CHAPTER 45: MOUNTAIN TRIAL : LIMITATION

The mountain breeze rolled softly across the court, but no one was calm.

It was time.

The first official game of the three-way challenge had begun—Toyonaka vs. Kurama Team. The Horizon squad gathered near the sideline, stretching and sipping water. But Dirga wasn’t there to relax. No—he stood at attention, eyes locked on the court like a general surveying the battlefield.

Every detail mattered. Every quirk. Every slip-up.

This is our only chance to observe their limitations.

He looked toward Kaito, who nodded back. Both of them had the same job: watch the game, break it down, and turn that knowledge into survival.

Because whoever lost the first match... would have to immediately face the next challenger without rest.

That wasn’t just a game. That was a death sentence.

...

Game 1 – Toyonaka vs. Kurama

Kurama Team started strong. Shingo "Buzz" Kawada lived up to his name—he buzzed through defenders like a storm, dribbling low, weaving through screens, and scoring with clean, explosive moves.

Double-team?

He broke it.

Triple?

He split it.

No one on Toyonaka could keep up.

But then... something changed.

Kurama was up 6 – 0. Buzz had the ball and a clear lane to the rim. But instead of finishing the obvious play, he kicked it out to Renjiro Nakano—their emo-looking shooter.

Renjiro hit the three.

9 – 0. But Dirga narrowed his eyes.

Why didn’t Buzz go for the easy two?

Toyonaka couldn’t recover. The game ended quickly.

Toyonaka 0 – Kurama 1

...

Game 2

Yuto and Masaki adjusted. They must have noticed what Dirga saw—Buzz wouldn’t score past six points. So they let him cook early, hoping to force him to stop later.

It worked.

Buzz hit three quick layups, but when he hit six points, he suddenly began passing—playing facilitator. Dirga nodded.

Limitation confirmed: Buzz can only score up to six.

Still, that didn’t stop Kurama.

Buzz became a passing machine. He racked up three assists in the next minute. Masaru Hibiki—their monstrous 200 cm center—dominated the paint with putbacks and dunks. Renjiro rained threes from the wing. Even Yu Tamura, the "normal" guy, scored on a clean cut.

Dirga observed carefully.

Renjiro didn’t move an inch inside the arc. Just threes. He was a stationary cannon. Limitation #2: Renjiro is locked to outside shooting only.

What about Yu? Masaru? And Sota, the glasses guy?

Dirga wasn’t sure yet. But the game was over before Toyonaka could exploit those weaknesses.

Toyonaka 0 – Kurama 2

...

Game 3

Dirga watched Masaru this time.

Big. Strong. Dominant in the paint. But Dirga noticed something subtle.

Masaru jumped once for a rebound. Then again for a block.

Third time? He didn’t jump.

Wait... is there a jumping limit?

Masaru stayed grounded for the rest of the quarter. He still defended well, but he became slower, more beatable. Dirga scribbled mental notes.

Limitation #3: Masaru has a limited number of verticals—maybe three jumps per game?

Still, Toyonaka couldn’t capitalize.

Toyonaka 0 – Kurama 3

...

Game 4

Now Dirga focused on Yu and Sota.

Yu was solid. Always in the right place. But Dirga noticed something odd—he never made contact. No screens. No box-outs. Even when someone bumped into him, Yu sidestepped rather than holding his ground.

Limitation #4: Yu Tamura can’t initiate or receive physical contact.

That made him vulnerable.

Sota, on the other hand, was harder to read. He moved flawlessly—offensive rotations, passing, shooting, even help defense. But... something felt off. The rhythm of the game changed when he handled the ball. It slowed slightly, then surged forward. Like he was... offbeat?

No, not offbeat—he’s bound to rhythm.

Maybe his limitation was timing-related?

Dirga still couldn’t confirm, but he marked it mentally.

Toyonaka played better this round. They adjusted to Buzz’s scoring cap and forced outside shots.

But then... Buzz scored again.

A seventh point. Then eight.

What?!

Dirga’s eyes widened.

The scoring limit isn’t 6—it’s based on time, not points! Maybe six points in the first 3 minutes?

Too late. The game was done.

Toyonaka 0 – Kurama 4

...

After the match, the Kurama players sat down with towels around their necks, laughing and chugging water.

"That was intense," Buzz said, grinning. "But man, I hate this scoring leash."

Renjiro scoffed, blowing on his shooting hand. "My fingers are fried. Can’t believe I only shot threes the whole time."

Masaru nodded. "Feels like I’m wearing chains. Three jumps per game? It’s like being a caged lion."

The rest nodded knowingly.

Dirga locked every word in his head.

Limitations confirmed. We can win this.

10-minute break

Horizon warmed up. Toyonaka collapsed to the side—sweaty, gassed, and emotionally fried.

Now, it was Horizon’s turn.

...

Game 1 – Horizon vs. Toyonaka

Dirga led the first quarter. Toyonaka had nothing left in the tank. Horizon moved like a machine—Taiga crashing the boards, Rei hitting his mid-range, and Dirga slicing through defenders.

Toyonaka 0 – Horizon 1

...

Game 2

Kaito started as point guard, keeping things orderly. Dirga played as a roaming SG, attacking when openings appeared.

Toyonaka tried to push back. Masaki hit two buckets, but the fire was fading.

Toyonaka 0 – Horizon 2

...

Game 3

Toyonaka lost motivation. It was clear on their faces. They moved slower. They passed later. Their eyes were dull.

The match was over before it began.

Toyonaka 0 – Horizon 3

...

Dirga snapped.

"What the hell are you guys doing?" he shouted across the court. "This isn’t the Toyonaka I fought. Where’s your pride?!"

Masaki looked up, breathing hard.

"You guys still have a chance to tie this up. If we beat Kurama, and you beat us, it’ll be a three-way draw."

Dirga’s voice cut through the fog.

"I don’t want an easy win. I want to beat you at your best."

Yuto stood and bowed. "You’re right. I failed to lead. No more excuses."

Masaki stepped forward. "Let’s win this one."

Even Shunpei, the quiet one, looked angry now. "Let’s make it count."

Game 4

A reborn Toyonaka hit the court.

Masaki entered Flow Mode—unstoppable, cutting through defenders, crashing boards, yelling with every bucket. Horizon couldn’t hold them off.

Toyonaka 1 – Horizon 3

...

Game 5

Final game. Horizon needed this win to avoid a tiebreaker.

Dirga and Kaito started together—chaos and order, instinct and precision.

Every point mattered.

Masaki answered every shot. But Horizon’s teamwork was tighter. A clutch pass from Rei to Taiga secured the last point.

Toyonaka 1 – Horizon 4

...

Victory.

Dirga slumped down on the bench, heart pounding.

Yuto walked over and patted his shoulder. "Win it. Get our revenge."

Dirga nodded. "Count on it."

During the break, Dirga gathered his team.

"I’ve figured out their limitations," he said. "All five of them."

And now... it was time to plan their downfall.