Chapter 431: Titan Drop: Conclusion
On the hardwood, Nia totally fucked up right from the start.
She had taken Nash’s spot as the point guard, but her hands were shaking and sweaty, and her heart was beating like crazy. Aiko tossed her a simple pass. Nia caught it, dribbled twice, and looked up, but she was playing like she was blind. She didn’t even see Vex coming. All she could hear in her head was Nash’s voice.
You’re actually so cute like this.
Her face went bright red. She tried to pass to Miko, but it was a joke, too early and way too soft. Hall snatched it out of the air instantly.
No, no, no, no!
Nia tried to sprint back, but she was way too slow. Hall blasted forward with one dribble, slammed his shoulder into Rei to clear a path, and dunked with one hand.
[Colossus 91-112 Blacklist]
"It’s fine," Rei said, not even looking at her as she got back into position. "Just breathe."
"I know, I know..." Nia whispered. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.
I’m ruining everything, she thought, clenching her teeth. He told me I could do this, and here I am...
On the next play, Kael drove hard toward the basket. Nia hesitated, arriving a split second too late to stop him. Her hand barely brushed his arm, but the whistle blew.
Foul.
Kael missed the first free throw, then the second, looking pissed off with every move.
"That was such a stupid foul," Nia groaned through her teeth. "A total rookie mistake."
Cross grabbed the rebound, shoved Rei aside and forced a bucket despite being clearly exhausted. He didn’t even look happy; he just had this bitter smirk on his face.
[Colossus 93-112 Blacklist]
Nia just stood there for a second in the middle of the court. Her legs felt like they didn’t even belong to her. She looked over at the bench.
Nash was watching. He didn’t look worried or disappointed. He was just sitting there, leaning against Kai and Hina, with a tired smile on his face. He gave her a thumbs-up, like everything was totally fine.
Something hit Nia right in the chest; Rei had just passed the ball, but what she felt came from inside her. A feeling, one that had nothing to do with being scared. She looked down at her hands, then at the ball, and finally at the floor. She’d walked on this wood a hundred times, but for the first time, she actually saw it.
She wasn’t just some girl trying to survive. She wasn’t just someone’s girl.
She was Nia Valencia. And right now, she was playing the final minutes of a game against the champions.
Just play, she told herself. Don’t do it to be forgiven. Just fucking play.
She sprinted up the court. Instead of playing it safe and passing the ball around like she usually did, she stopped on the wing. She locked eyes with Kael and hit a crossover. The guy fell for it, biting hard.
She ran through the middle and suddenly she was face-to-face with Hall. The guy was a mountain, three times her size with his arms wide open. She tried a step-back, but she was too rushed, too desperate. The ball smacked the front of the rim and bounced away. Jaz snatched the rebound with one hand and flung it back toward the perimeter to avoid Vex.
"Don’t sweat it!" Jaz yelled. "Keep going!"
Nia wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her wrist, nodded, and went again. On the next play, she tried a flashy behind-the-back fake, a dribble between her legs, and a sudden change of direction.
It was too much, too fast. Vex almost ripped the ball from her grip. Aiko dove into the scramble, grabbed the ball at the last second, and fired it right back into Nia’s hands. Nia grimaced, but she didn’t apologize. She gripped the ball tight, took a breath, and went back to work.
Doesn’t matter. Do it again.
The third time, she tried to reach Rei with a deep pass. It was too long and sailed out of bounds. Nia bit her lip, but she kept her head up. On the fourth try, she drove hard to the hoop but got blocked again by an exhausted Vex at the peak of her jump. Miko grabbed the ball before it rolled away and snapped it back to her.
With every mistake, Nia stopped looking for approval. She didn’t care who was watching. She only saw the hoop, the five guys in front of her, and the sweat dripping off her skin.
She started again, and again. And with every play, something in her mind started to click, like a knot finally being untied. Her fingers felt the texture of the ball better. Her feet found their balance faster.
All she could really hear was the loud screech of rubber sneakers on the floor, the panting of the other girls running around her, and that constant thud of the leather ball hitting the court.
She felt herself getting more and more into the game, and the way her sweat was soaking through her tight jersey had some of the guys in the stands thinking about how fucking hot she looked.
Suddenly, everything became crystal clear.
