Black Basketball: A false start

Chapter 267 The night before dawn
"Buzz!"

As the timer sounded on the sidelines, the first quarter of the game between the two sides came to an end. Under the precise point-to-point suppression of Rakusan High School, Seirin High School did not play its own style at all in the entire first quarter.

Except for Kagami Daiga who scored some goals that bypassed Akashi Seijuro's defense, the other players' shooting was generally cold. The always accurate Hinata Junpei and Katsume Ichiro only made three three-pointers in total. This resulted in Seirin High School lagging behind Rakusan High School by 25 points with a score of 36 to 11 at the end of the first quarter.

"Tetsu-kun and Kagami look like they are in great pain..." Momoi Satsuki said to Kuroko Tetsuya on the sidelines with some reluctance.

"Why are you in such a hurry? It's only the first quarter." Kaneki Ken said calmly as he sat on the sidelines. "It's not the first time that Kuroko and Kagami have become stronger on the spot~"

"Ken-kun, tell me, why didn't Tetsu-kun use his zone?" Momoi Satsuki's expression was full of confusion, "After all, if we fall behind Akashi-san by so much in the first quarter, it will be too difficult to turn the tables later..."

"Alas... It's not that Kuroko doesn't want to use it, it's that he can't use it." Kaneki Ken shook his head helplessly and said, "Not to mention that it is difficult for Akashi's Emperor's Eye to produce that kind of illusion. Even if it can produce an illusion, Kuroko can't attract the attention of others on the field now..."

"Are you talking about Senior Dai?" Tao Jing Satsuki looked at the No. 5 player who was quietly drinking water on the bench of Luoshan High School, "If you hadn't told me, I really wouldn't have remembered it..."

"Even someone like you who has worked with Kuroko for three years can't notice him, so it's even harder for others to notice him..." Kaneki Ken frowned slightly, then returned to normal, "Of course, no matter who enters the finals... I will definitely win."

"Kuroko, is it time?" Kagami Daigo, who was steaming all over, gulped down his drink and looked at Kuroko Tetsuya with anticipation and asked.

"It's not the right time yet." Kuroko Tetsuya shook his head solemnly and said, "Dai-san's light on the field is not enough right now."

"This is really troublesome..." Koganei Shinji scratched the back of his head in annoyance and said, "What if this guy's light is not enough until the end of the game? Kuroko, won't you be able to play?"

"There's nothing we can do about it..." Muji Teppei sighed and said, "If we want Kuroko to play his full role, we have to make sure he's the darkest shadow on the field..."

"What should we do? We can't deliberately let that Dai Chihiro perform on the court, right?" Shinji Koganei complained helplessly.

"Intentionally letting him perform on the court..."

The speaker may not mean it, but the listener may take it seriously. Reiko Aida, who was looking worried at the side, suddenly felt her mind become clear, as if she had suddenly realized something.

"What's wrong, Reiko?" Hinata Junpei asked Aida Reiko whose expression suddenly changed.

"Koganei is right." Aida Reiko said with a confident smile on her face again, "Since Dai Chihiro's brightness is not enough, let's artificially create some brightness for him!"

"It's useless, isn't it?" Hinata Junpei said with some confusion, "So far in the first quarter, he has passed the ball to many open positions..."

"Then let him pass the ball." Aida Reiko said decisively, "Not only should we let him pass the ball, but no matter whether we guessed it or not, we should not steal the ball."

"What do you mean?" Teppei Kiyoshi seemed to understand Reiko Aida's thoughts.

"Yes." Aida Reiko nodded and said, "Since Kuroko has lost his shadow characteristics because he has been too prominent, then... let's let Dai Chihiro be more prominent on the field!"

"Is it really possible?" Katsume Ichiro asked with some concern, "What if the score difference is too big? Even if Kuroko comes on the court, I'm afraid he won't be able to catch up with the score, right?"

"You're so stupid." Hinata Junpei slapped the back of Katsume Ichiro's head and said, "Letting him make a brilliant pass doesn't mean turning the pass into an assist!"

"Yes." Muji Tieping screwed the lid of the kettle in his hand and said, "Next, it's time to test our defensive skills."

"I have no problem." Hinata Junpei was the first to speak up, "Even if I die, I will bite that damn demon!"

"Then I will be responsible for marking Kotaro Hayama." Ebina Ka said in a deep voice.

"Leave Akashi to me." Kagami Taiga said concisely.

