Game Day – Kaizen vs. Midoriyama North
Location: Yūshin Dome
Cold court. Low lights. Packed crowd. No music.
Midoriyama's court didn't celebrate basketball.
It punished it.
Kaizen walked in to silence.
No anthems. No intros.
Just five players already warming up like they were sharpening blades.
At the center:
Masa Arakaki
Former underground court legend.
Renji's old shadow.
Now wearing #9, eyes like a storm that's already landed.
---
🔥 1st Quarter – Fist Meets Philosophy
Tip-off.
Keigo wins it.
Drift takes the ball.
He's slower today.
Coach Tanaka watches closely.
> "He's not with us."
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🥶 Midoriyama's System Revealed: Isolation Collapse Defense
No switches.
No screens allowed.
No help.
You guard your man—and you survive or die alone.
Their motto:
"Break the pride. Then break the body."
First play—Renji drives.
Masa doesn't bite.
Keeps him in front, shoulder-to-shoulder.
Hits him with a legal chest at the elbow.
Renji stumbles. Misses.
Crowd doesn't cheer.
They nod.
---
🧠 Souta Observes
> "They're not playing basketball.
They're playing pain."
He calls a reversal.
No one responds.
Kaizen isn't syncing.
Drift walks the ball up.
Pulls up from midrange.
Bricks it.
Riku on the bench clenches his jaw.
---
🩹 Timeout – Drift's Truth
Coach:
> "Drift. You good?"
Drift:
> "I got a foot in two countries."
Renji:
> "Then choose.
Because right now, you're not here."
Drift looks away.
> "I'm afraid if I stay… I'll disappear."
Riku stands—quiet, calm.
> "Then disappear here.
With us."
---
🧨 Return to Court – Renji vs. Masa: Round 1
Renji gets the ball top of the arc.
Masa drops into a low stance.
They stare.
Dribble.
Stepback.
Hesi.
Masa mirrors perfectly.
Renji attacks—
Clotheslined.
Hard. No whistle.
Renji hits the floor.
Stays down.
Masa walks over, kneels beside him.
> "Still playing with rhythm?
I told you I kill rhythm."
Renji spits blood.
> "You can kill rhythm.
But I play with rage now."
---
🔥 The Awakening
Next play.
Renji doesn't dribble.
Just sprints.
Cuts corner.
Fakes a backscreen.
Gets the ball—immediate shot.
Swish.
Crowd wakes up.
Next play?
He shoves Masa off the line.
Fades from the wing.
Bang.
And this time?
He smiles.
> "You're not a rhythm killer, Masa.
You're just scared of your own beat."
---
🧠 Souta Adjusts Midoriyama's Code
He figures it out.
They don't allow help?
Use that.
He starts baiting defenders away from their assignments—
Fake miscommunication. False switches.
Midoriyama starts cracking.
Keigo gets two dunks.
Drift draws a foul.
---
📉 End of 3rd Quarter – Kaizen Trails: 49–47
But momentum is shifting.
And Midoriyama?
They look human now.
---
🕛 Final Scene – Riku's Eyes On Drift
Drift sits, towel over his head.
Riku walks over.
No voice. No coach tone.
Just real.
> "If this is your last game…
Then go out like a legend.
Or don't come back."
Drift doesn't nod.
Doesn't speak.
Just grabs his jersey tighter.
Eyes burning.