Hayama Overwhelmed

"Yes!" With the ball swishing perfectly through the hoop, Hayama pumped his fist in excitement, his face lit with wild joy.

The scoreboard now showed 4-2!

"Nicely done! That was solid!" Shiro praised Hayama as they ran back on defense, his admiration evident.

Hearing the compliment, Hayama flashed his signature grin, baring his little fang. "Told ya! You scared yet?"

But Shiro's expression remained stoic. His sharp, cold gaze locked on Hayama, revealing nothing in return.

Just then, Akashi intercepted a pass from Aomine and dribbled smoothly up the court.

"Give me the ball—I'll show you how to tear him apart" Shiro demanded.

Without hesitation, Akashi passed him the ball. As the ball landed in Shiro's grip, Akashi muttered to himself, almost feeling sorry for Hayama: "Why did he have to mess with him of all people…"

Shiro took position just beyond the three-point line, his eyes unwaveringly fixed on the hoop.

On the other side, Hayama crouched low, arms spread wide, bracing himself for Shiro's attack.

Everyone knew Shiro was a force to be reckoned with. Defending him wouldn't be easy. But Hayama wasn't backing down. He steeled himself, ready to give it his all.

Shiro began his dribble—smooth and effortless. With his right foot forward, he executed a rapid series of between-the-legs dribbles, each movement blindingly fast. The ball danced from hand to hand as if it had a mind of its own.

The gap between them shrank with every bounce. Hayama could feel beads of sweat forming on his brow. He couldn't predict Shiro's next move. 'What's he planning?' he wondered anxiously.

Then, Shiro took a sudden step forward, dropping his weight low, and faked a drive to the right with a between-the-legs move.

Reacting instinctively, Hayama fell back a step, blocking the imagined route.

'Heh, that was easy! Is he just all hype? Or... maybe my defense is just too good!' Hayama thought, a smug grin creeping across his face.

But in the next instant, Shiro struck. Using his planted foot, he kicked off the ground and stepped back—smoothly executing a Harden: Double Step Back.

As soon as his first step hit the ground, Shiro gathered the ball, and with a lightning-fast second step, he reset his position beyond the arc. The entire movement flowed seamlessly, leaving the crowd in stunned silence.

Seeing his chance, Hayama lunged forward, ready to swat the shot out of the air with a powerful block.

But Shiro, like a phantom, vanished backward once again with his second step-back—creating an unbridgeable gap between them!

With his superior height and wingspan, Shiro was completely uncontested. From two steps beyond the arc, he rose smoothly into his shooting form, emulating Curry: 3-point shooting.

In less than a blink, the ball was in the air.

"Swish!"

The ball sliced through the air and fell cleanly through the net—nothing but net.

The scoreboard now read 7-2.

"That's a travel!" Hayama spun to the referee, frustration etched across his face. "How's that not a travel?!"

"No violation. That was a valid 0-1-2 sequence" the referee replied curtly before running downcourt.

The spectators murmured in agreement, nodding at Shiro's flawless execution. His mastery of the game's technicalities earned him even deeper respect from the crowd.

Returning to defense with a casual demeanor, Shiro's calmness only added to the awe surrounding him. Few players could pull off a double step-back—and fewer still could do it legally.

Hayama was left speechless, disbelief written all over his face. But he quickly shook it off, determined to keep fighting.

With renewed focus, the point guard dribbled up the court, scanning his options before passing to Hayama again, entrusting him to lead the next attack.

Hayama received the ball confidently. No fear. He had broken through Shiro once before—he could do it again.

"Lightning Dribble!" Hayama announced as he launched into his signature move.

The sound of the ball slicing through the air echoed as Hayama dashed left like a bolt of lightning, breezing past Shiro's defense with incredible speed.

"Ha! Looks like my Lightning Dribble is still unmatched!" Hayama laughed triumphantly, thinking he had left Shiro in the dust.

But Baizawa remained composed. A faint smile played on his lips.

"Smack!"

In the blink of an eye, Shiro shifted, extending his hand like a flash of lightning. He poked the ball free, effortlessly disrupting Hayama's once-unstoppable dribble.

The crowd gasped. Hayama's Lightning Dribble had been neutralized—just like that.

With the ball now in his possession, Shiro sprinted toward the opposing basket. A fast break was underway.

Hayama turned immediately, chasing after him with everything he had.

At the same time, Midorima was already racing back to defend, determined to intercept the break.

Shiro glanced at his surroundings, spotting both Midorima ahead and Hayama on his heels. In a split-second decision, he dished the ball to Midorima at the top of the key.

Midorima caught the pass in stride, two steps beyond the three-point line. Taking a deep breath, he aligned his shot with the hoop, confident in his aim.

'The horoscope said Cancer was only ranked third today... but I've got my lucky item!' he thought, his eyes burning with determination. 'This shot will land for sure!'

With perfect form, Midorima launched the ball. It soared through the air like a lightning bolt, rocketing toward the hoop.

"Swish!"

The ball dropped cleanly through the net, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Cheers and exclamations erupted from the stands.

"Unbelievable!"

"That shot was perfect!"

"Is that even possible?"

The arena buzzed with awe, as everyone marveled at Midorima's precise shooting.

The scoreboard now read 10-2, leaving the opposition stunned and the momentum firmly in Teiko's hands.