With Asahina dribbling the ball, the Seirin team began to regroup as they go up against Sobu's goal. Kagami and Hikigaya kept pushing out one another out of their comfort zones as Kuroko was simply waiting in the shadows while observing the way Hikigaya Hachiman moved. He's not giving Kagami-kun any space at all. The tealnette thought as Asahina was able to bring the ball up. He then passes it to the Phantom Sixth Man, who redirects it to Matsuda, who quickly scores via an alley-oop.

"Don't mind it!" Mochida said as he inbounds the ball to Hikigaya, "We'll get those points back slowly but surely! It's still the second quarter!"

On the court, Hikigaya had the ball and was already standing in the rainbow territory but Kagami suddenly came up and blocked his path. Am I feeling that something's off with his game? The red head thought as his mark dribbling it behind his back. Suddenly, he faked his dribble through his left and right side before eventually dashing passes Kagami as if he wasn't there.

Impossible! Kagami thought. Is he as fast as Ahomine?!

As Hikigaya continued towards the net, Matsuda and Asahina were already there, ready to block him. That, however, didn't intimidate, Hikigaya. When the two jumped to stop his shot, he went into a fadeaway type of shot as he lowers his body posture.

How can anyone make a quick stop at that speed and jump backwards? Kagetora thought as he watched with shock. However, Kagami did not give up. He ran towards Hikigaya and jumped to block him from behind. But he was just a second too late.

Damn it! I can't keep up! He mentally screamed as the ball went inside perfectly.

I'm not as strong as Aomine. Hikigaya thought as they went back to defend. But it doesn't mean I cannot perform those movements.

Sobu heading back, but Kuroko saw this as a chance. Quickly, he grabbed the ball and spun with all his strength until he gathered enough momentum and released the ball into Kagami's direction.

The ball landed firmly in his palms and without hesitation slammed the ball into the net. Hikigaya then looked at Kagami. Hmm, Kuroko taught him how to catch that type of pass? Well…it should be expected. He's the new light, after all.

When they restarted, Hikigaya received the ball and once more faced off with Kagami.

The redhead could tell that there was something different about him. Hikigaya then ran off with the ball, Kagami beside him trying to stop him at all costs. But then his shorter opponent bounced the ball behind Kagami and turned around and caught it back to make his way to the net.

Kagami had reacted quick enough to catch him back and block him, but Sobu's walk-in player was unstoppable. His movements are unreadable and unconventional and upon seeing them, Kagami realized something as he finally was able to read his movements.

Impossible! Only Aomine is the one who is well-versed with this but to see someone do it…it's totally out of my mind. I didn't expect him to be able to play streetball!. After trying to stop his movements and failed, he fell on his butt.

Seeing that Kagami couldn't stop him, Kuroko joined Asahina and Matsuda at the net to try and stop Hikigaya. However, with a jump, Sobu's most hated man ended up at the right corner side just outside the three point line and threw the ball towards the fiberglass board like he was throwing a Frisbee.

It bounced off the glass before going in perfectly.

Everyone was shocked.

"What was that?!" Tobe shouted. "How is that humanly possible?!"

"That's just it. Hikki isn't human." Yuigahama replied, dazed. "But somehow, I'm glad to see this side of Hikki."

Yukinoshita narrowed her eyes as she watches her club mate go back to defense.

Once again the crowd roused up. They then looked to the court, to see Kagami, fumbled a pass, and Hikigaya running towards Seirin's net. Kagami was between him and the net, but then Hikigaya did something unusual. He threw the ball behind the backboard as Asahina had pressured him towards the sidelines. And surprisingly, it went into the net after going over the backboard.

Finally, this prompted Seirin to call a timeout.

"What the hell?! What is up with your former teammate, Kuroko?" Kagami asked the shadow.

"It's simple. It's in his style." Kuroko replied as they head back to the bench. "Over the years, basketball forms have been polished to perfection, so it all comes down strategic battles between teams. But Hikigaya-kun's an unconventional player—or rather, a mixed of freestyle and orthodox basketball. He's a point guard like Akashi-kun but his style is closer to Aomine-kun's and to a lesser extent, Kise-kun. Didn't I tell you one time that Hikigaya-kun started playing in the streets the same time as Aomine-kun's?"

