The boys looked different now. Jinzo pulled Drex and Mac aside for a few chat, followed by the three NPCs. When they broke apart, all five turned toward the girls’ side with weird grins.

Nash watched them closely, eyes narrowing.

On the next play, Jaz powered down the court again. She rose high and slammed the ball through the hoop with a loud bang that echoed across the arena.

[Girls 33 – Boys 7]

The reaction was immediate, one of the three NPCs grabbed the ball and rushed forward like he was going to drive. Jaz and Nia closed in, but at the last second he whipped a long, high pass to the far side, surprising both girls.

Mac caught it, barely glancing at Jaz as she sprinted after it.

Yeah, no time to think. Mac didn’t hesitate and fired it straight to Drex, who was already spotting up beyond the arc, far enough from Nash. He planted his feet and let the ball fly. Swish.

[Girls 33 – Boys 10]

The boys cheered, slapping each other on the back.

"That’s it!" Mac yelled. "It’s working! Keep it up!"

Next possession, the girls scored again, but once again, the moment the ball went through the net, the boys repeated the pattern.

Long pass sailing high over Jaz’s head, Mac received it, ignored her rush, and zipped it to Drex. Drex rose up and drained another three.

[Girls 35 – Boys 13]

Again and again the same thing happened. Long passes sailing high, Jaz chasing hard, gasping as she tried to keep up, Drex spotting up and knocking down threes with cold efficiency. The gap that had felt huge started closing, play after play.

[Girls 35 – Boys 16]

[Girls 37 – Boys 19]

[Girls 40 – Boys 22]

Nash stood near half-court, arms loose at his sides, watching without moving much.

Smart, he thought. They’re skipping Jaz completely with those high passes. And of course, if she keeps running like this, she will burn more energy than what my passive can recover. And also...

He glanced at Drex, the guy seemingly focused on the play on the side of his team, however, the fact that he kept moving away from Nash’s position was telling enough about his control of the court.

At this moment, seeing the shift and the way everything was literally depending on Drex’s efficiency, even Nash remembered why among the boys he was the only one playing regularly.

I’ve underestimated him. He’s hitting everything, and Alicia can’t cover him alone. This guy will be a problem... I could... No... bad idea.

He glanced at his right. Jinzo was still in position.

The moment I’ll slide over to help her, the paint opens up and he’ll pass. They have two guns to score, and they’re burning our only one.

He glanced at Nia.

Maybe Nia... Um... no, I need someone like her to play the multitasker over there. Asking her to drop back more would just tire her out faster than Jaz. No good.

He was quite in a dangerous position. He had to keep his own effort low, minimum for the quest and let the girls do the heavy work. Even on defense, he couldn’t go all out. But the quest required to win, and if things kept going like this, it didn’t sound that good.

Aiko passed to Nia who swung it to Alicia. She rose for a quick three under pressure from two NPCs.

The ball clanged off the rim.

"Shit!" Alicia gasped.

The boys grabbed the rebound and pushed forward again. Nia sprinted back, Jaz followed a half-step late, breathing heavier now, shoulders rising and falling fast.

This didn’t smell good for Nash’s team anymore.

Jinzo dared stepping close to Nash on defense. Now, he had all the time.

"What’s wrong, big shot?" he taunted. "Your girls were running us over at the start, so why are we kicking your ass now?"

He felt all smug, all powerful, while the score showed that it was rather stupid to talk about kicking ass.

Anyway, it was only one quarter. If Jaz had to step down now, this would just prove the boys’ victory in a real match, and Jinzo knew it.

"Looks like you can’t do it even with Aiko and Jaz, huh? All that talk about believing in them... and they’re already falling apart because of you. If it were us, they wouldn’t fuck up like this, because unlike you, we play as a team."

Nash’s eyes narrowed slightly, still focused on the ball.

Drex caught the outlet and rushed up the court. Jinzo cut into the paint, turned, and waited for Nash, but when he looked back, his breath was caught.

Nash still hadn’t moved from his spot near the top of the key and just watched.

What are you gonna do? I’m inside, Drex is outside. You just gonna stand there? Did I hurt you?

Drex too was waiting for Nash to make a move, any move. Coming to him so he could pass, or stepping back so he could throw.

So....? What are you waiting for?

Surprisingly, it was quite hard to play against someone displaying the behavior of a complete ignorant of the game. How can you read someone who doesn’t play conventionally?

But it didn’t matter, this distance was acceptable.

Drex planted and fired the three. Swish.

The boys whooped. Jinzo and Drex exchanged quick grins, and their eyes flicked back to Nash.

Still nothing. No reaction. Maybe Jinzo’s words really affected him.

Jinzo and Drex jogged back on defense. As Jinzo passed right by Nash, Nash finally lifted both hands and called, "Time!"

The whistle blew, everyone slowed. The boys looked at each other. Quite a bad timing.

What the hell is he planning now? Jinzo groaned.

He seemed too calm. Maybe Nash decided to drop the challenge and go serious? That was all he wanted. Screw the score, it was a challenge, the moment Nash would act to not lose his face, Jinzo would have won.

But that face... that wasn’t the face of someone annoyed.

The girls gathered around Nash. Calling a stop now was good to catch their breath and break the boys’ dynamic.

