Rei dropped from his release, chest rising and falling.
Dirga was already there—
Clap. High five. Shoulder bump.
Eyes already hunting.
The fourth quarter wasn’t about flash anymore.
It was a war of inches.
A suffocating chess match.
Toyonaka slowed the pace.
Yuto brought the ball up.
His movements tight, measured.
but close enough to steal breath.
Shunpei came up from the wing.
Yuto passed, then darted around—
Shunpei’s body twisted—
He stumbled half a step—
Yuto caught the return and fired it to Masaki.
A floater—light, arcing—
Rikuya read it and jumped—
But he was a breath late.
His hand brushed the side of Masaki’s shooting arm—
The ball hit the rim—
He twisted in the air like a shadow unbound—
Snatched the rebound with one hand.
And in one violent, coiled motion—
Dirga landed under the rim, feet heavy, breath sharp.
Masaki wasn’t grinning.
No fist-pumps. No showboating.
Eyes burning like a turbine.
15 seconds left on Maestro State.
Dirga didn’t waste it.
He snapped his fingers once—
Taiga inbounded fast.
Dirga caught, turned, and accelerated.
He crossed half-court in seconds.
Yuto was there. As always.
Reading every twitch in Dirga’s body.
But Dirga was already two steps ahead.
A right-side burst—fake.
Kaito caught it clean on the wing.
Rei in the corner, but Daichi shaded the pass.
The paint was a war zone—
Rikuya posted. Haruto bracing.
Kaito whipped the pass inside.
Haruto held his ground.
Rikuya faked a drop-step—
Then spun, falling away,
Haruto reached—just one finger.
The ball kissed the backboard—
And fell into Shunpei’s hands.
Like a machine made of will.
Shunpei saw Taiga coming—
He hesitated at the rim.
Ripped it from Shunpei’s hands.
Gasps from the crowd.
Even the Toyonaka bench leaned forward.
Taiga landed like thunder.
5 seconds left on Maestro State.
He walked the ball past half-court, slow and steady.
Letting Shunpei trail behind.
Daichi had to switch to Kaito—
Which left Rei in the corner.
Daichi jumped—fully committed.
Masaki turned, saw it, too late—
The net snapped like it was singing.
Rei backpedaled, calm.
Just slapped Rei’s palm with a crisp smack.
For the first time in the fourth quarter—
Explosive. Unchained.
He danced through defenders,
Handle low, body weaving,
Dirga on him like a second skin.
Masaki soared from the weak side—
Like a storm cutting through the skyline.
But no time to dwell.
Dirga grabbed the inbound.
Cold. Composed. Calculating.
He brought it up slowly—
Then suddenly called for pick and pop.
But this time, not with Taiga.
Toyonaka didn’t expect it.
Yuto tried to fight over the screen—too late.
Dirga slipped the ball back.
A smooth mid-range jumper.
Yuto tried to shoot from the elbow.
It bounced hard off the front rim.
Palms scraping the court.
But Shunpei cut across the chaos.
A lightning pass to Masaki.
Masaki caught it, spun—
But Taiga was waiting.
Masaki tried to pivot—
He kicked it out to Haruto.
Now Haruto vs Rikuya in the post.
Haruto tried a shoulder fake—
Then a spin to his left.
A heartbeat of panic.
Masaki snatched it mid-drop.
The lead flipped again.
This court wasn’t a game anymore.
It was a battlefield with no oxygen.
Every possession—a war.
Every breath—a sacrifice.
03:43 left on the clock.
But not a single soul in that gym believed a winner had emerged yet.
This... could go to overtime.
This... could go to legend.
Kaito clutched his chest,
His breath wheezing through gritted teeth.
Subbed out: Kaito and Haruto.
Fresh legs. Cold minds.
Dirga stood at the top of the key, palms out.
As his hands touched the ball—
[ Active Skill Flow State: ACTIVATED ]
[ Pressure Detected: MAXIMUM ]
[ Attribute Boost: 300% ]
[ Timer: 3 Minutes Remaining ]
A pulse cracked through Dirga’s core.
The court blurred—then sharpened.
Every outline, every bead of sweat, every twitching muscle on the opposing side came into razor clarity.
Lungs no longer choking.
Muscles tightened and responsive, ready to detonate at his command.
It felt like stepping back into divinity.
But with intent—like a hunter stalking prey.