"But it's worth it." Kagami said with a maniacal grin. "Players like him deserve to be challenged. There's no fun in a world without challenges."

Meanwhile, Hikigaya has been sweating profusely as he didn't expect that he would again play the very sport that he had come to hate forever—or that's what he thought. Man, I never thought I'd do this again. Originally, I'm just aiming to just shut his mouth but I guess I went too far. He was then given a bottle of water by their coach, who seemed pretty happy—or super happy that somehow, a special player managed to show up right here in their school.

To think Sobu's most hated man is going toe-to-toe with Seirin's ace and one of the best players in Japan, it'd be definitely worth it to risk the criticisms from the student body. The coach said to himself as he watches the boy wipe off his sweat from his forehead. "Okay, listen boys! We'll keep having the offense centered around Hikigaya! I'll let him operate in his own space." This sudden decision caused the other seniors in the team to gape in shock.

"But coach…" Kaitobi tried to reason out.

"Hikigaya's streetball movements caught them off guard." The coach explains. "By letting Hikigaya operate with the ball for the last minute of the second quarter, the rest of you would have to focus on defending. If they switch to double-teaming him, wait for the ball to be passed to the other four of you guys. Now, go!"

"Hai!" The four regulars of the team said as Hikigaya simply nodded slightly. As the five then went inside the basketball gymnasium, the coach seemed to be already hyping up a lot of things. I can possibly coerce him into joining the basketball club. With him, we can possibly compete in the Interhigh and snap the decades-old drought of not participating in those tournaments.

With the game resuming, Kuroko inbounds the ball to Asahina, who began to dribble it down. "Now! Fast break!" Kagami shouted with Yagi, who was inserted in place of Matsuda, running beside him. He then receives the ball via a bounce pass from Asahina but Kaitobi and Mochida were already down there. The red head had no choice but to stall their offense for the moment.

Mochida then dashed off towards Kagami in an attempt to steal the ball, but the faster power forward passed the ball behind his back to Asahina as he cuts into the shaded lane. Asahina then redirected it to Kuroko who used the Ignite pass to get the ball to Kagami.

"What is that?!" Kaitobi said in shock.

Kagami then jumped to make the dunk before Hikigaya, who chased the taller teen, had caught up.

"Yosha!" The Seirin ace shouted as they all head back to defense.

Misdirection. Kuroko's ultimate weapon. Hikigaya thought to himself as the leather basketball was passed to him. I've never felt that move for a while. It's been ages. But as he was already closer to the three point line, he was met by a double-team of Asahina and Yagi. He then had to hesitate his move as he keeps the ball away.

"Eh? Hikki's being surrounded?" Yuigahama was worried in her seat.

"Considering that he's the only legit scorer there even if he's not a regular, I'm not surprised at all." Hiratsuka Shizuka, advisor of the Service Club and Hikigaya's teacher. "Since he's been scoring a lot, Seirin is responding by having to double him to restrict his movement."

"Hiki-ball-kun should just have passed it then." Yukinoshita muttered as she watches her club mate still dribbling the ball.

I don't know about that. Hiratsuka mentally said. It looks like he had no plans of even passing the ball…

Back in the court, one of the benched seniors of Sobu suddenly appealed to the coach, "Coach! Let me in! Hikigaya didn't even plan on passing the ball and the time's…"

"I know that." The coach sternly replied. "Considering it's that kid, I'm pretty sure he has some weird ideas but if nothing else, I'll have to trust in his strength. He would be able to break out of this, for sure."

Ah, the sounds of squeaking sneakers and the pressure defense. I kind of miss it. Hikigaya muttered to himself as he sees that the shot clock is already down to 10 seconds. Hate me all you can but if you all think this is what it takes to stop me, sorry to disappoint you. He can hear the whisperings in the crowd as his four teammates were all waiting for him to pass. Well…here goes…

Suddenly, he accelerated his feet as he suddenly charges into the slight opening between Asahina and Yagi. Being able to push the ball in the small opening, he then splits the defense as he forces his way in, stunning the coaches, the benched players, Kuroko, Kagami, and Yukinoshita.

