In an instant, Akashi's heterochromatic eyes flared with crimson and gold, each iris encircled by a radiant halo that radiated dominance and majesty.
Boom. A bone-chilling aura erupted from him, spreading outward like a storm.
Aside from Sendo, the other Seiyo players had never seen him like this. Their breaths caught at the cold, commanding presence Akashi exuded.
Meizawa's players, rushing toward Seiyo, froze. Terror and shock filled their eyes, all focusing on the singular figure dominating the court—Akashi.
What… is happening?
"Oh… he's serious now," Sendo thought, recalling Akashi's demeanor in their private 1v1 battles.
Sawakita Eiji's confident smile faltered. He sensed something he had never felt before on the court: danger. Pure, precise, and lethal.
The Meizawa point guard snorted, refusing to show fear, and dribbled forward. But before he could act, a crisp snap echoed across the court.
The ball vanished from his hands.
Everyone's eyes widened. The basketball had somehow appeared in Akashi's hands.
Impossible.
Akashi stood calm, toes lightly tapping, the ball poised in his grip. His gaze, sharp as a hawk's, pierced the Meizawa defense. He had already stolen possession and readied his next move before the point guard even realized what had happened.
The Meizawa point guard charged, desperate to reclaim the ball, but Akashi's movements were a blur.
Step left. Twist. Between-the-legs switch. Center of gravity shifted. Step right, springing forward like a phantom.
His body leaned, rotated, and flowed in a seamless dance, leaving the defender flailing, thrown completely off balance.
Thud. The point guard hit the floor, helpless, his shock mirrored by every player watching.
Akashi landed smoothly, breathing even, as if the dazzling maneuver had been nothing more than routine training. He calmly looked down at the fallen defender.
"You are too arrogant," he said, voice low, unwavering.
Thump… thump… thump… Step by step, he advanced toward the hoop, dribbling with a grace that made him appear almost godlike.
Two more Meizawa players lunged to double-team him. Aggressive, heavy, as if they intended to devour him whole.
The crowd held its breath.
Akashi's faint smile remained. Halos flickered in his eyes. His right hand controlled the ball, his movements fluid and deceptive, the basketball seemingly an extension of his body.
As the double-team closed in, Akashi shifted direction again, ankle twisting, toes springing, his center of gravity moving like water.
The first defender faltered, drawn left, then right—unable to stabilize.
The second defender twisted, stumbled, and fell.
Thud… thud. Two heavy impacts declared the failure of their defense.
Akashi walked calmly between them, unhurried, commanding, untouchable. He stopped at the free-throw line, raised the ball with both hands, and released it in a perfect flick.
Swish.
The basketball sank smoothly into the hoop.
He turned, surveying the three fallen Meizawa players, and spoke in a deep, resonant voice:
"I am absolute. Lower your head!"
The three Meizawa players stared, stunned, at the crimson-gold figure before them.
The stadium fell deathly silent, as if the world itself had paused to witness the power of the Emperor's Eye.