Showdown

As dusk settled, the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden hue across the court. Though its light waned, the lingering glow stretched the shadows of two figures battling under the hoop.

"First to three, alternating possessions — sound good?" Shiro laid out the basic rules before adding, "You take the first ball."

"Alright!" Moyun nodded without hesitation. After a quick check ball, the game was set to begin.

Holding the basketball tightly Moyun felt a flicker of nervousness — after all, this was his first time facing off against a player hailed as one of the Generation of Miracles.

However, he quickly steadied himself. Taking a deep breath, his eyes locked onto Shiro with unwavering determination.

Shiro, on the other hand, exuded an air of composure, his stance relaxed yet alert. He bent slightly at the waist, arms spread wide, eyes locked onto the ball as if fully prepared for whatever came next.

A tense yet electrifying atmosphere settled over the court — the showdown was about to begin.

Moyun cradled the ball at his right hip, pivoting off his left foot as he studied Shiro's defense.

Using a triple-threat stance, he tested for openings, shifting his weight and feinting to gauge his opponent's reaction. Yet Shiro remained poised, unshaken, his defensive stance solid as a rock.

Then, in an instant, Moyun raised the ball as if to shoot. Shiro lunged forward, ready to contest—only to realize it was a fake. Moyun quickly pulled the ball back, seeking a better opportunity.

Finally, he seized his moment. Rising smoothly, he executed a textbook fadeaway jumper.

Shiro reacted swiftly, leaping to challenge the shot. But Moyun's release was crisp and quick — the ball arced beautifully through the air before swishing clean through the net.

"Swish!" The crisp sound echoed on the court.

Shiro smirked slightly. Even under defensive pressure, Moyun's form remained impeccable, and judging from that flawless make, his shooting touch wasn't to be underestimated.

With Moyun securing the first bucket, possession shifted to Shiro. 

Taking the inbound pass, Shiro wasted no time — rising for a pull-up three without hesitation, as if the defender in front of him didn't even exist.

Moyun leaped to contest, but he quickly realized the disparity.

Despite his best effort, at 6'1" (185 cm), he was simply outmatched by Shiro's 6'4" (194 cm) frame and elite vertical.

"Swish!" The ball splashed through the net, clean and effortless.

Watching the ball drop, Moyun let out a wry chuckle. In that moment, he grasped the sheer gap in physical attributes—not just height, but also athleticism, power, and elevation.

For a basketball player, size and leaping ability are crucial physical traits. And Shiro, blessed with both, left Moyun no choice but to acknowledge the reality of their difference.

Now back on offense, Moyun took possession and began dribbling against Shiro, employing a series of hesitation moves to shift his opponent's balance.

But Shiro, with elite defensive instincts, wasn't budging an inch. He stayed glued to Moyun, cutting off every driving lane.

Feeling the pressure of Shiro's suffocating defense, Moyun's expression tightened. He clenched his teeth, then launched into a double crossover, chaining it seamlessly into another fadeaway.

However, Shiro had read him like a book. His defense was like a fortress — impenetrable. Just as Moyun prepared to elevate, Shiro struck—his hand swiping cleanly at the ball, stripping it away in one swift motion.

A flawless steal.

"Damn, that was good." Moyun's eyes widened in disbelief. After landing his first shot, he thought he had a chance to score consistently—but Shiro's airtight defense had completely shut him down.

Shiro, smirking, wasted no time switching to offense.

Unlike before, he skipped the triple-threat stance entirely, putting the ball on the floor immediately.

Moyun was caught off guard but stayed locked in, not daring to relax.

Then — explosion.

Shiro accelerated in an instant, a blur of speed that left Moyun scrambling. Then came a lethal crossover, effortlessly shaking his defender loose.

In a blink, Shiro had reached the free-throw line, rising for a smooth pull-up jumper.

The ball carved a perfect arc through the air before sinking into the net.

"2:1. Let's see what you got" Shiro grinned, casually tossing the ball back to Moyun. 

Taking the pass, Moyun resumed his dribble.

He tried multiple direction changes, hoping to shake Shiro, but nothing worked. His opponent mirrored every move, cutting off every angle.

Realizing a new approach was needed, Moyun switched tactics—turning his back to the basket, he initiated a post-up.

"Going for a post move?" SHiro's eyes flashed with interest. He recognized this — it was a signature Kobe Bryant move.

Adjusting his stance, Shiro applied firm pressure, preventing Moyun from turning easily.

Undeterred, Moyun lowered his shoulder, trying to create space with his upper body. But Shiro's defense was rock-solid, refusing to yield an inch.

Seeing no immediate opening, Moyun widened his stance, securing the ball with both hands as he set up his next move.

Then, with a quick shoulder fake, he attempted to deceive Shiro.

"Left or right?" Shiro's mind worked rapidly. He didn't know Moyun well enough yet to predict his move with certainty.

The fake was nearly flawless —even Shiro, with his elite defensive awareness, struggled to read it.

Then, he noticed the subtlest shift — Moyun's weight slightly leaning right.

"Gotcha."

Shiro committed, jumping right to contest — only to realize it was a bait.

Moyun spun left, creating space for another fadeaway.

Shiro had been tricked, but he didn't panic. His reaction speed was insane — mid-air, he controlled his momentum, landed lightly, and immediately jumped again, aiming for a chase-down block.

Moyun was stunned.

He hadn't expected Shiro's second jump to come so quickly — this level of agility and athleticism was unreal.

Feeling the defensive pressure closing in, Moyun panicked slightly. He instinctively increased his fadeaway angle, hoping to avoid the block.

In Shiro's eyes, the move was impressive. Moyun had adjusted midair, executing an even deeper fade — but the question was, would it drop?

The ball flew toward the hoop—

Clang!

A harsh brick off the front rim.