This guy's no joke! Kagami thought.

That double-team was because his penetrating drive worried us most, and he just breaks right through?! Kagetora was gaping by what he saw.

This is the vestiges of the old Hikigaya-kun that I know…and it's still there nevertheless. Kuroko gasped.

Ha-Hachiman?! Yukinoshita was speechless as she calls him by his given name.

Asahina tried to stop Hikigaya by standing his ground in the free throw line but the latter responded by jumping off his left foot as he shoots the ball with his one hand. "A clean floater…the release has zero deviation." Mochida notes as the ball goes in.

With the second quarter dying down, Kagami was finally fired up as he takes the ball coast-to-coast. Mochida tries to stop him but Kagami simply pushes him off as he slid down. Kaitobi also tried to stop him but he was a step too late as the red head power forward already jumped ahead to dunk the ball.

Suddeny, a shadow loomed over him.

Hikigaya had caught up out of nowhere and suddenly swatted the ball away. Kagami was stunned as his shot was blocked from behind. How did he reached up from there?!

The buzzer then sounded, signalling the end of the second quarter.

As both teams eventually return to their benches for the ten-minute interval before the second half starts, Hiratsuka can see how sweaty Hikigaya is right now as the Sobu bench were celebrating the fact that the score has become 27 – 15, still in favour of Seirin but Sobu finally getting their offense alive.

"Hikigaya is amazing, neh?" Hiratsuka smiled as she looks at Yukinoshita, "Who could have honestly believed that he's capable of playing that way?"

"I didn't expect Hikigaya-kun can play a team sport." The president of the Service Club said as she stares blankly at the basketball court. "

"Good work in the first half!" Coach said. "Miracles really happen in specific times like this one. Okay, we'll just continue to pummel them with Hikigaya leading the offense. If they score, then let it be. We can't help that anymore considering they're one of the best offense-oriented team in the whole of Japan. Now…"

"Coach…" Hikigaya suddenly called out.

"Hmmm?" The old man turned his head to see Hikigaya suddenly calling him out.

"It's about Kagami and Kuroko, their number 4 player." The boy with ahoge speaks up. "To be honest, it's very hard to defeat the two of them when they work in sync. Their cooperation is one of the reasons why Seirin is very hard to beat when it comes to offensive power. But if we make a lot of three point shots, we'll be able to catch up. Kuroko won't probably last long because of his stamina…" But I'm not very sure of that. If that's the case, then he should have been subbed out right now. He must have come a long way in augmenting his weak stamina.

"Eh?" Everyone, sans the coach, was gaping at him like they just saw an alien.

"What?"

"Well…to start with…you're talking more usual and with sense other than the rubbish you usually spout about." Kaitobi commented.

"Oi…I can be smarter than that!" Hikigaya was visibly offended.

"Stop this fight and shut up!" The coach silences the whole locker room noise. "Okay, I'll still let Hikigaya handle the ball but pass it as well. Hikigaya, that last move was a bit risky. You should have passed the ball instead of splitting the defense, which you luckily did."

"That wasn't luck…"

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Okay, win or lose, just go out there." The coach reminds his wards. "Oh…Hikigaya, I have a few words for you after this game."

"Let the third quarter begin!"

The game restarted, but as Yagi, who is benched, looked on, he notice that Hikigaya was on the bench. "Are they going to be okay?"

"It can't be helped," His benchmate answered. "But they couldn't afford to sub that guy in plain clothes out in the second quarter. He's the only one who can go head-on against Kagami and Kuroko among our current opponents."

Hikigaya had the ball dribbling but he was facing off with Kagami. But in split moment, Kuroko activated his misdirection and knocked the ball from his hands and passed it to Kagami who dashed off from Hikigaya. He ran with the ball down court and saw Asahina in his vision. But Hikigaya caught him and since he realized that Seirin was using him to either make shots or as a relay pass, he kept on Kagami's left so that he would block the path to Asahina. Fortunately for Kagami, Kuroko once again came up and redirected the ball to Matsuda. The latter then shot it but it was too strong and the ball bounced off. Kaitobi cleared the rebound and passed it to Hikigaya, who then pushes the ball further before he met Kagami, who was prepared to defend his net.

