The dark clouds in the sky loomed like a massive mountain, pressing heavily toward the ground as if threatening to swallow the entire world. They churned and rolled, as if whispering some unknowable secret. The once vibrant red hues were now completely obscured by the thick clouds, leaving behind only a gloomy and oppressive atmosphere.
Suddenly, a blinding flash of lightning split the sky, followed by a deafening clap of thunder. The sudden storm caught everyone off guard. The wind howled, shaking the trees and rustling their leaves, while rain poured down in sheets, creating a curtain of water that blurred everyone's vision.
Inside the gymnasium, the scoreboard read 45 to 27 as the referee's whistle signaled the end of the first half.
"Well, that first half was a complete disaster" one spectator sighed.
"Looks like it's over. Might as well head home" another added, shaking his head.
With the gap now at 18 points, the audience in the stands began to murmur in disappointment. They had come expecting an intense, evenly matched game, but reality had dashed their hopes. The one-sided nature of the match made it hard to stay invested, as if the outcome had already been decided.
Some spectators began to get up from their seats, preparing to leave the gym.
"Come on, Seirin! Show some fight!" Kise grumbled, clearly frustrated.
"They are fighting, idiot" Kasamatsu retorted, watching the game unfold. "Facing such an overwhelming gap and still holding onto their fighting spirit—that's commendable in itself"
Hearing this, Kise shrugged, his frustration mingling with resignation.
Just then, Kise's phone slipped out of his pocket, and a voice from the device chimed in: "Today's morning horoscope: Aquarius, you'd better be cautious today. As for Cancer, the top-ranked sign, you're in peak condition. Bring your lucky charm, the Shigaraki Tanuki, and you'll be unstoppable..."
...
In the Shūtoku locker room, the atmosphere was tense yet filled with anticipation. The players sat in a circle, listening intently to coach Nakatani's instructions.
"You performed well in the first half, showcasing our strength, but it's still not enough" Nakatani said, his voice calm but firm. His eyes swept over each player, as if trying to instill them with determination.
"Even though the opponent hasn't given up yet, we can't let our guard down. In the second half, we need to maintain this momentum and ramp up our offense, leaving no room for them to catch their breath."
"Yes, Coach!" the team responded in unison, their voices filled with resolve.
...
In the Seirin locker room, the mood was somber. The players sat with their heads down, the air heavy with defeat.
"No one's saying a word. What should I do? I need to say something to lift their spirits, but what?" Riko thought, feeling helpless.
Meanwhile, Kuroko pulled out a video tape from his pocket and began watching it intently.
This caught Izuki's attention. "Kuroko, what are you doing?"
"It's the footage from the first half. I'm studying Takao" Kuroko replied calmly, not taking his eyes off the screen.
"So? Do we have a chance?"
"Huh? I don't know. Of course, I want to win, but I haven't thought about whether we can win" Kuroko said, prompting everyone to look at him.
Then Kuroko turned to face the team. "Even if we're down by 100 points, who knows? Maybe a meteor will strike their bench in the final second."
Izuki chuckled. "That… actually makes sense."
"Yeah!" the others nodded, finally breaking the tension.
"What do you mean, 'yeah'? Since when do meteors just show up? And since when do you have such a wild imagination?" Hyuga snapped, standing up in frustration.
"Well, maybe they'll all get stomachaches or something" Tsuchida mused, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"Don't let him influence you! That's not happening either!" Hyuga's forehead twitched as he glared at his teammates, who seemed to be losing their grip on reality.
"Still, compared to those scenarios, a comeback in the second half seems way more achievable" Koganei said optimistically, his lighthearted tone lifting the mood.
"In the end, all we can do is keep fighting. No point worrying about anything else until we see how it plays out" Hyuga said, smiling at last.
...
Beep!
The referee's whistle signaled the start of the third quarter, but Kuroko was nowhere to be seen on the court.
Seirin had possession, and they quickly moved into offense. The ball passed between players until it reached Hyuga, who drove forward without hesitation. But just as he did, Takao darted in like lightning, stealing the ball.
Takao immediately passed it to Midorima, who caught it and launched into a jump shot without a second thought. At the same time, Kagami leaped into the air, attempting to block Midorima's shot.
"When did he…? No, more importantly, he's jumping higher!" Midorima thought, his eyes widening in surprise. Kagami's jump was noticeably higher than before, nearly reaching Midorima's release point.
Unfortunately, Kagami still couldn't fully block the shot.
Swish! The ball sailed cleanly through the net, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
On Shūtoku's next possession, Takao once again passed the ball to Midorima.
Without hesitation, Midorima faced Kagami's defense and went for another jump shot.
At that moment, Kagami remembered Kuroko's words: Of course, I want to win, but I haven't thought about whether we can win.
"You never give up until you hit a wall, huh?" Kagami thought, a mix of exasperation and determination surging within him. "But even if you give it your all and still fail, you'll admit defeat, right? Fighting a seemingly unbeatable opponent is thrilling, but if you can't win, it's all for nothing!"
His eyes locked onto Midorima, burning with unyielding resolve. Kagami crouched slightly, like a predator ready to pounce, and then leaped higher than ever before, pushing past his limits.
As Midorima released the ball, Kagami's middle finger barely grazed it!
Midorima's eyes widened behind his glasses. "Impossible! He's actually jumping higher as the game goes on!"
The ball soared in a high arc toward the basket, like a bolt of lightning streaking across the sky.
The audience held their breath, their eyes glued to the ball.
It spun through the air, carrying the hopes and expectations of everyone watching. Finally, the ball hit the rim.
It circled the hoop six or seven times, each rotation tugging at the heartstrings of everyone in the gym. Every heartbeat seemed to sync with the ball's movement.
And then, the ball...