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The arena was filled with a deafening roar.
The soaring shouts expressed the audience's fervent emotions.
This intensely passionate game had driven them completely wild.
The players on both sides seemed to be infected by the atmosphere, their eyes blazing with fighting spirit.
In contrast,Ryu and Aomine appeared remarkably calm.
But those who knew them knew.
These two were only outwardly calm; a terrifying aura was already brewing around them.
Ryu clearly sensed the danger emanating from Aomine.
He simply watched calmly, his heart unmoved.
'It's only the third quarter, is it about to begin?'
He didn't know if it was as he suspected, but everything would only be revealed when his opponent made their move.
Too inbounded the ball.
Bang...bang...bang...
Imayoshi Shoichi dribbled the ball step by step towards the half of the court.
He didn't rush to pass the ball.
Just like he had said during halftime, he wanted to find another scoring route.
But as he looked around, he was shocked to find someone missing.
'Where's Aomine?'
His dribbling motion abruptly slowed.
However, he quickly spotted Aomine's location.
Aomine was standing motionless under his own basket.
Imayoshi Shoichi was puzzled but didn't think much of it, assuming Aomine was probably tired and wanted to rest.
That was perfect; it would allow him to try and find an offensive route.
After crossing the half-court line and facing Hanafuji's defense, Imayoshi Shoichi passed the ball behind his back to his center, Wakamatsu Kosuke.
'Watch me break through!'
His loud voice showed no fear facing Kamimono.
Although Kamimono was stronger and more imposing, Wakamatsu still gritted his teeth and struggled forward against the opponent's defense.
"Heh... not bad, kid."
Kamimono, facing his opponent's fearlessness, showed the appropriate respect.
Stealing wasn't his forte, so against Wakamatsu Kosuke's offense, he focused more on blocking his path.
The two engaged in a thrilling offensive and defensive battle.
The duel was intense, and though it was not as spectacular as the duel between Ryu and Aomine, it still drew cheers from the stands.
However, the difference in their abilities was ultimately too great.
At the three-point line.
Kamimono firmly blocked Wakamatsu Kosuke outside, preventing him from advancing an inch.
Seeing this, Susa Yoshinori quickly shook off Kuroki and stepped forward to assist, preparing to set a screen for Wakamatsu Kosuke.
Kuroki changed his pace, blocking Susa Yoshinori's path just as he was about to reach Kamimono.
As hope vanished, Wakamatsu Kosuke had no choice but to pass the ball.
He held the ball with both hands, turned his back to the defender, and prepared to intercept.
He glanced out of the corner of his eye and immediately spotted Sakurai Ryo beyond the three-point line.
Wakamatsu Kosuke's eyes lit up with delight, and he flicked the ball to him.
Thwack…
Sakurai Ryo received the ball and immediately raised his hand to shoot.
He was very confident in his shooting speed.
But just as he was about to release the shot, a figure suddenly appeared in front of him.
It was his rival, fellow shooting guard Kugawa.
Kugawa had been watching his every move.
So, when Wakamatsu Kosuke passed the ball to Sakurai Ryo, he had already started moving.
Faced with Kugawa's defense, Sakurai Ryo knew he couldn't force it, so he suppressed the urge to shoot, preparing to find a more suitable opportunity.
Thus, the Too team's offense was effectively halted at the three-point line.
Time ticked by.
The 24-second shot clock for Too was dwindling.
A look of anxiety appeared on the faces of the Too players.
Imayoshi Shoichi shouted.
"Don't hesitate, pass the ball!"
Seeing his captain waving for the ball, Sakurai Ryo passed it without hesitation.
At the same time,
Imayoshi Shoichi gave Wakamatsu Kosuke a wink.
The latter understood, and with a flash, he circled around Kamimono and entered the interior of Toho Kotei Gakuen.
Kamimono, naturally, wouldn't let him succeed and followed closely behind back to his own paint.
Imayoshi Shoichi, seeing the timing, raised his hand and shot right in front of Hanafuji.
Hanafuji's eyes narrowed, somewhat puzzled.
'Shooting a three-pointer from this far?'
However, he quickly saw Imayoshi Shoichi immediately bypass him after the shot and rush towards his own basket.
'Wait, this isn't a pass.'
Realizing his mistake, Hanafuji immediately turned and closed in.
Whatever the opponent's plan, he had to disrupt it; he wouldn't let the opponent's plan succeed.
