Chapter 39: The Scent of the Beast

“Damn it—are you looking down on me?!”

Seeing that no one was guarding him at all, Daiki Aomine’s expression darkened. A strong sense of being underestimated surged up from deep within him.

“Akashi, the ball!!”

Determined to teach Fukuda a lesson, Aomine raised his hand and signaled Seijuro Akashi for the pass.

Akashi didn’t hesitate and immediately sent the ball over.

The moment Aomine caught it, he charged straight toward the paint. Fukuda’s center rushed in to help on defense, while their power forward quickly dropped back, wary of Aomine passing to Atsushi Murasakibara.

But passing never even crossed Aomine’s mind.

Right now, there was only anger in his heart. He was going to make those who looked down on him pay.

A faint blue glow began to seep out from his body, and a wild, animal-like presence spilled forth with it.

The Fukuda center froze on the spot. His legs began trembling uncontrollably, and the look in his eyes as he stared at Daiki Aomine changed completely—as if he were facing a ferocious beast.

What… what kind of monster is this?!

It wasn’t just the Fukuda center who felt it. Everyone on the court sensed that presence, like the suffocating pressure of being locked onto by a predator.

Kotaro Hayama’s expression shifted sharply, shock filling his eyes.

Why… why does it feel so strange?
Are all of Teikō’s players monsters?!

Seijuro Akashi remained expressionless, his gaze fixed firmly on Daiki Aomine.

Shintaro Midorima’s expression barely changed, but he carefully felt the presence Aomine was giving off.

Miyamoto Tokima’s lips curved up slightly.

Animal Instinct… go on, experience this state properly.

Coach Fukuda suddenly shot up from his seat, eyes locked onto Daiki Aomine. His mouth hung open as he muttered in disbelief,

“Animal… Instinct…”

He shook his head, then slumped back down, letting out a self-mocking breath.

Covering his face, he murmured,

“Teikō…”

Then he lifted his head and glanced at the equally stunned Coach Shirogane. With a resigned look, he muttered to himself,

“Shirogane… your luck really is something else…”

Coach Fukuda had already accepted it. If Daiki Aomine hadn’t awakened his Animal Instinct, maybe Fukuda could have struggled a bit longer—perhaps even hoped for a miracle.

But now that Aomine had entered this state, that last sliver of hope was gone. Teikō had become a team without blind spots.

Fukuda simply couldn’t defeat a lineup of five geniuses with only Kotaro Hayama.

Thinking that far, Coach Fukuda gave a helpless smile and silently prayed that they wouldn’t lose too badly.

It wasn’t just Coach Fukuda—Coach Shirogane was also surprised. He hadn’t expected Daiki Aomine to awaken Animal Instinct, and judging from its intensity, this was no weak beast.

On the court.

Daiki Aomine felt his speed and instincts surge. Like a hunting leopard, he turned into a streak of blue lightning and instantly blew past Fukuda’s center.

Planting his right foot hard, he leapt high and viciously slammed the ball into the hoop.

BOOM!!!!!!!!!

When he landed, the entire court fell silent.

Then, a moment later, thunderous applause and excited chatter erupted from the stands.

“Hey, did you see that?! How did Aomine break through like that?”

“I couldn’t even see it clearly—he was inside in the blink of an eye. Way too fast!”

“Yeah, it was like a flash of lightning. Just gone in an instant.”

“That’s terrifying… this year’s Teikō.”

“This year, Teikō really has five geniuses!”

The spectators buzzed with excitement, while teams from other schools wore grim expressions. After all, they would eventually have to face this Teikō squad made up of five prodigies.

In the stands, a dark-haired man with shadowy eyes stared intently at the court. He lightly licked his lips and murmured,

“Geniuses… I really wonder what they’ll look like once they’re broken.”

Behind him, a man with slightly sunken cheeks and prominent cheekbones replied in an equally gloomy tone,

“Probably beautiful.”

On the court.

Fukuda ball.

After dribbling past half court, Fukuda’s point guard glanced at Daiki Aomine. Feeling that animal-like presence still radiating from him, he couldn’t help but shudder slightly.

He quickly passed the ball to Kotaro Hayama.

As Hayama caught it, Fukuda’s center stepped up to set a screen, forcing a switch and leaving Hayama matched up against Atsushi Murasakibara.

Kotaro Hayama dribbled in place, facing Murasakibara.

Thud! Thud!! Thud!!! Thud!!!! Thud!!!!!

“Three fingers!”

A streak of yellow lightning sliced past Atsushi Murasakibara, charging straight toward Teikō’s basket.

Murasakibara froze for a moment and was instantly beaten.

At his current speed, there was no way he could stop Kotaro Hayama’s Lightning Dribbling.

Fukuda picked up two points.

Possession changed.

Seijuro Akashi quickly passed the ball to Daiki Aomine. The moment he caught it, Aomine moved like a hunting leopard, tearing across the court.

Not a single Fukuda player could keep up with his speed. All they could do was watch as he easily finished at the basket.

The second quarter came to an end.

Both teams headed back to their locker rooms.

Inside the Teikō locker room, the wildness surrounding Daiki Aomine gradually faded, and a wave of exhaustion washed over him.

Everyone noticed something was off. Seijuro Akashi turned to Coach Shirogane and asked,

“Coach, what exactly was Aomine’s state just now?”

Shuzo Nijimura, Shintaro Midorima, and the others all looked up, waiting for an answer.

Even Shogo Haizaki, who hadn’t stepped onto the court yet, raised his head.

Even Daiki Aomine himself perked up, wanting to know what had happened to him.

Coach Shirogane spoke slowly,

“Animal Instinct.”

“Animal Instinct?”

The Teikō players were all confused. What exactly was that supposed to be?

Coach Shirogane explained it to them. Simply put, it was an ability honed through surviving in a world where the strong prey on the weak—granting animal-like instincts and speed.

Daiki Aomine’s Animal Instinct was that of a black panther.

After hearing the explanation, the Teikō players were all genuinely happy for Aomine.

...

Fukuda’s locker room.

Coach Fukuda also explained Daiki Aomine’s change to his team.

Kotaro Hayama sat with a towel draped over his head, silently thinking.

Animal Instinct…?

He recalled the panther-like presence Daiki Aomine had released, and something stirred faintly in his heart.

He felt that maybe… just maybe… he also possessed the same kind of Animal Instinct as Daiki Aomine.