"Okay... then I will be responsible for defending Negaya Takeyoshi." Kiyoshi Teppei said with a smile.

"Can you do it?" Hinata Junpei looked at Kiyoshi Teppei with some concern and asked, "After all, your knees..."

"It's okay, it's okay~" Muji Tieping waved his hand and chuckled, "At worst I can give him two bottles of Coke. No matter what, he has to hold on for me."

"What about me?" Yi Yuejun pointed at himself and said at a loss, "Should I defend myself against Dai Qianxun?"

"Of course we have to defend." Kagami Daiga patted Izuki Shun's shoulder and smiled, "After all, without an actor like you, who would set off the exquisiteness of Dai Chihiro's pass?"

"You want me, the Eagle Eye, to be blind?" Yi Yuejun shook his head helplessly and said with a wry smile, "I would rather go directly against Akashi Seijuro!"

"Then I'll leave Akashi to you?" Kagami Daiga said to Izuki Shun with a serious look on his face.

"Just kidding, just kidding." Yi Yuejun said with a smile and waved his hand.

"Look, I really asked you to guard Akashi, but you're not happy again~" Kagami Daiga looked at Izuki Shun mischievously and said with a smile, "Don't worry, I will keep an eye on Akashi... I'm betting on my reputation as an ace!"

"Well..." Yi Yuejun looked into Kagami Daiga's eyes with a look of relief and said, "Then I'll leave it to you, Kagami."

"Buzz~"

As the timer on the sidelines sounded again, the intermission came to an end.

"Let's go!" Hinata Junpei pulled off the towel draped over his shoulders and led the players of Chengling High School onto the court in a menacing manner.

"Yes!" Everyone at Seirin High School responded loudly.

"Xiao Zheng, little Hinata brother looks very imposing..." Mibuchi Reio showed an expectant smile, "How about letting me take the lead in the second quarter?"

"Sure." Akashi Seijuro said with a smile looking at Mibuchi Reo.

"Wow, you're so cunning, Sister Reo!" Hayama Kotaro looked at Mibuchi Reo with some dissatisfaction and said, "I also want to play the main attack~"

"Tsk~" Mibuchi Reio rolled her eyes at Hayama Kotaro and turned to walk towards the center of the field.

"The second quarter begins, Luo Shan has the ball."

As the referee handed the basketball to Takeyoshi Netani, the second quarter officially began. "Defense!", "Defense!", "Defense!"

The substitute players of Seirin High School on the sidelines looked at Akashi Seijuro who continued to advance with the ball and roared at the top of their lungs.

"Let's fight it out, Akashi!" Kagami Daigo activated the zone as soon as he came on the court. Lightning flashed in his eyes, and he appeared in front of Akashi Seijuro with infinite power all over his body.

"As you wish!" Akashi Seijuro's pupils condensed slightly, and two crimson electric flashes flashed by. The basketball instantly bounced rapidly between Akashi Seijuro's hands. From a distance, it seemed as if an orange-red barrier had formed beside Akashi Seijuro.

"Dong dong dong dong!"

As the sound of the basketball hitting the floor became more and more frequent, Kagami Daigo became more and more nervous.

"Boom!"

Two circles of light flickered slightly in the depths of Akashi Seijuro's pupils, and he accurately sensed the insignificant movement of Kagami Taiga's footsteps. After a fierce blast, he rushed towards Kagami Taiga's defensive blind spot.

"Not good!" Just as Kagami Daigo was about to adjust his pace and catch up with Akashi Seijuro, he felt a sharp pain in his ankle, and then he fell backwards uncontrollably.

"Vulcan God!" Yi Yuejun looked at the Vulcan God Daiwo who was slowly falling backwards, and rushed forward, pushing the Vulcan God Daiwo on the back to stabilize his body.

"Thank you, Itsuki!" Kagami Daiga looked back at Itsuki Shun with gratitude, then immediately adjusted his pace and chased after Akashi Seijuro's back.

"You're growing very fast, Kagami..." Akashi Seijuro said with a chuckle, "Based on the speed you and Kise were fighting at, you can't keep up with me..."

"Kuroko once said that I grow faster than light." Kagami Taiga looked at Akashi Seijuro with a complicated expression and said, "As an ace, I can't let him down!"

"I understand how you feel, Kagami." Akashi Seijuro's pupils flickered slightly, "But, I also made an appointment with Kaneki to meet again in the finals... People in the Akashi family never break an appointment!"

