CHAPTER 121: HORIZON VS TOYONAKA : MAESTRO’S LAST NOTE ONCE AGAIN 2

The arc — pure.

Swish.

85 – 85.

04:11 minutes

The crowd roared, but there was no time to breathe

...

Toyonaka inbounded.

Masaki didn’t wait.

A flash. A blur. A storm.

No Taiga. No Dirga.

The gap was there.

Masaki sliced through the defense like a knife through silk.

One dribble. One gather.

A smooth finish at the rim.

85 – 87.

Horizon answered.

Kaito called the play.

No panic. No rush.

This time—he used the paint.

A bounce pass inside—

Rikuya caught it.

Drop step. Spin. Power.

SLAM.

87 – 87.

"Rikuya answers with authority!"

But Masaki was already moving again.

This time—Horizon sent the double.

Aizawa. Hiroki.

One in front, one at his hip. Bodies close. Arms wide.

They didn’t need to stop him.

They just needed to force the pass.

Masaki gritted his teeth—

Kick-out to Haruto in the paint.

Rikuya stepped up.

Haruto didn’t force it—

He swung it fast to the corner.

Daichi. Open. Pulls up.

Shot.

Clang! Off the rim!

The ball popped high—

Masaki was already in the air.

Rikuya jumped—too.

But Masaki had the momentum. The timing. The rage.

He caught it with one hand.

Spun mid-air.

And DUNKED.

BAM!!

Rikuya got bodied.

"OH MY—MASAKI JUST DUNKED ON RIKUYA!"

87 – 89.

The gym exploded.

But before Horizon could even gather themselves—

Coach Tsugawa made the call.

"TAIGA — YOU’RE IN!"

The defensive anchor jogged to the scorer’s table, sweat still beading down his neck.

Substitution confirmed, Kaito at point guard, Hiroki at shooting guard, Aizawa at small forward, Taiga back in at power forward and Rikuya holding the paint

"And just like that — the defensive hustle of Horizon’s Taiga is back on the court!"

Inbound to Kaito.

He brought the ball into Toyonaka territory.

Yuto met him — eyes narrowed, hands low.

Kaito waited.

Hiroki came in to set the screen.

A tight pick and pop.

Kaito sold it hard — drove like he was going to attack—

Then snapped a back bounce pass behind him—

To Hiroki.

Wide open.

He rose.

Release.

The crowd held its breath—

CLANK! Off the rim!

Ball loose — wild bounce.

Taiga was already moving.

Eyes locked on the rebound.

Tracking every angle.

Rikuya and Haruto leapt — collided — the ball tipped.

Still loose.

Still alive.

And—

Rikuya recovered.

Hands firm. Ball secured.

One quick pass back out to Hiroki.

Taiga turned—saw him.

Like he was saying it with his eyes: You can.

Masaki was closing in.

Hiroki dribbled once.

A fake. Masaki flinched.

One more step—

Pull-up jumper.

SHWWWIIISSHHH.

90 – 89. Horizon leads.

"HIROKI REDEEMS HIMSELF! Horizon takes the lead!"

"What a possession — second chances, hustle plays, and trust. Horizon is still swinging!"

The crowd went wild.

Toyonaka inbounded.

Masaki caught it.

He didn’t wait.

Didn’t slow.

He tried to ramp up the tempo again—

But Taiga was already there.

Fresh. Locked in. Unafraid.

Masaki scanned the court — this wasn’t the same tired defender from before.

He needed more.

"Haruto! Screen!"

Haruto stepped up and planted hard.

Masaki took the screen, curling around.

Rikuya rotated out—ready to contain.

But—

Daichi cut in from the weak side.

Shunpei floated to the corner.

Masaki threaded a quick bounce pass to Daichi.

Easy two.

Score: 90 – 91. Toyonaka retakes the lead.

Masaki turned to Daichi.

A quick chest tap.

"Nice."

Kaito brought the ball up.

Calm. Precise. Always in rhythm.

He crossed half-court, dancing past Yuto with a single, fluid dribble.

Stepped into the elbow for a pull-up—

But Shunpei got a fingertip on it!

The ball popped loose!

Taiga dove for it. Full body. No hesitation.

But Daichi dove too—

Bodies hit the floor. The ball bounced—wild, chaotic—

And then—

It landed in Masaki’s path.

Wide open.

Fast break.

He ran.

Horizon’s entire defense scrambled like madmen—chasing, shouting, desperate.

But Masaki was faster.

He accelerated, one man leading a storm behind him—

And he soared.

BOOM. DUNK.

Score: 90 – 93. Toyonaka up by 3.

"MASAKI AGAIN!! TURNOVER INTO A SLAM!!"

"The court is on fire! Horizon gave everything on that dive, but the bounce just wasn’t theirs!"

The crowd exploded.

Masaki’s dunk echoed like thunder across the arena.

02:52 Minutes Remaining

...

On the Horizon bench...

Dirga sat forward, staring at the court — chest still rising and falling.

"Echo... my skill reset for overtime?" he asked, mentally linking with the interface only he could hear.

[ Yes. For every overtime, your skill set recharges. But caution, Host — the backlash will be heavier on your body this time. ]

Dirga closed his eyes.

Flow State. Maestro State. Tempo Sight — GodFrame.

All of them... available.

Then I’ll use everything.

Even if it breaks me.

Coach Tsugawa turned.

"Dirga — you ready?"

Dirga stood.

His legs were heavy. His lungs still burned.

But his eyes?

Sharp. Focused. Alive.

"Yeah... I’m ready."

...

Substitution, Dirga at point guard, Kaito to shooting guard, Aizawa at small forward, Taiga at power forward and Rikuya at center

"And here he comes! The Maestro returns — Dirga back on the floor for Horizon!"

"He’s already played one of the most intense games we’ve ever seen... but can he do it again in overtime?"

"Flow. Tempo. Leadership. If anyone can turn this around, it’s Dirga."

As Dirga stepped back onto the court, the lights seemed to shine a little brighter.

The floor felt solid beneath his feet.

The crowd—roaring.

Ayaka stood up at the front of the cheer squad, leading the chant herself:

"DIRGA! DIRGA! DIRGA!"

And then—

[ Echo: Activating Flow State. Boosting 500%. Duration: 3 minutes. ]

"500%...?" Dirga’s eyes widened for a second.

He had reached 300% before.

That already felt like breaking gravity.

This... was another level.

[ Caution, Host. Your body—remember the cost. ]

"It’s okay," Dirga thought. "I need to win."

"When there’s 60 seconds left—activate Maestro State. At 45 seconds—Tempo Sight: GodFrame. Copy?"

[ Yes, Host. Commands received. ]

Dirga felt it surge back—

The Flow.

He had just used it.

Now he was using it again.

Back-to-back. No breaks. No mercy.

He prayed his body would hold.

He hoped.

"Nice rest, star?" Aizawa said with a smirk.

Dirga laughed, short and sharp.

"Let’s win this, Aizawa-senpai."

Kaito, Rikuya, and Taiga said nothing—

But their eyes?

They said it all.

Let’s finish this.

Dirga took the inbound pass.

The ball felt like an extension of his body.

Not slow. Not rushed. Just in rhythm.

He crossed half court—

Yuto was waiting. Shadowing. Reading.

Dirga exploded forward with a first step—too fast.

Yuto bit.

Step back. Stop. Pull.

Three point jumper.

Smooth. Silent. Swish.

93 – 93.

"DIRGA! TIES IT UP WITH AN EXPLOSIVE MOVE!"