Taiga Kagami slowly walked to the center line, his expression extremely serious.
Eikichi Nebuya also walked over, looking at Taiga Kagami with a cocky expression.
"Oh? You're the one jumping against me? Where's Kiyoshi?"
Taiga Kagami's face was tense as he carefully studied Eikichi Nebuya.
At the moment, Eikichi Nebuya looked slightly different from how he had in the original story.
The first difference was his muscles.
Eikichi Nebuya's muscles were much bigger than they had been in the original.
He looked like a complete powerhouse, the kind of guy who clearly had plenty of strength at a single glance.
Eikichi Nebuya seemed to notice Taiga Kagami's gaze, so he grinned, flexed his muscles, and laughed.
"What do you think? My muscles look pretty good, don't they? I've been following Master's training plan and working on them every day."
"I'm seriously strong now! Hahahaha!"
Taiga Kagami did not answer. He simply got into position for the tip-off.
Seeing that, Eikichi Nebuya's smile stopped abruptly, and he also took his stance.
The referee looked left and right. Once he saw that everyone was ready, he slowly walked to the center line and tossed the ball high into the air.
The instant the basketball rose, Taiga Kagami and Eikichi Nebuya jumped at the same time, both reaching for the ball.
However, Taiga Kagami was clearly a step above him and tipped the ball into his own backcourt.
Eikichi Nebuya could not help thinking to himself, 'What terrifying talent.'
The ball landed in Tatsuya Himuro's hands. Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately pushed forward on a fast break.
Rakuzan High School reacted quickly as well, rushing back on defense and almost immediately setting up their formation.
As Tatsuya Himuro advanced on the break, he could not help thinking, 'As expected of Rakuzan. Their defensive reaction speed alone is on a completely different level from ordinary schools.'
'But I'm not that easy to stop either!'
Tatsuya Himuro did not slow down at all, charging straight toward Rakuzan's frontcourt.
Kotaro Hayama was the first to get in front of him. He flashed his sharp little fangs with a grin and said, "Heh, I'll be the one guarding you!"
Tatsuya Himuro did not answer. Instead, he suddenly came to a stop, his left hand moving toward the ball as if he was about to gather it and rise for a shot.
Seeing this, Kotaro Hayama thought, 'A pull-up three? Right in front of me? He's looking down on me!'
Kotaro Hayama rushed forward and jumped, but the moment he was in the air, he froze.
Tatsuya Himuro had never gathered the ball at all. It had only been a shot fake.
Kotaro Hayama's heart jolted.
'Crap!'
After Tatsuya Himuro broke past Kotaro Hayama, Reo Mibuchi immediately came over to help defend.
But because he had moved in such a hurry, there was still some distance between him and Tatsuya Himuro.
Tatsuya Himuro seized the opening and jumped straight up into a shooting motion.
Reo Mibuchi caught up and leaped to block Tatsuya Himuro's shot path.
But in the next second, the basketball passed right through Reo Mibuchi's hand and dropped into the basket.
Swish!
Seirin High School scored the first two points.
After landing, Reo Mibuchi muttered, "[Mirage Shot]..."
Then he turned to look at Tatsuya Himuro, who had already gone back on defense, and murmured with a smile, "What an interesting opponent."
Possession changed.
Seijuro Akashi received the pass and slowly brought the ball up the court.
With an icy expression, Seijuro Akashi arrived in front of Shun Izuki.
Shun Izuki immediately felt a wave of pressure bearing down on him.
His expression changed at once.
'This feeling... The pressure is insane!'
Just as Shun Izuki was about to go all out, the pressure vanished in the next instant.
Shun Izuki let out a puzzled "Huh?" Only then did he realize Seijuro Akashi had already passed the ball.
The moment Seijuro Akashi sent the ball away, that pressure disappeared with it.
Kotaro Hayama caught the pass and smiled at Tatsuya Himuro, who was guarding him.
"Hey, you just got past me once, right? Then I'll pay you back by getting past you five times!"
Tatsuya Himuro paused, then laughed.
"Did your PE teacher teach you math?"
Kotaro Hayama froze for a second and asked, "How did you know? Were you stalking me?!"
Now it was Tatsuya Himuro's turn to be stunned.
"Huh? It really was your PE teacher?"
Kotaro Hayama did not want to dwell on that. He said, "Whatever, it doesn't matter. Take this!"
Bang! Bang!! Bang!!! Bang!!!! Bang!!!!!
The heavy pounding sound instantly echoed across the court.
Everyone knew this was the sign that Kotaro Hayama was about to use [Lightning Dribble].
Kotaro Hayama smiled, showing his fangs, and said, "Four fingers!"
Crack!
As soon as Kotaro Hayama's words fell, his entire body turned into a streak of yellow lightning, flashing past Tatsuya Himuro in an instant.
Tatsuya Himuro looked shocked.
'So fast!'
After all, this was Tatsuya Himuro's first time facing [Lightning Dribble], so it was only natural that he could not react in time.
After breaking through, Kotaro Hayama charged straight into the paint and leaped high.
Teppei Kiyoshi immediately rotated over to help defend and jumped with him.
Seeing that, Kotaro Hayama smiled faintly.
His layup hand suddenly pulled back, bringing the ball to his chest. Then his whole body curled in midair as he slipped past Teppei Kiyoshi.
Teppei Kiyoshi's heart sank.
'Crap!'
After getting past Teppei Kiyoshi, Kotaro Hayama scooped the ball back into the basket.
A double-clutch layup.
On the sideline, Riko Aida said regretfully, "Damn it, he adjusted in midair."
Possession changed.
Seirin's Shun Izuki advanced with the ball, activating [Eagle Eye] in an instant.
The moment it activated, Shun Izuki felt an extremely terrifying aura.
His body stiffened at once, and he looked toward the source of that aura.
When he looked over, he saw Seijuro Akashi staring at him coldly, his red and golden eyes fixed on him without a trace of emotion.
A chill immediately ran through Shun Izuki, and he thought in shock, 'This aura... what kind of eyes are those?!'
Seijuro Akashi looked coldly at Shun Izuki without making the slightest move. Only his golden pupil slowly flickered with a ring of light.
Shun Izuki gritted his teeth and passed the ball.
Before activating [Eagle Eye], Seijuro Akashi's pressure had not felt that overwhelming when he did not have the ball.
But the moment [Eagle Eye] opened, it was as if Shun Izuki had stepped into Seijuro Akashi's territory. The pressure became overwhelmingly intense.
Shun Izuki clenched his teeth and muttered, "Is this the [Emperor Eye]?"
...
...
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