Black Basketball: A false start

Chapter 194: Getting in the way (two chapters in one)

On the court, the game was coming to an end. There were 2 minutes and 20 seconds left in the third quarter, 72 to 88, and Yangquan High School was 16 points behind.

According to the normal rhythm of the game, both sides should replace their starting players at this time, and the game should enter garbage time - but at this time, the two sides on the court seemed to have reached some kind of tacit understanding, and Akashi Seijuro and Murasakibara Atsushi were still facing each other on the court.

"I told you, Murasakibara, your struggle is ridiculous." Akashi Seijuro leisurely controlled the ball outside the three-point line to press the time, looking at Murasakibara Atsushi with endless coldness in his eyes, "Forget it, I'll use you as a sacrifice first, and the next one will be Kaneki Ken."

As soon as he finished speaking, Akashi Seijuro's pupils shrank slightly, and he easily shook off the center of gravity of Murasakibara Atsushi with a crotch dribble, and easily broke into the inside at the moment Murasakibara Atsushi fell to the ground.

"Damn it... why... why can't I enter the zone like Yanzi and the others! Yanzi obviously brought me in... earlier than Chizi..."

Murasakibara Atsushi felt that the lights above the stadium were very dazzling. Sweat wet his bangs and blocked his eyes, making it difficult for others to see his expression clearly.

"Alas, this big fool..." Kaneki Ken sighed as he watched Murasakibara Atsushi's reaction on the field, "His aptitude is obviously good among the Generation of Miracles..."

"Hey? What did you say, Ken-kun?" Taoi Satsuki asked in confusion.

"I say, Murasakibara is upset." Kaneki Ken crossed his arms and said with some regret, "If we only consider talent, he may be the best among us except me. There is no way he can't enter the zone."

"Yes..." Tao Jing Satsuki realized belatedly where the discomfort she had been feeling came from. "Xiao Zi has not entered the zone in the entire game... But even so, Yangquan High School is only 16 points behind... If Xiao Zi enters the zone now, will there be a chance to turn the defeat into victory?"

"Impossible." Kaneki Ken shook his head with some regret, "In addition to talent, the most important prerequisite for entering the zone is to be passionate about basketball... But you and I both know that Murasakibara was recommended to enter the mini basket because of his height since he was a child. It can be said that it has always been his talent that pushed Murasakibara to choose basketball, but as for his love for basketball, I'm afraid he doesn't have much..."

"But Akashi-san..." Momoi Satsuki was about to say that Akashi Seijuro might not like basketball that much, but was flatly denied by Kaneki Ken.

"Don't make a mistake, May." Kaneki Ken's expression suddenly became very ugly, "Akagi Seijuro does not like basketball, he only likes winning, but Akashi really loves basketball! Akashi Seijuro is just a thief who stole the power of Akashi's love for basketball!"

"Ken-kun..." Momoi Satsuki looked at Kaneki Ken's ugly expression and was so scared that she quickly changed the subject, "Come to think of it, Kozuki has been playing basketball for so many years, it's impossible that she doesn't like it at all, right? Talent alone is not enough to support Kozuki to where she is now..."

"Even if he loves basketball, it is impossible for him in his current state." Kaneki Ken said with some regret, "Zone... is a very cruel gift. Most people will never be able to enter it a second time after experiencing it once. Because once they enter that state, they will be addicted to that feeling - and that kind of addiction is distracting thoughts. In other words... Zone will never give power to those who pray to him for power..."

"How could it be possible for you to break in so easily?"

Just as the audience had fallen into deathly silence, silently waiting for the end of the game, Himuro Tatsuya suddenly appeared in the path that Akashi Seijuro had to pass with a roar.

"I've seen you a long time ago, Himuro Tatsuya. I admit that you are qualified to be Murasakibara's teammate, but that's not enough." Akashi Seijuro said, and after a crotch-penetrating dunk and a pull-back from behind that knocked Himuro Tatsuya down, he went straight into the empty inside and made a tomahawk slam dunk.

"What...what..." Mike Okita, who was unable to catch up, stared in amazement at Akashi Seijuro falling from the basket, as if he couldn't believe his eyes.

"Are you surprised? Do you think this kind of thing is only for big players?" Akashi Seijuro sneered at Mike Okita, "I can do this kind of thing anytime I want!"

After saying that, Akashi Seijuro left the shocked players behind and went back to defense.

"Atsushi...it's time for the competition..." Himuro Tatsuya said to Murasakibara Atsushi who was still sitting there.

