The most terrifying scene unfolded.
Every single player from Seiho and Rakuzan had entered the Zone.
"How is this possible?"
The atmosphere in the arena became incredibly oppressive, especially for the other participating teams.
To think there were two such teams... Even though they were currently fighting for the final championship, it felt like a massive mountain pressing down on the other squads.
How could anyone defeat them?
How could they possibly be beaten?
"It's not the true Zone!" Aomine noticed the difference immediately.
The strongest proof was the cold electricity flashing in the eyes of Mibuchi Reo, Iwamura Tsutomu, and the others.
"They don't possess the qualifications for it. It was Yuuto and Akashi who pulled them into this domain."
"They don't have the qualifications, but... how on earth did they do it?"
"Passing..."
Midorima felt his throat go dry.
"In his duel with Yuuto, Aomine once used some special methods to break his 80% limit and activate his potential to 90%."
"Perhaps they found inspiration from Aomine's match, using passes to help push their teammates' states a step further."
Hearing this, Momoi agreed that this was the most likely possibility.
"In other words, even if it's not the true Zone, they can stimulate their teammates' physical potential to 90%?"
On the court.
The two teams faced off like two armies, the atmosphere solemn and chilling.
"As expected, you can do it too." Akashi smiled.
He had indeed found inspiration from that match with Aomine, though he had thought he was the only one capable of it.
It wasn't until he saw Yuuto's 'Specialization'—breaking limits even with technique—that he had a vague premonition.
Yuuto didn't respond. He stood at the forefront of his team and said, "Let's go, Seiho!"
"Oh!"
The other four shouted in unison, rushing into Rakuzan's territory like a pack of wolves.
At this stage, there was nothing left to say. Only a bloody battle remained.
Seeing this, the Rakuzan players moved to meet their defenders.
The intensity of the battle suddenly escalated to another level.
When the other players' potential was activated to 90%, the offensive tactics revolving around Yuuto ran even smoother.
"The speed of ball movement, the players' positioning... it's even faster than ours," Aida Riko stared in disbelief.
Seirin played a run-and-gun style, known as the most famous blitzkrieg tactic in the basketball world.
And the result?
They realized their run-and-gun wasn't even as fast as the opponent's half-court ball movement.
It wasn't that the opponent's tactics were truly faster than run-and-gun, but simply that the intensity of the players on these two teams was too high.
"Did the Dead Spot disappear?"
Yuuto discovered that the Dead Spot belonging to Rakuzan was gone.
Obviously, breaking the 80% boundary collectively and further activating their potential rendered his previous analysis of Rakuzan ineffective.
But it was only temporary.
"What's wrong? Can you still see Rakuzan's Dead Spot?" Akashi rarely trash-talked, but he wanted to disturb Yuuto.
"I'll see it sooner or later. Including yours." Yuuto responded coldly.
Since he couldn't see the Dead Spot, he would just blast through head-on!
Buzz~
A dazzling golden light erupted from his body. He looked like a human-shaped sun, his posture majestic. The moment his legs moved, his entire body shot forward.
Akashi blocked with all his might. The future seen by the Emperor Eye wasn't absolute; possibilities of divergence appeared.
Yuuto had evolved and become stronger. Meanwhile, the current Akashi's usage of the Emperor Eye wasn't as proficient as his other personality.
A standard Shammgod crossover.
Akashi saw it clearly, but the moment he went for the steal, he saw a different future.
Speed Specialization.
Yuuto turned into a beam of light, charging straight for the Rakuzan basket.
The next second.
Hayama Kotaro and Nebuya Eikichi double-teamed from both sides.
Although their level still couldn't match Yuuto's, with their potential stimulated to 90%, they could cause some interference.
At the very least, they could create time for Akashi to recover on defense.
But Yuuto...
Whoosh!
The basketball flew out like a bullet. There was no preparatory motion; it was abrupt. Before Nebuya and the others could react, the ball was already in Kasuga Ryuhei's hands.
The latter caught the ball and shot immediately, but Mibuchi Reo provided sufficient interference instantly, his arm almost sealing Kasuga's face.
"This is one of the Uncrowned Kings, one of the best players beneath Yuuto and the Generation of Miracles!"
Kasuga Ryuhei could feel that in a one-on-one, he might not be a match for this Yaksha.
They were called the Uncrowned Kings because if not for the appearance of geniuses like Yuuto in this era, they would have dominated it.
In fact, Rakuzan had indeed won the Nationals last year.
But.
"We are the Kings!"
He roared internally, his eyes as determined as Kasamatsu Yukio's, and decisively released the ball.
Clang!
It hit the iron. Mibuchi Reo's interference was still too significant.
"Rebound!"
Both sides shouted almost simultaneously. Nebuya Eikichi turned to wrestle with Iwamura Tsutomu for position.
Kasuga Ryuhei's expression didn't change; he remained determined. He believed that Seiho's King was the strongest.
"Yuuto is the strongest!"
Mibuchi Reo naturally wouldn't admit that. The person he admired most was the strongest.
But turning around, he saw Yuuto leaping into the air a step ahead of both Nebuya and Iwamura. He suppressed them both, grabbed the ball with one hand, and slammed it in for a putback dunk.
Whoa~
The ball went in. The Seiho fans in the stands went crazy.
"Don't mind it. The game won't end because of one possession."
Akashi spoke, bringing his teammates' focus back.
The next second.
After receiving a pass, he dribbled across half-court with a pressure similar to Yuuto's.
Their morale was high; they weren't disheartened by a single defensive failure.
Using a screen from Mayuzumi Chihiro, he sought a mismatch opportunity.
Yuuto didn't give it to him, bypassing the screen early to continue pressing Akashi.
Almost simultaneously.
Akashi completed a pass to Mayuzumi, who made a move to drive.
Then.
Under Omuro Yoshikazu's gaze, Akashi flashed into his field of view like lightning. Yuuto arrived immediately to block the line of sight.
However, Mayuzumi had keenly captured the moment Yuuto's gaze shifted and passed the ball past Omuro.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it!" Omuro was unwilling. He had told himself to be ready, but his attention was inevitably diverted.
Heh!
Mayuzumi hit a mid-range shot. The score gap still couldn't be widened.
The anxious game made the fans of both teams sweat, every possession seeming so crucial.
"However, it's become very difficult for Akashi to score directly in front of Yuuto now."
...
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