Hikigaya then spun around and headed in the opposite direction but Kagami still didn't leave him alone. It was then that he realized that he had to go all out. When Kagami came upon him again, Hikigaya used the hesitation dribble to stall him for a couple seconds and then he picked up after the second pause, he then took a step left and then made his second step right.

The red head ace wondered what was going on. Hikigaya?

Hikigaya then dashed down the court towards Seirin's net however, when he was at the center, he felt a sudden chill down his spine. Dammit! He's coming… At that thought, he felt the weight of the ball gone from his hands. He looked around and saw Kagami with the ball, heading towards Sobu's net. Hikigaya and the rest followed. Shit! He cursed.

Hikigaya was able to catch him up but Kagami didn't care. When they were close to the net, the ace shot the ball. Not wanting to give up, Hikigaya jumped to block the shot, but his body was a few inches short for him to stop it. The ball went into the net smoothly, Kagami turned and walked away into Seirin's half.

Hikigaya smirked low-key. Am I getting infected by Kagami's competitive nature?!

He went to retrieve the ball, and when Kagami was already by the free throw key lane, Hikigaya came closer within five feet from the three-point line went into shooting form and quick release.

"No way!" Yuigahama said. "I thought the first time was just a fluke but Hikki's attempting it again?!"

Hikigaya then shot the ball, and just like before, its arc was graceful and high. No one can stop it, even if it's Kagami. With swoosh sound in the net, it went through the hoop, giving Sobu another three points.

"Hikigaya?" Kagami said. "I can't believe it. He's shooting like Touou's Sakurai and playing almost like Ahomine and Akashi."

"But there's no time to ponder things, Kagami-kun." Kuroko said as he inbounds the ball. "Believe it or not, Hikigaya-kun's instincts are slowly returning from being dulled in years. I know it since I have played with him before." He then passes it to Asahina, who dribbles it hard before shooting from the free throw line to earn himself a basket.

Not wanting to be outdone, Hikigaya dribbled the ball with a frightening speed, but he wasn't trying to use ankle break on Kagami at first. He then continuously moved back and forth, stalling until Mochida and Kaitobi are in place, ready to screen out the defense. When the shooting guard nodded to him, he then broke past Kagami at such a frightening speed that the ace couldn't help but be shocked. He chased him down however, and quickly blocked him.

"I'm not letting you go that easily, Hikigaya!" Aomine said. "To think you almost had the same ability as Aomine!"

"You're comparing me to that ganguro?" Hikigaya answered. "I could even be better than him if I wanted to." This startled Aomine. Using this as an opportunity, he dribbled past him and did a low bounce pass between his legs before retrieving the ball. Asahina tried to recover but he was screened out as their de facto point guard quickly seals the deal by shooting a perimeter jump shot, earning himself another basket.

How frightening. Kagetora calmly thought as he watches his Seirin boys regroup. A player like that can't be stopped once he has the ball. He then looks at Hikigaya, who is facing off once more against Kagami. Hikigaya Hachiman…now that Kuroko said it himself at the half-time break, it's no surprise Sobu was able to turn around the tables, even if it's just a slight margin.

Sobu is coming back, and at an alarming speed at that. It was now five minutes into the third quarter and Sobu was at 20 while Seirin at 31.

There was a slight glimmer of hope.

Kagami sprint down the court with the ball with Hikigaya chasing him. "You're lagging behind!" he said. They then reached the net but Hikigaya decided to block his path and went in between the net and Kagami.

But the latter didn't care.

He smirked as he then threw the ball towards the net but Hikigaya timed it just right. Since he was four inches shorter, he has to jump the same moment the ball is released.

It landed squarely in his palm and he dashed down the court without a second glance at Kagami. When he reached the center line, Kagami was right behind him, and thankfully, Mochida decided to act. The moment Aomine knocked the ball from Kise's hand from behind, it bounced forward and Mochida was right there to catch it.

