The cheering in the arena reached overbearing levels as the second quarter of the quarter-finals advanced to a new stage. And that stage was Kaijō finally achieving full strength to face Tōō directly.
In the court, the Tōō players were facing this firsthand as the pressure around them increased.
'T-This is crazy!' Sakurai, who held the bell at the moment, looked around in total disarray. He could barely handle thinking clearly right now. That's how serious the atmosphere was now. It was madness.
And it was in this confusion that Kasamatsu quickly came in with the steal, taking the ball from Sakurai's hands before he had a chance to pass it.
Imayoshi scowled and quickly followed with his defense, trying to stop Kasamatsu and the momentum he was trying to set. This produced no results as Kasamatsu wasn't trying to score. Rather, he passed the ball over his shoulder when Imayoshi got close enough. The ball flew to Kise's hands, who was already in position for the pass.
Aomine quickly charged for him, intent on stopping the blond this time. Kise didn't slow with his dribble, his movements full of confidence. Aomine was poised and ready for the stop. Kise quickly made to go around him through the left, but Aomine was there. This made Kise do a quick spin to the right, but Aomine followed him there too. Aomine was certain that Kise would follow with another fake, but instead Kise tossed the ball to the left right as Naruto sprinted past them, now with the ball in his possession.
'What-!' Imayoshi almost screamed in his mind when he saw this. He had only noticed Naruto after Kise had made the pass. There was no way Aomine was going to be able to stop this!
Aomine wasn't going to let a simple pass slow him down, though. He was right on Naruto's heels, not allowing himself to be dissuaded by the teamwork Naruto and Kise were showing him. That's why, when Naruto jumped for the dunk, Aomine was right in the air with him, ready to slam the ball back down. But once again, he misread the situation. Naruto wasn't going for the dunk. He lowered his arm at the last second and brought the ball down to his side where he could pass it to Kise who was right there with them.
Aomine watched with annoyance as the pass was made between the two blonds. He had been certain Naruto was going to score, so he wasn't able to react correctly like before. And with this distance, Kise was able to score the dunk over Aomine as Naruto grinned.
But this was only the beginning.
Right after, Aomine had the ball, and he was looking to return the favor to the two blonds for their showing. He quickly got past Kasamatsu and Moriyama, their defense doing nothing but slowing him down for a couple of seconds at best. Kise stepped forward, and Aomine increased his speed tenfold.
He was deadly serious.
He did a fake to the right and shot to the left, but Kise read him perfectly, just as Aomine had done earlier. The blond kept with him, and so Aomine stopped abruptly before darting to the right. Kise copied his moves again, and so he was able to stay on him even with such rapid movements. With his frustration high, Aomine made to shoot another one of his formless shots to end this play, having had enough. But Naruto soon arrived to disrupt the play once more. He was at Aomine's side just as the darker skinned boy was about to jump with his arm already flinging back. It was the perfect time for a shut down, and Naruto took it.
Aomine's eyes widened as the ball was knocked out of his hand before he could complete the shot. The ball went free for a split second before Kise grabbed it, having been prepared for this.
'Impossible!' This time, Imayoshi did scream in his head as he saw this. His body moved to intercept Kise along with Susa, but it did nothing to Kise's momentum. He simply threw the ball to the hoop where Naruto caught it for another alley-oop.
Intent on keeping their advantage, Naruto and Kise were on the offensive again, with Aomine looking desperate to stop them. It was Naruto who had the ball as Aomine kept in close proximity to him, looking for any opening he could use to try and go for a steal. But Naruto didn't give him any as he pressed on with his super fast and abrupt movements.
The blond launched into the air, looking to dunk the ball once again. Aomine followed, but there was obvious hesitation in his movements. It was clear why. He had no idea if Naruto was going to pass to Kise again, or if he was really going to score. There was no way for him to tell until the last moment, which would guarantee his defeat. In the end, that hesitation allowed Naruto to get by his indecisive defense and score a between the legs dunk, wooing the spectators further.
Aomine tried to even the odds afterwards as he and Naruto faced off again, but just like when he was defending, Aomine hesitated with his drive. He knew Kise was waiting for the right moment to strike, but the question was when. If he went in, he knew he was just looking to get ambushed. If he tried his formless shots, Naruto's jumps were high enough to stop them. If he faked, Naruto would read him.
'Dammit…...what do I do…..!?'
Momoi saw the hesitation on Aomine's face, which just made her all the more worried. Aomine never hesitated. Not once. But now…...
The others on the team were picking up on this as well, and it frightened them a little. If Aomine was hesitating here, then what could they do?
In his hesitation and overthinking, Aomine was not able to stop Naruto from tipping the ball out of his grasp. His hesitation had opened up a big possibility for a steal, and Naruto took it.
The Uzumaki gripped the ball tightly as he made the counter on Aomine again, something that was still shocking everyone in Tōō. Wakamatsu was able to get out of his shock long enough to try and stop the blond, but Naruto simply made the pass to Kise who ended the play with a double clutch move, completely unopposed. Not like anyone else could try and stop him.
"I can't believe what I'm seeing!" one of the spectators shouted through the loud screams and cheers. "Aomine the ace is completely outmatched!"
"No one can stop those two!"
"Kaijō has the upper hand here!"
The Seirin players could hear these comments around them, and they were all in agreement with this. It was still a little shocking to see, though…...well, more like a big shock. They had struggled greatly against Tōō, and in the end Tōō had been able to double their score in their match. But now, seeing them getting pushed back like this…...
"I just can't believe it," Kagami said, gripping his knees tightly. "Is Aomine really getting defeated like this?"
Kuroko was of a similar mind, but he didn't say anything. He was too busy staring down at the panting Aomine to make any comments.
"The second quarter is completely in Kaijō's favor," Riko whispered, her eyes glued to the match. She was just unable to look away, too entranced by Naruto and Kise's teamwork. They played off one another so well, it was almost like one person was standing in two spots.
It was surreal.
'Aomine-kun…..' Momoi clutched her clipboard tightly, her mind a mess. She didn't know what else to do. She couldn't predict Naruto, and Kise had already surpassed her expectations. She had never felt so helpless before.
She hated this feeling.
