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Beep…
The game was forced to pause due to a damaged backboard. Both teams returned to their respective rest areas.
In the Toho Kotei Gakuen rest area, Kazama Kouki nodded. "Well done."
That was all he said, and nothing more. Everyone was used to their coach's taciturn nature. Ryu and the others relaxed and settled into their seats—some drinking water, others eating lemons.
On the other hand, Kaijo's side was shrouded in gloom. Takeuchi Genta looked at the dejected group and said, "Cheer up! The game has only just begun. Don't let them control the tempo."
Kise Ryota kept his head down, remaining silent for a long time. 'Damn it! Ryu is incredibly strong. What were those things he just did? I've never seen them before. Why do I feel like I can't imitate them?'
Everyone noticed Kise's odd behavior. Kasamatsu Yukio raised his size-43 foot and kicked him in the back.
"You idiot, are you even listening to the coach?"
"Aaaaaah… Kasamatsu-senpai, I am listening!" Kise Ryota replied, clutching his aching back.
"Seriously, what do you want? Get your act together!" Kasamatsu Yukio yelled.
After regaining his composure, Kise Ryota said somewhat helplessly, "To be honest, I was really startled by Ryu just now! I can't quite learn that move, and using other people's moves against him doesn't work." At this point, his expression became more serious, and he said to everyone, "If we want to defeat him, there's only one way left."
Hearing this, everyone from Kaijo looked at him expectantly. Kasamatsu Yukio asked, "Kise, what method are you talking about?"
Kise explained, "That's imitating the techniques of the other members of the Generation of Miracles."
…
The timeout passed quickly. Ryu soon noticed that the Kaijo team members were acting differently.
Kaijo served. The basketball was passed to Kise, as expected. Looking at Kise's unwavering gaze, Ryu spoke, "Looks like something's different!"
Kise didn't reply, instead continuing to dribble the basketball.
Under his [Eye of Hyotei], all of his opponent's weaknesses were exposed.
Kise had very few weaknesses—only a few—and these were all recoverable.
Ryu inwardly admired him. 'Truly worthy of being called a member of the Generation of Miracles. He must be just like the others! Perhaps he has even fewer weaknesses han before.' It seemed that as Kise grew, his weaknesses would gradually improve and disappear.
Just then, Kise suddenly spoke, "I've always been curious about you. You always seem to be one step ahead, just like Akashi. It's like you can see things others can't."
Hmm? Hearing this, Ryu raised an eyebrow, looking at him without speaking.
Kise continued, "I've studied Akashi's eyes, and I understand some things, but I always feel there's something different about you two."
Ryu smiled slightly at Kise. "I'll tell you if you win."
Hearing Ryu's words, Kise's serious expression remained unchanged. His gaze sharpened before he passed the basketball to Kasamatsu Yukio on the other side.
Seeing this, Ryu was initially taken aback, then grinned.
Receiving the pass from Kise, Kasamatsu Yukio immediately sprang into action.
Facing the defense of Hanafuji Souji, he gritted his teeth and forced his way to the three-point line.
He faked a shot, and as Hanafuji tried to block him, he pulled the ball back and flicked it to Moriyama Yoshitaka on the other side.
Moriyama Yoshitaka, standing at the three-point line, was about to shoot when he saw Kugawa jump, blocking his shot.
Left with no other option, he made a bounce pass, passing the ball to Kobori Hiroshi, who had already crossed the mid-court line.
Before Kazuo Kamimono could even step in to block, Kobori Hiroshi had already raised the basketball, aimed at Toho Kotei Gakuen's basket, and launched his shot.
The basketball arced gracefully through the air before settling into the basket.
11-8.
Offense transitions. Hanafuji Souji dribbled the ball, advancing step by step.
Seeing Kasamatsu Yukio waiting patiently ahead, he calmly continued forward.
When Kasamatsu Yukio was two steps away, without even looking, Hanafuji suddenly flicked his wrist, passing the ball to Kuroki Ryuichi on his left.
