Chapter 10: The State of No-Self

“Why did Miyamoto return the ball?”
Daiki Aomine asked in shock.

“Because of confidence,” Seijuro Akashi said, having already understood Miyamoto Tokima’s thinking.
“Shogo Haizaki simply isn’t strong enough to defeat Miyamoto Tokima. That’s why Tokima did it.”

“So that’s how it is.”
Daiki Aomine suddenly realized, his face lighting up as he stared excitedly at Miyamoto Tokima on the court.

Shogo Haizaki caught the pass and looked at Miyamoto Tokima in confusion.
“What do you mean?”

Miyamoto Tokima answered calmly, his expression relaxed.
“I’m giving you another chance. Don’t say later that I bullied you.”

Shogo Haizaki immediately understood—this was pure contempt.

A surge of rage rolled through his mind.

He’s actually looking down on me!!
I’ll make you pay!

He exploded forward with the ball, accelerating sharply to the right.

Miyamoto Tokima reacted instantly, stepping in to block his path.

But at that moment, Shogo Haizaki suddenly initiated body contact.

Huh? He wants to go physical with me?
What’s he thinking?

Miyamoto Tokima was still puzzled when, in the next instant, his expression changed.

During the collision, Shogo Haizaki extended his elbow and viciously swung it toward Miyamoto Tokima’s face.

Damn it—dirty play!

The elbow smashed into Miyamoto Tokima’s face. Blood sprayed out and splattered across the floor as he crashed down.

“Miyamoto!”
“Tokima!”
“Miyamoto Tokima!”
“Tokima!”

Daiki Aomine and the others shouted as they rushed onto the court.

“Hey! That’s malicious injury!”
“Yeah, that elbow went straight to his face!”
“Is he going to be okay?”
“Stop this already!”

Among them, Atsushi Murasakibara was the fastest. He charged straight at Shogo Haizaki and slammed him to the floor.

Daiki Aomine followed right behind, swinging his fists.

“Are you okay, Tokima?”
Satsuki Momoi hurried over, gently helping Miyamoto Tokima up.

Seijuro Akashi also stepped in. Seeing that Miyamoto Tokima wasn’t seriously hurt, he finally let out a breath of relief.
He then turned toward Shogo Haizaki, who was being beaten down, a flicker of anger flashing in his eyes.

On the other side, Daiki Aomine’s fist came crashing down on Shogo Haizaki’s face.

“Stop! Stop!”
Shogo Haizaki covered his face desperately, begging.

Other trainees rushed in and dragged Daiki Aomine away.

“Let go of me! I’ll kill him!”
Daiki Aomine struggled violently, trying to break free.

“That’s enough, Aomine.”

Miyamoto Tokima’s voice came from behind.

Daiki Aomine froze and turned around.

Miyamoto Tokima was mostly fine, with only a cut at the corner of his eye. After thanking Satsuki Momoi and Seijuro Akashi, he stood up and spoke calmly.

“On the court, we settle things with the ball. Aomine, leave this to me.”

“But—”

“Trust me.”

Seeing how firm Miyamoto Tokima was, Daiki Aomine finally stopped. He only shot Shogo Haizaki a vicious glare.

“If I see you pull anything extra again, I’ll cripple you.”

Shogo Haizaki didn’t respond, lying on the floor and gasping for air.

Miyamoto Tokima slowly walked toward him. Some trainees thought Tokima was about to attack and hurried forward to stop him.

“I don’t fight people,”
Miyamoto Tokima said calmly.
“I only play basketball.”

They hesitated and turned to Kōzō Shirogane for guidance.

Kōzō Shirogane didn’t stop him. Instead, he asked,
“Miyamoto Tokima, are you injured?”

Miyamoto Tokima shook his head, signaling he was fine.

Only then did Kōzō Shirogane nod, indicating there was no need to intervene.

Miyamoto Tokima stood in front of Shogo Haizaki, looking down at him.

“Can you still play?”

Shogo Haizaki glared up at him with resentment.

It was just one elbow—did it really warrant getting beaten like this?
If you still want to play, then I’ll go all the way.

“I can.”

“Then get up. You serve.”

Miyamoto Tokima said expressionlessly as he tossed the ball over.

Shogo Haizaki stared at the basketball in his hands, hatred boiling over.

I’ll cripple you.

He gripped the ball with both hands and charged to the right once more.

But in the very next second, a flash of white light passed by—

The ball was gone.

“What?!”

Shogo Haizaki whipped his head around in disbelief.

Miyamoto Tokima stood there, his body emitting a faint white glow. Wisps of white mist drifted from his eyes, and in his left hand was the stolen basketball.

“Did anyone see that? How did he steal it?”
“No way—why is Miyamoto Tokima glowing white?”
“I have no idea. I’ve never seen this before.”

A wave of murmurs spread through the crowd as everyone discussed the change in Miyamoto Tokima.

“What’s going on? Why is Miyamoto Tokima emitting white light?”
Daiki Aomine stared in confusion. He had never seen anyone like this before.

“No idea. Maybe we should ask the coach.”
Seijuro Akashi turned toward Kōzō Shirogane.
“Coach, do you know what’s happening?”

Kōzō Shirogane stared at the scene in disbelief, muttering under his breath.
“No… no-self…?”

Impossible.
How could this be?

Why would the state of no-self appear in basketball?

That’s right—Miyamoto Tokima had entered the state of no-self.

Kōzō Shirogane had only ever seen this state in tennis, and he had once asked how a player could enter it.

The answer he was given was that only highly experienced athletes with completely empty, undistracted minds could reach the state of no-self.

It was usually suited for individual sports, because team sports involved too many external factors.

You had to account for teammates, opponents, and their next movements.

Because of that, entering no-self in team sports was almost impossible.

Kōzō Shirogane had rarely seen it in any other sport—let alone basketball.

“No-self?”
Seijuro Akashi asked, clearly confused.
“Coach, what is no-self?”

He had grown up with basketball and knew little about other sports.

“Yeah, Coach—what’s going on with Miyamoto Tokima right now?”
Daiki Aomine asked anxiously, desperate for an answer.

Shintaro Midorima stood silently behind them, his eyes burning as he stared at Miyamoto Tokima on the court.

Pulled back to reality by their questions, Kōzō Shirogane finally spoke.

“The state of no-self… it’s an extraordinary condition. I’ve only ever seen it in professional tennis players.”