Chapter 9 – The Court With No Mercy
Headlines Flood In
> "Cinderella Story? Kaizen Makes the Finals"
"Black Fang vs. Kaizen: A Battle of Legacies"
"Aoyama vs. Jin – Brothers Turned Rivals"
Fans were calling it The Game of the Year.
But for Kaizen?
It was personal.
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🧊 Flashback – 4 Years Ago
Middle School.
A dusty gym. Riku and Jin practicing alone.
> "We'll rule the court together, right?"
"No one else. Just us."
They were the dream team.
Until Jin left.
Until he broke Riku on the court—and left him behind.
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🏟️ Kanto Dome – Finals Day
The stadium was packed wall-to-wall.
National media. Pro scouts. Live coverage.
Kaizen walked in, heads high.
Black Fang entered like a stormfront in sneakers.
Jin walked in last, surrounded by monsters.
He and Riku locked eyes.
> "You ready to lose again?"
"You ready to feel what I felt back then?"
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🔥 Coach Tanaka's First Real Speech
He stood in front of Kaizen's squad.
No clipboard. No whistle.
> "You boys were never supposed to be here. And maybe after today, the world forgets your names."
"But you won't."
"Because you know what it took to wear that jersey."
"Now go burn down their dynasty."
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🏀 Tip-Off – Kaizen vs. Black Fang
Quarter 1: Chaos.
Black Fang ran hyper-structured plays—everything polished, deadly.
Kaizen couldn't keep up.
Jin? Ruthless. Pull-up threes. Crosses. Fadeaways.
Score: 22–9, Black Fang.
Renji was cold.
Keigo got blocked twice.
Riku? Locked.
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🧠 Quarter 2 – Kaizen Breathes Again
Riku adapted—called off-tempo sets.
He didn't try to beat Jin.
He broke down everyone around him.
Backdoor to Daiki.
Blind pass to Renji.
Delayed screen frees Souta.
They chipped back: 36–30.
Riku:
> "We don't play their game. We make them play ours."
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🧊 Halftime – Locker Room Showdown
Renji slammed the wall.
> "They're faster. Stronger. Cleaner."
Riku sat, calm.
> "But they're not hungrier."
He looked up.
> "And hunger wins in the fourth."
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🧨 3rd Quarter – Jin Goes God Mode
Jin activated his "Zone Control"—every step he took bent Kaizen's defense.
He baited Riku out, then dunked on Keigo.
Then hit a stepback three over two defenders.
Score: 52–40.
Jin:
> "You're still beneath me."
Riku?
Didn't flinch.
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🔥 Final Quarter – No Mercy Left
Riku called:
> "Ghost Formation."
Motion offense. Zero Step. Ghost Step.
New move: "Ash Release" – a midair fake into a reverse layup.
Renji found rhythm—corner threes like poetry.
Keigo grabbed every board like it owed him rent.
Souta?
Started predicting Jin's plays.
Daiki—bruised and limping—drew a charge on Black Fang's center.
Crowd EXPLODED.
Score: 66–66.
20 seconds left.
Kaizen ball.
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🎯 Final Possession – The Crownless Play
Riku dribbled slow.
Clock ticking.
Jin guarded him.
> "You really think you can win this time?"
Riku smiled.
> "I don't think. I believe."
He drove.
Jin cut him off.
Spin.
Stepback.
Fade—
No. He passed.
Renji in the corner.
Wide open.
Shoots.
Silence.
Splash.
Buzzer.
KAIZEN WINS. 69–66.