Kuroki Ryuichi was still facing Hayakawa Mitsuhiro. Due to the difference in skill, Hayakawa Mitsuhiro was easily beaten by Kuroki Ryuichi in just a few moves; he could only chase closely behind his opponent.
When Kuroki Ryuichi was almost at the Kaijo three-point line, he suddenly changed his pace, catching Hayakawa Mitsuhiro off guard, and sped past him.
Seeing his opportunity, Kuroki Ryuichi suddenly increased the pace of his dribbling, charging towards Hayakawa Mitsuhiro, who hadn't stopped in time.
The instant Hayakawa Mitsuhiro braked and moved back, Kuroki Ryuichi was already in front of him, his body slamming into him.
Whistle…
The referee blew his whistle. "White number 10, defensive foul."
At the same time, Kuroki Ryuichi tossed the basketball towards Kaijo's basket.
Not far away, Ryu smiled slightly at Kise. "Kise, you'd better not underestimate my teammates. They're much stronger than you think. You think he can only control the pace? You're seriously underestimating him."
Kise frowned, watching the basketball fly towards his own basket.
Clang…
The sound of the basketball hitting the rim rang out. Unfortunately, the ball didn't go in. The Kaijo players breathed a sigh of relief. Kuroki Ryuichi shook his head helplessly; the distance was still a bit too far for him.
However, he did not disappoint Ryu and the others with his next two free throws. Both were made.
13 to 8.
Offense and defense change. Kaijo inbounds the ball.
Kise dribbled the ball at breakneck speed towards half-court. This time, he intentionally avoided Ryu's position. The other Kaijo players were also setting screens for him. At this moment, Kasamatsu Yukio and Hayakawa Mitsuhiro had surrounded Ryu from the front and back.
They knew very well that as long as they stopped Ryu, the rest of Toho Kotei Gakuen would have no chance against Kise.
And that's exactly what happened. Without Ryu's obstruction, Kise moved like a fish in water, easily shaking off Kuroki Ryuichi's defense, then breaking through Hanafuji Souji's block, and finally charging into Toho Kotei Gakuen's restricted area.
Facing Kazuo Kamimono defending the basket, Kise grabbed the ball with both hands, unleashing his full power as he pressed down on Kazuo Kamimono.
'This is…' Kazuo Kamimono's eyes widened, utterly horrified, because Kise was using the same dunk Ryu had just used. *'No, something's different.' Kazuo Kamimono carefully sensed it and realized that while Kise's power was intimidating, it wasn't quite there; it lacked the fiery, raging intensity of Ryu.
Facing the ball, Kazuo Kamimono leaped and slammed his hand down on the basketball. When the basketball collided with Kazuo Kamimono's hand, Kise felt an immense force bearing down on him, and the basketball seemed about to slip from his grasp. His heart sank, and his pupils dilated. 'This guy... he's incredibly strong, just like Murasakibara!'
At the very last moment before the basketball was about to leave his hands, Kise caught the ball with both hands, retrieved it, and then, in the instant of his descent, switched it to his other hand. He intended to pass the ball under Kazuo Kamimono's armpit and then throw it.
Seeing this, Kazuo Kamimono knew he was in trouble. However, he was too close to his opponent to stop the shot unless he committed a reckless foul.
Just when everyone thought Kaijo was about to score, Kise suddenly shuddered, his pupils contracting. He felt as if a mountain had crushed him. What was going on?
"Kise, watch out!" shouted two voices from afar.
Before Kise could react, he felt a numbness in his throwing hand, and the basketball flew past his head. Kise was completely stunned. He only saw it when he landed on the ground: behind Kazuo Kamimono, Ryu had appeared sometime earlier.
'Why is Ryu here? Could that feeling I just felt be coming from Ryu?' His mind was a complete blank.
On the other side, Kasamatsu Yukio and Hayakawa Mitsuhiro were also dumbfounded. It was just too bizarre; Ryu had vanished before their very eyes like a bolt of lightning. It was unbelievable.
Because the basketball had been swatted out of bounds by Ryu, Kaijo was inbounding the ball.