She stopped overthinking. She stopped trying to guess and just saw. The court didn’t look like a court anymore, but like a fucking map spread out in front of her. Every player on the floor became a little piece on a game board. She could tell where they were going half a second before they even moved. It was like she was cheating, but she couldn’t even process the thought.
All her being was focused on everything at every second.
Cross was holding the ball at the top of the key, facing off against Rei. He was practically gasping for air, his shoulders slumped because he was fucking exhausted. Nia was standing a few steps back, and she wasn’t just looking at him. She was reading him like a book.
She saw his left shoulder dip just a tiny bit. She saw how his foot planted on the floor. Right then and there, before Cross even made a move, Nia knew exactly what was happening: the prick was going to fake a drive to the right to trick Rei into moving, then pivot back the other way to get a clear path.
Her body just reacted. She didn’t even tell herself to move; her legs just went.
She glided around Hall, cutting across the key diagonally. She moved like a freaking ghost, arriving exactly behind Cross the second he started his fake. Cross was leaning into Rei, holding the ball low with one hand, thinking he was being slick.
But Nia was slicker. Her hand shot out like a snake attacking, ripping the ball right out of Cross’s palm. It happened so fast that Cross didn’t even feel the ball leave his hand until it was already gone.
"What...?" Cross blinked.
Nia didn’t give a shit about his confusion. She had another flash, even faster than the first one. She didn’t stop to see if the ball wasnot, she just pivoted and sprinted toward the attack.
Cross spun around by reflex, trying to figure out who the fuck had just robbed him. But it took him half a second to react, and again, in a game this fast, half a second is a fucking eternity.
Rei was already there on the path of the ball. She caught it and flung the ball into the open space in front of Nia.
Cross never saw the pass coming.
Nia caught the ball while in full stride, not even slowing down for a second. She tore up the court, her eyes shining with adrenaline, dribbling the ball with one hand. Seth jumped out on her left to cut her off, and Kael sprang from her right to trap her at the three-point line. They were coming at her two-on-one, trying to crush her. Nia just gave them a single glance, drawing both of them toward her like bait.
And in that moment, she saw everything again.
Vex was standing near Jaz, already moving to double-team, Hall was retreating. Aiko was marked by a defender. Rei was too far away to help. And then there was Miko on the side, completely forgotten by everyone, standing silent and perfectly still behind the arc.
Nia’s instinct hit again.
She released the ball without even looking, a sharp flick of the wrist. The pass zipped right between Seth and Kael, piercing the defense like a needle through a condom, and landed perfectly in Miko’s hands.
Miko didn’t waste a second, she just shot the ball in the same motion she caught it.
The ball traced a high, clear, perfect arc through the air.
Swish. Three points.
[Colossus 93-115 Blacklist]
She started playing again. And then again. With every single play, something in her head just started to click. It was like a knot in her brain was finally getting untied, you know?
She could actually feel the pebbled texture of the basketball against her skin now, and her feet weren’t sliding around—she found her balance way faster. The screaming crowd became a blur in the background. All she could really hear was the loud *screech* of rubber sneakers gripping the hardwood floor, the heavy panting of the other girls running around her, and that constant, dull *thud* of the leather ball hitting the court.
She felt herself getting into the zone, and honestly, the way her sweat was soaking through her tight jersey probably had some of the guys in the stands thinking about how fucking hot she looked. She didn’t care though; she just wanted to dominate.
Suddenly, everything became crystal clear.
Nia stopped overthinking. She stopped trying to guess and just *saw*. The court didn’t look like a gym anymore; it looked like a fucking map spread out in front of her. Every player on the floor became a little piece on a game board. She could tell where they were going half a second before they even moved. It was like she was cheating, but she was just that good.
The Colossus team had the ball. Cross was holding it at the top of the key—that’s the area right in front of the hoop—facing off against Rei. Cross was practically gasping for air, his shoulders slumped because he was fucking exhausted. Nia was standing a few steps back, and she wasn’t just looking at him. She was reading him like a book.
She saw his left shoulder dip just a tiny bit. She saw how his foot planted on the floor. Right then and there, before Cross even made a move, Nia knew exactly what was happening: the prick was going to fake a drive to the right to trick Rei into moving, then pivot back the other way to get a clear path.
Her body just reacted. She didn’t even tell herself to move; her legs just went.
She glided around Hall, cutting across the key diagonally. She moved like a goddamn ghost, arriving exactly behind Cross the second he started his fake. Cross was leaning into Rei, holding the ball low with one hand, thinking he was being slick.
