It was much quieter in the locker room than Yuki thought it was going to be. It was understandable. The second quarter had ended with a 49-51 score, with them trailing behind by two points. But they had scored a more important victory out there.
Crushing Akashi and his Emperor Eye.
Yuki was expecting Naruto and Kise to be ecstatic about that, but they both looked somber. It was a feeling that was shared by the rest of the team, especially Moriyama. Although she could understand the shooting guard's apprehension.
Takeuchi sensed this and sighed. He needed to shift the mood.
"Good work out there, everyone. We made a better recovery than I expected. You should all be proud of yourselves."
"We're more concerned about the second half now." Kise's head dropped a little. He was the one sweating the most, probably from being in the Zone for the last minutes of the quarter. "I don't think we'll be able to win this easily."
Yuki remembered Kise saying something similar during their match against Aomine. Ah, come to think of it, wasn't there a similar somber feeling during halftime when they faced off against Tōō and Aomine?
'He has a lot of faith in his former teammates, doesn't he?'
That was the only explanation for Kise's words and attitudes, and it brought a small smile to Yuki's face.
"More like, it would be a disappointment." Naruto was hunched over the snacks Yuki had prepared for him. He needed to recover as much energy as possible, and eating would help. Probably. "After all that crap he said, if this is all he's got, then what a joke."
Kobori sweatdropped. "Seriously? Just how high are your standards?"
Pretty damn high, and Naruto wasn't going to lower them any time soon.
Kasamatsu stood up. "At the very least, we're controlling the flow of the game. We should keep up with our momentum in the second half."
Despite what Naruto said, Kasamatsu was hoping Rakuzan didn't have any other surprises up their sleeves. They were already pretty damn tough as it was. Anything else and it would be ridiculous.
'But what am I saying?' Kasamatsu closed his eyes, his smile wary. 'I should be expecting that more than anything else.'
"Well, it's not like we're out of cards to play either." Slinging his arm around Kise, Naruto grinned. "Right?"
Knowing what he was talking about, Kise grinned back. "I'm all set to go."
That made the others all perk up.
"Already?" Moriyama was surprised. He thought it would take Kise until the fourth quarter to be ready.
"Yeah. Um, how can I put this? I guess I had the basics down thanks to Uzumakicchi and Aominecchi?" Kise didn't sound sure of himself. It was instinctive to him. Trying to explain it was pretty damn impossible for him.
Takeuchi didn't really care either way. He just grinned, matching the ones from his players. "Good. I'm sure you'll want to hone it in before trying it out on the big fish, but we can work with this. That settles it. In the third quarter, our offense will rely entirely on Kise and Uzumaki. The rest of you, focus on defense and other supportive roles."
The others had already been expecting this. They were prepared to be the backup in matches like this. If that's what it took to defeat the Generation of Miracles, then so be it.
Naruto then raised his hand. "Actually, coach. There's something I want to say."
Now this should be good.
The others all listened intently.
"You're losing your edge."
Shut up.
"Can you really win at this rate?"
Shut up.
"Kise and Uzumaki are too-"
'I said shut up!'
Akashi glared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. It was almost like he was running away, coming here during halftime instead of facing his team. But Akashi refused to acknowledge that.
He was only pushed back a little, nothing more. Even if Naruto and Kise were working together to fool his Emperor Eye, they still couldn't do anything on their own. That was a weakness, and Akashi could exploit that. Among other things.
"You're becoming emotional."
Akashi glared at his reflection again.
'Stay out of this. I'm the one in control.'
"Facing off against Kise for the first time is a treat for us both. However, you weren't counting on Uzumaki's presence, were you?"
How could he? It was like Naruto had appeared out of thin air, only making himself known right before the preliminaries started. He wasn't part of the promise. He wasn't one of them. And yet…
"You've become more emotional the more you face off against him. Right?"
