Daiki Aomine's pupils shook violently, his lips trembling, his face filled with disbelief.
"Z… Zone…!"
Off the court.
When Seijuro Akashi saw this, even his usually cold expression showed a rare trace of shock.
But it quickly turned into anger.
"Miyamoto Tokima! Miyamoto Tokima! Miyamoto Tokima! Why! Why! Why!"
His expression twisted as he stared at Miyamoto Tokima, as if he wanted to tear him apart with his gaze.
"Anyone who defies me will not be forgiven!"
The fury on Seijuro Akashi's face gradually faded back into calm. Then he stood up...
and left the arena.
On Shūtoku's side.
Shintaro Midorima's fists were already clenched tight, his teeth grinding.
Miyamoto Tokima was too strong. The level he was displaying now left Shintaro Midorima unable to see even the slightest chance of victory.
He clenched his jaw, looked up, and murmured:
"Is this… fate?"
At the same time, the afternoon horoscope broadcast beside him began.
"Oh! Here comes the latest horoscope report."
"First up, Aries. Your luck has been great lately. You'll get twice the result with half the effort."
"But Virgos should be careful. You're clashing with Aries recently. If your partner is an Aries, it might be best to avoid dates for now."
"Cancer doesn't have any major issues. Ranked fifth in luck."
"Hea…"
Shintaro Midorima's fists tightened again.
'Fifth…'
Then he turned his gaze back to Daiki Aomine on the court.
'Virgo… Aomine…'
On the court.
Everyone, including all of Kirisaki Daiichi, stared at Miyamoto Tokima with wide eyes and open mouths.
Black lightning flickered within his eyes.
A dark glow began to rise around his body, as if it could devour everything.
Miyamoto Tokima glanced around at everyone, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
'I'm not trying to fast break. You guys run, I'll pass to you.'
He waited for a moment, but no one moved. Helpless, he shook his head.
'Seriously… I have to do it myself again. Everyone's getting extra practice when we get back.'
But in everyone else's eyes, that shake of his head meant something entirely different.
They all thought he was disappointed in their weakness.
Then, under everyone's gaze, Miyamoto Tokima moved.
Like a true bolt of lightning, he shot forward instantly.
Daiki Aomine wanted to chase him, but he suddenly realized his legs were not responding.
His gaze froze for a moment, as if questioning himself.
"Why… is my body… shaking…?"
Everyone stood frozen like statues, watching Miyamoto Tokima charge into the frontcourt.
Then...
He leapt.
He spun.
He dunked.
Boom!
A 720-degree dunk in midair.
In an actual game.
The crowd erupted into cheers.
They did not care what had been activated. They only cared about what they had just witnessed.
And what they saw was incredible.
On the court.
Shuzo Nijimura swallowed hard.
"Monster."
Shogo Haizaki looked at Miyamoto Tokima with burning admiration.
Back in middle school, he had yielded because of the agreement and force.
But over time, he had already been drawn in by Miyamoto Tokima's presence.
He had long since made up his mind. He would follow Miyamoto Tokima, and if possible, become his right hand.
He had ambition too.
Makoto Hanamiya, watching from off the court, wore the same excited expression.
Miyamoto Tokima had brought him countless changes.
And more importantly,
he had mastered a true weapon.
A national-level weapon.
The Tōō players stood there blankly, all staring at Miyamoto Tokima in a daze.
Shoichi Imayoshi swallowed and muttered:
"Monster. He really is a monster."
Daiki Aomine patted his legs and took a deep breath.
"This is just the beginning. There's no way I'm giving up."
Possession changed.
Daiki Aomine took the ball again and headed toward the frontcourt.
There was no other choice.
Right now, the only one who could contend with Miyamoto Tokima was Daiki Aomine.
As for the others on Tōō?
They probably could not even keep their dribble steady in front of Miyamoto Tokima anymore.
The moment Daiki Aomine crossed half court, he froze.
Because...
Miyamoto Tokima's defensive range...
had expanded.
From two steps beyond the three point line to four.
Daiki Aomine swallowed, his expression stunned.
"It's actually… this big?"
"Miyamoto, what kind of brutal training did you go through in the U.S.?"
He let out a bitter smile.
"You probably did not waste a single day, did you?"
Even so, he still had to go.
This was not just about winning the game.
It was also about the promise he made to himself.
"Haa!"
Daiki Aomine shouted as lightning burst across his body once more.
His gaze sharpened, his entire body tensing.
Then he pushed forward.
He charged straight into Miyamoto Tokima's defensive range.
Miyamoto Tokima immediately stepped up to meet him.
Daiki Aomine kept switching his dribble, trying to break past.
But Miyamoto Tokima never lost position.
Black lightning flickered in his eyes.
One black, one blue. Two streaks of lightning clashed across the court.
The game had completely turned into a one on one battle between the two.
No one else could interfere, and no one intended to.
At this point, the match belonged entirely to Miyamoto Tokima and Daiki Aomine.
Time ticked away on the possession.
Yet Daiki Aomine was still outside the three point line.
The blue lightning could not break through the black lightning.
He could not even step inside the arc.
Just watching them was enough to make cold sweat drip down Shoichi Imayoshi's face.
"Hey… even Aomine cannot get inside the three point line?"
Off the court.
On the Shūtoku side.
Shintaro Midorima stared at Miyamoto Tokima with his emerald eyes and thought to himself:
'I wonder… living in the same era as you… is it a tragedy, or a kind of fortune?'
He tilted his head back again and murmured:
"Fate…"
...
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