Chapter 194 - 200

Chapter 194: Streetball? I Grew Up Playing It!

After Daiki Aomine’s basket, the arena went completely silent. A full two and a half seconds later, the crowd finally exploded.

“Hey, did you see that? He scored from behind the backboard!”

“I did! That kind of double-clutch is insane. No wonder he’s the ace of the Generation of Miracles!”

“That was way too cool. Who even scores like that?”

In the stands.

Everyone from Yōsen turned to look at Atsushi Murasakibara on the court.

Masako Araki clicked her tongue in irritation.

“That guy… so this is how he’s playing after transferring?”

On the court.

Dicky Anthony was stunned as well. It was the first time he’d seen a shot like that.

And he hadn’t expected Daiki Aomine’s style to be streetball.

Wasn’t that exactly his specialty?

On the next possession, Dicky Anthony didn’t go straight into a shot. Instead, he started to play with the ball.

His dribble shifted into a clear streetball rhythm.

The tempo kept changing, unpredictable and fluid.

Streetball?!

Aomine’s eyes lit up with interest.

He hadn’t expected Dicky Anthony to play that way too.

Aomine tightened his defense, but he still didn’t dare drop his center of gravity too low.

He was wary of the drive into a pull-up. He knew he could barely block Dicky Anthony’s jumper, but he had to at least contest it.

So he kept his stance balanced—ready to react in any direction.

Dicky Anthony kept manipulating Aomine’s balance, then suddenly burst to the right.

Aomine slid with him, staying in front.

Dicky Anthony smirked, then slammed on the brakes, pulled the ball back, and rose for a jumper.

For most players, that kind of sudden stop would have been impossible to recover against.

But Dicky Anthony had underestimated Aomine.

Aomine was someone who could go from full speed to a dead stop in an instant.

He planted hard, stopped on a dime, and lunged back to contest, jumping up.

He knew he couldn’t block the shot.

So he used another method.

Blindfold.

Aomine raised his right hand directly in front of Dicky Anthony’s face, cutting off his view of the rim and throwing off his aim.

It was a trick he had learned from Miyamoto.

Specifically designed to deal with opponents he couldn’t block—in other words, a move he had originally prepared for… Murasakibara.

But instead, he ended up using it on someone else.

Dicky Anthony had never faced something like this before. The moment the rim disappeared from his sight, his heart skipped.

Clang.

The ball struck the rim and bounced up.

Murasakibara had always assumed Dicky Anthony wouldn’t miss under normal circumstances.

So he hadn’t even prepared to grab the rebound.

Kosuke Wakamatsu, on the other hand, had locked Murasakibara in place and jumped first.

Murasakibara blinked.

“Huh? There’s a rebound?”

Even so, he jumped as well.

And then an absurd scene unfolded.

Despite having inside position and leaping first… Wakamatsu still lost the board.

Murasakibara reacted instantly after him, exploding upward from behind and snatching the rebound one-handed like plucking fruit.

After securing the ball, Murasakibara remembered Miyamoto’s tactics. In the first quarter, he had absolutely no intention of attacking.

Instead of going straight up for the easy score, he kicked the ball out to Dicky Anthony on the perimeter.

That decision left players from other schools completely dumbfounded.

In the stands.

Shinji Koganei blurted out first.

“Why didn’t he just score? That was practically guaranteed!”

Junpei Hyuga frowned.

“I don’t really get it either. From that position, attacking himself was the best option.”

Seirin was confused.

And they weren’t the only ones—many players from other schools couldn’t understand it either.

A perfect scoring opportunity, and he passed it up?

It felt absurd.

On the court.

Dicky Anthony caught the ball and went right back into attack mode. This time, he cut out the flashy moves.

He tested with his right foot. The moment he saw Aomine’s center shift slightly backward, he drove left off that same foot.

At the same time, he dribbled low near his left leg, shielding the ball from a steal.

Using his body and off-hand perfectly to protect it.

It was textbook.

He gained half a step on Aomine and completely shut down any chance of a strip.

With that half-step advantage, he didn’t hesitate.

He rose straight into his signature pull-up.

[Venomous Fang]!

Aomine tried to repeat the blindfold trick, but being half a step behind from the side made all the difference.

By the time he blocked Dicky Anthony’s sightline, the ball had already left his hands.

Aomine clenched his teeth, hoping for a miss.

Swish.

The ball dropped cleanly through the net.

After scoring, Dicky Anthony showed no emotion. He simply turned and ran back on defense.

While retreating, Shuzo Nijimura smiled at Aomine.

“So, Aomine? Anthony’s Venomous Fang isn’t easy to stop, right?”

Aomine grinned.

“Yeah, it’s tough. But I’m not losing to him.”

With that, he moved to receive the inbound.

There was no denying it—Venomous Fang was difficult to guard.

But Daiki Aomine…

Was just as hard to defend.

Possession switched.

Wakamatsu immediately passed to Aomine. At this point, he was the only one who could reliably score for Tōō.

