Slam dunk, hit 100% of the three-pointers at the beginning!

The Ryonan cheer squad waved their streamers energetically, cheering for their team.

"Ryonan, let's go!"

"Sendō-san, you're the best!"

Despite Ryu narrowing the score gap with his solo plays, the combined efforts of Uozumi and Sendō had pushed Ryonan's lead back to 14 points.

"Uozumi-senpai is incredible! He's truly Kanagawa's best center!"

"Teach that first-year rookie a lesson! He's just a kid after all."

"High school basketball isn't a place where someone can shine just because they're overexcited!"

"That number 10 from Shōhoku is totally helpless against a serious Sendō-san!"

Ryonan's students shouted encouragement from the stands, their voices growing louder with each cheer.

"Go Ryonan!"

"Go Sendō!"

Akagi looked uneasily at his teammates.

Shōhoku was still the same team that had never made it past the county's top twelve. If it weren't for Rukawa joining, their basketball team wouldn't have gotten any attention at all.

Even Akagi, as strong-willed as he was, felt his confidence waver amidst the overwhelming cheers for Ryonan.

He clapped a heavy hand on Ryu's shoulder. Right now, Ryu was the only teammate on the court he felt he could fully trust.

Just then, a voice echoed in Ryu's mind.

[System Task]: Overtake the score in five minutes.

[Reward: Eye of Insight (Passive Skill)]

Ryu's eyes widened, shock written all over his face.

The Eye of Insight—a passive ability to see through all feints and even predict opponents' moves.

"This is incredible. If I'd had this earlier, Sendō's fakes wouldn't have fooled me," Ryu thought.

"Five minutes, huh…" he muttered softly.

It was a tough task, but not impossible.

"If I use long-range shots, it'll be draining, but I haven't activated today's stamina recovery skill yet."

With that thought, Ryu made up his mind.

The Eye of Insight was too tempting to pass up.

The game resumed.

Shōhoku had possession.

Akagi held the ball high, ready to pass to Yasuda.

But Ryu positioned himself right next to Yasuda, waving his hands at Akagi.

"What's he up to now?"

Akagi gave Ryu a questioning look. Was he planning to take on Sendō directly? But from this position? It was way too far out.

Shaking his head, Akagi started to pass to Kakuta instead.

"Even if you want to go solo, someone has to dribble it past half-court," Akagi thought.

But Ryu didn't move back. He stood his ground, still waving for the ball.

After a moment of hesitation, Akagi sighed and decided to trust him. So far, Ryu hadn't let them down. He passed the ball to Ryu.

"This better go in," Akagi growled, glaring at Ryu before retreating to defend the paint.

Ryu took the ball and dribbled leisurely to the halfway line.

Then, to everyone's surprise, he stopped and got into a shooting stance right there.

"Is he serious?"

"He's just bluffing. No way he's shooting from here."

"Has he given up? If he's just going to throw it randomly, why not pass to Akagi?"

Even the players on the court were stunned.

Shōhoku's team had seen Ryu hit deep threes during practice games, but this was a real match. Could he really do it now?

Standing at the half-court line, Ryu held the ball in one hand. He gestured calmly with his other hand, signaling his teammates to relax.

Though the shot was far, Ryu's confidence was unshakable. He didn't seem like he was bluffing.

Sendō frowned, staring at Ryu's form.

"No way… is he really—?"

"He's just faking it," Uozumi said. "Get ready for the rebound!"

From the bench, Coach Taoka yelled, "Ryu's getting cocky! Even NBA stars can't hit from that far consistently!"

Nearby, a photographer snapped a picture of Ryu's poised and confident stance.

"Even if this doesn't go in, a player with this much confidence is destined to become one of high school basketball's greats," the photographer murmured.

Before anyone could react, Ryu leaped high, releasing the ball with perfect form.

The ball rolled off his fingertips, tracing a beautiful arc through the air. His shooting motion was flawless, every movement precise and calculated.

The gym fell silent. Everyone's attention was locked on the ball as it sailed through the air.

Though the distance wasn't insurmountable, in this moment, it felt like time itself had slowed.

Ryu, already knowing the outcome, didn't even bother to move toward the basket for a rebound. He turned away and began walking back.

"Swish!"

The ball passed cleanly through the hoop. A perfect half-court shot!

The gym erupted in cheers and gasps. Every voice questioning Ryu just moments ago had fallen silent.

Ryu stood calmly amidst the stunned silence, his expression unchanging.

This was just the beginning.