Kuroko's Basketball template: the king of slacking off, Shohoku's strongest sixth man.

Just as the two were about to close the door.

Rukawa Kaede made a move that shocked everyone.

He did not force a jump, nor did he change direction.

With a nimble flick of his wrist, he carried the ball.

The entire arm, like a slippery eel, emerged from the narrow gap between their bodies…

I passed through!

Did the ball and person pass each other?

No, it was a forced crossing where man and ball became one!

"What?!"

Hasegawa and Takano only felt a blur before their eyes, and that cold figure had already pierced through their defenses.

Rukawa Kaede deftly flicked the ball into the basket and scored.

11: 4.

"Whoosh—!!!"

The long-silent Shohoku stands, despite their small number of spectators, erupted in an astonishing cheer.

"Rukawa Kaede! Rukawa Kaede! Rukawa Kaede!"

The girls in Rukawa Kaede's fan club screamed and jumped up.

"So cool! Rukawa Kaede!"

He waved the colorful ball wildly in his hand, as if he wanted to shout himself hoarse.

Sakuragi Hanamichi stood in the backcourt.

Looking at Rukawa Kaede's dashing back, he was so angry that his teeth itched and his face turned green.

"That damned fox...he's stolen the spotlight again!"

Although he said that, Sakuragi couldn't help but replay the goal in his mind.

"Tch... He's only a tiny bit worse than this genius."

Ryota Miyagi ran over; although he had scored, he was still somewhat dissatisfied.

"Hey, Rukawa!"

"In that situation, wouldn't it have been better to wait for teammates to provide support?"

"What if I make a mistake?"

Akagi and Mitsui also gathered around, clearly having some reservations about Rukawa's "lone wolf" style of play.

Rukawa Kaede turned around and looked at the four panting people with a blank expression.

He raised his hand, wiped the sweat from his chin, and said coldly:

"Because you're all too slow-witted."

"That's why I can't pass the ball."

The air froze instantly.

"What?!"

Sakuragi Hanamichi's forehead veins bulged instantly, and he looked like a lit powder keg.

"What did you say?!"

"You damned fox! Who are you calling slow-witted?!"

Ryota Miyagi's eyebrows twitched: "You brat... if that shot hadn't gone in, I'd show you what senior's care is all about."

Mitsui Hisashi clenched his fist: "That kid, his mouth is still so sharp."

Even Akagi's face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

However, Rukawa's highly provocative words were like a shot of adrenaline, piercing the hearts of everyone at Shohoku.

Anger is sometimes the best fuel.

The game continues.

Xiangyang launched another attack.

This time, just as Ito Taku was about to pass the ball, he found that Miyagi Ryota had clung to him like a mad dog, his eyes ferocious and terrifying.

"Slow-witted? I'm Miyagi Ryota, lightning fast!"

Miyagi's defensive intensity instantly increased to a higher level, forcing Ito Taku to hastily pass the ball out.

The ball is passed to Takano in the paint.

Just as Takano was about to shoot, a huge wall of flesh suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Roar!!"

Akagi Takenori roared and slammed the ball down like he was swatting a fly.

"Don't underestimate Shohoku, you bastard!!"

The ball was slapped away and landed right in Sakuragi Hanamichi's hands.

Sakuragi had just received the ball and hadn't even had time to be happy when Hasegawa from Shohoku pressed him forward.

"Hmph! You think you can steal the ball from this genius?"

Sakuragi turned around, protected the ball, and then saw Miyagi who was already running down the court.

"Good fields! Run!"

Shohoku launched a counterattack.

Miyagi received the ball and advanced with astonishing speed.

Sakuragi Hanamichi took long strides, like a red Ferrari, and charged madly towards Shohoku's basket.

Give me the ball!

Sakuragi ran and shouted, raising his arms high.

Miyagi seized the opportunity and sent a teleport in a flash.

The ball flew towards Sakuragi.

Sakuragi Hanamichi caught the ball, pushed off with both feet, and soared into the air.

"This is the layup of a genius underdog!!"

He caught the ball in mid-air, facing an empty basket.

Because he was too excited, and also because he wanted to prove to Rukawa that he wasn't "dull-witted".

He used all his strength to smash the ball hard—

It slammed into the backboard.

Yes, it was too much force.

"Bang!!"

The basketball slammed heavily onto the backboard, but instead of going into the net, it bounced back at an astonishing speed.

"Huh?"

Sakuragi was still hanging in the air when his expression froze, turning into beady eyes.

"Did I...make a mistake?"

Just as the audience was about to cheer, their voices were caught in their throats.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

"What's that red-haired guy doing? Is that a shot?"

"That's hilarious!"

Just as the basketball was about to bounce away and Sakuragi was about to become a laughing stock.

A dark shadow rose up from behind Sakuragi once again.

That was Rukawa Kaede, who was right behind him.

He leaped high into the air and caught the rebounding basketball with one hand in mid-air.

The body stretched out in the air, like a fully drawn bow.

"boom!!"

Rukawa Kaede slammed the ball into the basket, over Sakuragi who hadn't even hit the ground yet!

Deducted!

An alley-oop putback dunk!

The immense impact caused the basketball hoop to tremble.

Rukawa landed, released the rim, didn't even glance at Sakuragi, and turned to run back.

Sakuragi was left standing there dumbfounded under the basket, still in a layup position, looking completely bewildered.

"...Are you in?"

The Sakuragi Army in the stands were stunned for a moment, then burst into earth-shattering laughter.

Yohei Mito clutched his stomach, laughing so hard tears streamed down his face: "Hahahaha! That idiot Hanamichi! Was he trying to smash the backboard?"

Takamiya Nozomi laughed wildly while eating potato chips: "As expected of a master of flower arrangement! Only a genius could come up with such a way to assist!"

Yuji Oonan shouted, "Hey! Hanamichi! That was a beautiful pass! That was a brilliant pass!"

Hearing his friends' "praise," Sakuragi Hanamichi's face instantly turned a deep liver color.

He looked at Rukawa Kaede's retreating figure, then at the still trembling basketball hoop, and finally could only grit his teeth and force himself to save face.

"Hmph...Hmph! That's right!"

Sakuragi, hands on his hips, shouted at Rukawa's retreating figure:

"How was that, Rukawa Kaede! This is the brilliant lesson this genius taught you!"

"If I, this genius, hadn't deliberately smashed the backboard, how could you have dunked so stylishly!"

"You should thank me, you bastard!"

Rukawa stopped, turned his head, and looked at Sakuragi as if he were an idiot.

"idiot."

The score is 11 to 6.

The gap is narrowing.

More importantly, the Shohoku players were enraged by Rukawa's comment that he was "slow-witted".

At this moment, the flames in his eyes were completely blazing.

On the bench.

Lin Bei changed his posture and continued sitting.

"Although the coordination was absolutely terrible..."

"But this chaotic atmosphere is quite a headache."

He glanced at Kenji Fujima, whose face looked rather grim on the opposite coaching bench.

"Hey, Fujima."

"If I don't step up myself..."

"Your tall teammates are going to get torn to shreds by these beasts."