Akashi had told the others the same thing once, right after they had graduated from Teikō. Their future battles were going to be driven by instinct, not logic. It was pure emotions. To want to defeat the other, to see who was truly the best no matter the cost…..there was no logic in that. Otherwise, they never would have gone their separate ways. They would have stayed a team, to ensure that they would keep winning just as they had in middle school.
But this was irrelevant. The past was the past.
Akashi's glare hardened. 'I don't need you trying to lecture me. Just shut up and stay in your hole. I will win.'
Because he always won. Because he was absolute.
The Emperor Eye was not going to be defeated this easily.
There was no response from the other voice.
Taking one last look at the mirror, Akashi walked off, his mind made up. Maybe he had become a little flustered, caught off guard perhaps. But that was all.
At the end of the day, victory was going to be his.
"Huh? We're staying to watch? Didn't we already waste enough time? I need to get more snacks."
"You can't tell me you're not a little interested in seeing this."
"I'm not. We already won our game, right?"
"Idiot. Even if we did, we still have to stay for the ceremony afterward. Why not watch the finals in the meantime?"
"Sounds like a pain."
"Yeah, and what else isn't with you?"
These were some of the complaints Murasakibara voiced, but his team wasn't having any of it. They made sure to drag him out from their locker room and up to the seats where the audience was watching. It had taken them a little more time to get their things in order than they would have liked, but at least they could watch the second half of the finals in peace.
Murasakibara didn't miss Aomine's and Midorima's presence in the audience, but he didn't comment on it. Talking to them right now would only be a pain.
Momoi didn't share that perspective, though.
"Ah, it's Muk-kun!"
She called out to him and waved him over the second she spotted him.
Murasakibara almost grimaced at this.
"Oh?" Yōsen's captain raised an eyebrow at this. His name was Okamura Kenichi and, quite frankly, he didn't look his own age at all. That, and he was constantly being made fun of for his funny-looking jaw by his own teammates no less, but that was beside the point.
"Someone you know?"
Murasakibara's shoulders dropped a little. "Something like that, yeah."
He wanted to walk away, but there was nothing to be done. He followed his teammates and sat a few rows away from where Aomine and Momoi were.
Aomine didn't turn to acknowledge him at all, and Murasakibara understood why. He probably wasn't happy about Murasakibara's decision to sit out in the match against Akashi.
Murasakibara didn't really care very much about this at all. It was the right decision in his mind. Even now, he didn't regret it. Besides, that was old news already. Wasn't the current match more important?
Speaking of which.
"Woah, Rakuzan doesn't seem to have that much of an advantage." The other third year Yōsen player, Fukui Kensuke, noted the score and was amazed. Without Murasakibara, they frankly hadn't done very well against Rakuzan in their match. Not when they had three of the Uncrowned Kings to worry about.
Kaijō didn't seem to have this problem.
Okamura smirked. "Looks like this is a match worth watching, after all."
And speak of the devil.
Both teams started to head back onto the court as the crowd began to cheer again.
The second half was about to commence.
Mibuchi was anxious. Their halftime discussion hadn't exactly been very fruitful. Their coach had tried to take the reins and offer insight about their strategy moving forward, but without Akashi the morale in the team had dropped.
That had changed when Akashi had stepped back into the locker room, looking as imposing as ever. That brought some hope back into the team, but Mibuchi still had this wary feeling that he couldn't shake off.
Why?
Ah, that's right. He realized what it was when he saw Naruto and Kise.
'Those two.'
They scared him. Maybe it was because he felt like they still hadn't shown all their cards? Which didn't make much sense really. Mibuchi was sure Kaijō wasn't holding back, so what was it?
What was he scared of?
He couldn't really worry about that right now. There was still a game that needed to be played, and he needed to focus on that.
'Besides, it's not like we've shown all our cards yet either.'
Mibuchi wasn't just talking about himself either.
The whistle was blown, and the two teams started to trickle back onto the court, with Yuki waving to Naruto and Kise and bidding them good luck.