He then dribbled for a couple seconds before Kuroko came to block him. Hikigaya continued running, but Kagami wouldn't leave him as the latter followed him like a magnet being attracted to iron. When everything was done, they were in all court man-to-man. Everyone was heavily guarded, and the only hope Sobu has of making a shot was Matsuda. But the ball couldn't reach him as he was in the clogged shaded lane. The clock was ticking away, and Hikigaya couldn't take it anymore. He then ran in the opposite direction, seeming as though he was going back into his half but then changed his course into Mochida's direction.

"Hey!" Hikigaya shouted for the leather and Mochida complied by chest-passing to him. Hikigaya then thundered towards the net. He didn't want to risk passing the ball to Matsuda so he decided to make the shot himself.

He grinned. He made it into the paint area, but Kagami was close. In the blink of an eye, the Seirin power forward was in front of him.

Hikigaya then decided to make a gamble. It's been a long time since I did this, but here goes nothing!

He stopped dribbling and jumped for the shot. Kagami then jumped as well to stop the shot but to his surprise, he saw that Hikigaya delayed his move as his feet was still planted in the floor. In a split second, he jumped this time and this caused a mid-air collision between Hikigaya and Kagami.

'Prrrrrrt!' The referee blew his whistle as a shooting foul was called.

Hikigaya then swung his right hand (and the ball) behind his back and as he did that, he released the leather basketball from behind his back, leaving everyone in shock.

"Basket counts! One free throw!" The referee announced his verdict.

After that the gymnasium went into silence.

Sobu's coach rose to his feet.

Kuroko, for some reason, had a smile on his face.

"Who knew Hikitani-kun can play like that?!" Hayama was shocked.

"Hikio can move like that?!" Miura Yumiko exclaimed.

"He's going head to head with Kagami Taiga!" A few of those who are a fan of Japanese high school basketball said.

Everyone on the Sobu bench stood in awe.

Kagetora nor Sobu's coach could hardly believe their eyes.

Kagami was shocked beyond words.

Hikigaya then turned around to go and complete his three-point play in the fifteen-feet line. When he was passing Kuroko, he smirked. "Let me tell you one thing. I still hate our former Teiko teammates for what they did in the past. But deep inside me, I still didn't want to lose and thanks to you…" He trailed off as 'My love for basketball is resurfacing' was left unsaid.

When Hikigaya completed his free throw, he looked at Kuroko, who seemed mystified by what he said.

Hikigaya is a beast! If he had played earlier like this since the beginning, we would have been screwed! Matsuda thought as he passes the ball to Asahina.

The game resumed, but this time, it was far more intense as the final minutes show. Kagami's speed had increased but so had Hikigaya's and what everyone noticed was that the two players seemed to be out for each other's head.

When Kagami scores by dunking or shooting perimeter shots, next time around Hikigaya returned the favour by shooting from the three-line or penetrating towards the net once he had the ball. As a matter of fact, anything Kagami did, Hikigaya would return it twice the power. This went on for a couple more minutes with the two players going back and forth while pummelling each other with what they got in their arsenal as the other members of their teams looked like they were doing sprint exercises.

The moment the third quarter has ended, both teams are now heaily panting for fresh air as the score is now 41 – 31. Hikigaya wasted no breath as he and coach were talking to each other when they both sat in their benches before the final quarter came up.

"We need one last push. I'll rain three pointers. Just screen me out!" Hikigaya panted.

"Oi, don't push yourself hard." Mochida grinned then became serious. "And seriously, will you stop your one-man show?! Pass it when one of us is free."

"Those who learned to live by themselves can carry this team by themselves." Hikigaya whispered to himself.

"What?"

"Nothing!"

"Okay, we'll just go along with what Hikigaya says." Coach said as he patted the boy on his back. The seniors wanted to protest but decided to keep their mouths shut instead as the fourth quarter is now about to start.

For the first five minutes of the last quarter, Hikigaya still faced Kagami one-on-one, but Mochida was always nearby in case something happens. Hikigaya still carried the offensive load of the team as he began to pound Seirin's defense from outside but often times, Kagami was able to keep Sobu at bay by scoring at will against Sobu's weak frontline.

The audience could not believe their eyes.

"Hikitani-kun is a monster!" Tobe shouted. "Why didn't he thought of joining the basketball team at an earlier time?! He could have been a starting member!"

