On the court.
The score had already reached 79 to 54.
Daiki Aomine had driven past Miyamoto Tokima and scored for three straight possessions.
Meanwhile, Kirisaki Daiichi had their passes disrupted by Daiki Aomine for three straight possessions, resulting in turnovers.
The more Daiki Aomine played, the more excited he became. As he got back on defense, the smile on his face was clear.
Miyamoto Tokima also smiled faintly as he looked at Daiki Aomine and murmured,
"He really has improved a lot. Looks like I'll have to take this a little more seriously."
With that, Miyamoto Tokima slowly jogged toward the frontcourt.
He ran at an unhurried pace, and as he moved, layers of black mist began to swirl around his body.
This black mist was even darker than before, as if it could swallow every trace of light.
It spread outward, giving off an intense sense of pressure.
The black mist continued to expand, gradually gathering behind Miyamoto Tokima.
That mass of black mist looked like a giant beast crouched there, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws.
And within the black mist, a pair of blood-red eyes slowly emerged.
Those eyes were like burning flames, filled with endless majesty and power.
Daiki Aomine felt that overwhelming pressure, and alarm surged through his heart.
He suddenly turned his head to look behind him, and his gaze met those blood-red eyes.
In an instant, a presence filled with bloodlust, nobility, and icy coldness rushed into Daiki Aomine's heart like a tide.
His heart shook violently, as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer.
That presence filled Daiki Aomine with fear and awe unlike anything he had ever felt before.
He had never experienced such intense pressure. It felt as if his very life were being threatened.
Everyone on the court saw that mass of black mist as well.
At that moment, that terrifying pressure crashed over every player on the court.
Off the court.
Over at Seirin.
Alex Garcia spoke with her eyes closed.
"Just watch. Kirisaki Daiichi is going to lose. After all, that's the second [Gate]!"
At that moment, Shinji Koganei said shakily,
"Um... are you sure Kirisaki Daiichi is going to lose...? Why do I feel like that thing is even scarier?!"
Shinji Koganei pointed at the black mist with a trembling finger, his voice full of fear.
And it wasn't just him. Taiga Kagami and Tatsuya Himuro also felt a wave of fear, their bodies beginning to tremble nonstop.
It was as if their bodies were instinctively afraid.
Junpei Hyuga looked at the three of them trembling and hurriedly asked,
"Hey, what's wrong with you guys?"
Shinji Koganei stiffly turned his head and said tearfully,
"I... I don't know... My body just... started shaking on its own..."
On the other side.
Over at Shūtoku.
After Shintaro Midorima saw that black mist, his body also began trembling uncontrollably.
His heart jolted, and he thought,
'What's going on? Am I... scared?'
Over at Kaijō.
Ryota Kise suddenly hugged his arms around himself and said fearfully,
"W-what... what the hell is that?"
Over at Rakuzan.
Seijuro Akashi's body also began trembling beyond his control. His expression stiffened, but he quickly returned to his cold composure.
Even so, his trembling body betrayed how unnatural he felt.
However, no one noticed, because beside him, someone else was already shaking like a sieve.
"Kotaro, what's wrong with you? Why are you shaking so much?"
"Yeah, Kotaro. You didn't stick a vibrating egg in there, did you? Could you even fit one?"
...
Over at Seirin.
While everyone was still in shock, Alex Garcia also looked toward the court.
The instant she saw Miyamoto Tokima, Alex Garcia shot to her feet.
Her eyes were filled with shock.
"How is that possible... It's actually... actually a dragon?!"
Everyone from Seirin immediately turned to Alex Garcia, and Junpei Hyuga asked,
"Alex, what dragon?"
Alex Garcia pointed shakily at Miyamoto Tokima and asked,
"Can't you see it? There's a dragon behind him!!!"
The moment she said that, everyone from Seirin was stunned.
They all cried out in shock,
"What?!!!"
Taiga Kagami quickly said,
"Alex, are you seeing things? Isn't that just a mass of black mist?!"
Tatsuya Himuro nodded repeatedly and said,
"Yeah, Alex. Isn't that black mist? How is it a dragon? You must have seen it wrong."
Alex Garcia stared at everyone in shock, her voice filled with disbelief.
"You can't see it? You can't see that dragon?!!!"
Because Alex Garcia had stood up and shouted, a spectator behind her snapped in annoyance,
"What dragon? Can you sit down already?! You're blocking my view of the match!!!"
Riko Aida quickly stood up and pulled Alex Garcia back, then apologized awkwardly to the spectator behind them.
"Sorry, we disturbed you."
Seeing that Riko Aida was polite, the spectator waved it off and said nothing more.
Riko Aida quickly pulled Alex Garcia back down into her seat and asked,
"Alex, did you really see a dragon?"
Alex Garcia nodded firmly.
"Yes! There's definitely a dragon behind Miyamoto Tokima!"
Riko Aida thought for a moment and murmured,
"But what we saw was a mass of black mist."
Junpei Hyuga was puzzled too.
"Right. We saw a mass of black mist, but only you saw a dragon, Alex. What exactly is going on?"
Alex Garcia shook her head.
"I don't know either."
Riko Aida said,
"Forget it. We can talk about that later. Let's watch the game first! Alex, who do you think will win now?"
Alex Garcia looked at the dragon still flying through the air above the court and smiled bitterly.
"I honestly can't imagine a dragon losing..."
...
On the court, the players had all stopped moving and were staring at Miyamoto Tokima in shock.
Shoichi Imayoshi trembled all over and said in terror,
"That black mist again! What the hell is that thing?!"
The others were just as shocked, staring at the black mist in fear.
In their eyes, behind Miyamoto Tokima was a massive swirling mass of black mist, as if it were constantly devouring the light.
But in Daiki Aomine's eyes, that wasn't black mist at all!!!
At that moment, Daiki Aomine's face was full of shock. His mouth hung open without him realizing it, and his body trembled uncontrollably as he stared behind Miyamoto Tokima and murmured,
"It's actually... a dragon?!"
...
...
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