"Muro... I don't want to fight anymore... It seems that I really can't beat Akagi..." Murasakibara Atsushi said to Himuro Tatsuya with lifeless eyes.

"Hey... what nonsense are you talking about, bastard!" Mikoshiba looked at Murasakibara Atsushi in disbelief and said, "Everyone is fighting with you. Even when the game is about to end, even when it is garbage time, we didn't give up... You, the main player, are saying you don't want to play now?"

"But I really can't beat Akagi..." Murasakibara Atsushi said a little aggrievedly, "I'm not like Yanzi, who can suddenly enter the zone... Maybe there really is a talent gap between me, Yanzi and Akagi..."

"Wake up, you bastard!" Just when everyone at Yangquan High School was thinking about how to persuade Murasakibara Atsushi, Himuro Tatsuya suddenly punched Murasakibara Atsushi in the face.

"It hurts, Shizi! Why are you hitting me? You can't beat me, and Shizi was obviously more embarrassed when facing Chizi, wasn't he?" Murasakibara Atsushi said angrily, "Are you afraid to admit the gap in talent?"

"Of course I understand... Of course I understand how big the gap in talent is between you, me, and Akashi..." Himuro Tatsuya said with red eyes as he looked into Murasakibara Atsushi's eyes, "But precisely because of this, seeing that you, who have such a talent, chose to give up so easily... It really makes me angry..."

As he spoke, Himuro Tatsuya's tears gradually dripped onto Murasakibara Atsushi's face, and his voice became a little trembling: "I really... hope you can be braver... Atsushi!"

"Really..." Murasakibara Atsushi looked at the tearful Himuro Tatsuya and said in silence for a while, "I really don't know what's so fun about basketball. You and Yanzi both like to play it so much..."

As he spoke, Murasakihara Atsushi stood up by supporting himself on the floor, turned his head and looked at Araki Masako and said, "Masako, can you lend me a rubber band?"

"Asshole, you should call me coach!" Araki Masako said coldly as she took out a rubber band from her pocket, "This is the last one. If you break it, there will be no more!"

"Oh, thank you." Murasakibara Atsushi took the rubber band and skillfully tied up his long hair behind his head. With his hair tied up, Murasakibara Atsushi looked less lazy and more capable.

"Hey, Akazai!" After finishing tying his hair, Murasakibara Atsushi suddenly called out to Akashi Seijuro.

"What's the matter, Murasakibara?" Akashi Seijuro looked at Murasakibara Atsushi leisurely, his eyes full of leisure and satisfaction, as if he had already won the game.

"I'm not smart, and I don't know how to be a team leader." Murasakibara Atsushi looked at Akashi Seijuro solemnly and said, "But I know that if someone bullies my teammates, I must fight back, just like Yanzi did for me!"

"I'll wait and see." Akashi Seijuro chuckled, seemingly not caring.

The game started again. This time, Murasakibara Atsushi personally carried the ball and stepped directly into Akashi Seijuro's territory as if ignoring his defense.

"Just barging in like that..." Akashi Seijuro narrowed his eyes slightly, and rushed forward to steal the ball from Murasakibara Atsushi. "Yanzi taught me this move... This is how you should deal with a steal from a smaller player!"

There was no expression of joy or anger on Murasakibara Atsushi's face at this moment. He took half a step with his left foot and lowered his center of gravity. He leaned his left arm directly on Akashi Seijuro to restrict his movements, and with a washing machine-like turn, he easily passed Akashi Seijuro.

"Even if you pass me, what's the use? What threat can you pose now that you are outside the three-point line?" Akashi Seijuro didn't seem surprised by Murasakibara Atsushi's sudden change, and asked in a flat tone.

"Yanzi also taught me a trick that that red-haired monkey used..." Murasakibara Atsushi threw the ball towards the backboard like throwing a shot put.

"Is this a pass?" Upon seeing this, Nango Koichirō quickly looked towards the two corners vigilantly, fearing that someone would take the opportunity to cut in.

At this moment, Murasakibara Atsushi turned into a stream of light, rushed into the penalty area, jumped up, grabbed the basketball that bounced off the backboard, and smashed it hard into the basket.

"Don't underestimate me!!!" Seeing Murasakibara Atsushi unabashedly ravaging their own restricted area, Nango Koichiro and Netani Takeyoshi couldn't stand it anymore. They jumped up with roars, trying to block Murasakibara Atsushi's determined dunk.

"I want to enter the finals..." Murasakibara Atsushi's aura at this moment was as terrifying as a demon god descending to the earth. The shadow under his huge body completely engulfed Nango Koichiro and Neya Takenagakichi. "So characters like you, don't get in the way anymore!"