No words were exchanged between the two teams. Not even Naruto said anything, only choosing to glare at Akashi who surprisingly returned the gesture.
'Akashicchi…..'
Kise felt his eyes widen a little when he noticed this. After all, Akashi wasn't one to express his emotions very often. He was always distant, cold, calculated. He was seeing none of that right now.
Akashi was angry, and he wasn't hiding it.
This game was full of surprises, and that probably wasn't going to change anytime soon.
The crowd couldn't hold back their growing cheers as the second half started, with Rakuzan throwing the ball in.
To no one's surprise, the pass went straight for Akashi. He might have been defeated during the final play of the first half, but that didn't seem to shake the trust the team had in him.
Kaijō welcomed it.
There was no pause in Akashi's movements. The second he got the ball, he was already sprinting down the court. Of course, he couldn't get very far before he met the usual obstacle.
Naruto.
The other Rakuzan players all narrowed their eyes at this. Mibuchi's uneasiness only grew further when he saw that Naruto was still in the Zone. There was no mistaking that aura.
Not just that, but…...did the blond seem more imposing than before?
'What's going on here?'
Aomine and Midorima sensed the same thing, and for Murasakibara, who was seeing Naruto in this state for the first time, it brought a sudden chill to his bones. He had faced Naruto in a one-on-one, sure, but he was able to tell right away that this was something else entirely.
'He still had another level?'
Now that angered him, something Murasakibara didn't feel very often outside of specific circumstances.
Akashi was the one who felt the full brunt of this, as he stood before Naruto. The look in the blond's eyes was all the evidence he needed really.
'He's still not…'
Akashi didn't finish that thought. He chose to act instead.
"Move."
He uttered that single word as he moved ahead, his eyes studying every muscle in Naruto's body in order to read the blond's next move.
But rather than trying to anticipate Akashi's movements, Naruto pounced right away. He lunged forward, aiming to knock the ball from Akashi's hands. It was straightforward, sure, but it was still problematic.
It all came down to the speed.
'So fast!' Mayuzumi couldn't believe the speed at which Naruto took off. It was almost like he was a rocket. It was that agility again. On its own, it was problematic enough. However, and Mayuzumi couldn't be sure of this just yet, but…..was the blond moving faster than he had during the first half?
'It's slight, but….' Aomine smirked from his seat.
Naruto was definitely faster now, and Aomine was pretty sure he knew why.
There was no denying that panic that overtook Akashi at that moment. He was still able to see Naruto coming, though, which was why he was able to dribble the ball back and away from Naruto's reach at the last possible moment. It left him in a very bad position, and he was sure he almost lost control of the ball for a second. This was another foreign feeling for him. For someone who thrived being in control, this situation left a bad taste in his mouth.
There was no choice here. Akashi passed. Like in the first half, he was able to get around Naruto in order to pass the ball, but it was also forced. It only angered him further.
Kasamatsu almost cursed as he tried to intercept the ball, but he knew he wasn't going to be able to. During the break, Mayuzumi had been able to recharge himself and was now at full power again.
Misdirection struck again.
The new phantom slapped the ball away from Kasamatsu's reach and sent it Nebuya's way who was already posting up by the basket.
Catching the pass with ease, Nebuya felt confident in scoring the first points of the second half. That is, until he felt his back hitting a wall. No, upon a closer inspection, he realized it wasn't a wall. It was Kobori.
'What the-?'
Nebuya was caught off guard as Kobori held his ground, stopping him from getting into a favorable position in order to dunk. He couldn't even spin.
'Since when did he get this strength!?'
It was more along the lines of a desperate struggle really. Kobori knew he was nowhere near as strong as Nebuya. In terms of size and power, the Rakuzan center had him beat. The first half had all but shown that.
That didn't mean Kobori couldn't mount a defense, however weak it was. Even if it was only to delay Nebuya for a second or two, it was more than enough.
For there was another beast guarding the net now.