It was almost ironic. The rest of Tōō’s roster were standouts from middle schools all over the region, yet against Kirisaki Daiichi, even getting a basket had become difficult.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Aomine dribbled slowly up the court.

As he crossed the three-point line, Dicky Anthony stepped up, eyes sharp.

Aomine met his gaze and smirked.

“Streetball? I grew up on that.”

...

Chapter 195: The Hunt!

With that, Daiki Aomine began dribbling nonstop, his movements turning increasingly chaotic and unpredictable.

Dicky Anthony’s eyes sharpened as he locked his focus entirely on Aomine.

The next second—

Bang!

Swish!

A gust of wind seemed to brush past Dicky Anthony. By the time he snapped back to himself, Daiki Aomine had already vanished from in front of him.

Dicky Anthony’s heart jolted.

‘Oh my God, how is he that fast?!’

Aomine exploded forward at full speed, blowing past Dicky Anthony’s defense in an instant.

After breaking through, Aomine didn’t charge straight into the paint. Instead, he pulled up sharply near the free-throw line for a sudden jump shot.

Dicky Anthony reacted quickly, adjusting his footing and rushing over to contest.

He leapt high, using his height and wingspan to completely seal off Daiki Aomine’s shooting lane!

Aomine couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.

“Terrifying talent.”

He let out a soft chuckle—and his shooting form changed midair.

Both hands released the ball at once, shifting into a one-handed grip with his right hand.

Aomine stretched his right arm out fully in midair, then flicked it.

The ball slipped past Dicky Anthony’s side.

【Formless Shot】!

Seeing the ball fly off at that angle, Dicky Anthony relaxed.

In his mind, Aomine had been forced into that awkward release because his defense had shut him down.

What he didn’t realize was that this wasn’t a desperate adjustment.

It was Aomine’s standard move.

His most comfortable move.

The basketball arced strangely through the air, traced an almost unnatural curve, kissed the backboard—

Swish!

In the stands, some spectators who had only come along for fun looked puzzled.

“That was pure luck, right? How does something like that even go in?”

Those who had seen Daiki Aomine play before merely smiled knowingly.

“You’ve got it wrong. Aomine isn’t lucky.”

On the court, Dicky Anthony froze for a moment.

‘A lucky shot?’

It wasn’t strange for him to think that. He had never faced anyone who shot like that before.

Normally, that kind of release only happened when a player was forced into a bad position.

Dicky Anthony shot Aomine a strange look and said in clumsy Japanese,

“Your luck… very good.”

Aomine understood him. He didn’t argue—just smiled faintly.

“Then I hope my luck stays this good.”

With that, he turned and jogged back on defense.

Possession switched.

Atsushi Murasakibara passed the ball to Miyamoto Tokima, who brought it slowly across half court.

Once over the line, Miyamoto Tokima handed it off to Dicky Anthony.

After all, the first quarter belonged to Dicky Anthony. The second quarter would belong to Miyamoto Tokima.

The moment he caught the pass, Dicky Anthony felt how perfect it was—it landed exactly in his most comfortable shooting position.

Without the slightest hesitation, he rose up for the shot.

Aomine had already been on guard. The instant Dicky Anthony jumped, he jumped as well.

But from a stationary takeoff, Aomine still couldn’t reach that release point.

So he went back to his old method—

Blindfold defense.

If he couldn’t block it, he wouldn’t let Dicky Anthony shoot comfortably.

Aomine’s right hand shot forward, covering Dicky Anthony’s line of sight.

Miyamoto Tokima twitched at the sight.

Damn it. Aomine had truly mastered the essence of that blindfold defense.

And it was obvious he’d trained it extensively.

Blindfold defense was extremely difficult. If an ordinary player tried it, they could easily smack the opponent in the face and draw a foul.

Only someone who had drilled it repeatedly could execute it so precisely.

Clearly, Aomine had reached that level.

Dicky Anthony’s vision went dark. Beyond that outstretched palm, the rim disappeared.

With no other option, he shot by feel.

Thanks to Miyamoto Tokima’s perfectly placed pass—and the fact that Dicky Anthony had already locked onto the rim’s position beforehand—

The shot was steady.

Precise.

Swish!

Aomine could only laugh helplessly.

“You’re the lucky one.”

He had executed blindfold defense perfectly. He was certain Dicky Anthony couldn’t see the rim.

And yet—it still went in.

Possession switched again.

Aomine dribbled slowly into the frontcourt.

Facing Dicky Anthony, he once again relied on streetball techniques to attack one-on-one.

Dicky Anthony might have been familiar with streetball, but he couldn’t keep up with Aomine’s speed.

Aomine’s intensified training had pushed his quickness to another level—

Far beyond what it had been in the original story.

With his towering frame, Dicky Anthony simply couldn’t match Aomine’s acceleration.

And so the game settled into a deadlock.

Dicky Anthony couldn’t stop Aomine’s drives.

Aomine couldn’t stop Dicky Anthony’s shots.

They were completely locked against each other.

Watching this, Miyamoto Tokima felt genuinely pleased.

