I Died on the Court, Now I'm Back to Rule It

Score: 78–78. Overtime Begins.

My chest heaved like I'd just run a marathon. Every muscle in my body screamed. My vision blurred, and my legs felt like stone. The Flow had pushed me to my limit—no, past it. I collapsed into the bench, drenched in sweat, lungs dragging in air like a broken bellows.

Coach Tsugawa looked down at me, eyes searching.

"You're done?" he asked softly.

I couldn't answer right away.

But I knew... I wasn't done.

"I just need... two minutes," I gasped.

He nodded once. "Alright. Kaito."

Our captain stepped forward from the shadows of the bench. His expression was calm—but behind that was a sharp fire. He pulled off his warm-up top and tightened his shoes.

Coach laid a hand on his shoulder. "Run point until Dirga's ready."

Kaito nodded. "I'll give him two minutes of hellfire."