Chapter 162

Still a two-point gap.

This wasn't just the Bai Shui gym—among every team in this year's Chinese Basketball World, it was the best opening against Teikou.

But compared to the score between the two teams, what the audience was more interested in was the back-and-forth between Yukimiya and Murasakibara on both ends of the floor just now.

Murasakibara Atsushi.

As the Generation of Miracles' center, the ferocious strength he possessed had already been fully revealed in the showdown with Yukimiya Kazuma just now.

But even so, facing Yukimiya Kazuma, a monster-level player like him still couldn't gain the upper hand—when defending, he was toyed with by Yukimiya Kazuma's footwork in the paint; it was no exaggeration to call it a humiliation.

At least, from the look of things on the court, that was the case—Murasakibara was either sent flying outright by Yukimiya's endless stream of lightning-quick footwork and fakes, or left hesitating as if rooted to the spot.

Contrasted against Murasakibara's violent rim attacks, this kind of skill was all the more shocking.

"Did you see it?"

"Tough move, right?"

"My bad, I flew past you again~ You really jump high, huh~"

Yukimiya Kazuma scored again, wearing what looked like a friendly expression, but his mouth wouldn't stop running, and the things coming out of it were maddening.

But clearly, his breathing was noticeably much heavier than Murasakibara's.

"Yuki..."

"Can your stamina hold up?"

"If you come off the floor, your interior—hell, your whole team is dead."

"No matter how you struggle, the Bai Shui gym will lose."

"You still failed to protect anything."

Yukimiya Kazuma was taken aback by the words, and stared hard at Murasakibara, who had suddenly said something like that. He knew full well the other wasn't being sarcastic—for Murasakibara at this stage, Yukimiya also knew what kind of mental journey was going on inside him.

At the same time, he knew even more clearly that this kid, though he looked airheaded on the surface, was actually very delicate inside—a guy who, because he didn't want to hurt others, had set a safety line for himself.

Yukimiya hesitated for a moment at the 'safety line,' but in the end couldn't hold back, and said, "Is it that you can't find a reason to like basketball?"

"!?"

"Well, you hate losing, right?" Yukimiya Kazuma paid no attention to Murasakibara's reaction, scooped up the ball that had just fallen with one hand, and stuffed it against Murasakibara's chest. "Then I'll take you down~!"

"Huh?"

"..."

"Yuki~"

Murasakibara stared blankly for a moment, then turned his head dismissively. "All that effort, all that fighting spirit, all that conviction—I'm gonna smash every bit of it. I'll teach you properly just how cruel a sport basketball is~"

"Sure~" Yukimiya Kazuma waved his hand. "If you can do it."

Teikou's final possession of the first quarter.

"I have to acknowledge your efforts." Akashi dribbled, separated from Kasuga Yuji by some distance, and said slowly, "But that won't change anything. The final victor will be Teikou—absolutely."

*Tap*~

*Tap*~

*Tap*~

In Akashi Seijuro's heterochromatic eyes, the two rings at the bottom of his pupils suddenly flashed. By the time Kasuga Yuji reacted, he was already sitting on the floor.

"Damn it!"

Akashi Seijuro, looking like an emperor descending to inspect the realm, calmly stepped past Kasuga Yuji. The latter's 'Namba Steps,' which he'd painstakingly learned from his older brother Kasuga Ryuhei, were still fragile and hard to withstand against the ankle destruction the Emperor Eye targeted at openings.

However, just after Akashi easily shook off Kasuga Yuji's defense, another figure stepped in front of him—it was Yukimiya Kazuma, who had rotated over to help.

Seeing Yukimiya, Akashi Seijuro's expression didn't change; he merely said coldly, "It's useless. No one can defy my command."

Akashi focused again, intending to use the Emperor Eye to target Yukimiya Kazuma's center of gravity for an ankle break.

But the next moment, his movements suddenly stalled—because Yukimiya Kazuma, in a state of complete relaxation, clearly had openings all over his body.

"This feeling is..."

Akashi had wanted to say 'wildness.'

But as Facing Qingfeng's teammate, Akashi Seijuro was very familiar with 'wildness.'

Indeed, that completely relaxed feeling was a characteristic of 'wildness,' but Yukimiya Kazuma didn't carry the scent of 'wildness' on him.

"Putting on airs!"

Akashi muttered to himself, his dribbling pace quickening. The Emperor Eye stayed locked on Yukimiya's movements—the instant he made any move, Akashi would unleash the ankle break without a moment's delay.

However, once again contrary to Akashi's expectations, no matter what he did, the other showed no reaction at all.

Even...

It seemed his gaze wasn't even fixed on Akashi, drifting elsewhere?

Because of Yukimiya's unusual reaction, Akashi Seijuro was startled for a moment, but quickly recovered. His strength gave him the confidence to handle anything. "Interesting. In that case, I won't hold back."

*Whoosh*~

No feints whatsoever—just pure speed to blow past.

He had assumed Yukimiya Kazuma's plan was to observe his movements first, then react. But when he blew past Yukimiya's defense, he found Yukimiya Kazuma still standing in place, not moving at all.