Standing by the phone, Haizaki Shogo dialed Shimizu Rena's number.
The voice that answered wasn't the curious female voice he had heard before—it was Rena herself.
"Hello!"
Her familiar, gentle tone made Shogo inexplicably relaxed.
Thinking of her long, rose-red hair, Shogo teased her playfully over the phone.
"It's me, Shimizu-chan!"
"Shogo-kun?"
"Yeah! Are you free this afternoon? Let's go hang out!"
"Hang out? Just the two of us?"
"Yeah! Not free?"
"No, no, I am!"
Hearing her hurried denial, Shogo revealed his real plan.
"This afternoon I'm meeting Aomine and Satsuki to play basketball. Why don't we all go together?"
"With Aomine-kun and Satsuki-chan? Sure, Shogo-kun."
"Alright then. Don't be late!"
"Won't be late!"
With the time and place set, Shogo hung up.
This time, he had invited Rena for a few reasons.
First, he didn't want to continue awkwardly "eating couple energy" by himself.
Second, it was an opportunity for Rena and Satsuki, who specialized in data collection and analysis, to interact—complementing each other's skills could be beneficial for both.
Third… a little selfishly, he wanted Rena to observe Aomine Daiki directly, to experience the sheer power and terror of the "Generation of Miracles" firsthand.
After lunch, and following his mother's reminder to stay safe, Shogo left the villa.
Dressed in sportswear and carrying a gym bag, he stopped at a convenience store to buy some fruit and snacks the girls liked, then boarded the train to the meeting point.
Getting off, he saw Shimizu Rena and Satsuki Momoi waiting. The two girls stood hand in hand, while Aomine Daiki stood slightly behind them, spinning a basketball at high speed on his right index finger.
"Hey! You guys got here early!"
"Shogo-kun!"
"Shogo-kun!"
"Let's go, Shogo!"
There was a difference in tone between girls and boys when greeting. The girls' voices were softer and more comfortable to hear.
Aomine's casual greeting, however, also made Shogo feel at ease—it showed the depth of their friendship.
He handed his somewhat heavy bag to the girls.
"Here, all your favorites. Help yourselves!"
Then Shogo followed Aomine, the two tall, athletic guys walking into the basketball court.
Looking around the empty court, Shogo was surprised.
"What day is it? No one's here playing?"
"Obon Festival—you didn't know?"
"Obon Festival? Ghost Festival?"
"Yeah! Everyone's at the temple, paying respects. No one else comes here."
As they spoke, they removed their jackets and pants, laying them beside the court.
Shogo picked up a basketball and handed it to Aomine.
"Here, you go first, Aoda!"
"Alright then, I won't hold back!"
The moment Aomine caught the ball, his body seemed to ignite. That familiar exhilaration, long absent, thrilled him. This was the basketball he craved, the opponent he sought.
Without hesitation or testing the waters, he started full speed.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The rapid dribble echoed across the court as Aomine tried to shake off Shogo's defense.
But Shogo was like a nail, pinned firmly in place, radiating a terrifying aura.
Aomine's composed presence finally began to surge.
With the ball in his left hand, he pushed forward. Nearing Shogo, he faked to the right and spun back to the right hand with dizzying speed, switching directions in an almost blinding display.
Yet Shogo matched every movement perfectly. Aomine jumped at an angle and executed a sideways hook shot—the ball swished into the net.
Outside the court, Rena, eating cherries with Satsuki, froze at the sight of Aomine's dazzling, unpredictable maneuvers.
Satsuki, calm as ever, gently explained to her.
"Shocked, Shimizu-chan? First time seeing Aoda play, it's always breathtaking."
"Yes! 'Breathtaking' isn't enough. His speed changes are extraordinary."
"That's just his style. Aoda plays freely—fast when he wants, slow when he wants. But Shogo-kun is terrifying too."
At that moment, Shogo received the ball. This time, he didn't steal Aomine's style, instead following his usual rhythm. Even so, his dribbles were rapid and precise, leaving observers barely able to follow.
He swayed the ball left and right, stopped, and executed a fadeaway jump shot. The ball sailed over Aomine's outstretched hand and swooshed through the net.
"Hey, hey, hey! Looks like last time's defeat against Teiko didn't break you at all. You've improved a lot, Shogo!"
"Defeat? Don't joke, Aoda."
"Interesting. Let's keep going!"
"Bring it on!"
Watching Shogo's clean, precise shots, Satsuki explained to Rena.
"See? Shogo-kun's speed is shocking too. Not as freeform as Aoda, but more streamlined and efficient."
"Wow, I didn't expect Shogo-kun to be this fast."
"You've never seen him in this state before?"
"No, our basketball club never let him play at full power."
"Exactly. Even Aoda hasn't played this intensely in a long time."
On the court, Aomine's eyes crackled with energy, his speed doubling. Across from him, Shogo's gray-eyed gaze mirrored the electric intensity, following Aomine step for step.
The two clashed—pressing, competing, entangling in a mesmerizing duel.
For Rena, witnessing this for the first time, it was unbelievable. Her mouth fell open.
"This is…"
"Zone. A state only selects people can enter. While inside, it consumes enormous energy, pushing all abilities to their peak."
"Zone?"
"Yes. I've rarely seen it. So far, only Shogo-kun and Aoda can enter it."
"So Shogo-kun and Aomine-kun are this strong!"
"Yes. Their strength surpasses everyone their age."
Outside the court, Satsuki explained Zone to Rena, analyzing the strength of both Aomine and Shogo.
Meanwhile, on the court, the blue and gray duo battled relentlessly, neither giving ground.
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