The basketball drifted through the air, tracing a beautiful arc.
Clang…
The basketball struck Toho Kotei Gakuen's backboard, then quickly bounced in the opposite direction.
Having already prepared, Wakamatsu Kosuke shouted sharply, then leaped into the air, reaching for the rebounding basketball.
"You're overthinking it."
The sudden words made Wakamatsu Kosuke's pupils shrink, his heart leaping into his throat.
A large hand rose from below his eyes.
He gritted his teeth, looking at the explosively powerful Kamimono.
A sense of powerlessness washed over him.
'That damn guy! His explosiveness is too strong! How am I supposed to play against him?'
Ah…
Wakamatsu Kosuke cried out, but Kamimono still managed to steal the ball.
Falling downwards, Wakamatsu could only watch his opponent in despair.
But just as both of them landed simultaneously, an unexpected event occurred.
Appearing out of nowhere, Imayoshi Shoichi, taking advantage of the instant Kamimono landed, swung his hand and hooked the ball from Kamimono's grasp, successfully controlling it.
What?
Kamimono was shocked.
The others from Toho Kotei Gakuen were also somewhat surprised.
Stealing the ball under those circumstances?
The one with the most complicated expression was Hanafuji Souji.
He had been watching Imayoshi Shoichi the whole time, yet his opponent still managed to steal the ball.
'Was it all part of his scheme? Did he trust Kamimono, not his own teammates, to get the ball?'
Hanafuji looked at Imayoshi Shoichi, unsure what to say.
'He truly is a terrifying opponent who will stop at nothing.'
Hanafuji had a new understanding of Imayoshi Shoichi.
In the stands.
The Seirin members frowned upon seeing this scene.
They were an absolute team, with absolute trust in each other.
However, what Imayoshi Shoichi had just done was completely exploit his own center.
This blatant distrust of his teammates greatly annoyed the Seirin players.
Kagami Taiga said somewhat unhappily.
"That squinty-eyed guy is still as infuriating as ever!"
Kuroko remained silent.
...
In another part of the stands.
Rakuzan and his group were seated here.
Akashi remained unchanged.
Behind him three of the "Uncrowned Kings":
Hayama Kotaro, Mibuchi Reo, and Nebuya Eikichi.
This match had truly amazed them.
Leaving aside the duel between Ryu and Aomine,
the previous duel between the other players was also a feast for the eyes.
On the court.
After stealing the ball, Imayoshi Shoichi prepared to retreat from the penalty area and pass it to Sakurai Ryo.
But just as he was about to pass the ball, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of his eye.
This sent a chill down his spine, making his scalp tingle.
Because what he saw was none other than Ryu.
Ryu stood motionless under his own basket, just like Aomine, his gaze seemingly not even in his direction.
However, this caused Imayoshi Shoichi to involuntarily choose not to pass.
Seeing an opportunity, Hanafuji immediately stepped forward to put pressure on Imayoshi Shoichi.
At this moment, apart from Aomine remaining under his own basket,
almost everyone else was gathered in Toho Kotei Gakuen's half of the court.
Kugawa and Sakurai Ryo, one on offense and one on defense, waited for an opportunity on the perimeter.
Imayoshi Shoichi and Hanafuji were locked in a stalemate inside.
Kamimono and Wakamatsu Kosuke were on guard in the paint.
Kuroki and Susa constantly circled around Toho Kotei Gakuen's basket, searching for various openings.
For a moment, Toho Kotei Gakuen's interior was in complete chaos.
However, amidst this lively scene, Ryu and Aomine attracted the attention of many.
"What are those two doing?"
"Yeah! Why are they just standing there motionless?"
"That's strange, weren't they fighting really hard before?"
"Are they tired?"
"Maybe..."
...
The audience speculated curiously.
However, some professionals saw things differently.
The coaches from various universities narrowed their eyes.
This was just the calm before the storm.
This feeling was inexplicable, but they definitely sensed it on the court.
Kise stared intently at the court.
"Kasamatsu-senpai, do you guys feel something's off?"
"What's off? Nothing!"
As Kasamatsu Yukio finished speaking, Moriyama Yoshitaka chimed in.
"I did notice quite a few hot girls, all pretty and cheering enthusiastically."
"That's not what I meant!"
Kise raised a hand to his forehead, speechless.
He continued.
"Don't you guys think this game is a bit strange? Both teams' ace players are staying in their own areas, not even moving when the ball threatens their own basket."