"I didn't know that Hikigaya-kun had this side to him. I knew he was very good at lawn tennis but this is something completely different…" Yukinoshita said.

"Look!" Yuigahama suddenly shouted as she points something in the scoreboard.

"What is it?" Hiratsuka asked.

"We've been so caught up in the match that we've ignored the score!" All eyes then looked at the score. They widened.

Sobu – 50

Seirin – 55.

"I don't believe it!" Yuigahama shouted. "Of all people, it was Hikki who was able to rally the team back! Imagine…Hikki!"

Then the crowd roused up.

Kuroko had the ball and then he passed the ball to Asahina. He got the ball and then jumped but all of the sudden, Hikigaya appeared and jumped the same time as the ball was released. When he released the ball, it landed squarely in his palm and he slammed it back down the floor.

"Nice Hikigaya!" Kaitobi said as he snatched the ball.

However, Kagami guarded Asahina tightly, so when he looked to Mochida, he shook his head, signaling that he shouldn't pass to him. Seirin had caught up with them surprisingly fast so Kaitobi was forced to hold into the leather basketball while waiting for either Mochida or Hikigaya to get free.

But the moment he'd done so, the ball was stolen by Kuroko and the latter threw it to Kagami. He dashed off so quickly that Hikigaya hadn't a chance to react. When he reached into Seirin's half, Hikigaya managed to get in front to try and slow him down so that the rest of the Sobu players could catch up to them.

However, Kagami forced his way into the basket as he launches himself into the air from the free throw line for a lane up dunk. After scoring, he landed while he pounds his fists.

Kagami smirked. "You're strong, Hikigaya."

"I can even be stronger than you." Hikigaya answered.

"Heh?"

Hikigaya dashed off with the ball and he wasn't going to leave anything to chance. Plus, looking at the clock, he saw that it was 2:30 and looking at the score, it's possible that if he makes this shot, they would be one basket behind.

He then stood in the three point line and quickly motioned his body to shoot. Asahina came up quickly, hoping to atone from the earlier fouling of Hikigaya butinstead, he found himself being baited into another trap as he saw Hikigaya smiling at him as he goes airborne. Shit…is he… He wasn't able to finish his sentence as Hikigaya Hachiman jumped a second late and collided with him while making a three-point shot, earning both a call from the referee and three points. After completing his four-point play, the game resumed.

But no one seemed noticed the pained expression on Hikigaya's face. He was panting too much, and the moment he stepped off into the freethrow line, he felt a slight pain run through his body. This isn't good. But then he looked at the clock. I can hold out. Just a little bit longer.

When the game resumed, Sobu's coach noticed the change in Hikigaya. Whenever Kagami got the ball, he saw that instead of chasing him down like before, Hikigaya jogged behind him.

Whenever Hikigaya got the ball and came up against Kagami, the most he does is break pass him and makes a perimeter jump shot.

He finally reached his limit. He thought. He then looked to one of his benched players and then back to the scoreboard.

Sobu – 72

Seirin – 74

We're behind by one basket. Should I sub him out? But when he saw the look of his boys' faces, bringing in a substitution would disrupt the flow of the game, their momentum. His head began to ache in contemplation.

"They're at it again!" he heard his bench players say. He then looked at the court and saw Hikigaya with Kagami.

Hikigaya kept breathing harder and harder and what was worst, he hadn't even started running yet. He was just standing with Kagami blocking him. It got even worse. His vision started to darken, seeming like a tunnel. Shit. He thought. At least hang on for just one more minute! However, no matter how much he chanted, it would not happen. His knees buckled and his arms dropped loosely to his side.

Hikigaya knew he was going to fall.

The clock winded down, one minute left until the game was over. Mochida had the ball and he saw that Asahina was guarding him so he dribbled away for the moment. He then glanced at Hikigaya and noticed something…almost in slow motion.

"Hikigaya!" He screamed. It caught the attention of everyone. Kaitobi peered around Matsuda to see what made Mochida scream like that. He then saw the shooting guard shove the ball into Asahina's chest and dashed off towards Hikigaya and Kagami. Asahina looked at the ball in his arms and then back to Mochida who ran off.

