CHAPTER 117: HORIZON VS TOYONAKA : ECHOES AT THE BUZZER 2

Release.

Ssshhhwwiiiii—

NET.

59 – 60.

Rei dropped from his release, chest rising and falling.

Dirga was already there—

Clap. High five. Shoulder bump.

"Nice shot."

Low voice.

Calm.

Composed.

Then—

Backpedaling.

Eyes already hunting.

The fourth quarter wasn’t about flash anymore.

It was a war of inches.

A suffocating chess match.

Toyonaka slowed the pace.

Yuto brought the ball up.

His movements tight, measured.

Dirga shadowed him—

Not pressing full,

but close enough to steal breath.

Shunpei came up from the wing.

A soft pass.

Then—

Click.

The give-and-go.

Yuto passed, then darted around—

Shunpei’s body twisted—

Screen.

Dirga clipped.

Just enough.

He stumbled half a step—

Yuto caught the return and fired it to Masaki.

Masaki. Elbow.

Ball in hands.

He didn’t hesitate.

A floater—light, arcing—

Rikuya read it and jumped—

But he was a breath late.

His hand brushed the side of Masaki’s shooting arm—

Just a graze.

No whistle.

The ball hit the rim—

Bounced.

Masaki never landed.

He twisted in the air like a shadow unbound—

Snatched the rebound with one hand.

And in one violent, coiled motion—

He hurled it again.

Net.

59 – 62.

Dirga landed under the rim, feet heavy, breath sharp.

He looked up.

Masaki wasn’t grinning.

No fist-pumps. No showboating.

He just jogged back.

Silent. Composed.

Eyes burning like a turbine.

This wasn’t ego.

It was precision.

Surgical.

Deadly.

15 seconds left on Maestro State.

Dirga didn’t waste it.

"Ball."

He snapped his fingers once—

Taiga inbounded fast.

Dirga caught, turned, and accelerated.

He crossed half-court in seconds.

Yuto was there. As always.

Sticky. Focused.

Reading every twitch in Dirga’s body.

But Dirga was already two steps ahead.

A right-side burst—fake.

Pass left—

Kaito.

Kaito caught it clean on the wing.

Eyes up. Scanning.

Rei in the corner, but Daichi shaded the pass.

The paint was a war zone—

Rikuya posted. Haruto bracing.

Kaito whipped the pass inside.

Low. Fast.

Rikuya caught it.

Back to the basket.

One bounce.

Body-to-body.

Haruto held his ground.

Rikuya faked a drop-step—

Then spun, falling away,

Fadeaway jumper.

Haruto reached—just one finger.

Tch.

Tap.

It altered the shot.

Slight. Enough.

The ball kissed the backboard—

Rattled—

And fell into Shunpei’s hands.

Transition.

Shunpei ran.

Hard.

One-man fastbreak.

Taiga saw it.

He chased.

Like a machine made of will.

Shunpei saw Taiga coming—

He hesitated at the rim.

That pause?

Deadly.

Taiga leapt—

Not just a block.

A mid-air steal.

Ripped it from Shunpei’s hands.

Gasps from the crowd.

Even the Toyonaka bench leaned forward.

Taiga landed like thunder.

Turned—

Handed it to Dirga.

5 seconds left on Maestro State.

Dirga didn’t speak.

Didn’t blink.

He walked the ball past half-court, slow and steady.

Letting Shunpei trail behind.

Daichi had to switch to Kaito—

Which left Rei in the corner.

Dirga waited.

Baited.

Pass to Rei.

Daichi jumped—fully committed.

But it was bait.

Rei pump-faked.

Dribbled once.

Side-step.

Pull-up jumper.

Masaki turned, saw it, too late—

Swwwiiiissshhh—

63 – 62.

The net snapped like it was singing.

Rei backpedaled, calm.

Ice in his eyes.

Dirga walked over—

Said nothing.

Just slapped Rei’s palm with a crisp smack.

A nod.

"Let’s finish this."

A lead.

For the first time in the fourth quarter—

Horizon stood ahead.

But not for long.

Next possession.

Toyonaka reset.

Yuto with the ball—

Explosive. Unchained.

He danced through defenders,

Handle low, body weaving,

Dirga on him like a second skin.

Suddenly—

He tossed it up.

Alley-oop.

Masaki soared from the weak side—

Like a storm cutting through the skyline.

Caught. Slam.

63 – 64.

The gym shuddered.

Gasps and screams.

But no time to dwell.

Dirga grabbed the inbound.

Cold. Composed. Calculating.

Time to answer.

He brought it up slowly—

Then suddenly called for pick and pop.

But this time, not with Taiga.

With Rikuya.

Toyonaka didn’t expect it.

Yuto tried to fight over the screen—too late.

Dirga slipped the ball back.

Rikuya stepped out.

A smooth mid-range jumper.

Release. Rotation.

Splash.

65 – 64.

Not a three.

But enough.

Toyonaka again.

But this time—

Chaos.

Yuto tried to shoot from the elbow.

Clank.

It bounced hard off the front rim.

Rei dived for it.

Body first.

Palms scraping the court.

He touched it—

But Shunpei cut across the chaos.

Intercept. Steal.

A lightning pass to Masaki.

Masaki caught it, spun—

Attacked the paint.

But Taiga was waiting.

Feet planted.

Hands wide.

Masaki tried to pivot—

But got locked.

No space. No window.

He kicked it out to Haruto.

Now Haruto vs Rikuya in the post.

Clash of tanks.

Haruto tried a shoulder fake—

Then a spin to his left.

Rikuya read it.

Jumped.

Block!

The ball flew loose.

Taiga scooped it—

But slipped.

A stutter.

A heartbeat of panic.

Masaki snatched it mid-drop.

Spun.

Shot.

No one near.

Clean.

65 – 66.

The lead flipped again.

This court wasn’t a game anymore.

It was a battlefield with no oxygen.

Every possession—a war.

Every breath—a sacrifice.

03:43 left on the clock.

But not a single soul in that gym believed a winner had emerged yet.

This... could go to overtime.

This... could go to legend.

Kaito clutched his chest,

His breath wheezing through gritted teeth.

Coach raised a hand.

"Get him out."

New rotation.

Dirga – PG.

Rei – SG.

Aizawa – SF

Taiga – PF

Rikuya – C

Subbed out: Kaito and Haruto.

Fresh legs. Cold minds.

Dirga stood at the top of the key, palms out.

The inbound came.

As his hands touched the ball—

He triggered it.

[ Active Skill Flow State: ACTIVATED ]

[ Pressure Detected: MAXIMUM ]

[ Attribute Boost: 300% ]

[ Timer: 3 Minutes Remaining ]

A pulse cracked through Dirga’s core.

Snap.

His eyes widened.

The court blurred—then sharpened.

Every outline, every bead of sweat, every twitching muscle on the opposing side came into razor clarity.

His body?

Reborn.

The fatigue?

Purged.

Veins humming.

Lungs no longer choking.

Muscles tightened and responsive, ready to detonate at his command.

It felt like stepping back into divinity.

"Time to break it."

Dirga brought it up.

Not slow.

Not rushed.

But with intent—like a hunter stalking prey.