As Kobori guessed it, Nebuya was able to find his balance and push him back before spinning toward the net and jumping to dunk.
There wasn't enough time for Nebuya to wonder why Kobori wasn't jumping to try and stop him like he had before, as a third player burst into the scene in order to slap the ball away and out of his hands.
It was Naruto, the blond appearing out of nowhere to stop the dunk at the last moment.
'So fast!'
Nebuya was caught off guard for a second time, and it didn't take him long to realize that this was Kobori's aim all along.
'Naruto-kun.' Yuki was just as amazed. Her eyes weren't as trained as the others here, but it was the simple truth that Naruto was moving faster than before. Faster than when he had faced off against Aomine.
As for Kobori, it was shameful, but he still couldn't stop the grin that broke on his face. Alone neither he and Naruto could have stopped the play. Akashi's pass, Mayuzumi's Misdirection, and Nebuya's strength was a powerful combination, after all.
So they weren't going to fight alone either. Kobori was only slowing Nebuya down for a second or two, but it was all the time Naruto needed in order to catch up and block the dunk.
It was enough to make Imayoshi laugh. 'So he's admitting defeat, eh?'
He respected Kobori for that. A different person might have been too stubborn to accept the truth, but he had enough self-awareness to realize when he was beat. And in accepting defeat, he was able to help his team win.
How fascinating.
With the dunk blocked, the ball fell back to the floor, free for anyone to take. It was a scramble between Mibuchi and Moriyama, the latter nearly diving to the ground to take it. It proved effective as he was able to tip the ball to Kise, who graciously caught it.
Hayama quickly intercepted Kise before he could dribble away with it. It was here where the so-called Lightning Beast noticed something very peculiar about his opponent.
Kise wasn't in the Zone.
'What is this?'
Hayama didn't understand. The only way Kaijō could defeat Akashi and his Emperor Eye was with Naruto and Kise working together. But if only Naruto was in the Zone, they couldn't do that. Kise didn't have the speed necessary otherwise, even when copying Naruto.
What was their plan here?
It was a thought shared by the other Rakuzan players, and a thought that almost made Kise laugh.
"Uzumakicchi, what did you just say?"
"What? Did I stutter?"
Moriyama shook his head. "You can't be serious, Uzumaki! Something like that is just-"
"It's what we have to do in order to win." Naruto cut him off, his face serious. "I know the risks, but it can't be helped."
Yuki placed a hand on his back, her face worried. "Are you sure about this? If you exhaust yourself-"
"Don't worry. I have more than enough stamina. It's this guy we have to worry about. You remember what happened during the quarter-finals, right?"
It was a bad attempt at a joke, but it also raised a good point.
Takeuchi understood this. "Zone drains a lot of stamina from the player, and it isn't easily recovered. It's not as bad the second time you use it. However…."
Copying Naruto's moves, along with the Uncrowned Kings. And now, with what Kise planned on doing next. If he kept using Zone on top of that, he wouldn't last until the fourth quarter. And if that happened, they would only be causing more problems for themselves.
Sighing, Kasamatsu looked at Kise. "What do you say?"
He trusted Naruto, so he would trust Kise as well.
Kise just stared at Naruto in silence before smiling.
"Sure."
Let's do it.
Was it the right decision? Kasamatsu didn't know, but they were about to find out.
Kise dribbled forward, but all things considered it was a normal dribble. He wasn't copying Hayama like in the second quarter, which had given him the edge.
This sort of ticked Hayama off, feeling like he was being looked down on by Kise.
"That's not nearly enough to pass me!"
As anyone could guess, Hayama was able to read Kise's dribble with ease and was already turning in the appropriate direction in order to stop Kise. But it was at that moment that Kise unveiled part two of his trap.
Kise cut back, dribbling the ball between his legs in a fashion that was all too familiar to Hayama.
Momoi gasped. 'That's-!'
Her surprise was shared by everyone else. None were as surprised as Hayama, though, who found himself falling back as he tried to keep up with Kise's dribble.
