Finals: #12

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AUTHOR'S NOTE. ||PLEASE READ BEFORE PROCEEDING||

Before we start this chapter, I would like to discuss the last chapter's 'nerf' debacle against Akashi.

Now, this is how the Hawk-Eyes is defined under Takao's section in the wiki-fandom, and this is also how I use it.

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Hawk-Eye:

Just like Shun Izuki, Takao can see the court from a DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. This way, he can determine the POSITION of the players immediately. But unlike Izuki's Eagle Eye, Takao possesses a much wider range. With his Hawk-Eye, he can see the entire court (Eagle Eye can see just a smaller portion of the court), enabling him to make blind passes.

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I would like to clarify this and state.

>>Hawk-Eyes is not Byakugan or Observation Haki.<<

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Shun can't see where Akashi's hands were, which means if he stopped in his tracks and Akashi was just behind him, then Akashi would see the future and tip the ball out of Shun's hands, and GSI doesn't work in that situation.

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This is what is written under the God-Speed Impulse section on Agon Kongo's wiki-fandom page.

>>However, this ability has a fatal weakness; it only works if he can see the MOVEMENT.<<

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Hawk-Eye doesn't show movement; it only shows position.

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A real-life example.

Imagine you are standing in a queue, you know that there is a person behind you, but you can't tell what they are doing.

This is what Shun felt when Akashi was behind him.

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So, for the readers, who had doubts regarding why Shun couldn't use the {GSI+Hawk-eye} combination in that situation.

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^^^This is my answer.^^^

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-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Akashi dribbled the ball and moved closed towards the three-point arc.

He looked at Shun, and just before he reached the three-point arc, he increased speed.

Shun felt the jolt travel to his legs, and with that, he too moved forward to meet Akashi.

Akashi inwardly smirked at the success of the plan, and just before Shun entered his range, Akashi passed the ball.

Shun's face didn't betray any emotion as he immediately stopped and turned towards the direction of the receiver of the pass.

-*-*-*-

Kise caught the pass, and he was happy to have the ball in his hands.

But, that changed when he saw Shun sprinting towards him. He could practically feel that if he didn't pass, the ball would get stolen from him.

Kise: "This is bad."

He didn't wait for a second and passed the ball back to Akashi.

-*-*-*-

Shun clicked his tongue as he saw the ball passed back to Akashi.

He tried to lean his body sideways to get a hand on the ball, but he was off by a couple of centimeters, and the ball passed him.

He looked back towards Akashi and saw him passing the ball to a free Midorima.

Shun: 'Yeah, that is going to score.'

Midorima caught the ball and pulled up from eight-meters. The ball traveled in Midorima's trademark high-arc.

Shun put a hand on his waist and scratched the back of his head.

He looked at Akashi and thought.

Shun: 'He is passing the ball, plus the other guys have also been passing more since the previous Akashi put them into 80% performance.'

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Akashi used the same strategy once more, and Murasakibara dunked for the score.

Akashi walked near Shun and said.

Akashi: "Your reflexes are the reason you have been able to get past me."

Shun did a glance towards Akashi and thought.

Shun: 'So, he found out. Well, I can return the favor.'

He put on a smile on his face and replied.

Shun: "Well, you might be able to see the future, but if I react the moment you move, then passing you is just a matter of skill."

Shun got in a jab of him being more skilled than Akashi.

Akashi raised an eyebrow and said.

Akashi: "So, you figured out my ability."

Shun chuckled and replied.

Shun: "You were predicting my moves even before I made them. Of course, I will figure it out. I don't know how you do it, but it sure is amazing."

Shun lied about not knowing how Akashi's Emperor-Eye worked. Then Shun thought about something and asked.

Shun: "What do you call this ability of yours?"

He knew about the name, but he wanted to know if Akashi would say the same.

Akashi was a little surprised by the question. He looked at Shun and thought.

Akashi: 'King Of The Court... Then...'

He made up his mind and said.

Akashi: "Emperor-Eyes. That's their name."

Shun chuckled and said the line he had thought about before asking the question.

Shun: "I call mine the God-Speed Impulse. It sounds cool, right?"

[A/N: King < Emperor < God. Now, it looks like Akashi made up the name because of Shun. Nice, right?]

Akashi put on a similar smile to Shun on his face and returned to the topic of the game.

Akashi: "Basketball is just like shogi, the end result is all that matters. For Tokiwadai, you are the King. If we take you out, then the game ends with our victory."

Akashi turned his body to face Shun and said.

Akashi: "You might be able to change the future I see. But you are still restricted by your body. Nobody can't be faster than the ball, so if I pass at the right time, then we would be able to get the ball around you every single time."

The smile faded from Akashi's face and declared.

Akashi: "Checkmate."

Akashi moved on for the defense without waiting for a reply from Shun.

Shun glanced back at walking Akashi and then moved to his position for the attack.

In that attack, he made a quick pass-play to Mibuchi and managed to pass the ball to him when he was free.

Mibuchi didn't disappoint and made a jump in the 'Heaven' form from the three-point arc. He completely bypassed Midorima's block attempt, and the ball landed in the net flawlessly.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Shun walked to his usual position for defense.

He looked at the positions of the player and got ready for another attack from Teiko.

His eyes moved to every player on the court, taking note of all those who moved through the court.

A different perspective of the court became clear in Shun's mind. He could see the players move in that perspective.

He was as ready as he could be to defend against Teiko's offense.

-*-*-*-

Akashi once again dribbled the ball towards the three-point arc, and once again baited Shun by moving faster. And Shun, he moved in response to that.