"Oi, oi, what are we going to do here?" Wakamatsu asked as he stood next to the sweating Imayoshi. "If we keep relying solely on Aomine like this, we're going to completely lose the first half!"
That much was true. The second quarter was almost finished, and in that time Aomine had been utterly crushed by Naruto and Kise. No matter what he did, it had a little effect against those two.
'What to do here?' He glanced over to Momoi for a moment. She looked just as worried as he felt. Her data on Naruto had been lacking as this was his first tournament, but it would have made no difference regardless. Not with this level of power. It was overwhelming.
Imayoshi turned his attention back to the court as Kaijō started to regroup.
"There's only one option left."
As the next play commenced, everyone in Kaijō and Seirin could see that things were much different than before. The most obvious: Aomine didn't have the ball. It was Imayoshi who was dribbling, and he was making no signs of passing the ball to Aomine anytime soon.
"What are they doing?" Yuki wondered, not understanding what Tōō could be thinking at a time like this. If they were going to get around Naruto and Kise's teamwork, then they obviously needed Aomine.
Aomine himself looked surprised, and a bit confused too. It was clear that he didn't understand this turn of events either.
Kasamatsu, who stood before the silent Imayoshi, scoffed. "What are you trying to do now? Are you underestimating us?"
"Underestimating you?" Imayoshi smiled a little, but it was obviously strained. "Quite the opposite in fact. We're showing you the respect you deserve. That's why we're doing this."
In one swift movement, Imayoshi passed the ball right to Sakurai, who was also quick to shoot the ball before Moriyama had a chance to stop him. The ball went in, which only made Imayoshi's smile grow a little.
"If we can't defeat your two star players, then we'll simply move around them."
So that was their strategy. Moriyama's, Kobori's, and Kasamatsu's face all darkened. They were being looked down on, huh?
Naruto frowned while Kise just shook his head. "That glasses-wearing captain can be a bit of an ass, right?"
The Uzumaki couldn't agree more. "That's why we need to spit those words back to his face."
That "solution" of his…...it was no solution at all.
Naruto and Kise both promised to show that as they charged forward with their next play. Aomine was ready to challenge them, of course, but this wasn't about them right now. No, there was a different goal for them at this moment.
Which is why Naruto handed the ball off to Kasamatsu who was once again facing Imayoshi.
"Oh, what's this?" The amusement was clear on Imayoshi's face. "Are you trying to take us on?"
Momoi's data might not work on Naruto and Kise, but it was a different story for the other three. There was no way they were going to lose here.
Kasamatsu showed no regard for this as he rushed around Imayoshi, but the glasses-wearing captain was already aware of Kasamatsu's speed, which is why he was more than ready to step back and block Kasamatsu's path. He also made sure to stick just close enough, so that Kasamatsu wasn't able to go for a three, which he could also do if the distance was there.
"You really underestimate us, don't you?" Kasamatsu muttered to himself. But Imayoshi was still able to hear him. Not that he had a chance to respond as Kasamatsu was already on the move again. He looked like he was going to pass to Moriyama, but Imayoshi already knew that Kasamatsu was really going for a turnaround shot.
'Ha, you can't fool me, not with Momoi's data on our side,' the amused Imayoshi thought. That amusement left his face as the ball was taken from Kasamatsu's hands the moment he raised them for his "fake" pass. And who was the thief?
It was Naruto of course. Like before, the blond had arrived on the scene with such speed that Imayoshi wasn't able to figure out that he was there until after the pass was made. Which is exactly what Kasamatsu was aiming for all along.
With Naruto able to get around Imayoshi, he looked to score. But Aomine was right there to put a stop to that plan. Only that was just another fake as Naruto threw the ball over his shoulders for a pass, just like before. Aomine was left puzzled by this, because Kise was still standing by Susa. He wasn't anywhere near close to the ball. So who was the pass for?
Aomine's question was answered a moment later as Kasamatsu appeared behind Naruto to grab the thrown ball. Imayoshi was a few steps behind as he had not foreseen this at all. He was certain Naruto would either go for the dunk or pass it to Kise. But to Kasamatsu?
'What is this!?' he shouted in his mind as he attempted to stop Kasamatsu from shooting a three. But it was just not meant to be as he was not quick enough. Kasamatsu fired his shot with precision, and the ball went in.
"You've made a big mistake here, four eyes." Naruto's glare went to Imayoshi who froze up for a second. "Kaijō has other players besides me and Kise, and you have to worry about them all. Otherwise, you're just signing your defeat."
Imayoshi tried to keep his compose as always, but it was clear he was losing his cool.
"What was that…..?"
More cheers came from the audience.
'Damn, shitheads!' Wakamatsu thought to himself as he pushed for the basket on his own during the next play, looking for a little payback of his own. The ball was easily swatted away by Kobori, though, who wasn't going to let that happen.
The free ball bounced back to where Sakurai was, so he scooped it up for himself. He jumped into his shooting position, but it lacked its usual solid form. It was more hasty, and the shot probably wouldn't have gone in. But it made no difference as Moriyama was still able to jump in time and stop the ball with a powerful slam, letting out a firm shout in the process.
"I'm not letting you score!" he stated.
Sakurai grimaced, knowing that was his mistake.
On the sidelines, Harasawa had to narrow his eyes at all of this. His players were losing their cool. If this kept up, they were just going to dig themselves further into a hole. He couldn't let that happen.
He was going to call for a time out, but when his eyes landed on the clock he knew it didn't matter anymore. The quarter was already down to its final seconds.
But even though Moriyama stopped Sakurai's shot, the ball wasn't out of bounds yet. And before it could go out of bounds, Aomine showed up just in time to stop that from happening. He snatched the ball with a murderous look before taking off for the basket.
He wasn't going to let the first half end like this. Not with defeat. That could never happen. No one could beat him.
'The only person who can beat me…...is me!'
Kasamatsu cursed when he saw this. 'Persistent bastard!'
The three of them weren't going to be able to react in time. That said, Kaijō still had their two aces, who also appeared just in time to stop Aomine like always.
"DON'T MOCK ME!" Aomine shouted as he jumped into the air. It was higher than normal and much faster too. The strength behind this shot was obviously going to be on another level. He was putting it all here, to crush Naruto and Kise and make them lose their spirit.
"THAT ISN'T ENOUGH ANYMORE, AOMINECCHI!"
