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Night fell.
When Ryu opened his eyes, he found himself in a dream world.
"How did I get here? Wasn't I supposed to be receiving the inheritance of the Niou Phantom?"
"The inheritance has ended, and your body is now merging with it, which will take quite some time," Karupin explained.
Ryu nodded in realization.
At that moment, Karupin spoke again. "Although your physical body is still fusing with the ability, this is a dream space, so you don't need to use a physical body to use the Niou Illusion."
Hearing this, Ryu seemed to understand something, and he said excitedly, "So, you mean I can use this ability in the dream space right now?"
Karupin nodded. "That's right. After all, this is just a dream, so theoretically, you can do anything."
"That's fantastic! I can't wait, especially since it consumed 100,000 Cat Energy."
Karupin's sapphire-like vertical pupils flashed. Ryu appeared on the basketball court.
"Do we need an opponent today?"
Ryu thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, we do. Now, conjure up everyone from the first team!"
Karupin didn't hesitate, his eyes gleaming. Countless particles of light rapidly coalesced on the court. Finally, they formed familiar faces. These were the members of the first team: Aomine Daiki, Murasakibara Atsushi, Midorima Shintaro, Akashi Seijuro, Nijimura Shuzo… and so on.
"Let's begin! One-on-one practice, I'd say."
As he spoke, a basketball formed from light particles appeared out of thin air. Ryu held it in his hands.
His first opponent was Aomine Daiki.
His goal this time wasn't to defeat him, but to understand him, to become familiar with him, and ultimately, to become him.
Thump… thump… thump…
The sound of basketballs hitting the ground rang out. Two figures on the court moved like lightning.
Ryu activated the Ice Emperor's Eye.
Every detail of Aomine Daiki was captured by his gaze: his breathing, his eyes, his aura, the movement of his muscles, and even his dribbling, shooting, and other habits—everything.
After some time passed, Ryu's eyes gradually sharpened. Then, a miraculous scene unfolded.
Ryu's fair skin suddenly turned dark. His original silver hair turned blue.
A perfect replica of Aomine Daiki appeared.
Success.
Ryu was overjoyed. This meant that he now possessed the same strength as Aomine Daiki. He could use all of Aomine Daiki's techniques. This alone was enough to make him invincible, unless the other party was someone Ryu could not conjure in an illusion.
After dispelling the Niou Illusion, Ryu looked at the remaining group. A slight smile played on his lips. "Then let's continue!"
…
Busy times always pass quickly.
The next day, warm morning light streamed through the window, illuminating a sleepy yet handsome face.
Ryu frowned, then slowly opened his eyes. He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but for a moment, he suddenly couldn't feel his body. However, this feeling quickly disappeared.
"You're awake." Karupin stood on his chest, looking at him with his large, sapphire-blue eyes.
Ryu carried Karupin to the side and then sat up. He felt his body; it was the same as usual, nothing special.
"Why do I feel like nothing's different from before?"
"Of course. Niou Illusion is just an ability, basically a talent, and has nothing to do with improving physical abilities," Karupin explained.
Hearing Karupin's explanation, Ryu nodded in understanding. "I see."
It was perfect that he didn't have to go to school today.
He needed to find a place to test his newfound ability. The dream space was, after all, a dream, and there's a difference between it and reality. In a dream, he could create illusions of anyone, but in reality, that wasn't necessarily the case.
He needed to find out where his limits were.
An hour later, after breakfast, Ryu took Karupin to a nearby basketball court. This area was a villa district. Therefore, this basketball court was usually frequented only by Ryu.
As always, Karupin lay sprawled on a bench by the court while Ryu was sweating profusely on the court.
Thump, thump, thump…
Ryu recalled the feeling in the dream world while mimicking the movements from his memories. Every movement overlapped with another figure. After a long while, Ryu's entire demeanor changed. As if by magic, he transformed into someone else entirely.
Dribbling, shooting, fadeaway jumper, dunk… Ryu tried every move he could think of. Soon, he returned to himself. A smile played on his lips, and his eyes shone with confidence.
"Haha, this ability is truly monstrous; it's like completely transforming into a different person."
He had just transformed into Nijimura Shuzo, the captain of the Teiko basketball team.
Everything—eyes, demeanor, habits, speed—everything was exactly the same.
"Tomorrow's game might bring everyone a surprise, or it might be a shock."
Thinking about it, Ryu grew increasingly excited for tomorrow's game.
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