Chapter 74: The Thunder Beast

With the sound of the whistle, the game officially began. Riko Aida stared at the court, unblinking, as if trying to see through every single player. Then, her eyes suddenly widened. "What's wrong, Riko?" her father, Kagetora Aida, noticed her unusual expression and asked with concern. Riko pointed toward Tendou Kageyoshi—her voice laced with awe, as if she were staring at a tyrannosaurus. "Is he strong?" "Yeah. Way beyond the norm." Riko had a special ability: the Eye for Stats. It was something she developed growing up alongside her father in the gym, watching countless athletes, including professionals. With just one look at a player, she could estimate their physical data. And from Tendou, she could sense physical values far exceeding his peers. Compared to her childhood friend Junpei Hyūga, they were on completely different planes of existence. Even with the crowd, distance, and jersey obscuring the details, she could still feel his dominance. This so-called "Demon Star of Teikō" was no joke. ... The game began with Teikō gaining possession. The moment the play started, it was clear—the opponent's defense was on another level. Not just intense—relentlessly tough, unlike any match before. This was Yamagata Middle School from Gunma Prefecture. They weren't here to play. They were here to go to war. Which made sense. At this point in the tournament, every team had to treat every match like their last. And facing Teikō, the current favorites to win it all, only raised the stakes. Every team treated games against them like a final. ... Tendou looked at the boy guarding him: Hayama Kotarō. Just as he remembered—brimming with aggression, a cocky smile on his face, and that signature little fang. He was constantly oozing confidence. Last year, Hayama was considered the best small forward alongside Nijimura Shūzō. This year, that title belonged to Tendou. So this match? It wasn't just a battle for victory—it was a showdown for the title of best SF in the country. Hayama stuck to Tendou like glue—whether or not Tendou had the ball. Shutting him down was seen as the key to beating Teikō. Yamagata Middle had prepared a full defensive game plan just for Tendou. Tight man-to-man, no space to breathe—that was Step One. "So you're Tendou..." Hayama tried to initiate some friendly banter—but Tendou didn't reply. He simply jogged to the three-point line and immediately set a screen for Nijimura. No time for pleasantries. Hayama cursed under his breath, but didn't switch coverage—he knew if he did, Tendou would just feast on his teammates. It wasn't that he looked down on them—it was just that at this level, ordinary players couldn't stop these monsters. As expected, Nijimura broke through and quickly dished the ball back to Tendou. Hayama raised one arm and used the other to pressure the shot. His defense was airtight. But then—Tendou just pulled up and shot over him. No hesitation. No hesitation at all. "That..." Riko's jaw dropped. This wasn't a good shot. Not by any textbook standard. Her childhood friend Hyūga would never shoot like this—not with a defender right in front of him, no space to rise. This was barely a shot attempt at all—just a flick in the face of defense. And yet— "Swish!" The ball sliced clean through the net. 3-0—Tendou put Teikō on the board. Riko gasped. In her eyes, that should've been a lucky shot. But Tendou's calm expression... made her doubt herself. Even Hayama was stunned. He had done everything right on defense—but Tendou had still hit the shot. He was cocky? Tendou was cockier. And now—Hayama's fighting spirit ignited. "I'm not good at small talk with strangers. If you want to say something—say it through basketball." Tendou turned away like it was nothing, strolling back on defense like an old man out for a walk. Effortlessly smug. Hayama didn't get angry. In fact, he grinned. Today, his mission was simple—take down this cocky freshman who'd been all over the news. Not just on defense. Offensively, too. He had zero doubt that he could do it. The path Tendou was walking now? He'd already walked it last year. ... Yamagata launched into transition. Hayama demanded the ball. No showboating—just three fingers raised in Tendou's face. "To beat you, I only need three fingers." Next second—BOOM. Hayama slammed the ball down with a lightning-fast dribble that echoed across the court. The sound alone made people flinch. That came from dribbling? Riko was speechless. After watching Hyūga play for so long, she felt like a country bumpkin discovering real basketball for the first time. Her father, Kagetora, just smiled knowingly. He'd heard the stories from old teammates. He knew this generation of middle schoolers... were built different. Riko wanted to build a championship team from scratch. She was going to have her work cut out for her. ... "Lightning Dribble!" Nijimura muttered. "No matter how many times I see it, it's always shocking." "So, what about you, Tendou?" "Can you handle it?" Everyone turned to Tendou. So far, no one had broken through Tendou's terrifying defense. His "Cleave" ability was like a blade that sliced through any opponent's offense. ... BANG. Another deafening bounce—but this time Hayama didn't stay in place. He darted toward the paint, as fast as lightning. His dribble was so aggressive, so rapid, it seemed like golden lightning crackled around him. This was— The Thunder Beast. "This is it? The so-called Demon Star of Teikō? That was way too easy." Hayama was already half a step past Tendou. In his mind, this was already a win. But the viewers knew better. Just as he pulled ahead, the camera shifted to a close-up of Tendou's side profile—his face shrouded in shadows. The entire screen darkened with it, little by little, until everything went black. Those familiar with the show knew what was coming. The audience spammed the live chat in unison—matching Tendou's quiet whisper. "Cleave." A bright flash erupted from the center of the screen, like a star bursting through the night. In the next frame— Hayama's face twisted in shock. Because somehow— His Lightning Dribble had been stolen. "My dribble... was intercepted...?"