Jaz dropped heavily on the bench, chest heaving, wiping sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. Alicia bent over, hands on her thighs, breathing hard. Nia grabbed a water bottle, took a quick sip, then poured some over her neck. Aiko seemed less tired Maybe even too much.

She stood with arms crossed, trying to look unbothered but shifting her weight.

Maybe she didn’t go all out? It was just a mock match after all, without any consequences for her.

And Nash needed to change that quickly.

"Listen," Nash said. "I’ve understood their tactic. They’re using long passes to skip Jaz and get easy threes for Drex. They’re trying to tire you out because they’ve figured that we will rely on you for everything. And with jinzo around me, I can’t risk help to stop Drex."

The girls’ faces changed. Jaz looked down at the floor, shoulders dropping a little, Alicia bit her lip, Nia frowned, even Aiko looked a little unsure, her usual confidence flickering.

Everything was going so smoothly, but now... None of them had expected the boys to put such a challenge, it was easy, it was supposed to be easy.

What changed so much? We’re they overestimating themselves after all?

Nash kept going, before they could start doubting themselves.

"Don’t worry. It’s not a big deal. Just a complication. We’ve got this. I trust every one of you."

He turned to Jaz first. She was still catching her breath. Her case slightly switched to the ground when she met his, she knew what the first commandment would be about.

But Nash knew enough about her to know what words and tone to use.

"Jaz, they’re scared of you. That’s why they’re throwing those high passes every time. You’re our ace, they know it, so they’re doing everything to avoid you. That plan is built around stopping you by letting you chase them, then they’ll pass the ball. You won’t catch any of them, and this is going to wear you down before we finish. I need you strong the whole game, not just the first quarter. So please, for now don’t defend. If they have the ball, let them go. Trust your teammates to do the job. Until you’ve rested enough, play smarter, not harder. Conserve that power. You’re too important to burn out early."

Jaz rubbed the back of her neck, a shy little smile tugging at her mouth even as her cheeks flushed. She wasn’t used to someone talking to her like this, like she mattered that much. But Nash had been giving her daily praises out of nowhere since that match against Baby-Boom.

And now, be called their ace by himself? That was just... Wow.

Her fingers lost themselves in her air, as the gentle giantess suddenly felt smaller.

"Yeah... okay," she said, voice smaller than usual. "I got carried away earlier. Sorry."

Nash gave her a small smile and a light pat on the shoulder.

"You’re doing great. Just pace yourself. We need you fresh."

He looked next at Alicia.

"Alicia, you’re handling the ball well under pressure. Your passes are sharp. But when you catch it open, hesitate less on the shot. You’ve trained a lot for that, I know you can score more than you miss. You’ve got good form, trust it even when they close out fast. You’re our point insurance. Believe in your skills more. You’ve earned that."

Alicia’s eyes widened a bit. For maybe two seconds, her mind blanked. She? Important? That important for anything else than being his bitch?

For a moment, it felt like she might have been hit by the ball but was too dumb to notice it.

But it wasn’t hallucinations, Nash really watched over her training and had acknowledged her edforts.

She was completely at loss and could only give a quick, small determined.

"Got it. I’ll trust it."

Nash nodded, then turned toward Nia and Aiko.

"Nia, I should not even have to tell you what to do. You already understand the game better than anyone on this team. Jaz has the strength, Alicia has the throws, but you have the mind. Today your job is easy, become Nash. Mess them up, take the ball, passes. You know me better than myself, so show everyone why my way works so well." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Nia’s eyes got all bright and sparkly. Nash was basically saying she was the smartest one out there, the one who could drag the team forward with her brain just like he did.

That made her happier than any stupid compliment about her cute little ass ever could.

A smug little smile spread across her face as she twisted a thread of hair around her finger.

"Oh yeah?" she shot back. "If I’m supposed to show what’s so great about you... maybe I should just shove my fingers inside right here, so they really get how deep you go."

Criquet sound, then the girls lost it. Alicia clapped a hand over her mouth, Jaz snorted so hard she started coughing. Even Aiko slapped a hand over her face, her cheeks burning red.

"You’re so... fucking gross," Aiko grumbled.

"Well, yeah, I’m definitely fucking today," Nia grinned.

That little tease from Nash lit something inside her, made her feel like he actually saw her, not just as the girl who flirted too much, but as someone sharp, someone who knew shits about Breakball.

Someone a pro would want to keep around.

Nash laughed, yeah, he would never introduce her to Zayela... but who knows?

Finally, he turned to Aiko last.

"Aiko, your positioning is good and you’re reading the passes fine. But I can tell you’re still holding back when it’s time to attack. You’re my rival, right? Don’t give me some half-hearted game. Show me what you’re really made of when you stop playing it safe."

Aiko crossed her arms even tighter, her face turning pink as she looked away. The word "rival" hit her like a truck, and the teasing way he said it made her heart jump.

Why did his words kept messing her so much? It was diabolical at this point.

"Tch. Don’t act so full of yourself just because you noticed," she snapped, her voice higher than usual. "Yeah, I’m not going all out, because it’s not a serious match, and I didn’t come here for that... But since you can’t do anything, I’ll show you plenty. I’ll make you regret those words for your team."

Nash smirked, satisfied.

"Good. That’s what I want. I’m counting on all of you. Let’s tear them apart out there. Together."

The girls nodded, energy rising again.

"Alright," Jaz nodded, bumping her fists together. "Let’s go."