Only Kise jumped to meet him in the air, but that was all that was needed here. He was able to jump just high enough to smack the ball back to the floor right after Aomine shot it, fully shutting him down.
Aomine gaped, the disbelief clear in his face. And anger too.
For everyone else, it was amazement. Everyone had practically assumed that only Naruto could block Aomine's formless shots with his powerful jumps, but Kise had just proven that he could do the same too.
Kuroko's eyes went wide at the sight. 'Kise-kun…...'
He was still growing, even after everything he had shown. He was still growing.
It was a scary thought.
The buzzer went off as the last second of the first half concluded, thus ending the second quarter of the match. The difference between the scores at the end of this quarter and the first were plain to see. You could call it a one-sided assault as Kaijō took the lead, with a clear advantage of 53 points to Tōō's 31 points.
Kaijō had more than a twenty point lead.
"Man, I feel sore," Naruto grumbled as he and the others began to step out of the court and head to their locker room for halftime.
"Stop complaining," Yuki said next to him. She poked him on the side. "We both know you're not sore. You're just trying to be a drama queen."
"That's harsh, Yuki. Really harsh."
Moriyama clicked his teeth together in annoyance. "Unlike you, I'm actually tired. So stop flirting with Sugawara-chan in front of me, asshole. It's ten times more annoying than usual."
"Do you want me to slap you? Because I will slap you."
"Respect!"
"Earn it first!"
"You mother-!"
"Just walk, you morons." Kasamatsu was more than ready to drag them by their ears at this point. Like, seriously. Couldn't they just have a small moment to enjoy their current victory over Tōō? Was that too much to ask?
Kise merely chuckled as they stepped through the double doors and out of the court. They weren't aware, but the entirety of Tōō was watching them go, their eyes wary. All but Aomine who was already walking away from his team, bag in hand.
Momoi noticed him first and exclaimed, "Aomine-kun! Where are you going!? You can't wander off now! We have to-!"
"Huh?" Aomine cut her off with something akin to a sneer. The girl couldn't see his face, but she was sure it would be dismissive as always. "Don't worry about me. I'll be in time for the second half."
With those parting words, he walked off, his head low.
Wakamatsu shook his fist in anger. "Aomine, you bastard! What the fuck is with his attitude!?"
Imayoshi sighed and looked away. "Just let him go. I'm sure he wants to clear his head. This turn of events must be shocking to him."
Naruto was just as good as him, if not better. And Kise was already at that level too. Two prime opponents, appearing out of the blue for him. Imayoshi knew that Aomine had to digest this in his own way.
As they headed off to their locker room, Wakamatsu still had much to complain about.
"He still shouldn't be allowed to leave like that! He can't handle Uzumaki and Kise alone! If he keeps playing like he does, we'll lose!"
Imayoshi placed a hand over his glasses. "Ah, that's right. You've never seen it before, have you? Aomine's true level."
Wakamatsu looked confused at that. "What are you talking about?"
Sakurai was curious as well, while Susa kept to himself. He already knew what Imayoshi was talking about, after all.
Momoi simply shut her eyes.
"It's true that Aomine got shutdown just now," Imayoshi explained. And it had taken him completely by surprise. He had never considered Aomine being pushed back like this. It was a shock, a big shock. That said…...
Imayoshi started to smile. "However, he still hasn't shown all his cards. He's got a whole other level like you've never seen before. It's why Aomine is the strongest."
That was certainly ominous, so much so that Wakamatsu forgot how to breathe for a second.
Opening her eyes, Momoi glanced back the hallway they were in. Her face was filled with a small, defeated smile. "Besides, I think you're getting the wrong idea about what Aomine-kun is feeling right now."
Wakamatsu didn't know what she meant by that, but Imayoshi did. It was the plight of the strong, but in Aomine's case, that plight might just be coming to an end.
Imayoshi stared ahead. "Aomine is too nice. That's his only weakness."
Back in the audience seats, another conversation was taking place among the members of the Seirin team.
"So that's the new Kaijō," Kiyoshi said, nodding to himself. "I'm impressed."
Hyūga twitched. "Don't say that so happily, moron. Do you not understand what's happening right now?"
"Huh?" Kiyoshi looked at him with a tilt to his head. "What do you mean? They're strong, right? What else is there to it?"
The others could only facepalm. Was Kiyoshi being oblivious on purpose, or was he that stupid?
Riko cut in, "They've managed to double their score against Tōō, when we were never able to get ahead when we faced them. And that includes when Aomine wasn't on the court." She looked down to the now empty court. "Frankly speaking, the gap in our abilities right now is too huge."
From his seat, Kagami growled at this. He was just oozing anger right now, so much so that some of the other first-years had to back away from him.
"Ah." Kiyoshi crossed his arms. "So that's why you're acting so gloomy. Because you think we have no chance against them."
"I think the results speak for themselves," a depressed Koganei managed to say. "Kaijō was tough enough when it was only Kise that we had to worry about. But now they have Uzumaki-san too? How are we supposed to defeat them?"
"The most troubling aspect of all of this is that they're not fighting alone, like Aomine," Hyūga said. "We caught a glimpse of it during their first match in the preliminaries, but those two are like the perfect duo. They're able to read each other's moves perfectly. It's almost like they're acting without thinking of the other, but still managing to work as one."
Kise's copying abilities had a lot to do with that success, in Hyūga's mind. Regardless of the reason, they were still a very dangerous combination. So much so that not even Aomine was able to do anything against them. And to make matters worse, the others in Kaijō were no slouches. Even if it was only a little bit of support, they were still keeping the other Tōō players at bay, which Seirin had failed to do as well.
Simply put…...it was a terrible hit to their morale, to see Tōō being pushed back like this when they were barely able to do anything against them.
Kiyoshi started to laugh. "Hahahaha, you guys are all such worry-warts! We'll be fine! We've gotten stronger, so if we do our best, I'm sure it'll work out."
"Stop laughing like that, you goddamn moron!" Hyūga shouted with his fist raised. "If it was that easy, none us would be feeling so depressed!"
"H-Hyūga, I think you've made your point." Izuki tried to be the middleman, but he went ignored as Hyūga started to glare at the laughing Kiyoshi.
