The myth of the Zone's invincibility had been shattered—something unprecedented.
All along, people believed that only the Zone could counter the Zone. Match after match had proven this to be true. Even Yuuto's Demon Mode operated on the same principle: pushing a player's physical potential to its absolute limit.
So despite all of Yuuto's victories, he had never truly broken through that 100% ceiling.
But today, he did.
He genuinely matched the Zone in his normal state, scoring directly over Murasakibara's head.
Murasakibara said nothing. He was never one for words, and in this state, he grew even more silent. He simply took the inbound pass from his teammate and immediately charged forward.
"Wait, Murasakibara's bringing the ball up from the backcourt?" The crowd was stunned.
A giant standing 2.08 meters tall and weighing 99 kilograms was dribbling from the backcourt? More incredibly, his speed pushing the ball up was astonishing—second only to Yuuto, far surpassing both Himuro Tatsuya and Kasuga Ryuhei, both guards.
Kasuga stepped up to attempt a steal. Murasakibara's frame meant his dribble point was higher than normal, making turnovers more likely. But the moment Kasuga approached, Murasakibara made a simple ball-protection move, shifting his body slightly. In the next instant, Kasuga—who had initiated contact—went flying.
He literally flew through the air, sliding several feet after hitting the ground.
Many spectators' jaws dropped open in disbelief.
Yuuto stepped forward next. He wasn't sent flying, but his body was still being pushed backward relentlessly.
It reminded everyone of LeBron—that young king in Cleveland. His bulldozer drives were exactly like this: no technique, just plowing through defenders all the way to the basket before finishing.
BOOM!
Murasakibara powered through Yuuto all the way to the paint and threw down a thunderous dunk.
No technique whatsoever. Pure, undiluted talent.
Can't go head-to-head with him.
Yuuto rubbed his chest, still feeling the impact. While many mocked LeBron for relying solely on his physique—claiming his crossovers, step-backs, and directional changes were all for show, completely useless against defenders who could see through them—what made him truly dangerous was that freight-train drive.
Simple. Ugly, even. But devastatingly effective.
The way to stop such a physical specimen was simple in theory, yet incredibly difficult in practice: you needed someone with decent mobility who could also match his power. Then LeBron's technical deficiencies would be exposed.
Yuuto faced the same problem. If he could absorb Murasakibara's impact, he could easily shut him down.
But he couldn't.
That kind of frame, sprinting at guard-like speed with full force—the collision wasn't something ordinary humans could withstand.
He'd have to find another way.
"Again!" Yuuto roared, receiving the ball and bursting into a sprint, pushing his Thunder Dribble to its limit. Electric arcs crackled around him.
"Incredible!" Hayama Kotaro couldn't hide his envy. Even he couldn't push the Thunder Dribble to this level.
Murasakibara gritted his teeth, constantly spinning to pursue. No matter how many times Yuuto blew past him, he always caught up.
The good news: none of Yōsen's other players could keep up with Murasakibara's pace. Yuuto and Seihō didn't need to worry about anyone else.
The bad news: Murasakibara alone was now more efficient than their entire team, and his defense had ascended to another level.
Two geniuses—one tall, one short—weaved across the court, battling from backcourt to frontcourt in intense combat.
Araki Masako was on edge.
It wasn't a fluke. He really can match Murasakibara in the Zone while in his normal state.
Players in the Zone typically dominated anyone in a regular state. Like how Shūtoku's uncrowned talents were helpless against a demonized Aomine back then.
But now, Yuuto was going toe-to-toe with a Zone-enhanced Murasakibara using nothing but his base abilities.
As they spoke, Yuuto once again shook free of Murasakibara's pursuit. His body flickered from right to left, blazing past at incredible speed.
STOMP!
He planted his foot hard on the floor, launching himself skyward, his body hurtling toward the basket.
Then his eyes flashed. Activating Star Bible's enhancement, his right arm accelerated dramatically. Before Murasakibara's massive hand could get there, Yuuto slammed the ball home with a thunderclap.
BOOM.
His arm struck the rim like a bolt of lightning.
This time, despite the collision, Yuuto still scored.
He was simply too strong—breaking all conventions.
Aida Kagetora, Harasawa Katsunori, and Nakatani Masaaki had all come to watch, sitting together in the stands. But now, all three former professional players were speechless.
Even the Zone, basketball's highest realm, can be defeated.
They understood what this meant.
Yuuto had completely separated himself from the Generation of Miracles by an entire tier.
On the other end, Murasakibara dribbled straight forward. His technique remained rough—clearly someone who didn't train hard in practice—but heaven's favor upon him was undeniable.
Yuuto tried several approaches, but ultimately could only watch as Murasakibara spun his massive frame and slammed the ball through the hoop.
The rim shook violently, threatening to collapse at any moment. Yuuto could even see some of the bolts beginning to loosen.
But that wasn't his concern. Right now, he just wanted to keep playing.
Yuuto found Murasakibara again. The corrected memories from his countless simulations were rapidly integrating into every cell of his body.
This was like a synthesis—combining all his experiences against the Generation of Miracles into one, forming the final evolution.
Swish!
A fadeaway turnaround jumper. After using his enhanced strength for a bump, he spun and jumped simultaneously. His legs made small adjustments to find balance. Hands gripping the ball rose above his forehead. His gaze pierced through Murasakibara's reaching arm to lock onto the basket behind.
Finally, a flick of his wrist.
"Beautiful!" Sora spoke from the heart.
Not dancing, not painting, not any traditional art—but the unique aesthetic belonging solely to basketball, the kind that made you lose yourself in its beauty.
Then.
Swish!
As the ball cut through the net, creating a white splash, all that anticipation transformed into thunderous cheers.
"YEAHHH!"
Yuuto's shot went in. The north stands erupted as fans rose from their seats, screaming.
"It looks like they're going shot-for-shot," Mibuchi Reo observed.
The confrontation between the Generation of Miracles and Yuuto maintained its exceptionally high level as always.
But.
"Trading baskets with Yuuto in this state is already the biggest setback," Akashi said, gently shaking his head.
Murasakibara had performed admirably, exceeding everyone's expectations. He'd grown tremendously in this game.
It just wasn't enough to defeat Yuuto.
Because the Zone had time limits—but Yuuto could maintain this level for an entire game.
...
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