Aomine brought the ball up again for Tōō.
It was Sakurai inbounding once more. Seeing Aomine step forward to receive it, he instinctively passed the ball over.
Watching Aomine's back, Sakurai froze for a moment.
Aomine-san… feels different.
He couldn't explain why, but the Aomine in front of him felt completely different from usual.
Shoichi suddenly broke free into open space while wrestling for position with Miyara Ichi.
"Sakurai!"
The shout snapped Sakurai back to reality. He quickly bowed in apology toward Imayoshi.
"Sorry!"
Then he hurried to chase after the player assigned to help defend Aomine.
The moment Aomine received the ball, blue lightning flashed across his eyes.
He sensed the defender closing in behind him.
A smile spread across his face.
His body moved.
Like a streak of cyan lightning, Aomine tore past Shin in an instant.
Before anyone could react—
BANG!
Aomine Daiki slammed the ball into Tōdai's hoop with one hand.
He released the rim and dropped lightly to the floor, rolling his neck as he landed. His gaze traveled across the court and locked onto Ueno.
Blue lightning flickered endlessly in his eyes.
Seeing this, Ueno understood.
The first half might already decide everything.
On the sidelines, Coach Shinkawa stared in shock, brows tightly furrowed.
They couldn't even keep up with Aomine's speed.
Not just him — everyone on the court was stunned.
Even Tōō's own players were seeing this version of Aomine for the first time.
That speed was terrifying.
And the pressure he radiated was overwhelming.
Shin stared blankly at the floor, sweat dripping from his forehead as he struggled to breathe. His body had frozen moments ago.
All because of a single look from Aomine.
He could only watch as Aomine passed him.
Turning toward Aomine under the basket, Shin clenched both fists.
"Damn it… that guy…"
Beside him, Kyoichi looked worried and was about to step forward to comfort him—
"Senpai, leave him to me."
Shin turned.
Ueno stood behind him, smiling.
He glanced once toward Aomine, then back at Shin, confidence clear in his voice.
"Tōō isn't the only team with an ace."
Shin slowly calmed down.
Seeing Ueno's expression, he nodded seriously.
"Yeah… I'm counting on you, Ueno."
"Got it."
On Tōdai's bench, Coach Shinkawa's eyes softened.
What was an ace?
An ace was someone who could turn the tide.
Someone who could pull teammates out of despair.
Someone whose presence alone lifted morale.
And in his mind, Ueno was exactly that.
The game continued.
Tōdai ball.
Without hesitation, Shin inbounded directly to Ueno.
The instant Ueno caught it, he attacked.
Dribbling forward, he charged straight into Tōō's territory.
The moment his right foot crossed midcourt—
A figure blocked his path.
Aomine Daiki.
Lightning crackled in Aomine's eyes.
Facing him in this state, Ueno's gaze sharpened, and his body trembled slightly.
Excitement.
His entire body felt alive.
Black lightning flashed across Ueno's eyes.
ZONE — activated.
Ueno's body flickered.
Like black lightning, he slipped past Aomine in a single motion.
Aomine's smile widened.
"So you opened that door too… huh?"
Blue lightning burst from his eyes.
He spun and chased after Ueno like a streak of cyan light.
In an instant, the court seemed to hold only two figures—
Two bolts of lightning colliding again and again.
Shoichi tried to turn his head to follow them but found his body frozen by the pressure.
The same was true for everyone else.
All they could do was watch.
An overwhelming aura swept across the court.
Ueno glanced toward the basket, lightning flashing in his eyes, and burst to the right again.
Aomine chased without hesitation, blood boiling with excitement.
Ueno stopped abruptly, preparing to shoot—
—but Aomine was already there.
Watching him from the side.
If Ueno forced the shot now, even in the Zone, it would be blocked.
Without hesitation, Ueno pulled the ball back mid-motion.
Aomine slid in front of him again.
Then—
Ueno suddenly fired a pass.
Aomine blinked and turned.
The ball had already reached Miyara Ichi at the three-point line.
Miyara froze, startled by the sudden pass.
But only for a moment.
He remembered the coach's words.
If you have the chance — shoot.
He gritted his teeth and prepared to launch the three.
Then—
A figure appeared in front of him like a ghost.
Aomine.
Under that overwhelming pressure, Miyara's body stiffened. The ball nearly slipped from his hands.
He clutched it tightly instead, cold sweat pouring down his forehead as he stood there, completely unable to move.
...
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