It proved Aomine hadn’t wasted his talent.

He was working. Improving.

If one had to compare—

The current Daiki Aomine could easily crush the lazy version from the original story.

After all, Dicky Anthony was the captain of The Venomous Snakes.

If Aomine could contend with him, it meant his strength had already surpassed many American streetball players.

With three minutes left in the first quarter—

Dicky Anthony decided to turn it up.

On one offensive possession, his gaze shifted.

A cold, razor-sharp aura burst from his body.

In the stands, Taiga Kagami’s expression changed drastically.

“Animal Instinct again?!”

Junpei Hyuga cursed under his breath.

“What the hell—how is this happening? That makes two! Kirisaki Daiichi actually has two players with Animal Instinct?!”

Over on Shutoku’s side, the mood turned heavy.

Kazunari Takao broke into a light cold sweat.

“Hey, hey, hey… one wolf wasn’t enough, and now there’s another? Who’s supposed to beat that?!”

Shintaro Midorima clenched his fist tightly—then slowly released it, his thoughts unreadable.

On the court—

“Hiss… hiss…”

A vivid green serpent slowly materialized behind Dicky Anthony.

It flicked its tongue, its eyes locked firmly onto Daiki Aomine.

Dicky Anthony himself seemed to change.

His eyes grew unfocused, and he muttered under his breath—

“Hunt…”

...

Chapter 196: Aren’t You Worried?

“Hunt…”

Dicky Anthony kept repeating the word under his breath, his eyes locked tightly onto Daiki Aomine.

That stare sent a faint chill down Aomine’s spine.

“Animal Instinct? No… something’s not quite right.”

He sensed the difference. Dicky Anthony had clearly activated Animal Instinct—but there was something off about it. A strange sense of discord.

Still, Animal Instinct was Animal Instinct. Even if it felt unusual, its power was undeniable.

Aomine understood that perfectly. In his normal state, he and Dicky Anthony were evenly matched.

But once Dicky Anthony entered Animal Instinct, he would absolutely overwhelm Aomine’s regular state.

He couldn’t afford even the slightest carelessness. Every possession on the court now had the potential to drag him into an endless abyss.

So—

Daiki Aomine activated his Animal Instinct as well.

In the stands, Taiga Kagami was completely stunned.

He had thought there weren’t many real powerhouses in Japan.

But the moment he returned—

He was dumbfounded.

“Generation of Miracles.” “Magic Cube.” Names he had never even heard before kept ringing in his ears.

He had thought he could come back and defeat them all with ease.

Now?

Damn it. They’re all monsters!!!

On the court—

A black panther slowly emerged behind Daiki Aomine.

Its sharp eyes locked onto the venomous snake behind Dicky Anthony, like a predator fixing its gaze on prey.

The snake refused to yield, flicking its tongue as its body coiled into an attack posture.

A faint blue glow radiated from Aomine’s body. His breathing gradually steadied. His presence sank into stillness.

Like a predator before the hunt.

As the offensive player, Dicky Anthony made the first move.

Guided by instinct, he abandoned flashy techniques. He rose straight up on the spot, choosing the simplest, most direct way to score.

Aomine read it instantly. He jumped with him, extending his palm to block Dicky Anthony’s line of sight.

Behind Dicky Anthony, the venomous snake opened its jaws and sprayed venom.

The black panther behind Aomine dodged nimbly, then counterattacked, slashing its claws toward the snake’s eyes.

The snake didn’t dodge. It opened its mouth and spat venom again.

An exchange of wounds.

But…

The snake was venomous.

Swish!!!

Three points.

Even without any vision, Dicky Anthony buried the shot cleanly.

After scoring, he didn’t run back on defense. He stood where he was, staring at Aomine, murmuring over and over—

“Hunt…”

The snake behind him steadied itself again, resuming a defensive stance as it flicked its tongue.

The black panther behind Aomine also settled back, watching the snake warily.

Aomine wasn’t frustrated.

He had defended to the absolute limit.

If Dicky Anthony could still make it, that wasn’t something he could control.

But he did notice the abnormality.

“Have you lost your mind?” Aomine muttered.

Dicky Anthony gave no response.

He just kept repeating—

“Hunt…”

Aomine let out a soft, helpless laugh.

“So he really has gone crazy. First time I’ve seen someone lose it after activating Animal Instinct. Interesting.”

A heat began to burn in his chest.

Passion.

Something he had lost long ago.

Something he had only ever felt when facing Miyamoto Tokima.

He hadn’t expected to feel it again first because of Dicky Anthony.

Aomine bared his teeth in a grin.

“Fine. Let’s have a proper fight.”

...

Possession changed.

Tōō ball.

Aomine didn’t bother advancing slowly. The moment he received the ball in the backcourt, he exploded forward toward the frontcourt.

His speed was staggering.

Miyamoto Tokima watched and smiled at Shuzo Nijimura beside him.

“Senior Nijimura, Aomine’s faster than he was in middle school, isn’t he?”

Nijimura observed carefully, then nodded.