'No way!'
Hayama was powerless to stop himself, losing his balance. He fell to the floor, his eyes wide as Kise dribbled past him. Hayama had been on the receiving end of this technique before, so he knew fully well what this was.
Kise…..was copying Akashi's Emperor Eye!?
'No, it's not complete yet.' If anything, to Aomine, it still looked a bit clumsy and not as precise as Akashi's.
Even so, for Kise to be trying this…..what the hell!?
There was no one left to stop Kise from scoring, which he did. It was a simple layup, but the point was driven home.
Akashi gave Kise a hard stare, his Emperor Eye boring right into the blond.
"Ryōta…."
There was a dangerous undertone in Akashi's voice, but Kise didn't care.
"Don't look too surprised, Akashicchi." Pointing at the redhead, Kise leveled a hard stare of his own at his former captain. "I'm not the same as before. You guys are no longer above my limitations."
It was a fierce declaration of war, one that had begun in the second quarter when Kise first copied the Uncrowned Kings. This was the second part of that. Kise knew it wasn't complete, and he probably wouldn't be able to one hundred percent predict the future like Akashi. He was still going to get as close as possible, though.
The crowd was more than supportive with this idea, once again screaming in excitement.
"So that's Kise Ryōta," Okamura observed with a nod. "He's as formidable as I've heard."
Copying the other Generation of Miracles….what a terrifying skill.
Fukui was just as concerned as Naruto to be honest. Those two made quite a pair. The thought of going up against them in the future…..it wasn't an easy thought.
'For those two monsters to end up on the same team….'
Fate was cruel sometimes.
This was only the first play of the second half, and things were already this heated.
The match continued.
"Kotarō! You have to stop him!"
Mibuchi's plea went unanswered as Kise passed by Hayama, performing another ankle break on the Uncrowned King. Hayama was only able to curse in his head as he fell again.
Nebuya tried to offer some support, but it was no use as Kise quickly passed to Kobori who jumped to score, performing another layup.
Midorima readjusted his glasses. "It seems like Rakuzan's defense is crumbling."
Takao wasn't surprised. Having Kise copy Akashi was definitely a huge blow to Rakuzan's morale, not to mention the skill difference that already existed between the blond and the Uncrowned Kings. They were getting panicky, and it was affecting their game play.
"You say that, but it's still not a set game," Miyaji retorted. "Rakuzan might not be able to stop Kaijō's offense, but it's not like Kaijō has fully shut down Rakuzan either. Rakuzan still has a card left to play."
Two to be exact. And those were Mayuzumi and Mibuchi.
Sure enough, true to Miyaji's words Rakuzan was soon on the offensive with Mayuzumi passing to Mibuchi, who now entered another face-off with Moriyama.
Yuki almost winced when she saw this. This was the matchup that had her the most worried at the moment. She hated herself for it, but she didn't know what Moriyama could do against Mibuchi's shots.
Realizing what Rakuzan was up to, Naruto moved to try and intercept Mibuchi before the shooting guard could jump, but Akashi blocked his path.
"Not so fast." Akashi narrowed his eyes. "I'm not letting you go anywhere."
Naruto scowled, almost growling. He could try and shake Akashi off, but by that point it would already be too late. Even in Zone, he still wasn't fast enough to fully evade the Emperor Eye. Not yet anyway.
'Moriyama, you better do something.'
Kasamatsu was thinking along the same lines while Kobori stayed quiet. It was only Kise who didn't look worried, choosing to smile instead.
Mibuchi was the one who felt the most confident as he and Moriyama faced one another. It didn't take long for him to enter his shooting position, looking as though he was going to shoot his Heaven shot.
Moriyama jumped accordingly, reacting perfectly in order to block the shot.
Or he would have if Mibuchi was actually going for it. But he wasn't, performing a fake instead.
'He's going for Earth instead!' Sakurai screamed in his mind.