Riko had to shake her head at this. She was surrounded by idiots. But at least these idiots were able to work out through their problems. She already noticed how Kiyoshi's remark made the others feel invigorated, even if only a little. That was just the way Kiyoshi worked. It was one of his strengths.
'Well, not everyone….' Riko deadpanned when she glanced at Kagami who was still looking livid. The girl had a pretty good idea what was going through his head right now. He was a simple idiot like that.
"Kuroko-kun, tell Kagami-kun to stop-"
Riko stopped mid-sentence when she noticed that Kuroko was no longer in his seat.
She shrieked, "What happened to Kuroko-kun!?" That guy was a ghost, seriously! She never noticed him move!
"Ah." Looking a bit sheepish, Furihata answered her. "Kuroko went out to give Number Two some air since it's halftime."
Riko sighed and leaned back in her seat. The dog had been kept inside Kuroko's bag this whole time, so it only made sense. As long as he wasn't doing anything stupid, then it was fine.
Kagami heard the small back-and-forth before glancing to the nearest door that led outside.
'Hm.'
"My son is incredible, isn't he~ Oh, I should go and congratulate him! But I don't want him to know I'm here until after I have all my pictures! I just know he'd try and stop me from taking anymore. But…..I want to congratulate him too. Oh, what a dilemma this is!"
"Yes, clearly," Hiroji muttered to himself. He had long since given up trying to control his boss. The way other people kept staring at them still made him blush, though. It wasn't his fault his boss loved her son too much!
Eiji on the other hand made no comment. He was too engrossed imagining his poor and innocent daughter surrounded by a bunch of sweaty, teenage boys in a locker room.
He twitched. 'Must…..not…..kill….brats…..'
Yes, the three of them were doing just fine.
"Are you sure you should be drinking so much water, Naruto-kun?" Completely unaware of her father's murderous thoughts, Yuki gave her friend a curious glance as he drank his second bottle.
"I'm too thirsty right now. Can't help it." Naruto set the bottle down. The others were all gathered around in the locker room, doing their own thing. No one was really saying anything to one another.
It was honestly far quieter than Yuki was expecting it to be. Which she expressed as she said, "Is everything okay? We are winning, you know. Shouldn't everyone be more happy?"
Moriyama smiled, his towel in hand. "It's not that we're not happy, Sugawara-chan. It's more like…..."
"We're mentally preparing ourselves," Kobori finished as he ate several of the lemon slices Yuki had prepared for them. "For the coming storm, if you will."
Naruto smirked. "It looks like I wasn't the only one who noticed."
Moriyama shot him a half-hearted glare. "You're not the only one who's paying attention, ya know."
"Says the guy who's always looking for a girl 'to fight for.' They don't even know what you're doing!"
"Leave me alone! I will be the knight for every pretty girl on this planet! Nothing can stop me!"
"No one wants to stop you! That's how stupid it is!"
Yuki knew it was better to ignore the two and instead turned to Kise for an explanation. "What are they talking about, Kise-san?"
Kise, who was sitting in one of the corners, looked up. "Ah. They mean that we still haven't faced the worst of this match."
What? How was that possible? And why was Kise looking so solemn all of a sudden?
"They definitely have something up their sleeve," Kobori agreed. "The fire hasn't left their eyes. They still think they can win."
"So that's how it is." The coach stepped forward, grabbing their attention. "I knew something was wrong. Their demeanor was not that of a defeated team. I'm glad you were able to pick it up as well. That said, we have no idea what they're planning on doing next."
They were flying blind basically.
Nakamura raised his hand. "Does it matter? Their ace can't stop Uzumaki and Kise. As long as that's the case, we have nothing to worry about, right?"
Kasamatsu scoffed. "Don't be naive. If we let our guard down, we could easily lose this match. We need to be ready for anything."
If they won like this…...well, like Kise said, it would be too easy.
Said blond suddenly stood up and made for the door.
Kasamatsu's eyes narrowed. "Where are you going?"
"You don't have to worry, senpai. I just need some fresh air. I'll be back by the start of the second half."
Kasamatsu didn't respond as Kise walked out.
Yuki looked conflicted. "Is there something wrong with Kise-san?"
Sighing, Kasamatsu shook his head. "That guy can be hard to read sometimes. Coach-"
"Eh, stop worrying so much." Naruto got up as well, his hands in his pockets. "I'll make sure the idiot is okay." He stepped out without another word.
Yuki wanted to follow but decided against it. She had a feeling this was something personal. Her presence would probably only complicate things.
The coach kept his eyes on the door for a moment longer before addressing the others. "Well, as things stand, we keep our strategy as it is. Uzumaki and Kise will be the key to our offense. We'll make sure to triple our score in the second half and kill their spirits."
Kasamatsu hoped it was that easy.
"Kise-kun?"
The model had to blink in bewilderment when he found Kuroko standing in the second-floor walkway outside the building. What were the odds of meeting like this?
"Kurokocchi!? What are you doing here!?" He then noticed the small dog on top of Kuroko's head. "And why do you have a dog with you!?"
Said dog stared curiously at him while Kuroko answered, "He's Number Two, my new pet."
Kise could say many things about that, but he decided to keep them to himself. Besides, there was a more prudent question that needed to be asked.
"What are you doing here?"
"We were training nearby, so we decided to come see the game before we headed back home."
So that's how it was.
Chuckling, Kise walked around the shorter teen and stopped by the railing of the walkway. "Heh. Training, huh? Sounds like fun."
"It was. Midorima-kun was there too." Although it was only a coincidence that they had met up with him and the rest of Shūtoku. It had been beneficial, though, and sort of fun too.
"That so? I can't imagine Midorimacchi being happy about that."
Kuroko's lips thinned as the conversation died down. There was nothing but a gust of wind that blew their way. Kuroko expected Kise to say something, anything, but he did not. The blond kept quiet, almost like he was deep in thought.
"You have changed, Kise-kun."
The comment threw Kise for a loop. "H-Huh? What's that about all of a sudden?"
"It's just an observation."
Scratching his head, Kise sighed. "You always used to do that back then. I guess I forgot about that quirk of yours."
"It has been a while since we were all together," Kuroko agreed. "But I don't think the past matters to you as much now, right?"
Kise looked amused. "And why do you say that?"