“He is. A lot faster. Honestly, I probably couldn’t keep up with him now.”

Shoichi Imayoshi suddenly spoke up.

“You two… aren’t you worried about your teammate?”

“Honestly, this is the first time I’ve ever seen Aomine like this.”

Miyamoto Tokima smiled faintly.

“Why would we be worried?”

Imayoshi froze.

At that moment, Nijimura casually hooked an arm around his neck and laughed.

“Exactly. No need to worry. After all, next quarter is when Miyamoto makes his move.”

Imayoshi’s eyes widened.

Next quarter… the Magic Cube was stepping in?

He swallowed.

He had heard Miyamoto Tokima’s reputation.

He knew Miyamoto was the very target Aomine had always been chasing.

If someone like that entered the game next quarter… what would this match turn into?

Could Aomine really endure it?

Questions kept surfacing in Imayoshi’s mind.

He probably never imagined that simply hearing someone would take the court at a certain time could shake his own fighting spirit.

...

On the court—

With Animal Instinct active, Aomine surged toward Dicky Anthony at lightning speed. The black panther behind him let out a low roar.

Like a predator closing in for the kill.

Dicky Anthony’s eyes locked onto the ball in Aomine’s hand. The snake behind him swayed restlessly.

Aomine closed the distance in an instant. His eyes sharpened as his hands blurred, dribbling at extreme speed.

Then he burst past on the right.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The ball pounded against the hardwood in rapid succession.

His speed tore straight through Dicky Anthony’s defense.

Dicky Anthony reacted quickly, chasing from behind to stop him from reaching the paint.

From the corner of his eye, Aomine noticed.

Right now, Dicky Anthony really did resemble a stubborn snake.

Even if you knocked him down, he would still coil around you and refuse to let go.

Relentless. Suffocating.

“It really does suit your Animal Instinct,” Aomine muttered.

Then—

He slammed on the brakes.

From full speed to a complete stop.

A sudden pull-up jumper.

Dicky Anthony didn’t have Aomine’s stopping power. He tried to halt, but inertia carried him sliding back a step.

By the time he lunged forward again—

Aomine had already released the ball.

...

Chapter 197: Regaining His Senses?

Bang! Swish!

The ball struck the backboard and dropped cleanly through the hoop.

Daiki Aomine scored again.

After making the shot, he cast an intentional glance at Dicky Anthony, wanting to see how he would react.

The moment the ball went in, Dicky Anthony’s expression visibly shifted, and the muttering under his breath quickened.

“Hunt… hunt…”

The aura around him grew increasingly violent, the pressure he gave off becoming heavier and more suffocating.

Daiki Aomine frowned slightly.

His Animal Instinct… is it growing?!

He could clearly feel it—Dicky Anthony’s presence was getting stronger, as if something inside him was developing.

Miyamoto Tokima noticed it too. He quietly moved to the sideline and whispered,

“Momoi, check Anthony’s condition. Tell me what’s going on.”

Satsuki Momoi nodded, fixing her eyes on Dicky Anthony. A moment later, she gasped.

“Tokima, Anthony’s physical stats are dropping again!”

Miyamoto Tokima’s brows knit together. This was the first time he had encountered something like this.

His aura was strengthening, yet his physical data was declining. What was happening?

If this had occurred in his normal state, it could have been attributed to that condition.

But now? He was in Animal Instinct Mode. Something like this had never happened in the original story while Animal Instinct was active.

For the moment, Miyamoto Tokima couldn’t make sense of it. He could only continue observing the game.

“Momoi, keep a close record of Anthony’s next set of data.”

Satsuki Momoi nodded and took out her notebook.

On the court.

Since Miyamoto Tokima had stepped aside, Shuzo Nijimura brought the ball up.

After crossing half court, he obediently passed it to Dicky Anthony.

The instant Dicky Anthony caught the ball, the aura around him grew even more terrifying.

A faint smile appeared on his face, and the constant muttering stopped.

A trace of clarity gradually returned to his eyes.

He bared his teeth in a grin, then suddenly dribbled hard and drove forward.

Bang!

The ball slammed against the floor.

Dicky Anthony exploded into a burst of speed.

Daiki Aomine’s expression turned serious. He reacted immediately, cutting off the driving lane.

But in that instant, he noticed something strange.

He’s slower?!

It didn’t make sense. His presence had grown stronger, yet his overall physical ability had weakened.

While Daiki Aomine was still puzzled, Dicky Anthony smiled.

Behind him, the venomous snake began to change.

Its emerald eyes turned pure white. Its fangs lengthened and sharpened, and even its face shifted.

As the fangs grew longer, its body began shrinking.

In the blink of an eye, the snake was only half its previous size.

Seeing this transformation, Daiki Aomine didn’t dare relax. He focused completely, bracing for a sudden attack.

The next second—

Without any setup move, Dicky Anthony rose straight up from where he stood.

In midair, he controlled the ball with one hand, gathered it, and lifted it into a shooting motion.

Daiki Aomine froze for a split second, then jumped as well.

