Slam dunk, hit 100% of the three-pointers at the beginning!

The Miuradai coach stroked his beard with a sly grin. "Shohoku's so-called 'super rookie'? Let's see if you're still standing by the end."

Murasame and Araki charged straight toward Ryu.

Miyagi called out cautiously, "Careful, Ryu! You've really made them mad."

But Ryu just smiled, calm and unbothered. "It was bound to happen sooner or later, wasn't it?"

He stood his ground, his sharp eyes locked on the two players rushing at him.

"Why isn't Shohoku's number 10 moving?"

"They're clearly aiming for him, not the ball!"

"Isn't he being a bit too confident?" murmured the spectators.

Suddenly, Ryu lowered his center of gravity, dribbling faster.

"Explosive start!"

With a lightning-quick first step, Ryu darted between Murasame and Araki, leaving them no time to react.

As he dashed past, he skillfully moved the ball behind his back, avoiding their attempted steal like a streak of lightning. His movements formed a sharp C-curve as he slipped cleanly between them.

"What just happened?!"

Murasame and Araki froze, exchanging bewildered looks. They couldn't believe their eyes—how had Ryu managed to get through both of them so effortlessly?

Frustrated by their failure, the two players' anger boiled over. With reckless abandon, they both swung their elbows hard, aiming at Ryu's waist.

But Ryu was already too fast for them. Before their elbows could even graze him, he had zipped past, leaving the two off-balance.

Thud!

Murasame and Araki collapsed onto the court, groaning in pain. Their faces twisted in agony as they realized their elbows had collided—not with Ryu, but with each other.

Meanwhile, Ryu, now unguarded, took an easy shot from beyond the arc. Swish! Another three-pointer for Shohoku.

The referee immediately approached to check on the fallen players, while the crowd erupted in cheers.

"Serves them right! Those Miuradai players only know how to play dirty!"

"Did you see that move? Shohoku's number 10 just slipped between them like it was nothing!"

"No wonder they call him Shohoku's rookie king!"

The spectators showed no sympathy for Miuradai's plight. Instead, they celebrated. A team that played so dirty was finally facing justice.

Rukawa, sitting on the bench, heard the crowd chanting Ryu's name as Shohoku's new star player. It left a sour taste in his mouth.

"Rookie king?" he thought, feeling slightly annoyed.

At the Shohoku bench, Ayako wiped away nervous sweat. "That show-off. At least he's okay."

"Not bad," Coach Anzai remarked with a satisfied nod. Though Ryu's actions were risky, his skills were undeniable. Even Rukawa had room to grow in certain areas compared to Ryu.

Miyagi gave Ryu a thumbs-up from the court. "That was awesome, man!"

Even the usually stern Akagi allowed himself a small smile. He'd been worried that Ryu's confidence might get him injured, but to see him handle Miuradai's two most troublesome players so easily was a relief.

Over in Ryonan's spectator section, Uozumi and Hikoichi couldn't help but cheer.

"Well done!"

"Keep it up, Shohoku! Crush Miuradai by 100 points!"

"Those no-good players dared to call Ryonan a second-rate team," Uozumi fumed. "Shohoku, destroy them!"

Sendo, sitting nearby, watched thoughtfully. "He's improved a lot. His speed and technique aren't clumsy anymore."

Maki, from Kainan, chuckled as he watched. "That kid really knows how to mess with people. I like his style."

Maki also harbored a grudge against Miuradai's dirty tactics. Playing against them was always frustrating—not because of their skill, but because of their constant sneaky fouls.

"Beep!"

The referee signaled a timeout.

The Miuradai coach rushed onto the court to assess the damage. After a quick check, he confirmed that Murasame hadn't sustained any serious injuries and could continue playing. However, Araki wasn't as lucky. Murasame's elbow had hit him in a critical spot, leaving him too weak to continue.

"Damn it! Why now?" the coach grumbled, his frustration mounting. With the score gap widening and one of his key players out, Miuradai's situation was becoming desperate.

Glancing at the scoreboard, the coach took a deep breath and made a decision.

"Naito, get ready. You're going in."

Tetsuya Naito nodded, shedding his warm-up jacket and starting his stretches.

The coach leaned in close, whispering to Naito. "When you're out there, make sure you take down Shohoku's players. The game is in your hands now."

"Got it!" Naito grinned, his expression dark and menacing.

Hurting opponents? That was Naito's specialty.

Murasame, still recovering on the sidelines, looked up at Naito with admiration. "Naito-kun, it's all up to you now. Miuradai's future depends on you!"

Pleased by the flattery, Naito smirked arrogantly, continuing his warm-up. "Shohoku's rookie king? I'll take him down myself!"