got!"

Hoga cracked his knuckles, a sharp, confident smirk spreading across his face. "Finally. Let's see if these upperclassmen are worth my time."

On the other side, Hyuga adjusted his glasses, his calm expression hardening into a competitive glare. Beside him, Izuki Shun—the second-year point guard—tightened his shoelaces, eyeing Hoga's towering presence with a analytical look.

The referee tossed the ball into the air for the tip-off. Hoga exploded upward, his leaping power completely outclassing the second-year center, and slapped the ball back to his team.

"Fast break!" Hoga roared, sprinting down the court like a crimson streak.

He caught the pass on the run, drove straight through two defenders, and slammed a fierce two-handed dunk that rattled the entire backboard.

"Hell yeah!" Hoga barked, beating his chest.

However, the second-years didn't panic. Hyuga calmly brought the ball up the court on the next possession. Utilizing their seasoned teamwork and tight zone defense, they began double-teaming Hoga the moment he touched the ball, shutting down his scoring lane completely.

Within ten minutes, the score gap quickly widened in favor of the veterans. Without any ball movement, the first-year offense completely stalled out. Hoga was panting, trapped under the rim by three defenders, forcing a bad shot that bounced harmlessly off the iron.

"Is that all you've got, freshie?" Hyuga taunted with a cool grin. "Solo plays won't win you games here."

Hoga gritted his teeth, his frustration boiling over. "Dammit... pass me the ball!"

"You're not looking at the whole board, Hoga-kun."

Ariaki’s quiet voice sounded right beside him. Hoga flinched, almost tripping over his own feet.

"Aki?! When did you—"

Before Hoga could finish, Izuki intercepted a weak pass from a first-year guard and launched a fast break toward the opposite basket. But just as Izuki took his step for a layup, Ariaki appeared in his peripheral vision out of thin air.

Using his Presence Erase, Ariaki stripped the ball cleanly from Izuki’s hands without making a sound.

"What?!" Izuki's eyes widened in disbelief. I didn't sense him at all!

Ariaki didn't hesitate. With his Hawk Eye, a full three-dimensional map of the entire court unfolded inside his mind, tracking the position of every single player in real-time. Without even turning his head, he flicked the ball with his palm in a blinding redirect.

Misdirection Pass!

The ball whipped through the air, curving past two defenders, and landed perfectly in the chest of an open first-year under the basket, who scored an easy glass layup.

The gymnasium fell dead silent.

"Did you see that?!" Riko gasped from the bench, dropping her clipboard. "He didn't hold the ball for even a second! He redirected the vector of the pass!"

On the next play, Hyuga attempted a perimeter jumper. But Ariaki was already predicting the play with his Hawk Eye. He tapped the ball away just as Hyuga released it.

Before the ball could go out of bounds, Ariaki redirected it again—a sharp, laser-like touch pass that cut straight through the second-years' defense, meeting Hoga mid-air above the rim.

Hoga caught the ball in stride, his eyes gleaming with realization.

He's seeing everything! He knows exactly where I'm going before I even make my move!

"GRAAAAH!" Hoga caught the alley-oop pass and crushed an explosive dunk over Hyuga, shaking the entire gym.

The scoreboard flickered as the first-years closed the gap rapidly.

Hoga landed, breathing heavily, and turned to Ariaki with a broad, ferocious grin. "Heh... so this is what you meant by being a 'shadow.' You make the defense completely blind!"

Ariaki adjusted his wristband, his blue eyes calm yet blazing with quiet determination. "As long as you shine bright as the light, Hoga-kun, I'll make sure no defender can stop you."