As always, he reached up to block Dicky Anthony’s line of sight.

But this time—

Dicky Anthony’s lips curled upward.

His body leaned slightly backward.

That subtle tilt opened up his view of the rim.

The moment he locked onto the basket, he flicked his wrist.

The ball left his hand.

Daiki Aomine’s pupils shrank.

A fadeaway?!

The ball cut through the air like a missile and dropped perfectly through the net.

After scoring, Dicky Anthony said nothing. He only gave a faint smile and jogged back on defense.

The light in his eyes grew deeper.

Daiki Aomine didn’t know what had changed—but he knew one thing.

Dicky Anthony had become much harder to deal with.

On the sideline, Satsuki Momoi suddenly spoke.

“Tokima, Anthony’s stats are starting to rise.”

Miyamoto Tokima immediately asked,

“How do they compare to when he first activated Animal Instinct?”

Satsuki Momoi checked the previous records.

“Lower. Still slightly lower than when he first activated it.”

Miyamoto Tokima nodded slowly and looked toward Dicky Anthony. He seemed to have grasped something.

As the game continued, Daiki Aomine kept scoring with his speed and [Formless Shot].

But it wasn’t as smooth as before.

Dicky Anthony seemed to have suddenly figured something out. He was playing smarter.

On offense, he no longer relied solely on shooting.

He mixed it up—drives, pull-up jumpers, fadeaways, post-ups.

He used almost everything.

Daiki Aomine could barely keep up.

Before, his blind-defense could at least limit Dicky Anthony somewhat.

Now, he couldn’t even block his vision properly.

With such a complete offensive sequence, Daiki Aomine’s blind-defense accuracy dropped by an entire level.

If the old Dicky Anthony had been a brute relying purely on force—

The current Dicky Anthony was a tactician.

At this point, Miyamoto Tokima had formed a preliminary theory.

There were two possibilities.

The first: Dicky Anthony had gained awareness.

In the past, he played like a pure powerhouse—shoot, drive, overpower.

He maximized every part of his body, pushing his physical advantages to the limit.

But precisely because his talent and physique were overwhelming, he never needed to think.

No one had ever been able to suppress him through sheer talent.

If you could win with natural gifts, why bother with technique or strategy?

So he never used his brain. He relied entirely on instinct and talent.

That might also explain why activating Animal Instinct caused him to lose his rationality.

Everything was controlled by pure instinct.

But during his game against Atsushi Murasakibara—

He experienced something different.

The feeling of having his natural gifts suppressed.

It was at that moment that his body gradually began yielding to his brain.

His instinctive output and physical data started to decline—so that his mind could regain control.

Perhaps Dicky Anthony himself hadn’t noticed the change.

But now—

In his Animal Instinct state—

He had.

Which meant…

Dicky Anthony’s rationality…

was returning.

Even while Animal Instinct was active.

As for the second possibility…

It was that—

Dicky Anthony’s Animal Instinct…

might be evolving.

...

Chapter 198: The Eye of Truth!

“Beep! End of the first quarter!”

The referee’s whistle signaled the end of the first quarter.

The starters from Kirisaki Daiichi and Tōō headed to their benches to rest.

On Tōō’s side.

Daiki Aomine sat down on the bench, breathing lightly.

He looked fine overall—no signs of running out of stamina.

A substitute quickly handed him a bottle of water.

Aomine took a small sip, swished it around in his mouth, then spat it out.

He didn’t dare actually drink. He could only trick his brain a little.

If he drank too much now, the second half would drain him dry.

On Kirisaki Daiichi’s side.

After coming off the court, Miyamoto Tokima gave a soft chuckle and asked in English,

“How does it feel?”

Dicky Anthony swished his mouth and replied,

“Awesome. They’re strong… but I think I can control my Animal Instinct now!”

There was clear excitement in his voice.

Losing control after activating Animal Instinct had always weighed on him. Now that knot in his heart was finally gone.

Miyamoto Tokima patted him on the shoulder.

“Keep it up.”

Dicky Anthony paused for a moment, then nodded firmly, his face lighting up.

Because to him, those words meant one thing—

He might have a chance to join the Black Dragon Team.

Miyamoto Tokima turned his head toward Aomine.

Almost at the same time, Aomine turned as well.

Their eyes met.

The instant their gazes locked, fierce battle intent ignited in Aomine’s eyes.

Miyamoto! I’m going to beat you!

Miyamoto Tokima, on the other hand, only smiled faintly.

Daiki… show me how much you’ve grown.

“Beep! Break’s over! Second quarter begins! Players, back on the court!”

The referee’s whistle rang out.

Both starting lineups rose and walked onto the floor.

The second quarter began with Kirisaki Daiichi in possession.

Atsushi Murasakibara passed the ball to Miyamoto Tokima, who brought it up the court.

He crossed half court at an unhurried pace, and Aomine immediately stepped up to defend.

“Miyamoto, you’re taking the offense this quarter, right?”

Miyamoto Tokima smiled and nodded.

“You’ve been waiting for this for a long time, haven’t you?”

