Chapter 81 - The Sniper Takes To The Sky (2/2)
This was the first time Midorima had turned without seeing the ball sinking in.
Kise chuckled as he saw the ball in the air.
Kise: ”Hahaha, Midorima-cchi what is with-”
But he stopped when he saw the ball sinking in effortlessly.
Everybody looked at Midorima and found him already near the opposite three-point arc, ready for the defense.
Aomine laughed as he spoke.
Aomine: ”That was crazy! Midorima, that was the coolest thing I saw from you.”
Kise was looking at Midorima with an open jaw.
Kise: ”That was weird, Midorima-cchi.”
Murasakibara yawned as he joined the conversation.
Murasakibara: ”What is the use of that high-arc?”
Akashi eyed widened as he smiled and figured out Murasakibara's question.
Akashi: ”I think we will be going to see the arc's use soon.”
-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Akashi was right as after a few possessions Midorima got the ball and stopped at 8 meters from the basket, and got into his shooting form.
Kise and Nijimura were surprised when they saw Midorima taking a shot from that far.
Nijimura: ”Why is he shooting from there?”
Kise: ”No way, Midorima-cchi, are you?”
Aomine's instincts blared when he saw Midorima get into his shooting form.
He moved and ran towards Midorima to block him, but he was too far way as Midorima comfortably took the shot.
All the players in the gym watched the ball traveling the high-arc with arc while Midorima alone walked back to his side of the court for defense.
The ball descended and dropped into the hoop without any contact with the rim.
Murasakibara mightly frowned as he looked at the distance from where Midorima shot.
Midorima was a center's bane, a player that didn't intrude in a center's territory and scored far away from their reach.
Nijimura smiled and laughed as he looked at Midorima.
Nijimura: ”Three-points at a time, huh. Each and every one of you is too much to handle.”
-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Satsuki, who was on the sideline, clapped her hands after as she looked at the shot.
Satsuki: ”Ah, I get it!”
Kuroko, who was on the sideline with Satsuki, asked.
Kuroko: ”What do you mean?”
Satsuki pointed at Midorima and explained it.
Satsuki: ”The farther you shoot from, the higher the arc you need. Looking at that Midorin's extra high-arc, I think he is planning to increase his range even more.”
Satsuki took a deep breath and declared.
Satsuki: ”If Midorin keeps increasing his range, then the team's offensive capabilities would increase from three-point arc and inside to a majority of the half-court.”
She then took out a notebook started to record data on Midorima and the changes that they could implement on offense.
Kuroko looked at Midorima and said in awe.
Kuroko: ”He changed the team's range on his own, didn't he?”
Satsuki nodded and smiled.
Satsuki: ”Yes, he did. Our team just obtained a whole new area to score from.”
-*-*-*-*-*-*-
The game continued as Aomine and Murasakibara continued to cancel each other out.
This is where Midorima shined. He alone pulled Team Yellow in scoring as the point gap increased.
Midorima was taking four shots every quarter, and now in the last quarter, Midorima had scored four three-pointers bringing his score to forty-eight points.
Team Yellow was ahead by twelve points with Midorima being on a role.
With a few seconds in the game, Akashi passed the ball straight to Midorima.
Aomine looked at Midorima and thought.
Aomine: 'Eight meters, give or take is his range. I will be able to reach in time.'
Aomine ran towards Midorima as fast he could, but he was stunned when Midorima stopped at nine meters from the rim and got into his shooting form.
Aomine: ”No freaking way! You can't shoot from there!”
Aomine grunted as he sped to Midorima, but he was late as Midorima released the ball before Aomine could reach him.
The ball once again took to the air.
Midorima turned to exit the court, not looking at the ball.
Midorima: ”It's over. We win.”
But others didn't move. They wanted to see the shot from such a massive distance, sink into the basket.
Their hearts pumped faster as the ball flew through the air.
Kise looking at the ball, thought the same thing that he had been thinking all over the game.
Kise: ”How can he have a sense of direction and distance at that height?”
The ball went into the hoop like a thread threading into a needle.
All of the players turned to look at Midorima, who was already at the bench, wiping sweat with a towel.
Midorima sat down on the bench and closed his eyes.
Aomine and Murasakibara knew something changed as they felt the presence of a fourth throne in the room.
A throne that glowed emerald-green in color, then they felt the door open.
The moment the door opened, they saw a silhouette appear on the throne and the door closing once again.
Murasakibara & Aomine: 'He got inside.'
-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Midorima himself was sitting on his throne inside the room.
He looked at the other thrones in the room.
Midorima: 'Kageyama Shun, Aomine, and Murasakibara. All of them had amazing games recently. Today was mine, huh.'
The thrones were now aligned in a square, each throne on one vertex of the square.
The room was now brighter than before, glowing in four different colors.