Chapter 107 Heartache

Nick followed closely, clinging to Rukawa, but was suddenly torn apart by a gust of wind—

The boy, freed from the lead weights, was like a cheetah unleashed, his sneakers screeching against the floor.

Rukawa Kaede suddenly realized that those day-to-day, weighted sprint training sessions filled with sweat and exhaustion were Kanon's silent support, pushing him to surpass his limits.

On his cold, handsome face, his fox-like eyes gleamed with an unprecedented light.

Rukawa took a step back, widening the distance between himself and Nick. He locked his sharp gaze on Nick, dribbled between his legs, and then swiftly cut to the right.

Compared to before, Rukawa Kaede's speed seems to have been activated like an engine, achieving a qualitative leap. This difference is obvious and astonishing.

Nick forced a smile: "Have you thought about me?"

His narrow, fox-like eyes narrowed slightly; it was him he was about to pass!

Suddenly, three overlapping images exploded before Nick's eyes.

With just the word "fast," Rukawa Kaede swept past Nick like a gust of wind, catching him off guard.

Nick quickly adjusted his tactics, circling around to the other side to stand in front of Rukawa, his smile instantly vanishing: "Don't get too cocky."

He didn't really consider Rukawa Kaede a true rival; after all, in his eyes, the other was just a greenhorn.

"Remember, on the basketball court, speed alone is far from enough!" Nick said coldly.

Before he could finish speaking, Nick suddenly transformed into a distorted mirror image. Within the air rift torn open by Wade's stealth footwork—

Miyagi's eyes widened, and he exclaimed incredulously, "This...this is Wade's Shadow Step?"

The sound of Ayako's scoreboard hitting the ground: "His Wade-esque crossover dribble is so natural, combining left and right changes of direction with speed. His ball control has reached a certain level..."

The moment the basketball disappeared, two sparks flew as Rukawa's shoes scraped the ground.

Nick's Wade Step was so wide that it far exceeded Rukawa's expectations. He was almost knocked off balance by the sudden speed, as if he had been hit by an invisible force. It took him a long time to recover.

Rukawa knew that against the Knicks' ball-handling skills, his speed advantage was being suppressed.

Rukawa Kaede woke up and chased after him with all his might.

Nick continued to advance, then suddenly stopped and pulled up for a jump shot, the movement clean and crisp, leaving everyone stunned.

"Swish~" A crisp and pleasant sound.

The ball fell steadily into the basket!

"Wow! Did you see that? That ball spun so much!" came an exclamation from the sidelines.

"Nonsense! If you dare to take a jump shot from a standing position without sufficient preparation, how can you expect the ball to go in smoothly if it doesn't spin hard enough!" another person chimed in, their tone full of admiration for Nick's superb skills.

"You're right, the competition has only just begun."

Nick turned his head and smiled.

As the cheers lifted the roof off, Rukawa was bending down to pick up the ball.

Hanon saw his clenched knuckles suddenly relax—

Surprise, heartfelt admiration, and deep respect…

Those fox-like eyes were like a pure, boundless sky; not a trace of negative emotion could be found in them.

There was no shadow of jealousy, no ripples of distress, and no raging storm of resentment.

Hanon couldn't help but smile. At this moment, Rukawa Kaede's inner world revealed a breadth and depth beyond ordinary people.

Rukawa Kaede silently walked towards the basketball, picked it up, and his eyes met Hanon's.

The boy was extremely serious, and said calmly, "No matter how amazing the opponent's skills are, the final victory will belong to me."

If he couldn't beat his opponent, he felt ashamed to stand next to Hana.

Under the stadium lights, Rukawa Kaede's features looked exceptionally handsome.

Those long, narrow fox eyes were calm and undisturbed, yet they seemed to contain a power that could overturn everything.

Hana's eyes curved slightly, bright, earnest, and resolute. "I firmly believe that the ultimate winner will be you."

As she finished speaking, she seemed to see the corners of Rukawa Kaede's mouth turn up slightly.

Kanon knew that even though he was at a disadvantage now, Rukawa could learn from his opponent and grow quickly.

This is precisely why she supported Rukawa in accepting Nick's challenge.

In his future basketball journey, Rukawa Kaede will encounter all sorts of opponents. What he needs to do is constantly challenge, adapt, and surpass them.

"Again!" The boy threw the ball at Nick, the sound of it cutting through the air carrying the chill of Hokkaido winter snow.

Nick lowered his center of gravity and dribbled forward.

"Don't be discouraged!" the audience shouted in unison.

"Rukawa, you can do it!"

Wow!

The scream abruptly shattered in the air—

Rukawa Kaede made a precise cut into the basket while the Knicks had a 0.1-second lapse in the ball during their crossover dribble!

Nick stared at his empty palm, his Adam's apple bobbing laboredly.

He had already studied Rukawa's games and knew Rukawa's exquisite control over sudden stops and breakthroughs.

He was already poised to launch an attack when Rukawa suddenly stopped, but Rukawa, like a wild horse, charged straight at him without slowing down.

Nick gritted his teeth and gave chase, sensing danger—this was clearly his prized stealth footwork!

Rukawa Kaede's figure flashed, like a butterfly flapping its wings, and then he soared into the air and made a layup.

The battle is not over.

Nick quickly turned around and unleashed an amazing leaping power.

"Oh no! Idiot Rukawa! You're going to get blocked!" Sakuragi on the sidelines suddenly gripped the railing tightly, his knuckles pressing bluish-white marks into the metal pipe.

