I want to reach 20 paid subscriptions on Patreon this week to complete this novel, as it has been over a month since the last subscription.
patreon.com/ayan41x
----
On the comfortable single bed inside the room.
Ryu, lay there quietly.
The bright moonlight shone through the glass, illuminating his face and adding an unusual charm.
Purr...purr...purr...
Beside his bedside.
Karupin curled up, its chest rising and falling, releasing hypnotic sounds.
However, two invisible golden orbs flickered on and off the bodies of the man and the cat.
In a uniquely space.
On the brightly lit basketball court, a brutal and intense game was unfolding.
There were six players on the court.
Each of them exuded a powerful aura.
Fleetingly visible behind each of them stood a menacing, illusory figure.
Ryu's chest heaved, he breathed heavily, and large beads of sweat dripped down his cheeks.
He stared intently at the five figures standing before him, showing no fear.
These five figures were: Aomine Daiki, Kise Ryota, Midorima Shintaro, Murasakibara Atsushi, and Akashi Seijuro.
Behind the backboards on both sides of the court, a visible but intangible red number appeared.
The number behind the five players opposite him was 41.
The number behind Ryu was 19.
This was Ryu's seventh time challenging all the Generation of Miracles in the Dream Space.
The scores clearly showed this.
Ryu had failed again.
He used almost every technique he knew, yet he was still no match.
However, Ryu wasn't disappointed.
Now, he was scoring more and more points.
At the beginning, he was a complete zero.
Ryu couldn't help but marvel.
The combined power of the Generation of Miracles was simply too overwhelming.
Perhaps it was because they weren't normal people, or perhaps it was due to their physical abilities.
When Ryu used [Annihilation of the Five Senses] on the Generation of Miracles, the effect on them wasn't significant.
Thump thump thump…
The sound of basketballs hitting the ground echoed across the court again.
Ryu dribbled and sprinted quickly.
The instant he crossed half-court, two powerful auras pressed down on him.
Aomine and Kise intercepted him almost instantly.
Ryu's eyes sharpened, and his aura surged, bursting forth and instantly sweeping towards the two before him.
The three auras formed three invisible semi-circular spaces, each refusing to yield.
Ryu crossed his arms and shifted direction, lowering his stance.
The ultra-low-position [chaotic Dance] was instantly activated.
Ryu moved like a dancer, his movements ethereal and elusive, leaving afterimages in his wake as he shifted left and right.
If an outsider were present, witnessing this scene would surely be dazzling, astonishing, and filled with awe.
Aomine and Kise's pupils contracted, and their footwork quickened.
The two guarded Ryu's sides, their footwork seemingly coming alive, each step and retraction as fast as lightning.
No matter how fast Ryu moved, he couldn't break through their combined blockade in a short time.
[Ice World] activated.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh…
Countless ice spikes rained down from the sky, embedding themselves around Aomine and Kise.
A chilling aura emanated from the ice spikes, spreading outwards.
Aomine and Kise's movements faltered for a moment.
Ryu's eyes flashed, and he seized the opportunity to pass between them, successfully breaking through.
However, at the same time.
The ice spikes shattered, and Aomine and Kise broke free from their freeze, turning to chase after Ryu.
In his ball in hand, Ryu knew he couldn't outrun them.
His eyes hardened.
[Ice World] activated again.
Just as Aomine and Kise were about to be frozen again.
Suddenly, the countless ice spikes raining down exploded, turning into ice crystals and vanishing without a trace.
Ryu's pupils contracted, his eyes glancing at Akashi who had rushed over.
Akashi's heterochromatic eyes stared intently at Ryu, a crimson halo gleaming within them.
'Emperor Eye...'
Ryu's face showed no surprise or panic.
This wasn't the first time Akashi had broken through [Ice World].
'Since that's the case…'
Ryu's pupils contracted, and an icy aura rose.
[Ryu Kingdom] activated.
In an instant.
The future image in Akashi's eyes shattered and collapsed inch by inch.
The image of Aomine, Kise, and Akashi, as if recorded on an X-ray, appeared in Ryu's mind.
"Found it, here."
The voice fell.
Ryu slammed the basketball in his hand towards the designated spot.
Thump…
A sound followed.
Ryu broke free from the triple team.
Only three players remained, standing motionless.
Having broken through the three, Ryu strode directly into the paint.
Murasakibara and Midorima appeared before Ryu.
