"Rakuzan must have pretty much finished gathering intel on us by now!"
Inside Seiho's rest area, despite being dominated throughout the first quarter, no one on Seiho's side showed panic. Although the situation had slightly exceeded expectations, it was still within their overall plan.
No choice.
Akashi Asuka's intelligence was just too precise. Even when trying to predict beyond the expected, it was extremely difficult.
After all, unlike the previous world, in the world of Kuroko's Basketball, many "bug-type" skills exist, but the more overpowered the skill, the more critical its flaws. That's why information holds immense value here.
"It's time for us to strike back, isn't it? Otherwise, if they pull too far ahead, the second half will be a nightmare," Tsugawa Tomoki said.
Matsumoto Yukinori pondered briefly, then nodded. "No problem. Let's follow the plan, first, we deal with that potential troublemaker."
==========
The second quarter began.
Rakuzan initiated the first round of offense.
This time, Akashi Asuka moved to defend the inside, while Kasuga Ryuhei switched to guarding Akashi Seijuro on the perimeter.
What an overwhelming sense of pressure!
Kasuga felt a chill. Only when facing Akashi Seijuro directly could he truly feel the terrifying weight emanating from him.
It was like being locked in the gaze of a lion, the fear threatened to consume him entirely.
I can't believe Akashi went toe-to-toe with this monster!
A few beads of cold sweat slid down Kasuga's chin.
Throughout the first quarter, Akashi had stayed in the point guard position, mainly facilitating passes, never initiating an attack.
Yet, as the second quarter began, Akashi suddenly took the initiative.
"Step aside. I'll say this only once."
"Huh?"
His voice was cold, detached. Kasuga froze.
Before he could react, Akashi moved.
BOOM! BOOM!
Facing Kasuga's defense, Akashi made a sudden breakthrough attempt. Instinctively, Kasuga tried to keep up, but at that exact moment, he realized his balance was gone.
Ankle Breaker.
THUD!
Kasuga collapsed onto the floor in disbelief.
In that instant, Akashi dribbled past them effortlessly, his cold voice echoing once again:
"Consider this a warning. No one can defy my orders. My commands are absolute."
"Kasuga!!!"
Kasuga's fall shocked his teammates. Tsutomu Iwamura rushed to assist, but suffered the same fate.
As he slowly hit the ground, Iwamura's eyes widened in shock.
No way… such a technique exists?
The last obstacle was Akashi Asuka. But even he lost his balance for an instant. Though he didn't fall thanks to his core strength, he was forced to stabilize himself forcibly.
He had already been posterized by Murasakibara in a previous match, he wouldn't risk being tricked again.
Yet even without falling, Akashi Seijuro breezed past his defense and scored.
SWISH!
9:21.
"I told you, I am absolute…"
Akashi turned to the fallen Kasuga, Iwamura, and the stabilized Asuka, his voice icy.
"Don't think I'll relax just because we led by 10 points in the first quarter. Victory is mine."
==========
"Huh? Akashi already taking the initiative in the second quarter?" Murasakibara Atsushi watched in mild surprise.
"Well…" Aomine Daiki scratched his head. "This fits Akashi's personality. He's never liked flashy, aggressive games. His way of handling enemies is slow, steady, and completely suffocating them."
"The lead is already 12 points? If it keeps widening, Seiho is in trouble."
"Exactly. Let's see if Seiho can respond. If they can't stop Rakuzan, this match could end early."
==========
Pff~~
On the court, Akashi Asuka suddenly laughed.
"What's so funny?" Akashi Seijuro asked.
"Nothing. It's just… you Generation of Miracles types are incredibly interesting. By the way, saying all those over-the-top, dramatic lines… don't you feel a little embarrassed?"
"Embarrassed? I am merely stating facts." Akashi Seijuro's expression remained cold.
"Facts, huh? Not so sure about that!"
Asuka murmured, then suddenly asked, "By the way, Akashi, have you played Dragon Quest?"
"If you mean that child's toy series… I haven't played, but I know quite a bit. My family even owns shares in that company."
The sheer confidence of the elite momentarily stunned him.
"But in that case, which do you prefer, the Hero or the Demon King?"
Before Akashi could respond, he answered himself:
"I prefer the Demon King. In reality, a Demon King with ideals, goals, diligence, and no scruples is often the one who succeeds."
"That… I can agree with."
"Looks like we have something in common. Now, guess this, Rakuzan calls themselves 'Emperor,' so what kind of King is our Seiho?"
Asuka gave a mischievous smile and turned away.
Seiho launched an offense.
Kasuga dribbled past midcourt. On the surface, Seiho's formation hadn't changed, but at a certain moment…
Kasuga passed to Omuro Yoshikasu. Without a second's hesitation, Omuro sent the ball flying toward the hoop.
The next moment…
A towering figure appeared above the basket, catching the pass and slamming it fiercely into the hoop.
BOOM!!!
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Completed version available on Patreon.com/Veltoria