"In your match, I was able to see. You're not working alone. You're fighting for your team, fighting with Uzumaki-kun. It's how we used to be, before we changed."
"You really don't mince your words, huh?" Kise placed a hand over his heart. "I guess you really are good with that sort of stuff, Kurokocchi. But you're right. Playing with Uzumakicchi reminds me of our time in Teikō. When we were all friends. And I'm still trying to come to terms with that."
"So that's what's got you all worked up?"
Kise and Kuroko looked back to see Naruto walking over to them, his hands still in his pockets. A disgruntled look was on his face.
"I should really slap you."
Kise chuckled. "Eavesdropping isn't nice."
"It's worse to get everyone else on the team worried about you," Naruto shot back.
"W-Worried?" Kise shook his head. "Why are they worried?"
Naruto deadpanned. "You walked out looking like you were the one losing. It's kinda hard to miss that."
Kise had no idea he was making that sort of expression. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "It's not like that at all. I'm just….." He sighed. "I'm just confused."
"About what?"
"Beating Aomine has been one of my goals since I started playing basketball. It's why I was always challenging him, to see how I measured up to him. I never got close to victory. But now that I'm close to finally beating him, I realize it's not what I want most. Not anymore."
Naruto stared at him. "Then what do you want?"
"I…..want to win with you guys," Kise said and smiled. "I want to win with my team. I want to win with you. That's the most important thing to me. That's what I've realized, standing next to you."
While Kise looked all proud and happy with his revelation, Naruto rolled his eyes.
"Kise…...shouldn't that have been obvious to you from the start?"
"H-Huh?" Kise blinked before sulking. "Y-You're always so mean to me, Uzumakicchi! I just said something deep. You should be impressed!"
"Your stupidity isn't anything to be impressed about."
"C-Come on!"
Smirking, Naruto raised his fist to him. "But…..it was a nice little speech. Just so you know, you're not the only one who wants to win together."
They had their promise, after all.
Kise remembered. He began to smirk as well and met Naruto's fist with his own.
"Yeah!"
The two were able to bask in the moment, as it were, until a bark reminded them that they weren't alone here. They slowly turned their heads to Kuroko who was just staring at them with a blank look.
Being forgotten like this…...it kinda hurt.
"Oh, right! Kurokocchi, you're still here!"
Pour more salt on the wound, why don't you?
Naruto had to raise an eyebrow when he noticed the happy looking dog on Kuroko's head but decided to ignore it. It just wasn't worth commenting on.
"Kuroko, huh?" Naruto took a step toward the so-called phantom player. Naruto was just a couple inches taller, but it wasn't much. It was nice to be taller for once, though. "First time we're meeting properly, isn't it?"
Kuroko nodded. "Yes. It's a pleasure to meet you, Uzumaki-kun."
"Likewise. I was looking forward to playing against you guys, but I guess that's going to have to wait a bit longer, huh?"
Kuroko nodded again. If they played one another, it would have to be in the winter.
"So why are you here?" Naruto asked him. "Cheering for us?"
Next to him, Kise had to flounder. "That's what I said, but he's only looking to spectate without taking any sides. Isn't that just terrible?"
Terrible indeed.
Naruto tilted his head. "That, or maybe you think we can't win against Aomine."
"That's not it at all," Kuroko quickly said. "Aomine-kun is strong, but you're strong as well. A match is never over until the last moment, so anything can happen."
"Heh?" Naruto was amused by the answer. "That's a nice thought, but we both know you want to be the one to defeat Aomine. It's written all over your eyes."
"What-"
"You don't have to admit it." Pocketing his hands again, Naruto strolled around the invisible boy. "But it's a shame. We're the ones who are going to defeat him first. You can be number two if you want."
Kuroko was left too dumbfounded to respond. That was the first time since his days in Teikō that someone was able to read him like that.
Kise grinned. He was able to pick up on what Naruto was saying. And it delighted him. "That's Uzumakicchi for you. He'll always say something that will surprise you."
Once again, Kuroko didn't know what to think about that.
"I should get going too." Kise waved at him, still grinning. "Hope you enjoy the rest of the match, Kurokocchi."
Number Two barked in excitement as Kuroko watched the model walk off, still not sure what to think about Naruto's comment. Uncertainty aside, he was still more than excited to see how the match played out.
The loud screaming and cheering started to increase again when both teams stepped back onto the court. Right away, Naruto and Kise were able to see that there was something different with Aomine. He wasn't grinning, frowning, nothing. He was just…...calm. Like one of those monks that found his perfect balance in life. The same couldn't be said about his aura, though. It spoke more than words ever could.
He was ready to play.
"Good luck, Naruto-kun, Kise-san." Yuki happily waved to them, sending them off with a smile.
Moriyama broke down in tears. "Why can't I be on the receiving end of a smile like that!?"
Kasamatsu looked ready to kick him. "Shut up already and get your ass on defense!"
"R-Right!" Moriyama whimpered but followed the order while the others shook their heads in dismay.
Yuki sweatdropped. Maybe she shouldn't have said anything.
Their banter had to come to an end, though, as the Tōō players also moved to their positions. They didn't look defeated but rather determined. It was just like before. They weren't here to lose.
'Heh, works for me.' That's exactly what Naruto was looking for from his opponents.
A brief exchange took place on Tōō's side as well.
"Aomine-kun, where were you? You missed our discussion. We need you to-"
"I'm fine, Satsuki." Aomine threw his jacket on the bench, his eyes fixed on Naruto and Kise. "I already know what I have to do. I don't need your plans."
Momoi frowned but said nothing else. She was still worried, but her words would fall on deaf ears.
The referee blew his whistle and signaled for the players to get ready. It was Tōō who was throwing the ball in for the third quarter.
The second half was about to commence.
There was a shift in the air. Everyone on the court could feel it. Even those far away, like Kagami and Midorima, were privy to it.
It made Kasamatsu feel anxious, not knowing what to expect.
'No, I can't be thinking like that. I have to focus.'
He glanced to Naruto and Kise for a moment, and the two didn't look fazed at all. Or maybe they were, they just didn't show it.
Imayoshi was handed the ball after the buzzer went off, officially starting the quarter. This made everyone go on the move, readying themselves for what was to come.
Imayoshi began to dribble down the court but didn't get very far as Kasamatsu came in and blocked his path. He smiled when he saw the look on Kasamatsu's face.