Murasakibara spread his arms, blocking Ryu's shooting path.
Midorima prepared to steal the ball.
The two coordinated their attacks seamlessly.
Seeing this, Ryu immediately crouched down.
[Lightning] activated.
Sizzle…
Lightning flashed, and Ryu's figure vanished from Murasakibara and Midorima's sight in an instant.
The next moment, Ryu reappeared at the other end of the basket, accompanied by a streak of lightning.
Without any hesitation.
Ryu didn't even have time to jump; he simply tossed the ball upwards.
Because he sensed a tremendous danger rapidly approaching.
Snap…
However, his movements were still too slow.
The basketball had only flown a short distance when it was slapped away by a large hand.
It wasn't Murasakibara…
Ryu glanced sideways and saw Aomine Daiki, his eyes crackling with blue lightning.
'Zone?'
Ryu's pupils contracted; he understood why Aomine had caught up so quickly.
The basketball flew out and landed in the hands of the arriving Kise.
Kise immediately passed the ball to Midorima.
Midorima didn't charge forward; instead, he jumped and launched a full-court three-pointer.
Ryu just watched, dumbfounded, without intervening.
Even if he wanted to stop it, it was too late.
So he could only silently watch the basketball leave Midorima's hands and fall precisely into the basket.
Swish…
The sound of the basketball swishing against the net filled the air.
Ryu let out a long sigh.
'Sigh… another loss.'
Ryu sighed, but didn't give up.
He looked at Aomine.
'Zone, huh? Looks like I'll have to use my real skills.'
The next second, a blinding blue light illuminated the entire court.
The light faded, revealing a radiant Ryu, his silver hair flying, entwined with countless elemental light particles.
[Pinnacle of Perfection], activated.
Ryu grinned at the five opponents.
'Well then, let's begin the next round!'
Seeing Ryu's reaction,
Akashi and the others weren't about to be outdone.
With a blink of an eye, electricity shot out, electric snakes slithered, and they all entered the Zone.
Only Kise and Midorima didn't enter the Zone.
Because during Ryu's interaction, Karupin hadn't recorded any data about these two after they entered the Zone.
Ryu suspected that they might not yet meet the requirements to enter the Zone, or that they were deliberately hiding their abilities.
However, Kise had already activated "Perfect Copy."
A yellow aura erupted from his body, and his powerful aura surged once again.
Meanwhile, Midorima activated "Man and Ball as One," his movements possessing a strange, graceful quality.
The entire court was enveloped by the aura of these six people.
It was as if a stormy cloud was brewing something in the dark sky above the court.
A short while later.
The basketball landed in Midorima's hands.
Ryu vanished from his spot, reappearing in front of Midorima.
He jumped, swung.
Thud…
The instant Midorima released the basketball.
Ryu successfully stopped it.
Reaching Midorima's shot wasn't enough, because Akashi was already positioned at the basketball's landing point.
He used his Emperor Eye to foresee the outcome of Midorima's missed shot.
The moment he landed, Ryu turned and strode after Akashi.
The instant the basketball landed in Akashi's hands, Ryu appeared before him.
Their eyes met, one silver, one heterochromatic, reflecting each other, everything unspoken.
The two pairs of eyes seemed to be engaged in a silent battle.
Crack…
It was as if something shattered.
Akashi's pupils suddenly dilated for a moment.
In that instant, Ryu struck decisively.
Snap…
A crisp sound.
Ryu successfully intercepted the basketball from Akashi's hands.
However, an unexpected figure blocked Ryu's path.
'Murasakibara…?'
He hadn't expected the usually lazy Murasakibara to suddenly appear and set a screen.
Ryu's path was blocked, and the basketball was quickly seized by Kise.
The yellow figure stood still, holding the ball in both hands, eyes fixed on the distant basket, poised to shoot.
Ryu felt a sense of foreboding.
The next second.
Kise raised the basketball and swung his arm towards the distant basket.
"Don't even think about it..."
Whoosh...
Ryu quickly bypassed Murasakibara.
[Lightning] activated instantly.
A flash of lightning streaked across the sky, appearing instantly before Kise.
Seeing Ryu's sudden appearance, Kise's shooting motion faltered.
Just as he was about to be blocked, Kise decisively retrieved the basketball and tossed it to Aomine in the distance.
Without hesitation, Aomine instantly switched from 0 to Max, reaching the opposite basket with the ball in a few breaths.