Aomine grinned wide.

“I’ve been dreaming about this moment! Miyamoto—don’t hold back!”

Miyamoto Tokima didn’t answer directly. Instead, he asked calmly,

“Are you ready?”

In the stands.

On Seirin’s side.

Tetsuya Kuroko’s expression instantly turned serious.

“It’s starting…”

The rest of Seirin noticed as well, all focusing intently.

This was the first time the [Magic Cube] had taken the initiative on offense.

Their best chance to truly gauge the strength of the [Magic Cube].

On Shutoku’s side.

The moment Shintaro Midorima saw Miyamoto Tokima and Aomine facing off, he called out sharply,

“Takao! The camera!”

Kazunari Takao, who had been holding the camcorder since before tip-off, twitched helplessly.

“Seriously, Shin-chan? I’ve been recording since before the game even started…”

Midorima stiffened awkwardly for a second before returning to his usual serious expression.

“I see.”

“Yes, you see,” Takao replied dryly.

On Kaijō’s side.

Ryota Kise’s usual playful smile disappeared, replaced by a grave look.

Let me see your true strength.

He had always wanted to know—

What kind of player was so strong that even he wasn’t worthy of making him go all out?

On Yōsen’s side.

Masako Araki gripped her wooden sword tightly, her expression stormy.

“I want to see what gives you the right to steal Murasakibara away!”

Kenichi Okamura and the others looked just as furious, their gazes darting between Miyamoto Tokima and Atsushi Murasakibara as if they wanted to swallow them whole.

One had taken two of their key players.

The other had transferred away like a traitor.

Yōsen’s emotions were completely consumed by anger.

After all—

They had lost two starters!

On the court.

After Miyamoto Tokima’s question, Aomine’s entire body visibly tensed.

He still remembered that one-on-one match in their first year of middle school, just before Miyamoto left.

In that game, he hadn’t even touched the ball once.

He had been completely crushed.

To defeat Miyamoto Tokima, Aomine had trained at extreme intensity every single day.

He had even skipped official games just to practice.

All for the day he could finally beat him.

Now Miyamoto Tokima stood right in front of him.

And this was the moment to put everything into action.

Miyamoto Tokima understood Aomine’s resolve.

He gave a soft laugh, then—

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!!!

Ripples spread outward from beneath his feet, instantly covering the entire court.

Everyone froze at the same time.

Shoichi Imayoshi’s expression collapsed completely, fear flashing across his face.

“Th-This… what is this?!”

He had always been the one who saw through others.

But now, he was the one being seen through.

Worse—

Miyamoto Tokima wasn’t even focusing on him, yet he could still read him completely.

What kind of monster was this?

Kosuke Wakamatsu forced out a stiff smile.

So this is the goal Aomine’s chasing… Can he really catch up to that?

Being seen through in an instant—anyone would feel a chill down their spine.

And this version of Miyamoto Tokima’s [Eye of Truth] was even more terrifying than it had been in middle school.

“S-Sorry, sorry, sorry…”

The moment Ryo Sakurai felt himself exposed, he began apologizing nonstop, as if he had committed some unforgivable crime.

On the other hand, Aomine and Kirisaki Daiichi were far calmer.

They had seen this before.

Even if the current [Eye of Truth] was stronger, they were mentally prepared.

The Kirisaki Daiichi bench waved their towels wildly. To them, nothing Miyamoto Tokima did would be surprising.

But the stands had already erupted into chaos.

Gasps and shouts rang out everywhere.

“What was that? It spread across the whole court instantly!”

“That’s the [Magic Cube]’s ability! I was stunned the first time I saw it—can’t believe I’m seeing it again!”

On Seirin’s side.

Everyone stood frozen, mouths agape.

Taiga Kagami’s lips trembled as he stiffly asked,

“Kuro… Kuroko… that [Magic Cube]… could he already use something like this that long ago?”

...

Chapter 199: You’re Still Too Naive

Tetsuya Kuroko’s expression didn’t change. He simply nodded.

“Yes. Miyamoto-kun has been able to do this for a long time. It’s just that his ability seems to have grown even stronger.”

“Miyamoto-kun’s [Ripple Vision] allows him to see through everyone’s movements on the court. Honestly, I think calling it [Eye of Truth] suits it better than [Ripple Vision].”

Junpei Hyuga’s mouth hung open as he blurted out,

“See through the whole court? You mean he can read everyone’s movements?!”

Kuroko nodded firmly.

“That’s right. He can see through everyone’s movements. It’s different from [Hawk Eye]. [Hawk Eye] only grants full-court vision.”

“But it doesn’t let you clearly read specific actions. Miyamoto-kun’s [Eye of Truth] is different. He can take in every movement on the court—including the smallest details.”

Shun Izuki, unusually quiet, swallowed.

“He’s a born point guard…”

Riko Aida’s expression was grave.

“Not just born for it. He’s the kind of point guard heaven personally feeds.”

“He was made for basketball.”

Riko Aida’s eyes could read players’ data, and what she saw in Miyamoto Tokima was perfection.

