章 71: The Breaking Point

"The match between Teiko and Kamizaki is about to begin!"

With the referee's announcement, the crowd erupted into a thunderous cheer.

On the sidelines, Kamizaki's player, Inoue, bent over to tie his shoelaces. His hands trembled slightly, betraying an unusual nervousness. Suddenly, with a sharp snap, his shoelace broke, sending a jolt of unease through him.

Frowning at the broken shoelace in his hand, Inoue felt a sense of foreboding. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, but the uneasiness lingered.

As the players stepped onto the court, Inoue resolutely pushed his doubts aside. He raised his head, fixing a determined gaze on Aomine across the court. His eyes burned with the intensity of a warrior ready for battle.

Aomine responded with a confident smirk. "I won't hold back in this game!" he declared, rolling his shoulders in preparation for the challenge.

The game began, and time seemed to fly by. The atmosphere on the court was tense, and the audience watched with bated breath, eyes glued to the action.

Despite the anticipation for an intense showdown, the match quickly turned into a one-sided affair. Teiko displayed overwhelming skill and teamwork, seizing control of the game, while Kamizaki struggled to keep up.

Aomine's performance was especially dazzling. With unmatched speed and technique, he repeatedly sliced through the opposing defense, creating scoring opportunities for his team. Inoue, despite his best efforts, found himself increasingly outmatched.

At one point, Aomine executed a simple crossover, effortlessly bypassing Inoue, who stood frozen in place, offering no resistance. It was clear he had lost the will to fight.

Aomine was visibly frustrated. As he scored another point, he glanced at Inoue, his expression a mix of disappointment and disbelief. "What is this? Have you already given up? Why? I was looking forward to this! I thought we could have a proper battle!"

As Aomine ran past Inoue, he noticed his opponent staring blankly at the scoreboard, which now read 150:81.

Inoue let out a bitter laugh. "You still don't get it, do you?" he said coldly. "You've become an unbeatable monster. Who could possibly challenge you now?"

His tone was laced with bitterness, tinged with admiration and sadness. The realization of his powerlessness stung deeply, and his earlier hopes for revenge now seemed futile.

Aomine's eyes darkened at Inoue's words, a pang of pain hitting him. Glancing at Kuroko, who was jogging toward him for a celebratory fist bump, Aomine sighed.

"Tetsu… it's no use" Aomine murmured to himself. "The only one who can beat me is me." His confidence seemed to waver, replaced by a growing emptiness.

Ignoring Kuroko's outstretched hand, Aomine walked away. The distance between them grew, both physically and emotionally, leaving an awkward silence hanging in the air.

From the bench, Shiro watched the scene unfold, a mix of emotions welling up inside him. "So it's come to this — losing faith in basketball because his opponent gave up"

Shiro struggled with conflicting feelings. Part of him wished Inoue had pushed through to challenge Aomine, but reality was cruel. His skill was no match for Aomine's, and the massive score gap was enough to crush any middle schooler's spirit.

...

After the game, Aomine stormed into the locker room, kicked open the door, and walked out without a word.

The team exchanged uneasy glances, unsure how to react. Kuroko sat silently, deep in thought, while Midorima tightened his grip on a water bottle, muttering, "I had a bad feeling about this, but not like this."

Shiro sighed, trying to reassure the team. "Give him some space. He's upset that the opponent he was so eager to face gave up so easily" Gathering his belongings, he prepared to leave.

Nearby, Momoi looked equally worried. As Aomine's childhood friend, she understood his feelings better than anyone but chose to quietly follow Shiro's lead.

Outside the gym, Kuroko's phone suddenly rang. Glancing at the screen, he saw the caller's name: Ogiwara. An uneasy feeling crept over him as he answered.

"Sorry, Kuroko… I lost!" Shigehiro's voice cracked with sobs, words halting as if on the verge of breaking down. "Just a little more… and I could have... but no! I can't take it! I'm so frustrated, I can't even speak properly! Did you win?"

Kuroko's heart grew heavy at his friend's anguish, but he forced himself to reply softly, "Yes, we did."

"Congrats…," Shigehiro murmured, his tone sinking into despair. "I really wanted to cheer you on, but we're heading back soon. Sorry."

In another gym, tears streamed down Ogiwara's face as he clutched his fists, struggling to contain his emotions.

"Don't apologize so much!" Kuroko said, trying to console him.

"You're right… sorry" Ogiwara sniffled, forcing himself to calm down.

...

Meanwhile, Aomine sat alone on a bench outside the gym, a towel draped over his head. His expression was unreadable, his eyes cold and distant. Yet his clenched fists betrayed the storm of emotions raging inside him.

Back in the locker room, Shiro pondered how to reignite Aomine's passion for basketball. Should he challenge him directly, proving there's still room to grow? Or find another way to remind him of the joy of the game?

These questions weighed heavily on Shiro's mind as he gathered his things, leaving the court with a thoughtful gaze.