He jumped, intending to shoot.
However, he quickly sensed danger behind him.
A gust of wind chilled his neck.
This made his heart tighten.
His shooting motion abruptly changed; his body, suspended in mid-air, gradually tilted to the side.
Holding the ball in one hand, he aimed at the basket and launched it.
An unorthodox shot.
Ryu sighed inwardly.
Too far; his arms weren't long enough.
Finally, the basketball hit the backboard and bounced directly into the basket.
Both of them landed.
Ryu wiped the sweat from his cheeks.
As expected!
The limit of the "Selfless Realm"—[Pinnacle of Perfection]—is very strong.
But it's no match for the combined efforts of the five members of the Generation of Miracles.
'Then let's try this move again!'
Thinking this, Ryu's mind stirred, and a basketball appeared out of thin air in his hand.
This is a privilege of the Dream Space.
A ball that goes out of bounds automatically disappears.
With just a thought, the basketball will reappear in the user's hand.
Ryu stood under his own basket, adjusting his stance.
After a long while, he gazed ahead, his eyes resolute.
Starting from his feet, red flames swept upwards, merging with blue elemental particles, making Ryu appear even more dreamlike and ethereal.
This wasn't the end.
Following this was black flames.
[Black Aura] activated.
[Wild Aura] + [Pinnacle of Perfection] + [Black Aura].
Ryu's aura surged several times over, instantly engulfing Akashi and the others with terrifying pressure.
At this moment, he was like a demon god, inspiring awe.
[Lightning] activated.
His figure flashed, accompanied by a streak of lightning, instantly disappearing from his spot.
Bang…
The sound of a basketball hitting the ground rang out.
Akashi, using the Emperor Eye, immediately pointed out Ryu's current location.
The instant Akashi pointed out Ryu's location, Aomine acted.
The two electric streaks at the corners of his eyes suddenly thickened, and his speed increased dramatically.
Almost in the blink of an eye, Aomine appeared in front of Ryu.
Ryu wasn't disrupted by Aomine's sudden appearance.
His eyes flashed with a fierce light.
[Ryu Kingdom] activated.
Scenes from X-rays flashed into his mind.
Ryu changed direction and broke through.
Aomine was frozen in place, unable to move.
Just then.
Ryu's mind stirred.
[Yin] activated.
Unfathomable as the shadows.
As he broke through Aomine's defenses, his body began to undergo subtle changes.
Akashi, who had been observing Ryu's every move, suddenly noticed that the future he saw was becoming much blurrier.
This caused him to hesitate for a moment, unsure whether to tell his teammates what he had seen.
Just then.
[Ryu Illusion] activated.
Ryu's aura suddenly changed, forming an aura indistinguishable from Midorima's.
In a side glance, his figure seemed to transform into Midorima's appearance.
Akashi's pupils contracted, and he immediately warned him.
"Stop him!"
But it was too late.
Ryu had already left the ground, aiming at the distant basket.
Murasakibara rushed forward the moment Akashi warned him.
His arms stretched out as he jumped, trying to stop Ryu's shot.
But when the basketball grazed his fingertips, Murasakibara knew he was in trouble.
Just when he thought he was about to lose the ball...
Thud...
A crisp sound suddenly rang out behind him.
Ryu's eyes widened as he saw the figure behind Murasakibara frozen in place.
Kise Ryota.
Soon, Ryu realized the height of Kise's jump.
This is...
Ryu's pupils contracted, and he instantly understood.
"Is that Kagami Taiga's jump? It's truly unpredictable! You even copied that?"
Ryu was filled with mixed emotions.
He hadn't expected that even after using so many techniques and abilities, he would still be stopped.
...
The next day.
When Ryu opened his eyes, his usual ease was gone.
He only felt inner exhaustion and weariness.
The great battle in the Dream Space last night had burned countless brain cells.
Just thinking about facing five Generation of Miracles who had entered the Zone...
Oh, no, three had entered the Zone, one a perfect imitator, and one a being at the level of oneness with the sphere.
The scene still made his teeth ache.
Although he was utterly humiliated, he had also gained a lot, clearly feeling a significant improvement.
This improvement wasn't in strength, but in experience.
This would make dealing with them much easier in the future.
----
I want to reach 20 paid subscriptions on Patreon this week to complete this novel, as it has been over a month since the last subscription.
patreon.com/ayan41x