After his explanation, Kasamatsu Yukio and the others nodded.
Kasamatsu Yukio said.
"I noticed that from the beginning. They played so intensely in the first two quarters, they must be tired! They're just resting there."
"Is that so?"
Kise still felt something was off.
His intuition was usually right.
…
On the other side.
"Midorima-cchi! What do you mean by danger?"
Takao couldn't help but ask.
The rest of the Shutoku team also focused their attention on Midorima.
Midorima adjusted his glasses.
His green eyes behind the lenses looked intently at Ryu and Aomine below.
"Ryu and Aomine's actions are really strange. They're not the type to stand still during a match. Their current behavior can only mean that what they're about to do is something truly astonishing."
Truly astonishing?
...
"You mean, they, like you, can enter that state?"
Hayama Kotaro, Mibuchi Reo, and Nebuya Eikichi stared at Akashi in shock.
Akashi, his eyes fixed on the audience, said calmly.
"That state itself isn't difficult for Aomine. If I had to say, Aomine should be the first person to enter that realm."
Akashi's words made Hayama Kotaro and the others swallow hard.
They had personally witnessed Akashi enter that realm.
That overwhelming, almost inhuman strength was something they couldn't forget.
Frankly,
they found it hard to believe their team could lose.
Because Akashi in that state was terrifying, practically inhuman.
Even after witnessing the phenomenal power of Ryu and Aomine, they felt the same way.
But now Akashi said that the two below could also enter that state.
This suddenly gave them a sense of impending doom.
Just then,
they heard Akashi continue.
"Don't misunderstand, I just said that entering that state isn't difficult for Aomine."
Hayama Kotaro asked doubtfully.
"So, Ryu can't enter that state? No way! Isn't he also a member of the Generation of Miracles? If they're from the Generation of Miracles, they should all be able to enter, right?"
Akashi replied calmly to his question.
"No, my eyes tell me that Ryu hasn't entered the Zone, nor does he show any sign of ever entering it."
Hearing this, Hayama Kotaro and the other two were all filled with confusion.
They had all witnessed Ryu's strength.
Such a powerful person showed no signs of entering the Zone.
This was truly perplexing.
Not only them, but even Akashi himself was puzzled.
Ryu was someone he respected.
He didn't believe the other party lacked the qualifications to enter the Zone.
However, his Emperor Eye unequivocally told him that Ryu didn't have the qualifications to enter the Zone.
If it were just a matter of not having contact with the Zone yet, he could understand, but this situation baffled him.
This contrast caused Akashi's brows to furrow gradually, remaining unsettled for a long time.
...
On the court.
The game continued.
While Toho Kotei Gakuen's interior was in chaos,
an unexpected event occurred.
Everyone gathered in Too Academy's half of the court felt a chill run down their spines.
The temperature seemed to drop several degrees across the entire court.
Sometime later,
a silver streak flashed past Imayoshi Shoichi and Hanafuji.
The basketball that Imayoshi Shoichi had been holding had vanished.
Imayoshi Shoichi felt a powerful gust of wind sweep past him, followed by a chilling, piercing sensation that made his body tremble.
At the same time,
the players of Too Academy, positioned in their half of the court, all experienced the same sensation.
It was as if countless invisible spikes in the air pierced their flesh and drilled into their bones.
Thump... thump... thump...
The sound of a basketball hitting the ground rang out.
The players from Too Academy, who had been locked in a heated battle, all looked towards the direction of the sound.
Then they saw Ryu dribbling the basketball, his gaze fixed intently on Too, unmoving.
This sudden turn of events left everyone stunned.
Kamimono and the others also looked at Ryu in surprise.
They thought, "This guy has finally made a move."
At first, they had assumed Ryu was just exhausted and wanted to rest.
Thump... thump... thump...
The sound of the basketball hitting the ground echoed repeatedly.
Ryu simply dribbled, his feet remaining motionless.
The players from Too Academy exchanged glances, but none of them rushed forward to snatch the ball.
For no other reason than...
Ryu's imposing aura made them hesitant to act rashly.
For some reason...
The players from Too Academy felt their legs become weak and unresponsive.
'Damn it, what's going on?'
Imayoshi Shoichi broke out in a cold sweat, his previously smiling eyes now filled with terror.
Even the loud-voiced Wakamatsu Kosuke was speechless.
He felt breathless, a strong urge to get away from Ryu welling up inside him.