Akashi had a smile on his face as he once again passed the ball to Murasakibara just before Shun could intercept it.

Once again, Shun stopped and sprinted towards Murasakibara, who was dribbling to the basket.

Akashi smiled as he saw Shun chase Muraskakibara, his plan working all according to plan, but then his smile faded slowly. He noticed Shun's distance from Murasakibara.

Akashi: "It is short..?"

Shun sprinted towards the dribbling Murasakibara, and as Murasakibara moved the ball above his head at the basket, he jumped and swatted the ball from Murasakibara's hands.

Akashi's eyes widened as he saw Shun block Murasakibara. The words slipped out of his mouth.

Akashi: "How?"

The free ball moved to Aone, who saw Shun with a raised hand, and his other hand pointing to Hyakuzawa on the outside.

Aone understood and passed the ball to Hyakuzawa instead of Shun.

Mibuchi screened Midorima out, preventing him from interfering with Hyakuzawa. Hyakuzawa moved towards Teiko's basket, uninterrupted.

Shun, who didn't have the ball, moved much faster than when he dribbled the ball, and soon, he caught up to Hyakuzawa.

As he arrived next to Hyakuzawa, he said.

Shun: "Give it to me."

Hyakuzawa didn't argue and passed the ball to Shun, and stopped to stop anyone who tried to move for a block.

He was correct in thinking that, as Aomine and Akashi passed him the moment he turned back.

Shun could see them approaching, but it didn't bother him as he was already at the basket, and they were not in reach.

Shun held the ball with both of his hands, he jumped towards the basket and rammed it inside the rim with force. His expression showed that he intended to use that much force.

Shun didn't swing from the rim and immediately got down.

Aomine and Akashi, who arrived late at the basket, looked at Shun with wide-eyes as he turned to them.

The expression on Shun's face was a mix of irritation and a little bit of anger.

He glared at Akashi and said.

Shun: "I can't stop you, who decided that?

Checkmate, who decided that?

I am the one who decides."

Shun stepped close to Akashi and continued.

Shun: "You didn't forget that I start stealing the ball in the second half, did you? Me stealing the ball means that I can predict the pass course."

Akashi's eyes widened as he understood the meaning behind Shun's words.

Shun's face showed an angry smile as he continued.

Shun: "Oh, it just clicked, right? You, who possesses excellent court vision, will not fall for my steals, but that doesn't mean that I can't read you."

Shun's smile widened as he continued to speak to Akashi.

Shun: "It doesn't matter if I can't steal the passes. As long as I can read your plays, I will know where you will be passing the ball, and then I sprint to the receiver.

And, you guys can't beat me one-on-one in close range. So, I hope that you guys are fast enough to score before I catch up to you."

Shun moved past Akashi and added one last line.

Shun: "You might have better personal skills than the last guy, but when it comes to playmaking, you're INFERIOR."

Aomine, who was at the side, watched the whole conversation and saw Shun tear into Akashi.

Aomine: 'I have never seen Kageyama so pissed.'

He turned to his silent captain and asked.

Aomine: "Akashi, are you alright?"

Akashi stayed silent for a while and then spoke with a cold expression on his face.

Akashi: "Yes, I am alright."

He turned to Aomine and spoke.

Akashi: "We will not be changing the plan."

He didn't give any explanation, and there was only one thought in his mind.

Akashi: 'Inferior, me? I will show him who is inferior!'

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

With the ball in Teiko's possession, Akashi moved towards the three-point arc.

He saw Shun standing there in his usual position, his eyes locked on to him.

Akashi decided to move to one side of the court to make one side of the court weaker.

Akashi then moved to do the usual bait-move, and Shun moved accordingly towards him.

Akashi then passed the ball to the free Aomine, to get the fastest attack available.

The second Akashi released the ball; Shun moved towards Aomine with full-speed.

Aomine caught the ball and simultaneously saw Shun sprinting towards him.

He didn't waste any time and proceeded to move close to the basket for a rim finish.

Shun made a sharp turn towards the basket.

Shun approached the basket from the left, while Aomine approached the basket from the right.

Both of them jumped at the basket at the same time.

Shun raised both his hands up for the block.

Aomine suddenly shifted his hand to the left, attacking the basket with a formless shot.

Aomine was sure that he would score, but the moment the ball left his hand and moved a little ahead, Shun suddenly moved his hand to the side and swatted the ball down.

Aomine couldn't believe that he was blocked again and in the current situation.

Aomine: "Dammit!"

Shun got to the ground and ran to the ball. He reached the free ball first and gained control of it with a few shallow close to the ground dribbles.

Kise came in front of him to block him but had his ankles slipped when Shun pulled a quick-crossover.

Shun didn't stop there as he moved towards the basket, and as he approached the basket, he found both Midorima and Murasakibara waiting for him there.

Shun stopped just in front of them and immediately without any delay or lag jumped up.

Both of them were shocked at the sudden stop and jump and jumped for a block.

Shun just pushed the ball up into a floater, and even Murasakibara's long reach couldn't touch the ball.

The ball descended bounced on the backboard and landed into the rim's inner front side, and dropped into the net.

-*-*-*-

Someone in the crowd let out a breath that they didn't know they were holding in, and a single word exited the person's throat.

Person A: "Amazing."

And, that was the start of the loud discussion in the crowd of the play they just saw.

Person B: "He caught up to the Aomine, blocked him, and then forced a turnover."

Person C: "He broke the guy's ankles!"

Person D: "He scored over two players!"

Person E: "Seriously, what was that?!"

Kageyama Shun shined brighter than anyone on the court.