All I saw was—

Rukawa's body suddenly folded strangely as he leaped into the air, his waist and abdomen bursting with power that defied the laws of physics to stay airborne. In the instant he switched hands for a layup, Nick's blocking hand barely grazed the tips of his flying hair.

The soft thud of the ball hitting the net ignited the entire stadium.

Rukawa Kaede fell, beads of sweat dripping down his chin onto the reflective floor. He looked up, his gaze towards the sidelines burning like molten lava.

"That stinky fox... he's amazing..." Sakuragi stammered, then suddenly grabbed Kanon's wrist. "Sis! When did you start giving him special lessons?! Last time when you taught me the Euro step, you clearly said it was a family secret technique!"

"He just learned it." Hanon chuckled softly, poking Sakuragi's puffed-out cheek with her fingertip.

"What? You just learned it?"

“I learned it from Nick.”

"What!" The Shohoku team stared at Rukawa Kaede's retreating figure, marveling at how terrifying his ability to imitate was.

These words shocked Nick. He walked to Rukawa's side and said, "Stealing my moves comes at a price."

Rukawa Kaede seemed not to hear him and walked straight to Kanon. He leaned down and stared at her closely, as if he were seeking praise.

Kanon simply said to Nick, "This is what the Chinese often call 'an eye for an eye.'"

Rukawa Kaede, dissatisfied, puffed out his chubby cheeks with a blank expression: "You and I are the perfect match."

Hanon, looking confused, asked, "What?"

Ayako coughed violently as if she had choked on vinegar: "Nick said you two were soulmates before, and Rukawa is jealous!"

"..."

Hana was speechless. Rukawa Kaede had already intertwined his fingers with hers without her noticing, and the damp heat from their palms seeped in through the texture of their skin.

No wonder she felt a chill down her spine when she explained the word; it turns out this jealous woman was up to no good!

"Oh ho ho ho... Let's call this match over for now~" Coach Anzai pushed up his glasses, his lenses gleaming with wisdom, and with one sentence he brought this fierce battle to a close.

The three coaches understood each other implicitly. Nick tried his best, but Rukawa Kaede countered each move. It would be futile to fight again.

Coach Holzer silently watched Rukawa's retreating figure, his heart filled with mixed emotions, but ultimately uttered not a single word of comment.

Then, he walked up to Hana and said solemnly, "Nini, I have something very important to discuss with you alone."

Hua Yin nodded slightly, already understanding their true purpose for coming, and softly agreed, "Okay."

Rukawa Kaede's gaze sharpened instantly, and he subconsciously tightened his grip on Kanon's hand.

The Shohoku team stared wide-eyed at the two Americans as if facing a formidable enemy, their hostility blatantly evident.

Sakuragi made no attempt to hide his dissatisfaction: "Hey! You old man, what can't you say in front of everyone?"

Coach Holzer was not angry at all. Instead, he smiled and replied, "Hehe, Sakuragi Hanamichi, nice to meet you. Why don't you come and listen too?"

"Tch! This genius will see what tricks you can pull." Sakuragi retorted defiantly.

Hua Yin gently pried open his stiff fingers: "Xiao Feng, go practice your ball, I'll be back soon."

Rukawa Kaede lowered his eyelids and responded in a low, cold voice, "...Mm."

His gaze followed Huayin intently until the three of them disappeared, then he slowly looked away, his whole body tense like a fully drawn bow.

Seeing this, Nick's lips curled into a playful smile, tinged with mockery: "Hey, weren't you pretty arrogant before? Where did that domineering attitude on the court go? Now you look so dejected, just like a dumped wife."

He muttered to himself, "Does this guy have a split personality? I need to get Nini to take him to see a psychologist."

Rukawa Kaede remained silent, only patting the ground with the basketball. The dull thud of the ball hitting the ground perfectly matched the rhythm of his frustrated heartbeat.

With a casual, beautiful jump shot, the ball swished through the net.

Nick said to himself, "If you want to come, just say so. Don't keep pretending here."

“If you keep quiet like this, how will Nini understand you? Besides, she doesn’t have the time to figure out your thoughts. She’s going back to America soon, and then you’ll really be dumped by her and completely forgotten.”

Rukawa Kaede's movements suddenly stopped, his eyes finally leaving the basket, and he looked at Nick with murderous intent: "Impossible!"

How could she possibly go to America so easily? She certainly wouldn't abandon him!

In Shohoku, she was the core player and the key to the national championship.

Nick stroked his chin thoughtfully: "You may have heard about her passion, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. Her dedication to basketball is simply breathtaking. This time when she goes back, her basketball career will surely reach new heights."

"You may never have truly understood her. The basketball court is her second home. Nini studies videos and devises tactics late into the night. Even during away games, she uses her rest time to analyze tactics. This tireless attitude has laid a solid foundation for our team. She is fighting for her love of basketball and the meager bonus, and she is also working hard for a living."

Rukawa knew nothing of Nick's words. But every word felt like countless tiny needles gently pricking his heart, a painful yet delicate sensation.

Nick only saw her giving her all for her work and bonuses, but he didn't notice the effort and hardship behind it.

Rukawa Kaede turned around and took a deep breath. His heart ached, silently yet intensely.

"Rukawa Kaede, you're not suited for romance. Don't let relationships drag down your basketball career," Nick said.