Thud.

It was quite loud.

Hikigaya lay on the court, kneeling and almost lying on the floor in front of Kagami. Kuroko sprang to his feet and dashed towards his former Teiko teammate, Sobu's coach and the other members players in green followed as well.

When Kuroko reached, he saw Mochida holding the boy, Kagami hadn't moved. He was too shocked to do so. In his worry, bend down to Hikigaya's side.

"Referee time-out!" the referee announced said as he made his way to where the Sobu players were gathering.

"Hikigaya! Hikigaya!" Sobu's coach called.

"Hikigaya-kun!" Kuroko called out.

"Oh, Kuroko, you're here…" Hikigaya responded as his eyes slightly cracked open as he breathed heavily. His arms and legs felt like lead and Hikigaya honestly felt like he was going to die. "Don't worry…I'm just fine! I just fell dramatically!"

In the audience, Yukinoshita had to suppress the urge to let out an ear-shattering scream in due to shock when she saw Hikigaya drop to the floor. Almost crushing Hayama's toes and wringing other people's necks, she made a mad dash towards the court.

By the time he reached in the tunnel, she thundered towards the court, where everyone assembled.

Pushing through the crowd, she held Kise's hand. "Hikigaya-kun! Hikigaya-kun!" he called. She then leaned down further towards his ears and whispered, "Just hold on. We'll help you stand up."

Hearing the one person he wanted, he managed say, "Yukinoshita…I'm fine. I just slipped out a bit…"

Soon, the team's nurse arrives and she and Yukinoshita had to help Hikigaya stand up to his feet and they walked him towards the Sobu bench.

Sobu's coach had no other choice but to use whatever he had to finish the remaining minute of the game.

When the game resumed, Kagami and Kuroko conspired to help Seirin overcome Sobu and win the game at 80 – 74.

When the game ended, Seirin and Sobu quickly congratulated each other in the center circle as Kagetora and Sobu's coach shook hands. After that, Kuroko and Kagami went up to Sobu's bench where they spotted Hikigaya drinking a lot of water being given to him by Yukinoshita.

"Hikigaya-kun!" Kuroko called out. "That was a good game. It was just bad that this had to happen."

"It's fine. I'm used to do things on my own. It just so happens that I played basketball no-stop for three quarters so I already expected that this would happen." Hikigaya shrugged.

"But still, it was fun!" Kagami replied, earning a smack from Kuroko.

"You wouldn't believe what Yukinon did though." Yuigahama joined them from the audience. "She broke Hayama's toes and a couple people's necks to get down there."

After couple minutes, Sobu's team was fully changed and the Seirin players were already assembled outside.

"Hikigaya-kun." Kuroko started, "Let's play again. We can even start this week."

Hikigaya simply looked at him blankly as Kuroko and Kagami turned their backs to rejoin their leaving team.

Unbeknownst to both Kuroko and Hikigaya, another of their former Teiko teammate has watched them.

Midorima, who had his partner Takao Kazunari pedal the bicycle from Tokyo to Chiba, heard about Seirin's training camp in Sobu and having been informed of this game, he went to Chiba City in hopes of gaining any new knowledge about Kuroko and Kagami's new playing styles.

He didn't expect what he just witnessed.

"Wow! To think Hikigaya Hachiman was able to push Kuroko and Kagami to their limits before he collapsed." Takao commented as they are now about to get out of Sobu High School's gymnasium while blending into the horde of students. "Not to mention that Seirin almost collapsed."

"I know." Midorima answered blandly. "But more than that, I didn't expect a formidable former teammate to suddenly resurface." He then narrows his eyes in the court towards Hikigaya, who was tended by some female teen their age. "Hikigaya Hachiman…I didn't expect to see his face there even though his hairstyle has changed. And Takao, how did you know him by the way? I only mentioned his name right now and yet, you were able to identify him correctly."

Takao gave off a cheeky smile. "You can guess that his eyes gave away despite his change from Mohawk hairdo to a more flat one." He then smirked. "And besides, how can I forget the lone person who stole the ball from me and shot in front of me in the dying seconds of the game during our first year middle school? That was the closest thing I got to a national title."