Every single stat was flawless—so perfectly balanced it was as if he had been designed solely to play basketball.

On Kaijō’s side.

Ryota Kise had already gone numb.

Now he finally understood why Miyamoto Tokima had never bothered to make a move against him.

Because he truly wasn’t qualified.

He couldn’t even defeat Seijuro Akashi’s [Emperor Eye], so how could he possibly challenge Miyamoto Tokima’s monstrous [Eye of Truth]?

And this might only be one of Miyamoto Tokima’s regular abilities.

Kise let out a bitter laugh.

“I never thought someone like that could exist. The sky I’ve seen… was too small.”

At that moment, he finally understood what Shintaro Midorima had meant.

There’s always someone stronger, and beyond every sky lies another heaven. Only by following heaven’s will can we secure victory.

So even “there’s always someone better” has its own standard.

On Yōsen’s side.

The earlier fury had faded into silence.

Masako Araki stood stiffly, unable to find the words.

And yet, a fire still burned in their hearts—

A fire that would not be extinguished so easily.

On the court.

Cold sweat was already running down Aomine’s back.

Miyamoto Tokima hadn’t even attacked yet, but the pressure he exuded far surpassed what Dicky Anthony had brought in the first quarter.

Aomine didn’t dare underestimate him.

He immediately activated Animal Instinct in preparation to defend.

Miyamoto Tokima chuckled softly and lowered his stance.

The next second—

Screech!

The sharp sound of sneakers scraping against the floor rang out.

Aomine’s eyes widened.

Where did he go?

Thud!

The sound of the ball came from behind him.

Aomine spun around in disbelief, only to see Miyamoto Tokima already finishing a three-step layup, gently placing the ball into the hoop.

Aomine stood frozen.

“So fast…”

For a moment, he felt like all the speed training he had done had been for nothing.

He had thought he was fast enough.

But Miyamoto Tokima was faster.

After scoring, Miyamoto Tokima jogged back on defense.

As they passed each other, he smiled lightly.

“Go all out, Daiki. Otherwise, you won’t beat me.”

Without looking back, he continued toward his half.

Aomine’s fighting spirit didn’t waver—instead, it flared up even stronger.

He burst into laughter.

“Hahaha… Miyamoto, of course… you’re the strongest opponent!”

“The only one who can beat me… is you!”

He laughed wildly, then fixed his eyes on Miyamoto Tokima’s back.

“Miyamoto, let me show you my strongest move!”

Possession switched.

Tōō ball.

Aomine caught the pass and went straight at Miyamoto Tokima.

Miyamoto Tokima smiled faintly.

“Daiki, show me your full strength.”

Aomine grinned.

“Don’t worry. Against you, I wouldn’t dare hold back.”

With that, he closed his eyes.

A terrifying aura swept across the court.

Crack—

When he opened them again—

Blue lightning flickered within his eyes.

His expression sharpened.

The electricity dancing in his gaze announced it clearly.

Zone.

In the stands.

Taiga Kagami shot to his feet, shock and battle intent blazing in his eyes.

He was stunned by the explosive presence Aomine was releasing.

At the same time, his own fighting spirit surged at the thought of Aomine and Miyamoto Tokima clashing.

“Kuroko!”

Kuroko looked at him.

“Yes?”

Kagami’s lips curved upward uncontrollably. His eyes shone brightly as battle intent poured from him.

“Japan… is seriously amazing.”

Kuroko paused, then smiled faintly.

“Yes… it is.”

On the court.

Shuzo Nijimura smiled faintly.

“Well done, kid. I didn’t expect you to enter the Zone too. That’s some talent.”

Lightning flashed in Aomine’s eyes as he looked at Miyamoto Tokima.

“Miyamoto, see this? This is the Zone Coach Shirogane talked about—the realm every basketball player dreams of.”

Then he chuckled.

“And it’s even stronger than your No-Self.”

Miyamoto Tokima laughed helplessly.

“You’re still thinking about my No-Self?”

Aomine didn’t deny it.

“Of course. It completely shocked me back then.”

For a moment, they didn’t look like opponents—

Just former teammates catching up.

The shot clock ticked down.

Eight seconds left.

Tōō’s coach, Katsunori Harasawa, jumped to his feet.

“Aomine!”

Aomine snapped back to reality and glanced at the clock.

He smiled at Miyamoto Tokima.

“Looks like I have to attack now.”

Miyamoto Tokima smiled lightly.

“Go ahead. You don’t need to remind me.”

“You won’t get past me.”

Aomine didn’t argue.

He laughed—and moved.

In an instant, he turned into a streak of lightning.

Blazing fast.

He drove hard to Miyamoto Tokima’s right, trying to overwhelm him with pure speed.

Miyamoto Tokima watched calmly and smiled.

“Daiki… you’re still too naive.”

...

Chapter 200: Miyamoto Tokima’s Blind Defense

Smack!!!

A sharp slapping sound rang out.

Aomine had just broken past Miyamoto Tokima when his body suddenly stiffened.