Ryu's teammates, on the other hand, seemed much more relaxed.
Although they didn't know what Ryu was doing, they didn't go forward to disturb him.
Trust and respect are essential qualities of teammates.
Time ticked away.
The 8-second violation timer for the backcourt was quietly ticking away.
Just as the 7-second mark appeared...
Sizzle...
Ryu transformed into a silver lightning bolt, leaping across the half-court.
Colorful light surrounded his feet.
Ryu's speed was like teleportation as he arrived at Too's three-point line.
Looking at Aomine, who was alone under the basket.
Ryu pushed off the ground, jumped, looked up, aimed at Too's basket, and prepared to shoot a [Zero-Type Three-Pointer].
Too's nerves suddenly tensed.
Because Aomine was still on the baseline.
If this shot went in,
Too Academy would essentially give up a scoring opportunity.
This would be somewhat disadvantageous for Too.
A murmur of doubt arose from the stands.
"Is Too giving up?"
"Why isn't Aomine defending?"
"He's been standing still since the start of the match, is he out of stamina?"
"Is the match going to end like this?"
...
The audience chattered amongst themselves, speculating about the outcome.
However, Aomine seemed not to hear them.
Or rather, he simply ignored them.
At this moment, Aomine kept his head down, his expression hidden by the shadows around his eyes.
Ryu's movements didn't stop.
He was already preparing to shoot the ball.
But his eyes were fixed on Aomine's position.
He didn't believe Aomine would let him shoot like that.
Sizzle…
A sound like thunder rang out.
Azure lightning shot from Aomine's eyes.
A black shadow grew larger, then transformed into a gentle breeze that brushed across Ryu's face.
The basketball, once shot, vanished without a trace.
Clang…
The creaking of the rim echoed throughout the arena.
On Toho Kotei Gakuen's rim hung a chilling figure.
"Ao… it's Aomine…"
"How did Aomine get there?"
"Strange, wasn't Ryu shooting a three-pointer? Why did it suddenly become Aomine dunking?"
Ryu stood silently in front of Too's three-point line without turning around.
From the sounds just now, he already knew the outcome.
A slight smile played on his lips, his silver eyes gleaming with an inexplicable light.
"Zone… this is your strongest form!"
With that, Ryu turned around.
A pair of eyes, gleaming with an icy silver light, fixed their gaze on Aomine.
Aomine released his grip on the rim and landed on the ground.
He also turned to look at Ryu and said,
"Ryu, come on! Your strength must be more than this! Let me see your hidden trump card!"
He shouted these words.
The entire arena erupted in commotion.
Everyone turned to look at Ryu.
Ryu looked at Aomine without speaking, but slowly walked towards him.
Aomine also stepped forward, walking towards Ryu.
The two slowly walked to the center line and passed each other.
Just past the center line, they both stopped.
Ryu spoke without turning his head.
"I had imagined what you'd be like entering the Zone, but I didn't expect it to be beyond my imagination."
The speed Aomine had just displayed had truly startled Ryu.
Otherwise, he would have been able to react in time and not let the opponent steal the ball.
Even if Aomine entered the Zone in the original story, he didn't seem to have this kind of speed!
It seems there are indeed differences from the original story.
It seems everyone's combat power has increased.
Thinking of Midorima's fusion with the ball, Ryu felt relieved.
Aomine grinned.
"So what are you going to do?"
Hearing the question, Ryu chuckled.
"Are you sure you want to see my trump card? If you do, you'll lose!"
Hearing this, Aomine's pupils dilated, then he laughed loudly.
Hahahaha…
"What a joke, I'll lose? The only one who can beat me is myself. Even if you have hidden trump cards, you're no match for me now."
Hearing Aomine's arrogant words, Ryu didn't refute.
He simply replied calmly.
"We'll see! But is it really okay for you to be in this state so early? You've been so lazy lately, don't blame me if you can't keep it up."
Hmph...
Aomine snorted coldly.
"This is nothing, I can still score a hundred points!"
Both teams stared silently at their ace players.
Ryu and Aomine's aura was simply too overwhelming.
Even their own teammates felt uncomfortable.
Kamimono wanted to say something, but couldn't bring himself to speak.
Too's Wakamatsu Kosuke, who usually cursed Aomine whenever he saw him, now didn't dare utter a sound, only glancing sideways at Aomine with a furrowed brow.
The atmosphere between the two sides was extremely strange.
Everyone watching felt that this match was unusual.
----
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