Nia’s hand shot out like a snake attacking.
She ripped the ball right out of Cross’s palm. It happened so fast that Cross didn’t even feel the ball leave his hand until it was already gone. The ball bounced once on the hardwood and started rolling toward mid-court.
"What...?" Cross blinked, his mouth hanging open. He looked like a total idiot, his hand still reaching out into the empty air where the ball used to be.
Nia didn’t give a shit about his confusion. She had another flash, even faster than the first one. She didn’t stop to see if the ball was hers or watch it roll; she just pivoted her hips and sprinted toward the attack.
Cross spun around by reflex, trying to figure out who the fuck had just robbed him. But it took him half a second to react. In a game this fast, half a second is a fucking eternity.
Rei was already there. She dove forward, snatched the ball with one hand, and popped up instantly. In one smooth, fluid motion, she flung the ball into the open space Nia had left behind.
Cross never saw the pass coming. He was way too slow.
Nia caught the ball while in full stride, not even slowing down for a second. She tore up the court, her eyes shining with adrenaline, dribbling the ball with one hand. Seth jumped out on her left to cut her off, and Kael sprang from her right to trap her at the three-point line. They were coming at her two-on-one, trying to crush her. Nia just gave them a single glance, drawing both of them toward her like bait.
And in that moment, she saw everything.
Vex was standing near Jaz, already moving to double-team. Hall was retreating. Aiko was marked by a defender. Rei was too far away to help. And then there was Miko. Miko was on the side, completely forgotten by everyone, standing silent and perfectly still behind the arc.
Nia’s instinct hit again.
She released the ball without even looking, a sharp, violent flick of the wrist. The pass zipped right between Seth and Kael, piercing the defense like a needle through cloth, and landed perfectly in Miko’s hands.
Miko didn’t waste a second. She didn’t dribble, and she didn’t even take the time to set her feet. She just fired the ball in the same motion she caught it.
The ball traced a high, clear, perfect arc through the air.
*Swish.* Three points.
**[Colossus 93-115 Blacklist]**
The arena erupted. It sounded like a bomb had gone off among Blacklist fans.
On the Blacklist bench, the energy was insane. Everyone leaped up at once, screaming their lungs out. Alicia was losing it, shaking her fists in the air. Hina was jumping up and down with a wild look on her face, her ass slamming down on Nash, the soft flesh just beating against him with every bounce.
Nash didn’t even try to stop her; he just leaned back and let her ride the wave of the moment, taking the pounding while he smiled, definitely not ready to get back on the court, it didn’t even look like there was a need anymore. Kai was laughing, slapping Nash on the back so hard it probably hurt. Mai and Yuna were clinging to each other, sobbing with joy, while Chio screamed something, though her voice was completely eaten by the roar of the crowd.
"FANTASTIC! FUCKIN’ FANTASTIC!" Rumi yelled. "Did you see that?! They’re gonna do it! These bitches are actually gonna do it!"
In the middle of all the noise, Nash was the only one staying calm. He looked genuinely shocked, almost like a kid face to a mountain of gift at Chritsmas. He couldn’t believe it. His plan had actually worked.
Out on the court, Nia had already turned around. She wasn’t smiling, nor looking at the fans or her teammates. Her eyes were fixed straight ahead, wide, shining, and terrifyingly calm.
[Zone State Activated]
Up in the stands, Chloé leaned back and took a deep breath, hands on her face.
"Y-yeah, we’re fucked. I can’t keep up with this team. Everyone is too damn good. Every time someone comes off the bench, she turns into a prime player. How the hell are we supposed to compete now? You’re telling me they had a point guard at this level besides Nashy?"
"Nashy?" Snow shook his head, his eyes focusing back on Nia. "Whatever. I’m totally snitching on you to Rain."
Chloé didn’t even seem to hear him, staring again at Blaclist’s bench.
On the court, Seth was practically yelling at his teammates to get their shit together one last time. He was sweating buckets, eyes darting around, desperately trying to find some way to close the gap in the score, but he was out of time. Every second on the shot clock felt like it was ticking way faster than he could think of a plan.
Then, Nia and Rei closed in on him. They didn’t even say a word, just boxed him in—one in front, one behind. In panic, Seth forced a wild, desperate pass. Cross tried to grab it, but he missed the ball completely, letting it fly out of bounds. Turnover, Blacklist ball.