'No good.' Kasamatsu couldn't believe it. The bastard was trying to score another four points again. To make it worse, it would be Moriyama's fourth foul. If that happened….
"Too bad."
Mibuchi smiled, thinking he won. The smile faded real quick when he noticed that Moriyama's feet were still planted on the floor.
In other words, Moriyama had reacted to Mibuchi's fake with a fake of his own.
But how!?
Well, Moriyama couldn't take all the credit for this. It was Kise who found the answer he was looking for.
"Kise, I have to ask you something."
Said blond turned to his senior while the others filed out of the locker room.
"What's wrong, senpai? The second half is about to start."
Moriyama looked down, his fists clenched at his side. "I should have asked you sooner, but I was too caught up in my own head. I regret that."
Huh?
"What are you saying?"
Kise was confused, but Moriyama was happy to clarify.
"Mibuchi. I can't stop him. I don't know how to react to his shots. I don't have the intuitive skills needed. Not like Uzumaki."
He didn't need to say that out loud. The first half had already proved it. That said, saying it with his own words gave Moriyama some added strength, however small it was. And in this match, every ounce of strength was needed.
Kise knew what Moriyama was getting at.
"You can't tell his two shots apart, but since I copied them, you think I can give you some insight."
That was the gist of it. Moriyama didn't know what else to do at this point. Turning to Kise for help was his only option.
Unfortunately, Kise didn't have much a straightforward answer.
"I can't really tell you how to anticipate each shot. That's something you have to figure out in each instance on your own."
If Kise was in Moriyama's shoes, he would be put in a reactive situation as well. He'd probably fare much better, though, given how sharper his senses were compared to the shooting guard.
Moriyama winced. That was the last thing he wanted to hear.
"However, I can tell you how each shot is performed." Kise grinned. "Once you have that down, reading him will become much easier."
It was a small hope, but Moriyama was willing to bet on it.
And Moriyama had made his bet. It wasn't for long, but having Kise act out and explain how the two different shots worked had given Moriyama the insight he needed in order to put up a better fight.
By this point in the setup, Mibuchi was forced to jump and go for the three, but Moriyama was right there with him, tipping the ball just enough to take it off course.
Mibuchi let out a loud gasp, his face stricken with disbelief.
And Moriyama couldn't be happier for it. His reaction time still needed work, as he could have slapped the ball back down instead of risking the rebound. But Moriyama was still able to feel satisfied. It was the first time in the match that he felt some amount of control.
And it was all because he now understood how Mibuchi performed both of his shots.
'Your form might not change until right before you jump, but you always shift your center of gravity depending on the shot. If I can pick up on that, then telling apart your shots is well within my ability!'
The battle of the shooting guards had entered a new stage.
But the play wasn't over yet.
Thanks to Moriyama's interference, the ball missed the basket and hit the rim instead.
Below, Nebuya and Kobori fought for control, the two trying to box the other out. Kobori's resistance lasted longer than before, though, slowing Nebuya down considerably.
'This guy…..he still has more power!?'
Nebuya felt his blood boil as the two jumped for the rebound. Nebuya had been able to find a better position from which to jump, but it wasn't by much.
Not that it mattered anyhow. The time Kobori was able to buy was more than enough for Kise to jump in and steal the ball before Nebuya had the chance to grab it for himself.
'Another interference!?'
With Naruto's explosive power under him, Kise was more than a formidable threat under the net.
With the ball secured, Kise landed and didn't bother waiting to throw it down court, right to where Kasamatsu was waiting for it.
Only Mayuzumi was close enough to try and stop him, but it didn't amount to much. Kasamatsu was the better player overall, and it showed as the Kaijō captain was able to pierce Mayuzumi's defense with his fast drive, leaving the so-called phantom behind.
The spectators erupted into cheers as Kasamatsu scored.
"They stopped Rakuzan!"
"Kaijō is in the lead now!"
Yuki was amazed by how quickly the audience changed its tune, but she wasn't going to question it anymore. Besides, she was more focused in Moriyama's performance just now.