However, Kaijo seemed to go silent for the next few minutes, failing to mount any effective attacks.
Kise launched several attacks but failed to score. Under Ryu's pressure, Kaijo's defense was being broken down piece by piece.
Ryu had only used [Lightning] once and hadn't used it again. For a fleeting moment, Ryu felt a sharp soreness in his muscles. It seemed this move couldn't be used too often; it should only be reserved for crucial moments.
Whistle...
The whistle blew to end the first quarter.
The score was now 28-14. The two teams were separated by a full 14 points—just one point shy of 15. If the score reached 15 points, Kaijo would have little chance left.
One could imagine the immense pressure Kaijo was under.
Both teams returned to their respective rest areas. Ryu watched Kise's face regain its composure, while his data silently analyzed the situation. He now roughly understood what Kise was planning. 'This guy really is trying to imitate those other guys to deal with me. But judging from his expression, it seems unlikely he can succeed!'
Kazuo Kamimono approached Ryu, patted him on the shoulder, and chuckled, "Well done! That Kise is no pushover. Without you, we'd probably be trailing in points right now."
Ryu smiled slightly and replied, "That guy won't just give up like that. Something might happen, or something might not."
Huh? Kazuo Kamimono and the others didn't understand what Ryu meant.
"Ryu, do you mean Kise wasn't going all out just now?" Hanafuji Souji asked.
Ryu shook his head, "No, he's already done his best, but…"
"Oh dear… what happened?" Kugawa asked anxiously.
"If he grows stronger, that will be troublesome."
Hearing Ryu's words, everyone was confused. "Grows stronger? What do you mean?"
Hearing Kazuo Kamimono's question, Ryu explained, "Kise's potential is far more than this; his imitation can evolve."
Evolve? They still didn't quite understand the meaning behind Ryu's words, and Ryu didn't explain further. This was indeed somewhat beyond their imagination.
Beep…
The break time quickly passed. This time it was Toho Kotei Gakuen's turn to serve. Looking at Kise's appearance, Ryu also secretly became more vigilant.
At this moment, Kise showed no signs of discouragement; instead, he looked highly motivated. Ryu saw determination and an unyielding spirit in his eyes.
Ryu dribbled the ball towards him. Upon getting closer, he sensed that Kise's aura was significantly stronger than before. 'This is the prelude to awakening!'
Ryu possessed [Basic Ball Skill (Max)]. The basketball seemed to be one with him; no matter how Ryu dribbled, the ball always switched flawlessly between his hands.
Watching the basketball bounce around Ryu, the others gasped in amazement, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.
Ryu quickly switched hands, then spun around Kise. Just as Kise stepped aside to block, Ryu suddenly changed direction again. Kise was once again breached by Ryu's defense.
Without Kise's obstruction, Ryu charged directly towards Kaijo's basket.
Kise followed closely, trying to put as much pressure on Ryu as possible.
However, Ryu acted as if he didn't exist. Even with Kobori Hiroshi and Moriyama Yoshitaka in front of him, Ryu went straight to the two of them. Without pausing, he dribbled the basketball between them, then swiftly bypassed their defense.
Because of the two, Kise was forced to stop. Now, the Kaijo basket was unguarded. Ryu simply raised his hand and tossed the ball. The basketball easily went into the basket.
30 to 14.
"Oh no, Kaijo is in trouble now," Aida Riko exclaimed from the stands.
Kagami Taiga was extremely unsettled. "I can't believe Kise is being dominated like this. He's completely powerless to fight back."
...
In the Too spectator area, "Poor Kise," Momoi Satsuki's sympathy overflowed.
Aomine Daiki looked at the somewhat disheveled Kise below without saying a word. Ryu had completely dominated Kise in this match; 'He still can't do it?' He was actually quite looking forward to Kise imitating the moves of the other members of the Generation of Miracles, but judging from the current situation, it seemed his expectations for Kise were a bit too high.
"Damn it…" Kise stomped his foot under his own basket. He had tried his best, but he still couldn't stop Ryu's attack.
The rest of the Kaijo team fell silent.
