Chapter 4: Senpai, Bai Shui Hall Was Hiding an Ace Like This!

To be honest.

Even Yukimiya Kazuma himself was a little surprised that the steal had worked.

The Playmaker Master's badge—the vision and awareness granted by its passing ability—didn't only show itself on the offensive end.

On defense it was just as effective; almost the instant Yamane Middle School set the screen, Yukimiya Kazuma had already made his read.

He judged that the pick-and-roll was only a feint, that #6's drive was a pump fake, that with the space the screen left open #7 most likely wouldn't roll, and that Yamane Middle School would run a long-range play.

This was the game-reading ability that came indirectly from the Playmaker Master.

Snap—!

Under every gaze of astonishment, Yukimiya Kazuma completed the sudden steal.

And then he was off, sprinting out in front!

Yamane Middle School reacted just as quickly; the outermost #7 immediately gave chase. Though that #7 was only about 175 centimeters tall, his speed was considerable.

Without turning his head for a full look, Yukimiya Kazuma relied on his peripheral vision and the position he'd read at the moment of the steal to easily lock onto his teammate, who was also trailing up in support.

A very short, sharp flick of the wrist, and the basketball traced an orange arc through the air—a no-look pass that slipped precisely past Yamane Middle School's #7 and landed in the hands of Bai Shui Hall's #8, point guard Kasuga Yuji.

That pass was every bit as effortless as could be. Although it was Kasuga Yuji who finished the layup, every eye in the place, in that instant, was fixed on Yukimiya Kazuma.

"Bai Shui Hall's… Yukimiya Kazuma?"

"Senpai, Bai Shui Hall was hiding an ace like this!"

"No…"

"Yukimiya Kazuma was just a player with average technique and decent athleticism before—at least, that's how he was last year."

"Huh?"

"He didn't play the first three quarters; I heard he got hurt during practice."

On the opposing Yamane Middle School bench, the substitutes buzzed with talk all at once.

72:62!

After Yukimiya came on, Bai Shui Hall had scored two in a row, and the gap had already reached double digits.

"Beautiful!!"