Aomine took a deep breath, throwing emotions unnecessary for the match out of his brain.
This was him.
Once he entered the match state, he would devote himself completely, especially when encountering an opponent he wanted to crush.
Aomine Daiki, this beast, was extremely hard to influence by external factors.
The benefit of the simulation was that it allowed Yuuto to know what might happen in advance.
But there were also disadvantages.
He would inevitably underestimate the enemy, especially opponents he had defeated in the simulation. Facing them in reality, he would always become less cautious.
Therefore.
He needed to correct this emotion of underestimating the enemy right from the start.
Seiho's possession. Tōō adopted a very characteristic one-on-one man-to-man defense.
This was their confidence.
The starting five were all first-class players at the national level. In terms of individual ability, they were confident they wouldn't lose to any team.
"Nice team." Yuuto looked around.
Tōō's players' overall stats were even above Seiho's. Although not by much, higher was higher.
"Hmph, this match isn't a place for them to shine."
Aomine didn't care about these teammates. If possible, he even hoped this would be a duel between just him and Yuuto.
The light of others...
"True. Their light..."
"Is too dim!" X2
As soon as the words fell, Yuuto's five fingers exerted force violently, carrying the sound of thunder.
Bang!
He exploded with acceleration, reaching Aomine's side with his first step.
Hearing his words, Aomine's face flashed with momentary astonishment, but he immediately became excited.
"That's right, that's how it should be."
He grinned and started moving.
His feet twisted, sneakers rubbing against the floor making a piercing sound. With a turn and acceleration, he stuck close to Yuuto.
However.
Yuuto's body rapidly dissipated. In the eyes of others, he seemed to suddenly disappear, only to reappear on Aomine's other side when they turned their heads.
"That guy Haizaki's move?" Aomine clicked his tongue. He wouldn't be fooled by this kind of rhythmic deception a second time.
He liked the strong, even feeling that anyone who liked basketball wouldn't be a jerk.
Except Haizaki.
That guy was a complete jerk.
Whoosh!
Yuuto's body erupted with golden light, accelerating towards Tōō's paint.
Aomine showed no weakness, his body swaying constantly as he pursued.
Others dared not approach easily; the athletic ability displayed by these two was scary enough.
It was only the beginning, yet it was already so intense.
"Playing like this right from the start? As expected of Little Aomine and Little Yuuto." Kise came to Tokyo again.
So far, he hadn't missed any match of the Generation of Miracles.
Even for Murasakibara Atsushi and Akashi far away in Akita and Kyoto, he would watch via TV.
To further his imitation.
"One is the strongest player in the country, the other is the fastest player in the country. Until they stop, others can't intervene in a contest of this level." Midorima, the Gold Medal Lecturer, also arrived at the scene.
He wore the Shutoku uniform, holding today's lucky item in his hand.
A Vegeta figure, specifically in the state of self-destructing against Majin Buu.
"So strange, Little Midorima, you actually didn't disguise yourself today."
Hearing this, Midorima's expression flashed with momentary discomfort.
It wasn't that he didn't want to disguise, but every time he disguised, he was seen through.
It was too unnecessary.
"Besides, Little Yuuto isn't the type to blindly pursue one-on-one."
"Of course. You know that, I know that, and Aomine and Momoi know that too."
Midorima also acknowledged Momoi's ability.
While speaking.
Yuuto and Aomine had fought all the way to the basket.
Seeing they were about to reach under the hoop, Wakamatsu instinctively approached to compress Yuuto's activity space.
However.
Yuuto stepped out forcefully, his whole person leaping out of bounds at the baseline.
"Jumping out of bounds?"
"Could it be he wants to..."
Formless Shot!
This signature move of Aomine had been used by Yuuto repeatedly in previous matches.
He also possessed that offensive ability with no blind spots that all players dreamed of, just like Aomine.
"Don't look down on people, Yuuto!" Aomine strode to keep up.
Defeating him with his own signature move?
There should be a limit to looking down on people!
"Just! The opposite. I attach great importance to you, Aomine."
Yuuto didn't turn his head. With a flick of his wrist, the basketball shot out like a bullet.
The imagined Formless Layup didn't happen. The basketball flew straight into Iwamura's hands under the basket.
"Crap!"
Wakamatsu immediately turned and jumped to defend.
In the intel given by his manager, the Seiho captain would nine out of ten choose to dunk directly at such a moment.
But no.
Iwamura feigned a jump, but his feet remained fixed on the floor.
Only when Wakamatsu leaped high did he jump straight into him, laying the ball up.
Swish!
Beep!
The ball went in, and there was a bonus free throw.
Seiho got a 2+1 opportunity right at the start.
"Momoi."
"I've been seen through by Yu."
Momoi said something that could lead to misunderstandings, but Harasawa understood what she meant.
It's just that when talking about Yuuto, she sometimes became weird.
All the intel Momoi Satsuki collected had been seen through by Yuuto, and he had prepared counter-strategies.
That was what she meant.
"Then what's your take?"
"Compete with direct ability."
The amount of intel both sides possessed was equal.
Even if Seiho made a wonderful counter at the start, the others in Seiho weren't Yuuto.
They couldn't see through Tōō's actions every time.
Now.
Both sides knew each other like the back of their hands, so they could only play normally and see whose ability was stronger.
"Is that so? That's good news." Katsunori Harasawa felt relieved.
Competing on individual ability, Tōō wasn't afraid of any team.
"You guy!" Aomine was extremely dissatisfied with Yuuto's choice.
This wasn't what he wanted.
True strong players should hold victory and defeat in their own hands.
"If you still think basketball is a two-person game, I suggest you go back to play singles." Yuuto's words were unpolite.
He advocated individualistic basketball.
But he wasn't a ball hog (cancer); he wouldn't treat teammates as decorations. He would use them when necessary.
Swish!
Iwamura made the free throw. Seiho got off to a good start and also burdened Wakamatsu with a foul.
Don't underestimate the impact of this foul.
The Nationals adopted international basketball rules; five fouls meant ejection.
In other words, Wakamatsu would become timid in the upcoming quarter.
...
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