From the white steam, Yuuto charged out fiercely like a demon from purgatory.
He held the absolute initiative; even the Emperor Eye couldn't predict him.
His current technique, muscle memory, and brain calculations were all in the state most suitable for facing Akashi.
Right now, Akashi could no longer break through his self, but Yuuto was getting stronger as he played.
"Seiho's new captain is too amazing!"
A Rakuzan fan exclaimed, expression uneasy.
He felt Akashi didn't seem to be Yuuto's opponent, and Rakuzan might lose the ball game on their own home court.
"Why do I feel he's getting more and more formidable? Or is Akashi tired?"
The gap now was just that obvious; even the fans could see it.
Rakuzan, and Akashi too, were struggling more and more as they played.
The people of Kyoto watched Yuuto return on defense. White steam erupted from his slender figure, red light flickering in his eyes, causing panic and fear.
They probably wouldn't be able to forget this figure for the next month.
"Why do I feel like Rakuzan can't hold on anymore?" Koganei Shinji felt Rakuzan was done for.
He was very sharp; the Wildness talent was hidden in his body.
"It depends on how long Akashi... no, how long Rakuzan can maintain this advantage."
Aida Riko was shocked.
Rakuzan had been able to maintain a high shooting percentage largely due to Akashi's passing.
But now, Yuuto had found the trick, solving the opponent from the source, attempting to "kill" Akashi's passing.
Even though it was hard to achieve, the quality of Akashi's passes was indeed dropping rapidly.
At this point, could Rakuzan still catch up with Yuuto's scoring efficiency?
Thinking about it, Aida Riko felt the question itself was terrifying.
A team blossoming everywhere was actually worried their firepower wouldn't match a player fighting alone? This simply made no sense.
But this was basketball. True superstars all possessed the ability to turn the tide of battle.
So how long could Rakuzan last?
The answer was: they couldn't last this round.
Over three quarters of time was enough for Yuuto to evolve multiple times, thoroughly dissecting Rakuzan's offense.
However, on the defensive end, he still couldn't find Rakuzan's Dead Spot.
This already spoke volumes. It wasn't that his evolution wasn't enough, nor that his analytical ability was insufficient, but rather it was caused by those eyes of Akashi.
Akashi had a limit, and Yuuto had one too.
Even with the specialization of the Star Bible, his body had limits.
A human couldn't run faster than the flight speed of a basketball, and Yuuto couldn't outrun Akashi's pass speed.
This was the root cause.
In that case, solve the problem from Akashi.
One-on-one isolation defense, Death Coil exerted to the extreme, putting huge pressure on Akashi in every aspect.
Akashi called for a screen.
Useless.
Yuuto's 360-degree vision without blind spots and corrected memory made Rakuzan's screens exist in name only.
Using technique to destroy the center of gravity.
Equally useless.
Yuuto didn't fall for that anymore.
"Blocked? How?!"
"There was clearly a chance to pass just now, why?"
"Probably saw some danger, or perhaps that moment wasn't the best timing to pass."
Aomine, Kise, and the others analyzed as they watched.
Even they didn't have an accurate answer because their eyes weren't as good as those two; they couldn't see that far.
And Akashi?
He had discovered Yuuto's plan. The opponent before him had completely analyzed everyone in Rakuzan, every tactic.
His positioning was incredibly subtle, always sticking to a half-step distance—able to attack or defend—preventing Akashi from sending those passes with anticipation.
Without the assistance of his passes, could his teammates break Seiho's iron wall?
Seeing time running out, Akashi had to act whether he wanted to or not.
Bam!
A bounce pass hit near the free-throw line, bouncing into Hayama Kotaro's hands.
Thump~
With a muffled sound, Hayama Kotaro cut straight into the Seiho paint. Iwamura Tsutomu defended extremely well, forcing the former to pass to Mayuzumi Chihiro.
Not that he didn't want to give it to Nebuya Eikichi, but Yuuto was watching aggressively from the side.
Then.
Mayuzumi caught the ball and shot. The basketball hit the rim and bounced out.
Clang!
The sound of iron striking caused hearts across Rakuzan to tremble.
"The balance Akashi tried so hard to maintain has been broken..."
Someone said it, only seeing Yuuto suddenly appear in the paint, securing the rebound in his hands.
The next second, it was a lightning-fast counterattack.
"A one-possession gap. If Yuuto scores this, the difference will be one point or even tied directly!"
"But what's important isn't the score difference, but the team's morale. If they get reversed at this time, it will be a heavy blow to Rakuzan, who worked so hard to maintain a tiny lead."
Kiyoshi Teppei looked serious. He felt the winner of this match was about to be revealed.
"Ha!"
Yuuto ran with the ball, golden light exploding from his body. Even his breathing carried white steam.
"It's not over yet! Stop right there!" Akashi shouted and chased after him.
He had realized the importance of this round for Rakuzan.
The two advanced neck and neck; bodies, eyes, and brains clashing simultaneously.
Yuuto was indifferent, striding forward. He also realized this would be a key round to defeat Rakuzan.
Click!
A female reporter on the sideline couldn't help but press the shutter.
In the picture, two geniuses, one tall and one short, leaned their centers of gravity forward significantly. One had an indifferent expression, the other clenched his teeth tight.
Who was strong and who was weak? This photo already "spoke" clearly.
By the time she lowered her camera, Yuuto had already stepped on the free-throw line and taken to the air. It was as if he had grown a pair of wings on his back, challenging the limits of the sky.
Beside him was Akashi, who also jumped, but after reaching his peak height, his body fell uncontrollably. His invincible Emperor Eyes could only watch as Yuuto remained in mid-air, powerless to change anything.
Finally.
Boom!
Meteor Jam!
Yuuto smashed the ball heavily into the basket.
1 point difference!
Although Seiho hadn't reversed the lead yet, the situation was extremely unfavorable for Rakuzan.
Shirogane Eiji gritted his teeth, his expression indescribable—unwillingness, powerlessness, and one could even see despair in the eyes of this championship coach.
Huff~
Huff~
Huff~
Akashi landed, hands supporting his knees, gasping for huge breaths. The red lightning in his eyes flickered uncertainly until it completely dissipated.
It wasn't that he couldn't hold on, but if he continued, his stamina wouldn't be enough to finish the game.
...
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