"The second half just started, but you're already so serious."
"When facing someone like you, that's only natural."
Imayoshi took it as a compliment. 'But what to do here?' Before, he had made the call to stop focusing their plays on Aomine. Because he didn't think that their ace could be heartless enough to do what was needed. After seeing his face, though, Imayoshi knew he had nothing to worry about. He wasn't going to play so nicely anymore.
The pass was made, and Aomine was in possession of the ball again. It was Kise who stood before him now, not Naruto. It was still the same to Aomine, however. It didn't matter who he faced.
He smiled. It was different from his earlier smiles. Before, his smiles only carried arrogance or bitterness. This one was of actual contentment, like he was enjoying himself.
Kise picked up on this right away. "Aominecchi…..."
"I have to give you my thanks for today, Kise," he said rather softly. "I wasn't expecting this level of skill from you. That was my mistake. I haven't been pushed this much in a long time. That's why I have to thank you, and Uzumaki as well."
Kise didn't know what to say to this, but something in his gut was telling him that something big was coming.
"However…." Aomine suddenly lunged forward. Kise saw the initial movement and tried to cut him off, but that was when it unexpectedly happened. Kise lost sight of Aomine. It wasn't like with Kuroko where he vanished, though. He just simply…...moved. He moved far too quickly for Kise to react.
Everyone else in Kaijō when wide-eyed at the display, including Naruto.
'Kise couldn't react…..!?'
There wasn't any time to dwell on this. Rather, Naruto and Kobori sprung into action and intercepted the fast Aomine as he neared the basket. The two jumped up to stop Aomine's shot when they saw that he was going for it. In retaliation, Aomine spun around them with ease, displaying another level of agility that he hadn't before.
Both Naruto and Kobori had to watch as Aomine gracefully completed the play with a simple bank shot, but it was still more than enough to leave them shocked.
Kagami had to stand up from his seat after that, his fists shaking and his eyes wide.
"W-What the hell just happened now!? He got around all three of them like they were nothing….!"
No one could answer him, not able to find their voices.
Midorima had a fairly good idea of what this was, though.
'It can't be…...he's actually in Zone…..!?'
The Zone...the state in which a player could reach their one hundred percent. It happened unpredictability, open only to the chosen.
Deep blue electric sparks shot out from Aomine's eyes as he turned to stare at both Naruto and Kise who were frozen where they stood.
"The only one who can beat me…..is me."
Naruto and Kise gritted their teeth, sweat dripping down their cheeks.
Imayoshi began to chuckle. "It's true that Tōō emphasizes individual skills, but you know something? We also have something we believe in. And that's Aomine's power."
Kasamatsu could only glare at the other captain, but deep down he knew that this was a terrible development for them all. Aomine was finally showing all his cards, and it went beyond anything anyone had expected.
His foreboding had come to pass, after all.
The shock couldn't last forever, and the game resumed. Tōō made no attempts to mess around anymore, and all their passes were thrown to Aomine. Naruto and Kise also abandoned their concern for the other players and focused their attention solely on Aomine.
"Heh, that's how it should be!" Aomine exclaimed as he dribbled around the two. Neither Naruto nor Kise were able to stop him as he scored again.
On the sidelines, the coach folded his arms in front of him, his face troubled.
'They got us…...'
Yuki was also staring at this turn of events in dread. 'This is…...'
"Don't let them get inside your head!" Kasamatsu attempted to take control of the situation and rally his team, but that fell short when Aomine suddenly swooped in from nowhere with a steal, knocking the ball out of his hands before he had a chance to react.
'Shit!' He could only curse as Aomine sprinted away with the ball. It was Naruto and Kise who arrived on the scene again to try and stop him. Aomine wasn't fazed by this attempt at all. He quickly moved against them, dribbling right through them like they were practice dummies.
The two watched with growing vexation as Aomine dunked with no problem even with their defense.
"I can't believe this," Riko muttered. "Even with the two of them, they're completely powerless."
"So this is Aomine's true strength," Hyūga added, entranced by Aomine's moves. It was hard to admit, but it was amazing to watch him play, especially now.
Kuroko simply watched on. He had many thoughts about this, but dread was the biggest of all.
Down below, the determination from everyone in Kaijō didn't waver, though.
"This changes nothing!" Kasamatsu declared. "We're not going to lose here!"
Imayoshi laughed. "Hahaha, is that right? Well, we never expected you to give up. Not after how you've been playing."
Aomine was more than delighted by this. "That's how it should be!" He jumped for another formless shot from the side as Naruto was on him. The blond stretched his arm to try and stop the ball from going in but wasn't fast enough to get it in a stopping position.
'Fuck!'
Right after, Kise charged against Tōō, looking for some revenge. If they couldn't stop Aomine, then they would simply score right back.
He dribbled around Wakamatsu and Susa, using his speed and agility to outwit them. He jumped to shoot, but the ball was slapped back down as soon as it left his hands, courtesy of a smirking Aomine.
'No…...!'
"Nice one!" Wakamatsu made to grab the now free ball, but Aomine scoffed at this.
"Who the hell said that was for you!?" He blitzed for it and took the ball before Wakamatsu could successfully catch it. He sped back to the other end of the court, leaving an enraged Wakamatsu behind.
Scowling, Naruto ran after Aomine but discovered that he was too slow. He couldn't close the distance between them. It was beyond frustrating for him.
Thankfully, Moriyama was able to get in position to try and stop Aomine. He couldn't, but in the second or so it took Aomine to do a quick crossover to get around Moriyama's defense, Naruto pumped all his energy into his legs to catch up to Aomine. He took a defensive position behind Moriyama, so he was ready for Aomine when he got there.
Aomine was thrilled by Naruto's showing. "Still trying to prove we're equals, huh?"
Naruto didn't answer, but the anger was clear in his face.
On the other hand, Aomine's face was fixed with precision, the electricity around his eyes sparking stronger than before. He shot forward. It seemed like he was going for a direct drive, but he proved that wrong when he pulled out a rapid succession of spins, handling the ball with perfect care. Naruto's eyes did their best to follow Aomine's movements, as did his body. But it was no use. The more he tried to follow, the more he fell behind. With one last spin from Aomine, Naruto went stumbling back, losing his balance after trying to keep up.