They were now a full 16 points behind their opponents; catching up in the remaining time was no easy feat. If nothing unexpected happened, Kaijo would likely lose the match.
Kasamatsu Yukio was feeling extremely bad, but as Kaijo's captain, he couldn't show it. Composing himself, he addressed the team loudly, "Alright, everyone, cheer up! The game isn't over yet! Let's catch up bit by bit!" He turned to look at Kise, paused for a moment, then walked over and said, "Are you alright, Kise?"
Hearing someone call him, he looked up. Seeing it was Kasamatsu Yukio, he hesitated for a moment before saying, "I'm fine, Captain. I..."
Slap! Kise felt a slap on the back from Kasamatsu Yukio.
Kasamatsu Yukio said irritably, "Since you're no match for him, then focus on improving your skills, identify your weaknesses, and correct them. Next time you see him, defeat him!"
"Okay..." Kise nodded, then fell silent again.
Seeing him struggling, Kasamatsu Yukio was furious and kicked him hard in the back. "Get your act together! Didn't you say you were going to imitate the other members of the Generation of Miracles and defeat him?"
"Aaaaaah... Okay, stop kicking! Kasamatsu-senpai, I was just thinking about my weaknesses."
Hearing this, Kasamatsu Yukio immediately withdrew his foot. His face flushed slightly, and he said somewhat awkwardly, "Ah! Is that so? Ha... Hmm, not bad, very good. You must always look for your weaknesses."
Kise Ryota looked at him with a resentful expression. Kasamatsu Yukio had even forgotten that they were still behind. However, after this little incident, the Kaijo team members recovered somewhat from their slump.
Kise glanced at the scoreboard. "We're down by 16 points now, Kasamatsu-senpai. Give me a little more time; I've found my rhythm."
Hearing this, Kasamatsu Yukio glanced at him and nodded. "Alright, since you've said so. But we're down by 16 points now; it won't be easy to catch up. 20 points is our limit."
Kise nodded seriously to Kasamatsu Yukio. "I understand. I'll try my best to hold the line for the rest of the game."
Kaijo inbounds the ball.
Thud...
The basketball was passed to Kise.
But at the same time, Kasamatsu Yukio, Kobori Hiroshi, and Hayakawa Mitsuhiro surrounded Ryu, preventing him from suddenly disappearing like last time.
Seeing this, Ryu's lips twitched. "You guys really think highly of me."
Kasamatsu Yukio sneered, "We've already seen your strength. We won't let you bother Kise."
Looking at the three men, who were determined to fight to the death, Ryu glanced at Kise. Kise had already dribbled to the basket of Toho Kotei Gakuen.Facing the combined defense of Kazuo Kamimono, Kuroki Ryuichi, and Hanafuji Souji, Kise exuded an unstoppable aura, feeling no pressure whatsoever.
As long as his opponent wasn't Ryu, the rest of Toho Kotei Gakuen's members were helpless against him. And indeed, that was the case. Kise's attacks and imitations mirrored the movements of all three.
He changed his rhythm, trying to shake off Hanafuji Souji. Then, Kise imitated Kugawa's one-handed three-pointer, but Kuroki Ryuichi blocked the ball's path. Seeing this, Kise retrieved the ball, then used two quick changes of direction to bypass Kuroki Ryuichi, reaching Toho Kotei Gakuen's restricted area.
Kise's muscles tensed, his legs powerfully pushing off, and he suddenly burst into the air. Watching this somewhat familiar scene, Kazuo Kamimono was slightly dazed. 'Is he imitating me this time?' Faced with Kise's aggressive approach, he wasn't about to back down. With a powerful push from his calves, Kazuo Kamimono leaped into the air. His large, fan-like hand aimed for the basketball in Kise's hands.
Kise was prepared. His movement shifted, changing his dunk attempt to a layup. He dodged Kazuo Kamimono's large hand in mid-air, looping the ball around to the side of his opponent's wrist and hooking it in.
Thump…
Swish…
The basketball struck the backboard and bounced into the basket.
30 to 16.
Kaijo had finally pulled back two points.
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