The Colossus looked pathetic, just desperate and breaking down. They were making mistake after mistake. The fatigue was hitting them hard, and the clock was just slowly crushing the focus they had left.
Maybe they could’ve pulled off a comeback if they had more time, but now? They were fucking exhausted, their lungs were burning, and they were going up against five girls who were at the absolute peak of their game. They didn’t just need a plan, they needed a fucking miracle.
For the girls, this wasn’t even about the win anymore. This was pure revenge for the way these guys had humiliated them.
None of them were going to let up until that final buzzer sounded.
Every single pass was calculated. Every move was anticipated a second before it happened. Nia was running the game like a perfect Nash’s alter. She cycled the ball perfectly: Aiko to Rei, Rei to Miko, and Miko right back to her. The Colossus defense was completely fucked, too tired to even keep up with the rotation. Then, Nia flicked asharp pass right over Hall’s head, landing it perfectly to Jaz, who was already waiting under the rim.
Jaz didn’t even need to try hard. She just had to pivot. Vex reached out to stop her, but he was way too slow and too heavy, moving like he was underwater. Jaz just pushed him aside with a simple shoulder fake and dunked over his head.
[Colossus 93 - 117 Blacklist]
A twenty-four point lead. There was absolutely no room for doubt; the Colossus were getting absolutely wrecked.
Nash reached out and gripped Hina by the waist, pulling her in harder. She didn’t even think about it, she just let herself be dragged, sliding right onto his lap with her back pressed tightly against his chest.
"Sorry," Nash said. "For taking you two out before the end. It was also your revenge."
"What are you complaining about?" Hina replied. She turned her head just enough to give him a dazzling look. "This is literally the best game of our lives."
"She’s right," Kai said. "We’re about to beat the most untouchable team in the league. Nobody’s forgetting that."
Hina didn’t stop there. She started to move her hips, grinding her backside right against Nash’s crotch. She had a satisfied smirk on her face, feeling him get hard under her.
"Hina..." Nash sighed, his fingers digging into her hip.
"What?" she replied, her smile widening as she kept grinding into him. "You said you were going to take responsibility. I’m just reminding you nicely."
Kai watched them, and for once, she couldn’t keep her face neutral. She was trying to act cool, but she wanted so much to just jump and yell everywhere.
She was here, sitting on the bench, after helping shake up a living legend of the league. She was sitting next to a man who had just proven he believed in every single one of them.
"You know," Kai said, her voice becoming softer. "I never thought I’d experience something like this. Seriously. I come from nowhere, and here I am, sitting on the bench of a team that just broke a guy called the Best."
Nash turned his head toward her.
"You earned your spot here just as much as anyone else."
"Yeah," she whispered, almost to herself. "I’m starting to believe it too."
She leaned in, just enough so her shoulder was pressed against Nash’s.
Nine seconds on the clock. A twenty-four point difference. Mathematically, the game was over. But Seth wasn’t the kind of guy to just give up, even when he was staring at a total defeat.
He received the inbound pass, and for the first time in the game, something snapped inside him. A wave of memories he didn’t want flooded back.
He saw his childhood in the brutal streets of the Underground. He’d learned one simple law before he could even walk: the strong survive, and the weak die. He remembered losing over and over again, until he methodically learned how to never lose again. He had spent every second of his life dedicated to one thing: winning. Over and over. Without limits, without pauses, crushing anyone who got in his way.
He had no other purpose in life. Winning was the only goal he ever knew.
And honestly? He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d actually lost.
It won’t happen today, he thought.
He leaped, gathering all his momentum, the ball already in shooting position. Every single fiber of his body was focused on this final, useless, but necessary gesture.
Aiko, however, had never taken her eyes off him.
The exact moment the ball left Seth’s fingers, she leaped. Her fingers grazed the leather, just a tiny touch, just enough to deflect the path by an few centimeters.
Seth stayed suspended in the air for a fraction of a second, his gaze frozen on the altered trajectory of the ball. He looked like he refused to believe what was happening.
The ball hit the rim, circled once, twice, and then fell out.
The buzzer sounded.
[Colossus 93 - 117 Blacklist ]
A total silence took over the entire arena for one second, and then, everything exploded.
Blacklist had beaten the Colossus.