And she wasn't the only one.
"You." Moriyama found Mibuchi glaring at him. "How dare you, Moriyama-no. Yoshitaka-chan. You've angered me now. I'll definitely crush you."
If this were a different setting, Moriyama would have been bothered by Mibuchi using his first name like that. But right now, he didn't care about the little details.
"Bring it. I don't care if you are an Uncrowned King. I'm still going to stop your shots. No matter what."
During the first half, Moriyama had made a similar declaration. Mibuchi had been amused by it. Now?
He was pissed, plain and simple.
Hayama noticed this, but he knew that Mibuchi could keep his cool. Nebuya on the other hand…
The Rakuzan center was gritting his teeth as he glared at Kobori. "That guy…."
He wanted to squash him.
Hayama sighed. This was getting worse and worse for them.
"What did I tell you, Eikichi?"
Nebuya's heart stopped when Akashi addressed him. The redhead's eyes were colder than usual, if that was even possible.
"No matter who you're up against, never let down your guard. Otherwise, you're bound to make careless mistakes. If you continue to look down on your opponent, I'll sub you out. Is that clear?"
It wasn't a threat. It was a promise.
Nebuya bowed his head.
"I got it, Akashi."
Arguing would only make his situation worse. Nebuya understood that much at least.
Akashi didn't say another word.
With Kobori and Moriyama finding ways to overcome the problems they had faced in the first half, Kaijō and Rakuzan were finally in a more even playing field. It wasn't just Naruto and Kise that had to do everything on defense, which allowed the two to focus their energy on offense.
But this also left Mayuzumi worried and confused. What was Akashi thinking right now? Why wasn't he making plays of his own? Leaving it to Mibuchi and the others was looking riskier and riskier. So what was his plan exactly?
Well, the answer was given to him in the next play as Akashi came face-to-face with Naruto yet again, the blond still in Zone.
More sweat trickled down Mayuzumi's forehead as Naruto's aura started to expand throughout the court.
'What's with this guy?'
It was the exact same fear Nebuya had experienced before, only it was much stronger than before. That's how imposing Naruto felt right now.
Aomine was the only one who understood why, and he had to grin.
"I thought so before, but there's no mistake. He's diving deeper into the Zone."
It was to a much higher degree than during their face-off, which explained why the blond was also faster than in the first half. For all intents and purposes, that had been the warm up.
The real deal was only just beginning.
The others around him heard this but didn't comment on it for the time being. Their attention was too focused on the face-off down on the court.
Naruto was in his usual loose stance, looking ready to strike the moment Akashi came close.
Akashi knew he couldn't move any closer. If he did, then Naruto would quite easily snatch the ball from him. It was an admission that only frustrated him further, but with the way things were right now he couldn't attack at all.
'I can't believe it.'
Mayuzumi's jaw dropped as Akashi passed to Mibuchi again.
'Uzumaki's completely shut down Akashi!?'
Was this an illusion?
'No.'
Unfortunately, it was reality.
"Oh! The shooting guard face-off continues!"
"Can Kaijō stop the Yaksha again!?"
The crowd was fully invested in the one-on-one ensuing between Moriyama and Mibuchi, more so now that Moriyama seemed to have a fighting chance against the Uncrowned King.
But if anything, Moriyama's performance during the last play had changed everything. It was something the Kaijō shooting guard could see for himself. Mibuchi's whole demeanor had changed. He was no longer playful, or even cocky. His eyes were razor sharp, his body ready to pounce.
'I've clearly underestimated him,' Mibuchi thought to himself. 'These Kaijō boys….they're all dangerous. I can't pull my punches anymore.'
This was going to be a treat.
"You should be honored, Yoshitaka-chan." Moriyama frowned as Mibuchi prepared to shoot. "Heaven and Earth. Usually, these are the only two shots I ever use in a game. However, in special occasions, I feel it necessary to pull out my specialty."
