Chapter 119: Your Offensive Intentions Are Too Obvious
Shuzo Nijimura was, in truth, a little uneasy inside. He loved basketball and was eager to become stronger.
His father had always supported his pursuit of the sport, but after his father fell ill, Nijimura had more than once considered giving basketball up altogether.
He had already made up his mind: once he won the national middle school championship, he would step down as captain, leave basketball behind, and focus on caring for his father.
But he never expected everything to change because of a single underclassman.
Miyamoto Tokima not only helped arrange treatment for his father, but also invited him to join the Black Emperor Dragon Team.
At first, Shuzo Nijimura assumed the team’s overall strength wouldn’t be anything special.
He resolved to fight for Miyamoto Tokima’s sake, determined to win games for him—even if it meant getting injured.
Yet after actually joining the team, he realized something shocking.
Every single person on the team… was a powerhouse.
If the Black Emperor Dragon Team members went all out in one-on-one matches, he wouldn’t even be able to score a single basket.
Because of this, Nijimura felt even more indebted to Miyamoto Tokima.
The team clearly didn’t need him, yet Tokima still gave him a spot and even intensified his personal training.
He had nothing material to repay him with. The only thing he could do was grow stronger, score more points in games, and fight for Miyamoto Tokima.
On the court.
The Black Emperor Dragon Team members displayed their overwhelming strength one after another.
Nash Gold’s Belial Eye, paired with his zero-frame pass initiation, caught opponents completely off guard and left the crowd in shock.
Jason Silver, wielding strength far beyond Brown’s, repeatedly hammered the rim, beating Brown so badly that he began doubting his own existence.
He even started questioning whether his muscles had really come from hard training.
Zack used flashy dribbling to toy with Raglan.
Nick didn’t bother with any tricks—after a few dribbles, he simply rose up and fired jumpers, shooting Marlon into utter self-doubt.
After entering the game, Allen constantly humiliated Isaac, using streetball moves to push him into a full-blown rage.
But Isaac didn’t dare vent his anger on any Black Emperor Dragon Team member, so he instead knocked Bobby out cold with a single punch.
The scene left both the audience and the Black Emperor Dragon Team completely stunned.
Brown was furious. He immediately forced Isaac onto the bench and sent two substitutes onto the court.
From that point on, the game became a total one-sided massacre. By the third quarter, the Jacket Team had completely given up, reduced to nothing more than running back and forth on the court.
When the fourth quarter ended, the game concluded with an outrageous final score of 121 to 12.
This single match made the Black Emperor Dragon Team famous overnight. Not just locally—nearly every streetball team had now heard of them.
They also learned that this was a team founded by the heir of the Miyamoto Family.
Those 3 words—“Miyamoto Family heir”—instantly erased any malicious thoughts other streetball teams might have had. Their feelings became deeply conflicted.
On one hand, they wanted to face the Black Emperor Dragon Team to gain fame.
On the other, they dreaded the encounter, knowing it would likely end in a crushing defeat.
...
The day after the match against the Jacket Team.
Inside the Miyamoto Family Basketball Hall.
“Nijimura, Jason, the two of you will play a one-on-one.”
Miyamoto Tokima addressed Shuzo Nijimura and Jason Silver.
Jason Silver hooked the ball cleanly through the net, turned around, and replied, “Yes.”
After that, he walked over to an empty hoop.
Seeing this, Miyamoto Tokima turned toward Shuzo Nijimura, who was still standing in place.
“Go, Senior Nijimura. Just do your best.”
Shuzo Nijimura held the basketball and looked up at the towering Jason Silver. For a moment, he wondered if he’d misheard.
“Tokima… you want me to play one-on-one with him?”
Miyamoto Tokima nodded. “Yes.”
Shuzo Nijimura swallowed, feeling a little tense.
After all, he couldn’t even beat Zack. And now Tokima wanted him to challenge Jason Silver.
The gap was so enormous that Nijimura needed a moment to process it.
Still, he didn’t refuse. At this point, there was nothing Miyamoto Tokima could ask of him that he would turn down.
Shuzo Nijimura took a deep breath, steeled himself, and slowly walked up to Jason Silver, extending his hand.
“Please go easy on me.”
Jason Silver clasped his hand firmly.
“Nijimura, I won’t hold back.”
Shuzo Nijimura’s expression turned serious. He nodded solemnly, then looked toward Miyamoto Tokima.
“Tokima, how many points are we playing to?”
The Black Emperor Dragon Team members gathered around, preparing to watch the one-on-one.
“Twenty-one points. Shots from beyond the three-point line count as two.”
Miyamoto Tokima spoke calmly.
Jason Silver and Shuzo Nijimura both nodded, ready to begin.
Jason Silver picked up the ball and passed it to Nijimura.
“You start, Nijimura.”
Nijimura didn’t refuse. Against a monster like Jason Silver, any false modesty would only put him at a disadvantage.
He caught the ball and settled into a triple-threat stance.
Jason Silver slowly lowered his body, his eyes locked onto Nijimura.
An immense pressure gradually radiated from him.
‘Nijimura… whether you can enter the zone this time depends entirely on you.’
Jason Silver thought to himself.
He knew exactly what this one-on-one was for. In fact, everyone on the Black Emperor Dragon Team knew.
Only Shuzo Nijimura was kept in the dark—so that, without realizing it, he would unleash a powerful desire to score. Only then could he enter the zone again.
Under the pressure pouring off Jason Silver, Nijimura immediately felt his body grow heavy.
‘Damn it… is the pressure really this intense?!’
Clenching his teeth, Nijimura suddenly attacked—exploding into a dribble, sliding one step sideways, then rising into a jump shot.
The moment Nijimura moved, Jason Silver followed. His right foot slammed into the floor, and his massive frame launched skyward.
In midair, Jason Silver seemed to blot out the sky itself, completely sealing off Nijimura’s shooting path.
His right hand stretched high, and like plucking a star from the heavens, he cleanly snatched the ball out of the air.
‘What?! How is that possible?!’
Shuzo Nijimura was stunned. He never imagined Jason Silver’s defensive range could be this outrageous.
He had already released the shot at the very last possible moment—yet Jason Silver still blocked it effortlessly.
Jason Silver landed with the ball in hand, his eyes fixed on Nijimura.
“Nijimura, your offensive intentions are far too obvious.”
On the sidelines, Zack nodded in agreement.
“Silver’s right. Nijimura, your attack was way too easy to read. If it were me, I’d never try a lateral move into a jumper right in front of Silver.”
Listening to their words, Shuzo Nijimura lowered his head and carefully reflected on his previous offensive attempt.
Comments (0)
Please login or sign up to post a comment.