Chapter 24: Horizon Vs Zenith 1 : Zenith Strength
The gym thundered with excitement as we stepped onto the court.
Across from us, the five Zenith starters stood like an elite military unit. Isaiah Dumont at the front—stoic, sharp-eyed, and terrifyingly calm. Behind him, Leonard, Ryoga, Sudo, and the massive Emir Al-Fayad. It felt like we were about to battle a fortress, not a basketball team.
The announcers were already hyping the matchup.
"And there they are! The Titans of Horizon stepping onto the floor—Dirgantara Renji, the Maestro; Rei Hoshino, the silent sniper; Haruto Aizawa, the enforcer; Taiga Okabe, the wrecking ball; and Rikuya Asano, the Titan!"
"Against the towering wall that is Osaka International Zenith, captained by Isaiah Dumont—arguably the best perimeter defender in the country. Horizon thrives on chaos. Zenith thrives on control. This is going to be a war of ideologies."
We took our positions. Rikuya and Emir faced off at the circle.
The referee tossed the ball.
Jump.
Rikuya got his fingertips on it—but Emir smacked it right back.
First possession: Zenith ball.
Isaiah walked it up with cold poise. I slid in front of him, bracing myself.