-975- It's just a game

"Quick! Stop them!"

"Keep an eye on Minamiya! Akatsuki, stay focused on that guy too!"

"Don't let them get through!"

Watching Rozen, Kojou, and Motoki approach like three arrows, the opposing team's male players shouted anxiously.

It's evident that these boys display a serious sense of impatience on their faces.

But that's inevitable.

Beside the basketball court, a clock keeps ticking, indicating to everyone that there are less than two minutes left until the end of the game.

The score is — "75:74."

The team trailing behind is not the opposing class but the class where Rozen, Kojou, and Motoki belong.

After all, in a match between two classes where players are not fixed, Rozen, Kojou, and Motoki didn't play in the first half. Their class fell behind by over 40 points, leading to a sense of despair.

Only when Rozen, Kojou, and Motoki entered the game did the score start to be aggressively recovered.

Rozen, the most famous all-rounder at Saikai Academy, displayed overwhelming advantages upon entering the game. Not only did he lead his team in an orderly manner, but he also predicted the enemy's tactics and formation as if he could foresee them, or he precisely targeted and exploited weaknesses, allowing his teammates to break through the opponent's defense numerous times and smoothly score.

As for Kojou, being a former member of the basketball club and having participated in national competitions, he demonstrated an activity level not inferior to Rozen's. With a fierce offensive, he managed to outpace both opponents and teammates, performing dunks countless times.

As for Motoki, his performance was unremarkable, but he could keep up with the pace of Rozen and Kojou. Like Kojou, he was also a member of the basketball club, proving his capabilities.

The three of them demonstrated extraordinary combat power, leaving the other two players on their team far behind. With just the three of them, they managed to close the score gap to only one point.

Now, the game has reached its final stage.

In the last two minutes, if Rozen, Kojou, and Motoki can successfully score, they will win.

How could the opponents not be anxious about this?

On the contrary, Rozen's trio smiles recklessly and rushes into the enemy formation without hesitation.

"Clear the way for me!"

Confidently dribbling the ball, Kojou shouts spiritedly as he speeds toward the basket.

"Don't even think about getting through! Akatsuki!"

"Don't think you can get through us!"

Two opponents block Kojou's path and pounce towards him.

"You're too green!"

Kojou deftly dodges left and right, using extremely agile and smooth steps to shake off the two opponents.

"Nichiyo!"

Shaking off the opponents, Kojou decisively passes the ball to Rozen.

"Okay."

Rozen, who happens to be rushing past Kojou, takes the ball and, although not as fluid and agile as Kojou, dribbles in a quite standard manner toward the basket.

But...

"Darn it, Minamiya!"

"We won't let you pass!"

"Especially you...!"

The remaining three opponents unexpectedly rush at Rozen, looking as if they hold deep grudges against him.

That's quite normal, isn't it?

"Minamiya-sama (Minamiya-senpai)! Go for it! YAHHHH!!!"

Around the basketball court, countless girls cheer for Rozen with screams.

The scene is enough to make all the boys feel their blood boiling, losing their reason.

"As long as we can defeat Minamiya, we'll surely be popular with the girls!"

"Prepare yourselves!"

The two who just blocked Kojou also ferociously charge towards Rozen.

Thus, on the basketball court, there is a strange scene of five opponents all rushing towards one person.

In response...

"I knew you'd do this."

A confident smile appears on Rozen's face, causing the girls' screams to become even more intense. With a gentle lift of his hand, he effortlessly passes the ball, which gracefully sails through, cutting through the circle of five opponents, and heads towards the basket.

There...

"It's over!"

A youth named Motoki easily catches the ball and, after a loud shout, leaps high.

"Phew!"

In the next moment, the basketball smoothly enters the hoop.

"The game is over! Team Minamiya wins!"

The sports teacher acting as the referee blows the whistle, officially declaring the victory.

"OHHH...!"

The opposing team's boys immediately wail, falling to the ground, shedding tears of defeat.

"THEY'VE WWOONNNN!!!!"

The girls, on the other hand, cheer enthusiastically.

"Well done!"

Kojou rushes over in high spirits.

"Did you see that? My cool layup!"

Motoki, laughing heartily, puts his hands on his hips.

"Why are you so proud?"

Rozen wipes off sweat, shrugging his shoulders.

The three of them exchange glances, then smiles, extending their hands.

"—!"

The palms of the three boys meet in a crisp high-five, echoing through the air.

The boys, sweating on the sports field, winning the scene, cause the surrounding girls to scream again.

...

Amidst the girls' cheers, Rozen, Kojou, and Motoki leave the court.

"Great job, Nichiyo, Kojou-kun, and Motoki."

A petite girl in a sports uniform happily runs over.

Who else but Nagisa?

However, beside Nagisa, there's another girl.

"Here, drink some water."

Asagi casually tosses three water bottles to the boys.

"Thanks."

"You're a lifesaver."

"Playing basketball in this heat is really tiring."

Rozen, Kojou, and Motoki each take a water bottle and start drinking.

This makes Nagisa and Asagi sigh.

"Come on, guys, drink slowly. Be careful not to choke."

Nagisa, as always, nags.

"You have the nerve to say that. Is it that fun for the all-around prince of the school and two basketball club members to crush ordinary students?"

Asagi makes a somewhat sarcastic remark.

"Especially you, Nichiyo. Are you using magic or something?"

This comment makes Rozen roll his eyes.

"It's just a game, no need for that."

Rozen says so.

Indeed, Rozen's physical abilities are not particularly outstanding. Even with the correction of his congenital weakness caused by the conversion of life force, his physique is only at the level of an ordinary person, not much stronger than Kojou and Motoki, who regularly play basketball.

However, Rozen's opponents are just ordinary people, not heroic spirits like Servants. In such a situation, even if Rozen is not good at sports, with his extraordinary observation of the situation, positions, tactics, and formations on both sides, coupled with his leadership skills, winning a basketball game is a piece of cake.

Let alone competing with a group of junior high school students, Rozen could probably win against international basketball players without using any magic or jujutsu.

"It's just a game after all."

For Rozen, who has experienced life and death on the battlefield, this statement is not arrogant at all.

People who don't know the reason naturally think that Rozen's athletic ability is extraordinary, hence the result.

In fact, Rozen is still the Rozen who relies on his brains and skills to make a living, there is no doubt about this.