Aomine sped past him, not bothering to look back. In the time Naruto had tried to stop him, Kasamatsu and Kobori had placed themselves below the basket. They were ready to guard it with everything they had.
Aomine didn't bat an eye to this and pressed forward. He jumped right for the hoop, and Kasamatsu and Kobori jumped as well. At that second, it looked like Aomine was going for a dunk and that the two defenders were going to be able to stop him. But like before, Aomine shattered those expectations when he went sideways, evading the two completely.
'Dammit!' Both Kobori and Kasamatsu were unable to do anything about it, but thankfully they didn't have to as Kise arrived at the last second to lend a hand. He appeared over Aomine, ready to strike the ball down.
"Not good enough!" Aomine ducked down and away from Kise's defense, causing Kise's blood to turn cold.
Not even this could stop him!?
Aomine went in with another formless shot and scored. And to make matters worse, he had managed to outwit the entire Kaijō team all by himself.
Imayoshi smirked as Aomine raised his fist into the air, the spectators cheering for him.
"It's the simple truth really. Aomine is the strongest."
"Goddammit!" Naruto cursed as he sat on the bench with the others. The coach had just called a time out. Sitting like this, they were able to realize how much trouble they were in.
Yuki stood in front of the angered blond, her face filled with worry. "Naruto-kun….."
"I can't believe this," Moriyama said, his voice exasperated. "Just how strong is that guy!?"
Looking grim, Kobori nodded. "Yeah. This is beyond anything I've ever seen before. It's like he's moving on another plane of reality or something."
That was a rather apt description.
Kise kept quiet, but he looked just as angry as Naruto.
Kasamatsu eyed the clock. About half of the third quarter was over with, and Tōō had just about caught up with them. The score was 62 to 57. Certainly not the big lead they had before the second half.
"At least you've managed to score," Yuki said, trying to sound hopeful.
The coach shook his head. "It's still not enough. At this rate, we're going to fall behind. And fast."
"But he can't keep this up for the rest of the quarter, right?" Moriyama said. He didn't understand much about the Zone, but it had be taxing. "If we just wait it out, then-"
"You seriously think that's going to cut it?" Naruto interrupted him, his eyes narrowed. "We can't hope for something like that. That's the same as giving up. We need another answer."
The Uzumaki looked down at this shaking fists. What the hell was this Zone anyway? And how could one enter it?
'No…...how can I enter it?'
That was the solution they needed. The only solution they had. The way to win. The way to defeat Aomine.
Kise raised his head. "I think our answer is simple. Don't you agree, Uzumakicchi?"
Naruto met Kise's eyes with his own. So he was thinking the same thing then?
"Yeah." Naruto stared ahead, a new wave of determination hitting him. "It is."
Kise shared the same look as him.
Kasamatsu smirked when he saw this. When a player had that look in their eyes, then there was no reason to doubt them.
The coach was thinking the same thing. He had been worried, that perhaps Naruto and Kise were going to give up. But now he knew he didn't have to be.
"What are you planning on doing?" Yuki asked, looking between the two blonds. She didn't know what was going through their heads, and she was curious to find out.
"It's simple." Naruto stood up. "We're going to win."
"The match isn't over."
Everyone from Seirin looked at Kuroko who was staring at Naruto and Kise. He elaborated, "Uzumaki-kun and Kise-kun haven't given up. That's why this match isn't over yet."
"You say that, but this isn't something that spirit alone can solve," Hyūga shot back. "Not against that level of power."
Kiyoshi didn't like it, but he was of the same mind. "Can they really stop Aomine?"
"I don't know," Kuroko admitted. "I've never seen Aomine-kun like this before. The Zone has put him on a different playing field. But as long as they don't give up, anything can happen."
Kagami looked back down to the court. "You would say that."
Kuroko stood by his words. But just like the others, he had no idea how Naruto and Kise were planning on getting out of this.
"You still look like you're going to win this. Haven't you faced reality yet? You need another ten years before you can defeat us."
Kasamatsu gave the smiling Imayoshi a dull stare. "You're rather mean-spirited. Has anyone told you that before?"
"Hahaha, not to my face, no."
Then maybe they should.
"We're not going to give up," Kasamatsu stated, deciding to humor his fellow captain. "Not when we have our trusty aces on our team."
"Hmm, is that so?" Imayoshi's face was thoughtful before he turned away from Kasamatsu. "Make sure to not let us double your score. That would just be boring, wouldn't it?"
If Kasamatsu was any less of a man, he might have let that get under his skin. But instead, he shrugged it off.
At the end of the day, actions mattered more than words.
A little off to the side, Naruto and Kise were standing before the overbearing Aomine, who greeted them with a wide grin.
"Did you come up with something to stop me? Or are you planning on admitting defeat?"
"Defeat? What is that? Is it tasty?"
"That's a silly joke, Uzumakicchi."
"Shut up. I'm working on something here. Don't ruin it for me."
"I think it's already ruined."
"I really hate you sometimes."
"W-Wahhh!? I thought we were best friends!"
Aomine began to laugh as Naruto pushed back a crying Kise from getting any closer. He had his answer.
"You two are comical, if nothing else. But." Another stream of electricity erupted from Aomine's eyes as his grin widened further. "You're still going to lose."
Naruto and Kise said nothing else.
The audience erupted into more applause as the ball was thrown back in, with Kaijō in possession. There was a quick pass from Kasamatsu to Moriyama as they moved down the court.
"Oh?" Imayoshi saw this and tilted his head. "I thought you said you were serious?"
No one bothered to respond. The air was tense around them. It made Imayoshi understand what they were up to.
'I see. They don't want to lose control of the game like before.'
If Aomine continued with his scoring spree, it would be next to impossible for Kaijō to recover from that. The third quarter would be lost to them. That would be the worst outcome for Kaijō.
'They're trying to avoid that as much as possible,' Midorima thought from where he stood. 'However…...'
'As long as they can't stop Aomine, this is pointless,' Imayoshi finished, finding Kaijō's cautious approach hysterical.
Moriyama took a moment to survey the conditions around him. Tōō wasn't leaving anything to chance, so they were sticking close to their marks. Even if they were looking down on them, they were also making sure not to underestimate them.
How annoying.