"Bang!" The basket made a wailing sound, and Koichiro Nango and Takeyoshi Netani were knocked out of the court.

“Come on, Akazai!” After scoring, Murasakibara Atsushi didn’t celebrate after landing. Instead, he looked directly at Akashi Seijuro and yelled, “Stop standing there pretending to be a master! If you want to fight with Yanzai, you have to get over me first!”

"Interesting, Murasakibara." Akashi Seijuro smiled slightly, "Then it's as you wish."

"Just now, was Kozuki's speed...faster?" Momoi Satsuki asked Kaneki Ken uncertainly.

"Who knows?" Kaneki Ken smiled mysteriously and said, "Although it is not enough to change the current situation, Akashi will have to suffer a little to win this game."

"Really, I don't know who he learned this from, being a riddle teller all day long..." Momoi Satsuki muttered a little unhappily as she listened to Kaneki Ken's vague words.

While Kaneki Ken and the other person were talking, Murasakihara Atsushi and Akashi Seijuro on the field turned into two streams of light, one purple and one red, entangled in taking the lead alternately and streaking across the field.

"I'm amazed that you can make it this far, Murasakibara." Akashi Seijuro said with some admiration, "But, that's it!"

"Second time~"

Accompanied by a sound of lightning, Akashi Seijuro, who had voluntarily withdrawn from the zone since Rakusan High School took the lead, stepped into the zone again.

"Calm down... Murasakibara Atsushi... Think about what Yanzi taught you..." Murasakibara Atsushi whispered to himself.

For some reason, Murasakibara Atsushi felt as if he had left the gym and returned to the first year of junior high school, following Kaneki Ken and learning one-on-one offense and defense.

"I won't fight anymore. Yanzi is bullying me!" After being knocked down for the Nth time, Murasakibara Atsushi sat on the ground angrily and didn't get up.

"You, you." Kaneki Ken didn't get angry. He sat down next to Murasakibara Atsushi and said, "You are so tall, you shouldn't compete with players who are shorter than you. You will definitely not be able to keep up."

"What should we do? We can't just let them score a goal, right?" Murasakibara Atsushi asked half angrily and half in a request.

"Remember, Murasakibara, sometimes giving up a step does not mean giving up, but rather taking the initiative for the next step!" Kaneki Ken said with a chuckle, "This is the method I have always used to defeat Akashi in shogi. Now I give it to you, but you must not tell him..."

"Akagi-chan rushed over..." Kise Ryouta said in surprise as he looked at the people who were fighting, "But... Murasakibara-chan didn't seem to react..."

"Well, I guess he doesn't want to play anymore. After all, he can't win no matter what..." Kasamatsu Yukio said with some regret, "Players who are in the same era as Akashi Seijuro and Kaneki Ken... are really unfortunate..."

"Sometimes taking a step back does not mean giving up..." Murasakibara Atsushi muttered softly, and his huge body began to move.

"You haven't given up yet... but it's too late..." Akashi Seijuro, who had already stepped into the penalty area, felt the voice coming from behind him, but his expression did not change at all. He put the ball in his hands and jumped up, "I'm going to score this goal..."

Before Akashi Seijuro could shoot the ball, a huge pressure swept in from behind.

"This is what Yanzi taught me... Seize the initiative for the next step, Chizi!"

As Murasakibara Atsushi shouted loudly, the basketball that Akashi Seijuro had not yet had time to shoot was pressed hard onto the backboard by Murasakibara Atsushi.

"Shizi, quick attack!"

After Murasakibara Atsushi completed the block, he protected the rebound and made a long pass accurately into the hands of Himuro Tatsuya who had already crossed the center line.

"Good job, A-Dun!"

Himuro Tatsuya caught the flying basketball as soon as he stretched out his hand, turned around and passed Hayama Kotaro who was returning to defense, and then scored a layup against Nango Koichiro's defense. The moment the ball fell into the basket, the timer buzzed, 76:90, the two sides entered the fourth quarter with a 14-point difference.

"Yanzi is still waiting for me in front. No matter what, I don't want to miss this appointment, Akagi!" Ziyuan Atsushi's pupils flashed with lightning, "So, please don't get in the way!"

I'm sorry everyone, I worked overtime too late today, and I have to get up early tomorrow for a business trip, so today there is only one two-in-one chapter. Well, I will make up for the 4000 words that are missing in the next few days. Please forgive me. I also ask for monthly tickets for follow-up reading recommendations or something. If possible, please go and read the book written by my friend. Please, please

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(End of this chapter)