The situation on the court had shifted once again.
Not only had Aomine Daiki stepped onto the floor, instantly liberating the momentum of Tōō Academy, but his matchup with Hayama Kotaro also freed up Imayoshi Shoichi from defensive pressure.
Imayoshi switched onto Mibuchi Reo, effectively sealing off Rakuzan's perimeter options.
Meanwhile, Sakurai Ryo—their designated "special attack shooter"—was also liberated, turning Toō into a dual-threat offense: not only Aomine as the unstoppable scorer, but also Sakurai as a fast-break artillery piece.
Rakuzan's offense began.
Mibuchi brought the ball across midcourt and passed it to Hayama.
But with Imayoshi's dark, calculating defense suppressing his options, even Mibuchi's signature three-point shooting was tightly restrained.
Hayama caught the ball, eyes blazing with fighting spirit.
He stared directly at Aomine.
"I'm going to get past you!"
He raised five fingers.
In an instant, he activated his fastest dribbling technique—Lightning Dribble—and charged forward.
BOOM!
A dark-skinned hand shot out like lightning.
The dribble was destroyed mid-motion.
Aomine snatched the ball and exploded forward in a single motion, leaving Hayama frozen in place.
"Hayama!"
Mibuchi and Eikichi Nebuya called out simultaneously, snapping Hayama back to reality before retreating on defense.
But it was already too late.
Aomine was gone.
No one could catch him.
A casual layup—effortless, natural—sent the ball through the net.
Tōō Academy vs Rakuzan: 55–58
Only a three-point difference remained.
"Pfft… as expected. Against the Generation of Miracles, the Uncrowned Kings are nothing."
"Hey, hey!! Captain, you're one of the Uncrowned Kings too! Why are you insulting yourself like that?"
"Insulting myself? Did you forget what happened against Shutoku High School? I came here today just to watch the other Uncrowned Kings get crushed. Watching their shocked expressions… it puts me in a good mood."
The Kirisaki Daiichi players silently judged their captain.
Our captain is seriously messed up…
Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the stands, Seirin High School sat in a heavy silence.
The atmosphere was weighed down most of all by their founder-like figure, Kiyoshi Teppei.
As one of the Uncrowned Kings himself, Kiyoshi understood better than anyone what the other Uncrowned Kings were capable of.
And yet—
They were being crushed completely.
Even if they are being overwhelmed while training every day… what chance do I have, after half a year of injury recovery?
Kiyoshi fell into deep thought.
And that silence spread.
One by one, the entire team began to imagine themselves on that court—
and failing.
The answers they reached were… bleak.
=======
On another section of the stands, things were far more relaxed.
"Shogo-kun, when Aomine enters the game, the atmosphere completely changes, doesn't it? Whether it's Kise Ryouta or Aomine-kun, their presence causes a total transformation in the team. It's truly amazing."
"That's obvious. The Generation of Miracles isn't just about individual skill. Their presence alone changes a team's identity and mentality."
Midorima Shintaro said nothing.
He simply kept his eyes fixed on the court.
But the faint curl of his lips betrayed him.
Even if I don't like that title… I can't deny its meaning.
Around them, players from Yosen High School and others looked at Midorima's tall silhouette with a mix of awe and recognition.
"This game might already be decided. Rakuzan's undefeated streak is going to end."
"Yeah. If Akashi Seijuro doesn't step in, no one can stop Aomine. We all know that."
Kise's voice carried quiet certainty.
Memories of their previous match surfaced—of that overwhelming, suffocating speed.
A figure too fast to comprehend.
Too dominant to contain.
"Honestly… that kind of monster can only be handled by someone from the Generation of Miracles."
"Handled? I'm not even sure it's possible to handle him at all."
"…What do you mean, Kise?"
"Aomine is the ace scorer of the Generation of Miracles. I don't know if he's the strongest overall… but stopping him from scoring? That's just wishful thinking."
"That style of basketball… really can't be stopped."
=======
On the court again, Mibuchi hesitated.
He wanted to attempt a three-pointer—perhaps even his "Heaven" or "Void" shots.
But Aomine's presence disrupted everything.
And so, he passed.
Inside.
Nebuya received the ball, forcing his way through and powering it into the basket.
A strong, brutal score.
Rakuzan briefly regained momentum.
But only briefly.
In the next instant—
The balance shattered again.
Rakuzan players froze.
Because—
A black blur had already passed them.
Unseen.
Uncaught.
Unstoppable.
The ball was gently laid into the hoop once more.
Just like that.
Just like before.
So familiar.
They had seen this exact scene before—during Toō's match against Yosen.
But now, standing on the court instead of the stands—
they finally understood.
That speed… was terrifying.
Not impressive.
Not exciting.
Terrifying.
=======
On the Yosen side, the players exhaled quietly.
At least now they understood—
Rakuzan was struggling with the same thing they once did.
And somehow, that brought them a strange sense of relief.
So it's not just us…
We're all… unfortunate companions in suffering.
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