Chapter 4 – Fourth Quarter Fire

Second Half – Tosei Prep vs. Kaizen HighScore: 32–29

The gym was tense now.The crowd wasn't laughing anymore.

Kaizen was still trailing, but they had done something no one expected:They earned Tosei's respect.

🎯 3rd Quarter Begins

Riku walks the ball up the court.

Motion offense.

Renji runs a curl, cuts baseline—Riku hits him with a bounce pass through two defenders.

Layup. 32–31.

Next play—Keigo swats a shot into the backboard.

Hiro grabs the rebound. Kicks it to Souta.

Fast break.

Souta doesn't shoot.He lobs it.

Renji slams it down.

Crowd: "OOOOHHH!!"Tosei calls timeout.

Kaizen takes the lead: 33–32.

Coach Watanabe from Tosei stares at Kaizen's bench.He mutters, "This ain't no ghost team anymore…"

😈 Tosei Strikes Back

They start pressing.Full-court. Aggressive.

Daiki's knees start giving out.Hiro misses a crucial rotation.Renji turns the ball over.

Tosei goes on a 9–0 run.

Score: 41–33

🧠 Timeout – Breaking Point

Everyone's gassed.Breathing hard. Frustration bubbling.

Riku kneels in front of them, calm.

"This is the part where we break—or we become something."

He looks at Daiki.

"Can you run five more minutes?"

Daiki nods, trembling.

"Then give me two. That's all we need."

🔥 Final 4 Minutes – The Comeback

Riku switches Kaizen into a trap defense.

Tosei panics.Turnover.

Renji hits a pull-up three.

41–36

Next play, Keigo strips their center clean—full-court pass to Hiro.

Layup. 41–38

Crowd's back on their feet.Even the opposing fans start cheering for Kaizen.

🕶️ 1 Minute Left – The Play That Defines Them

Tosei leads 43–42.

Riku has the ball.

He doesn't call timeout.He doesn't call a play.

He looks at each of them.No words. Just eyes.

They know what to do.

Ball swings—Souta sets a screen.Renji flares out wide—fakes.Riku takes one slow step—

Zero Step.

Explodes through the gap like lightning.

Two defenders collapse.

He fakes the layup—Dishes it back to Daiki at the elbow.

Midrange jumper—SPLASH.

44–43.

⏱️ Last Possession – Tosei's Final Shot

They inbound to their ace.

He drives.Stops.Pulls up.

But Keigo—with a monster block.Ball bounces to Riku.

Buzzer.

Game over.

Kaizen wins.

🧢 Aftermath – Respect Earned

Tosei's coach walks over to Riku.

"Your team shouldn't exist.""But if you keep playing like this… you might make history."

Riku nods.

"We're not here to exist.""We're here to prove that ghosts… can bleed."

🕶️ Meanwhile – Black Fang Academy

Jin leans against the gym wall, watching the highlight reel on a phone.

"They won?"

Akihiro: "Barely. But yeah."

Jin smiles—slow. Cold.

"Good.""I don't want Riku weak when I crush him."

He tosses the phone to the ground.It bounces once, screen cracked.

"Let the ghosts dance. We'll be the ones to bury them."