Suddenly, Sakurai lunged forward for the ball, looking to take it when he noticed that Moriyama was momentarily distracted.
Mentally cursing, Moriyama tried to pull back. That proved to be a mistake as Aomine exploited this moment to come in for another steal, quite literally grabbing the ball from Moriyama's hand.
'Dammit! His speed is just too much for me!' Moriyama thought as Aomine dribbled away.
The path to the basket was clear for Aomine, until Naruto and Kise managed to make their way under it at the last possible second. By that point, Aomine was already in the process of jumping to score. And so, Naruto and Kise both jumped too. If one of them couldn't knock the ball from Aomine's hand, then it would have be together.
Aomine knew that's what they were going for, so he decided to humor them. He didn't try to pull off any of his impressive moves and went right in for the dunk. All three boys let out screams filled with resolve as they clashed midair. Both Naruto and Kise managed to place their hands on the ball, and for a moment it looked as though they were going to push Aomine away.
The exact opposite occurred.
Naruto and Kise were thrown to the side as Aomine dunked right through them. They went tumbling to the floor while Aomine looked loomed over them, holding on to the rim.
Yuki let out a gasp and stood up without realizing it. "Naruto-kun…...!"
Kasamatsu, Kobori, and Moriyama all clenched their teeth in barely held frustration.
Letting go of the rim, Aomine landed in front of the downed duo, his face full of disappointment.
"If this is your answer to defeating me, I'll say it right now. It's useless. Your light will never reach me."
Naruto growled. "You….."
He wanted to lash out, but Kise placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "Don't, Uzumakicchi. Saying anything to him…...it won't change a thing."
Naruto knew this, but still. He still wanted to say so much. To say anything to prove the bastard wrong. But Kise was right. It would change nothing.
Aomine kept his eyes on them for a second longer before turning away. He had made his point loud and clear.
Naruto started to get up, as did Kise, while Kasamatsu and the others approached him.
"Are you guys okay?" Kobori asked in worry.
"Yeah," Naruto muttered. His whole body was stiff, his rage just barely held in.
Kise was in a similar state. He wasn't bothering to try and keep his composure.
'This is the first time I'm seeing them like this,' Kasamatsu thought, more sweat dripping down his brow. It was hard just standing near them.
Moriyama and Kobori were sensing the same thing, as did Kagami and Midorima.
'The air is different around them,' Midorima observed while pushing his glasses back up his nose. 'These two…...'
'They're like monsters,' Kagami concluded, unable to stop himself from gulping. In that moment, he feared Naruto and Kise more than Aomine. Not that he would ever admit that.
As Kasamatsu grabbed the ball for the throw in, Naruto motioned for him to pass it. That was a request that Kasamatsu wasn't going to deny.
"Still going to rely on them, huh?" Imayoshi said as Naruto and Kise charged forward with the rest not far behind.
'But it's useless,' Momoi thought from where she was sitting. 'Not when Aomine-kun is in the Zone…...'
Both Naruto and Kise knew this, but that didn't deter them in the slightest. No, they had something very important to protect right now. Something Aomine had insulted.
"You've really pissed me off," Naruto said softly as Aomine was instantly upon him, ready to stop him in his tracks.
Aomine merely frowned, not replying. The anger was clear in Naruto's voice. There was no denying that.
"I'll just let you know one thing before we thoroughly crush you," Naruto declared. No doubt was present. He clearly meant what he was saying. "Our bond, our promise…...isn't so easily defeated."
Aomine wasn't disconcerted. "H'mph."
More electricity sparked around Aomine's eyes, his focus solely on Naruto who was completely still for a whole second. In that second, Aomine was able to see the unbelievable truth.
The others all saw it a second later.
Naruto broke past Aomine's defense at a speed that surpassed everything else he had shown before.
'Impossible!' Imayoshi cried out inside his head, disbelief written all over him. 'He just-!'
It was Momoi's turn to gasp, not believing what she was seeing.
Growling, Aomine went after Naruto right away. "Don't mock me!" He was able to catch up thanks to Wakamatsu who was able to slow Naruto down for a second or so. It wasn't much, but with Aomine's speed, it was all he needed.
He was in front of Naruto again, more than ready to stop him this time.
"You don't understand, do you?" Naruto said plainly. "What did I tell you?"
Aomine was confused, but when Kise suddenly took the ball from Naruto's hands he knew. It was just like in the second quarter. They were working together.
"I told you that won't help you anymore!" Aomine shouted as he was on Kise right away. But just like with Naruto, Kise had a sudden burst of speed that left Aomine stunned.
'Even Kise!? What the hell is going on!?' Imayoshi was too astonished to move, frozen where he stood.
Snarling, Aomine jumped for Kise who was already in midair for the layup.
"I've had enough of your petty tricks!"
Kise was more than capable of seeing Aomine coming his way now, and so he reacted accordingly. He lowered his arm before Aomine had a chance to slam the ball out of his grasp. In the meantime, Naruto came jumping toward them from the side, right at the perfect position for Kise to pass him the ball.
It was almost like a repeat of the second quarter, and like then, Aomine had to watch Naruto slam the ball in the net over him, unable to stop him.
As the audience cheered, Kagami had to ask the obvious question in the room.
"What's going on? I thought they couldn't react to Aomine…...!"
"There's only one answer," Kuroko said, his eyes wide.
Midorima was on the same page even though they weren't near one another.
'The two of them…...have entered Zone!'
Orange electricity shot out from Naruto's eyes, and yellow electricity sparked from Kise's as the two boys landed on the floor.
While Momoi had to gape at this development, a smile began to form on Yuki's face.
'This…...is the Double Ace Awakening!'
Aomine was hunched over after the play, but then he started to laugh. It was a laugh that emitted nothing but joy and gratitude.
"Hahahaha! This is…..." He turned to look at Naruto and Kise, the delight all over his face.
"I take back what I said about you two. This is just the best!"
Anyway, the climax of the match has finally arrived! And yes, both Naruto and Kise went Zone. I had originally made it so only Naruto went Zone, but I changed my mind. Given their relationship, it made sense that they entered Zone together. To protect their promise and bond. There's one more surprise coming up, so be ready for that too.
Next chapter, this match concludes! So who will win? Wait to find out.
Till next time.