The basketball landed in the hands of Mibuchi Reo at the court. Without hesitation, Mibuchi sent a precise pass into the paint.
Eikichi Nebuya exploded upward with raw force.
BOOM!
A violent dunk slammed the ball through the hoop.
That's the gap in strength… it's too obvious.
On the sideline, Imayoshi Shoichi—Tōō's captain—watched the retreating figures of Rakuzan. His narrow eyes, hidden behind his glasses, tightened slightly, masking a trace of unease.
"It's not looking good… The difference inside the paint is too big. Wakamatsu Kousuke is completely outmatched by Nebuya. He keeps getting broken through and scored on… Tōō's defense is starting to fall apart."
Imayoshi slowly dribbled the ball into Rakuzan's half-court, glancing at the remaining three minutes on the clock.
Three minutes left… and we're already behind like this.
He sighed quietly.
When Hayama Kotaro pressed forward aggressively, Imayoshi quickly passed the ball to Sakurai.
But Sakurai—facing a defender far taller and fully locked in on defense, Mibuchi—couldn't find a way through.
So he shook his head slightly in disappointment and passed it to Suzaku (small forward).
Suzaku caught the ball, rose into a jump shot—
SWISH.
The ball cleanly dropped through the net.
Imayoshi's eyes narrowed again.
So that's the opening… right there.
The defender was Mayuzumi Chihiro—a player so ordinary that even the crowd barely noticed him.
Meanwhile, in the stands, Haizaki Shogo stared at Mayuzumi in silence.
Has he already become the "Phantom Sixth Man"… or is he still in training?
From his perspective, this version of Mayuzumi should still be developing. He wouldn't fully emerge until the winter tournament.
"That kind of team without any Generation of Miracles members… the weaknesses are obvious," someone muttered.
"It's normal, isn't it?" another voice replied.
The speaker was Hanamiya Makoto, captain of Kirisaki Daiichi.
His tone carried sarcasm—whether aimed at both teams or at the so-called Uncrowned Kings themselves, no one could tell.
But he wasn't wrong.
Nearby, Seirin's players and others listened as the discussion continued.
"Right there, Tōō found Rakuzan's fatal weakness—Mayuzumi and that number 11 forward. Their individual defense is too weak and can be exploited."
"But Tōō has even more holes. Almost every position is a weak point. Only Imayoshi has Uncrowned King-level skill. The rest are clearly outclassed."
No one objected.
They were just analyzing reality.
If the Generation of Miracles are unreachable… then the Uncrowned Kings are right in front of us.
On the court, the first quarter neared its end.
The whistle blew.
First quarter over.
Score: 26–30. Rakuzan slightly ahead.
On the bench, Midorima Shintaro calmly looked over.
"…Second quarter will shift the balance."
His words were quiet—but everyone heard them.
Momoi's prediction will start influencing the flow soon.
He glanced briefly at Haizaki.
And once that happens… Tōō's rhythm will change.
On the Tōō bench, Coach Katsunori Harasawa spoke calmly.
"Suza, the second quarter is yours. Their defense against you is average. It's time to score."
"Yes, Coach!"
"Good. Let's slow them down."
Imayoshi exhaled softly.
"Those Uncrowned Kings… they're tough opponents."
But there was no fear in his voice.
Only anticipation.
Meanwhile, on Rakuzan's bench, Coach Eiji Shirogane remained calm.
"Good. Keep suppressing them. Maintain control of the pace."
A player asked, "What about Tōō's manager and her predictions?"
"Don't worry about it," Shirogane replied. "Even if they know, it doesn't matter. Their strength is still below ours. Every one of them is a potential breakthrough point."
His words eased the tension.
But deep down, everyone knew—
Without Akashi Seijuro on the court, Rakuzan still felt incomplete.
And Tōō still had one monster waiting.
Aomine Daiki.
The second quarter began.
The arena tightened again.
Mayuzumi brought the ball up and passed it to Hayama.
Hayama raised four fingers.
Then he burst forward.
Too fast—!
Imayoshi tried to contain him, but it was useless.
A quick floating layup—
SWOOSH.
The ball dropped in effortlessly.
Imayoshi's body trembled slightly.
He didn't know if it was frustration… or excitement.
But one thing was clear.
His blood was boiling.
This… is so satisfying.