"This ball is mine!"
Koshino Hiroaki's fingertips had just brushed against the rough surface of the basketball.
This was a rushed "hot potato" pass thrown by Miyagi Ryota in panic.
But if he secured it, Ryonan could cut the deficit back to single digits!
"Sendoh-senpai!"
Twisting his core midair, Koshino flicked his wrist.
The basketball shot out like a trained pigeon, flying straight toward the safest point on the court—Sendoh Akira.
In his mind, as long as the ball reached Sendoh, even if Makino Juro were a god, he'd have to pay a price.
"Heh. Dream on."
A cold scoff cut through the air.
Juro's figure appeared abruptly in front of Sendoh—so fast it was like a skipped frame in a film.
In his eyes, there was nothing but the chilling glint of a predator.
At the same moment, Sendoh moved too.
Two apex beasts collided midair!
A pure clash of talent—neither giving an inch.
On the sidelines, Maki Shinichi unconsciously straightened in his seat.
This kind of top-tier Kanagawa showdown sent adrenaline surging through his veins.
However—
Just as the two locked onto each other and the entire arena held its breath—
A pitch-black shadow tore into the scene with brute, unreasonable force!
No warning.
No tactics.
Just a mad disruptor crashing into the battlefield!
"That's—?!" Taoka Moichi gripped his clipboard tightly.
It was Rukawa Kaede!
This freshman, who had seemed completely "offline" moments ago, had somehow stormed straight into the heart of the clash.
He ignored teammates.
He ignored opponents.
In those dead, emotionless eyes—
Now burned a single flame.
A black fire named absolute self.
He jumped.
Not for a block.
Not for a rebound.
What he wanted… was the ball in Makino Juro and Sendoh's hands!
"Give me the ball…"
A low growl rolled out of Rukawa's throat, violent enough to make one's scalp tingle.
"NOW!!"
"Bang!"
A long, slender hand shot in like a starving lone wolf crashing into a lion's and tiger's feast—
A brute-force steal!
This wasn't basketball logic.
This was robbery.
In the instant Makino Juro and Sendoh faltered—
Rukawa, driven by sheer ferocity, ripped the ball away from Sendoh's fingertips!
The moment he landed, his engine roared to full throttle.
"What the hell?!"
"He even steals from his own side?!"
"Is this basketball or a heist?!"
Kiyota Nobunaga's eyes nearly popped out of his skull.
At that moment, the court became Rukawa Kaede's territory.
Everyone else… was just in his way.
"Stop him!!"
Uozumi Jun roared.
His massive frame shifted like a moving mountain to block the path, while Fukuda Kicchou lunged in from the side.
Front and back—death trap!
"Damn fox! Watch out!!"
Sakuragi Hanamichi yelled from the sidelines, stomping his feet—but his eyes never left the court.
Facing the double team—
Rukawa didn't even blink.
He didn't slow down.
Instead… he stepped on the gas again.
"Courting death!" Uozumi roared, his giant palm descending like a collapsing sky.
A split second before impact—
Rukawa leapt.
His body compressed into a black cannonball, smashing straight into Uozumi.
"Boom!"
A brutal collision of flesh.
Just when everyone thought he'd be sent flying...
Rukawa hung in the air for a split second in an almost unnatural pause.
His raised right hand suddenly pulled back—
The ball sliced across his waist in a lightning arc...
Switching to his left hand.
An extreme double-clutch!
Uozumi's hand slammed into nothing but air.
Rukawa slipped through the gap between Uozumi and Fukuda like a black mamba—
A soft flick of his left hand.
Swish.
The ball kissed the backboard and dropped cleanly through the net.
65:56.
Landing—
Rukawa didn't look at the basket.
Didn't look at the fallen Uozumi.
Didn't even acknowledge the shocked uproar.
He turned, wiped the sweat from his chin, and locked his gaze onto Juro and Sendoh.
The confusion was gone.
In its place.
A predator's greed, awakened by the taste of blood.
"The one I'm going to beat…"
Rukawa's voice was cold as ice shards.
"Isn't just that hedgehog."
"…You too."
Silence gripped the arena for three full seconds.
Only then did the commentator, like a duck finally released from a chokehold, shriek hoarsely:
"H-He scored!!"
"A high-difficulty double-clutch under a double team!"
"Is this kid insane?!"
"He just stole the ball from Sendoh and Juro!!"
In the stands, Maki Shinichi frowned—but a trace of admiration flickered in his eyes.
"Awakened to his 'self' in despair, huh…"
"No more coordination, no more tactics—turning the court into a hunting ground…"
"A lone wolf… but this is indeed Rukawa Kaede's strongest evolution."
On the sidelines, Coach Anzai's glasses gleamed, his familiar gentle smile returning.
"Heh heh heh… the sleeping fox has finally begun to bare its fangs."
…
On the court.
Sendoh looked at Rukawa's aggressive back.
For a moment, he was stunned.
Then he laughed.
"Well now…"
He scratched his head, his tone carrying not the slightest frustration—only excitement.
"Looks like another monster has shown up."
Turning to Makino Juro, his eyes burned brightly.
"Juro… you've kicked this kid's switch on."
"All these so-called 'geniuses'… you're forcing them to evolve like their lives depend on it."
"How terrifying."
Though he said that, his body had already shifted into an attacking stance.
A three-way standoff.
What had been a duel of two kings—
Had now become a far more dangerous three-way clash.
Makino Juro stood still.
He looked at Rukawa's challenging gaze—
Then glanced at Sendoh, whose fighting spirit blazed.
Suddenly...
He smiled.
An infuriating, arrogant smile—yet filled with absolute confidence.
"Heh."
He reached up and brushed his slightly messy bangs aside.
The laziness in his eyes vanished, replaced by a distant, detached indifference—as if he stood above the clouds, looking down on mere mortals.
"Breaking through your limits?"
"Awakening? Monsters?"
He shook his head, amusement dripping from his voice.
"Don't tell me…"
"You actually think you can keep up with me now?"
The moment his words fell—
A cold, mechanical voice exploded in his mind!
[Ding!]
[Detected intense emotional fluctuation in the host—threshold reached!]
[System evaluation in progress…]
[Congratulations! Host synchronization with "Aomine Daiki" template has exceeded 50%!]
[Passive Skill acquired: Instinct · Black Panther!]
[Skill Description: All five senses enhanced to beast-level! Danger perception, prey tracking, and bodily control greatly improved! Your movements will no longer be bound by human limitations—your instincts are fully unleashed!]
[Special Item acquired: "Zone" Experience Card ×1 (usable only in this match)]