Because the basketball in his hand…

…was gone.

“No way!”

Aomine couldn’t help shouting in disbelief, shock written all over his face.

He was in the Zone!

The Zone!

He activated the Zone—and you just casually stole the ball from him?!

Then what was the point of entering it?!

After the steal, Miyamoto Tokima immediately secured the ball and exploded forward.

Aomine gritted his teeth and chased after him.

His speed was terrifyingly fast, and he caught up almost instantly.

Of course, Miyamoto Tokima had deliberately slowed down.

As they reached the three-point line on the offensive end, Miyamoto Tokima’s lips curved slightly.

“A-Da, do you think basketball is a one-man sport?”

Aomine frowned.

“What are you talking about?”

The next second—

The ball in Miyamoto Tokima’s hands…

…disappeared.

Whoosh!!!

A violent, feral aura burst out from beside Aomine.

He turned his head and saw Shuzo Nijimura, Animal Instinct activated, smiling at him.

And in Nijimura’s hands—

Was the ball that had just vanished.

Nijimura dribbled calmly, finished a smooth three-step layup, and added two points.

“Haha, Aomine. Basketball isn’t a one-man sport.”

He laughed and gave Aomine a firm pat on the shoulder.

Aomine clearly didn’t accept that. He brushed Nijimura’s hand away.

“Senior, let’s keep playing.”

Nijimura only smiled and ran back on defense.

Miyamoto Tokima also smiled helplessly and turned toward the backcourt.

There was no denying it.

Although Aomine had changed a lot compared to the original story, one thing hadn’t changed—

His tendency to play alone.

He still preferred going solo, largely influenced by Akashi’s second personality.

After all, that line—

“If you want to attack, take the ball yourself.”

—had left a deep mark on him.

Miyamoto Tokima’s gaze sharpened slightly.

In the end… it’s still largely because of you.

He had thought about changing Akashi.

But personality disorders weren’t something you could just fix on a whim.

He wasn’t a doctor.

Possession switched.

Tōō ball.

As expected, Aomine handled the offense again—and the entire Tōō team seemed to accept that arrangement without question.

But there was one thing that had to be understood.

You can have the ability.

You can go one-on-one.

But you cannot act as if your teammates don’t exist.

Teammates are an indispensable part of basketball.

And what Miyamoto Tokima needed to do now—

Was make Aomine understand that.

Otherwise, the professional stage would be a very hard road for him.

Miyamoto Tokima glanced sideways and signaled to his teammates.

Nijimura and the others immediately understood.

Murasakibara stopped fighting Wakamatsu for position inside and even gave up the best scoring spot.

Dicky Anthony, who was guarding Sakurai, took two steps back and left him open.

Nijimura and Haizaki did the same, retreating slightly and giving space.

Aomine noticed and frowned.

“What are you trying to do, Miyamoto?”

Miyamoto Tokima smiled faintly.

“You already know.”

As he spoke, he pressed in tight, applying heavy defensive pressure.

Aomine quickly dribbled behind his back and retreated a step.

But Miyamoto Tokima didn’t let up.

He kept advancing, hand reaching in to disrupt.

Aomine knew exactly how dangerous Miyamoto Tokima’s steals were. He didn’t dare dribble in front of him at all, forced to rely on constant behind-the-back dribbles to protect the ball.

You retreat—I advance.

Finally, Aomine couldn’t stand it anymore.

He knew this stalemate wouldn’t work.

His eyes sharpened, blue lightning flickering within them.

After a behind-the-back dribble, he seamlessly shifted into a between-the-legs move, pushing off hard with his right foot.

He shot out like an arrow, breaking left.

Miyamoto Tokima stepped directly into his path.

As expected, Aomine instantly switched direction and drove right.

But the moment he moved—

A towering iron wall rose up from that side.

His drive halted abruptly.

Damn it… this damn iron wall!

Miyamoto Tokima sealed the right side completely and smiled faintly.

“A-Da, you can’t get past me alone.”

Imayoshi, left wide open nearby, felt numb.

Aomine can’t even break through him…?

He glanced at Nijimura, who was loosely guarding him.

So they’re daring him not to pass…

Imayoshi immediately understood Kirisaki Daiichi’s intention.

On the other side—

Aomine glanced at Miyamoto Tokima, then at the shot clock.

Eight seconds.

He couldn’t delay any longer.

Taking a deep breath, he attacked.

His hands moved rapidly, dribbling from side to side as he tried again and again to break through.

Miyamoto Tokima stuck to him relentlessly, refusing to give an inch.

Three seconds.

Aomine was still hovering near the three-point line.

Damn it. I can’t get in.

He knew there was no time left.

Gritting his teeth, he turned with the ball at the three-point line, back to the basket.

After a few shoulder fakes, he spun right and brought the ball up to shoot.

And then—

His vision went black.

The instant darkness fell, Aomine understood.

Blindfold defense.

Miyamoto Tokima had followed him the moment he turned, reaching up and completely blocking his line of sight.

Miyamoto Tokima’s Blindfold defense.

...