As the words fell, Akashi Seijuro slammed the basketball in his right hand heavily to the ground. The basketball bounced high after hitting the ground and was about to fly into the hands of Takeyoshi Netani in the inside.

"boom!"

Just as Seirin High School's formation was being pulled inside by Akashi Seijuro's pass, Dai Chihiro's figure suddenly rushed out from the baseline, and in the horrified eyes of the Seirin High School players, she passed the ball to Mibuchi Reo's hands at a 45-degree angle outside the three-point line.

"Damn it, even though the plan has been fine so far...but how long can we keep going..." Hinata Junpei complained secretly, and quickly stopped and rushed towards the three-point line.

"Come on, little brother Hinata~" Mibuchi Reo said with a smile as he looked at Hinata Junpei in front of him, "We didn't have enough fun in the first half, so let's continue now."

"I can fight with you all day long, you damn demon." Hinata Junpei replied somewhat unconvinced.

"I'm just a little more delicate in my thoughts, you're such a rude guy!" Mibuchi Reo frowned, holding the ball and posing a triple threat posture while looking at Hinata Junpei.

"How will this ball be shot..." Hinata Junpei muttered to himself as he looked at Mibuchi Reo who was waiting to shoot, "Heaven? Earth? Or... the void?"

"Don't guess, little Hinata brother, you can't defend against any of them."

Having said that, Reio Mibuchi decisively held the ball, aimed at the basket, bent her knees slightly, and slowly squatted down.

"I can't guess..." Hinata Junpei looked at the playful smile on Mibuchi Reo's lips, gritted his teeth and pounced on her.

"It seems that you are afraid of my Sky Shot, little brother Hinata!" A cold look flashed in Mibuchi Reo's eyes. He raised the basketball high and rushed towards Hinata Junpei who was rushing forward. "Unfortunately, I guessed wrong. This ball is the Earth Shot!"

"Shimata!" Hinata Junpei suddenly felt something was wrong and slapped Mibuchi Reo's hand hard, "Even if it's a foul, we can't let it become a 3+1 again!"

"Mibuchi Reo's appearance is too deceptive." Aomine Daiki sighed as he looked at Hyuga Junpei who was risking everything on the field. "He looks gentle, delicate and thin, but in fact, this guy has terrifying upper limb strength..."

"Snapped!"

Following a loud applause, the referee blew the whistle.

"It's useless, little brother Hinata~" Mibuchi Reo said with a smile, looking at the desperate Hinata Junpei, "I have been lifting weights for a long time to practice this move~"

After saying that, Mibuchi Reio threw the ball out steadily with both hands.

With a swish, the sound of the basketball passing through the net was heard, and the referee's decision came soon after.

"Black No. 4, defensive foul, White No. ball counts, one free throw!"

"Oh, what a pity..." Koganei Shinji waved his fist in annoyance and complained, "I almost blocked it..."

"A foul right at the start of the second quarter?" Aida Reiko saw things more deeply. She quickly stood up, walked to the sidelines, and reminded Hinata Junpei, "Junpei, be careful not to commit fouls!"

"I would like to do that too!" Hinata Junpei muttered with a struggling expression, "But we can't let him shoot!"

"Hyuga Junpei is in danger." Kaneki Ken frowned and said, "According to Akashi's style, he will not get too entangled with Kagami before Mibuchi Reo completely defeats Hyuga Junpei."

"Ken-kun, what do you mean..." Momoi Satsuki asked tentatively, "Akagi-kun will let Mibuchi Reo..."

"Yes, in this game, Akashi will definitely let Mibuchi Reo focus on attacking..." Kaneki Ken nodded and said, "Use Mibuchi Reo's three shooting postures to disrupt Hinata Junpei's mentality, and then completely block Hinata Junpei."

Just as Kaneki Ken said, when Mibuchi Reo made another free throw, the expression on Hinata Junpei's face became visibly anxious.

"Captain, are you okay?" Kagami Daigo came to Hinata Junpei and asked with concern.

"I'm fine." Hinata Junpei gritted his teeth and looked at Mibuchi Reo's back and said, "Pass the ball to me later. I want to teach this damned shemale a lesson!"

"Hinata..." Izuki Shun looked at Hinata Junpei's ferocious expression and stopped his steps on the way forward to comfort him.

"It's really the darkest night before dawn..." Kaneki Ken sighed as he watched the Seirin players advancing on the field, "It's time to truly test your resilience."

(End of this chapter)