Mibuchi's words brought a certain feeling of dread to Moriyama. After all, they implied one thing.
'He has a third shot!?'
Moriyama had no time to wonder about this as Mibuchi was already squatting in preparation for his next shot.
'I can worry about the details later! For now, stopping his shot is all that matters!'
Even so, Moriyama could tell right away that this next shot was definitely not Heaven or Earth. Mibuchi's center of gravity was different from before. Just what was it!?
As Mibuchi made to jump for the three pointer, Moriyama attempted to do the same in order to block the shot. It was then that he was met with a very haunting realization.
He couldn't jump at all. It was almost like he was stuck in place, forced down by an unknown force.
Mibuchi did not share that problem, jumping just fine and shooting the ball for a three pointer.
There was no way he was missing this time, and he didn't.
Moriyama was left dumbfounded, as were most others. What just happened?
"It doesn't make any sense," Sakurai muttered under his breath.
It was a common thought, and it pleased Mibuchi greatly as he smiled.
"This is my third shot. Not many get the chance to see it. I call it Void. Are you impressed?"
If Moriyama thought he was starting to understand Mibuchi's three pointers, this made him reevaluate everything again.
It was downright insulting, what came next. But really, it was just a repeat of the second quarter. While Kobori fared a little better against Nebuya, Moriyama was completely unprepared to tackle this new shot. Which is why Rakuzan focused their offense on Mibuchi, and it worked.
'Goddammit.' Kasamatsu cursed as he tried to keep Mayuzumi in his line of sight. It hadn't been long since the third quarter started, so he was still struggling with the Misdirection shtick. This meant that Mayuzumi was free to divert all passes to Mibuchi's direction. Akashi's own passes weren't helping either.
The one solid good news for them was that Kise was free to score, as Hayama was unable to keep up. A fact that was more than likely driving the boy crazy.
'But still, this isn't easy.' Kise was panting as he held the ball. Trying to perfect his copy on Akashi was nearing complete, but like with Naruto and Aomine before it took a huge toll on his body. He wanted to keep going, but there was still another angle they could play here.
Fully expecting for Kise to try and score again, Hayama was confused when the blond passed the ball instead. And who was the pass for?
Naruto of course.
All the other Rakuzan players shared that confusion, and in Akashi's case annoyance.
"What is this?" Akashi narrowed his eyes as Naruto caught the ball. "Do you really think you can pass me all by yourself? How insulting."
Trying to stop him on defense was one thing, but this?
"What are they thinking?" Momoi didn't get it. But the looks on all the players from Kaijō, including those on the bench, told her that they were utterly serious about this. "Ki-kun can't handle the Emperor Eye by himself!"
Aomine said nothing, but his eyes were dancing in excitement.
'This is it….'
This is what Aomine been waiting for.
As for Naruto, he simply took a small breath before pouncing. One moment, he was standing still. The next, he was on the move, taking off in an incredible burst of speed.
Akashi was used to this sort of thing by now, but that didn't mean he wasn't surprised by Naruto's increase in speed.
'He can still move faster!?'
It was an aggravating thought, and Akashi had to push his body to the limit in order to respond in time to what his eyes were telling him. He blocked one avenue, but Naruto had already come to a complete stop before quickly ducking to the opposite direction.
Akashi saw this and intercepted the blond again, if only barely. In response, Naruto dribbled the ball past his shoulder in a move that was very familiar to Murasakibara. With a spin, the blond caught the ball and moved in the original direction he had taken off to.
This put more pressure on Akashi, who had tried to snatch the ball before Naruto could grab it again without success. Because even though his Emperor Eye was tracking Naruto just fine, his body was just not able to keep up at this level of speed. That's how faster Naruto had become, so much so that it made his performance in the first half look cute.
It was still frustrating for Naruto to see Akashi still able to keep up and cut him off again, and so he jumped back while flinging the ball in another high-powered formless shot. The ball struck the backboard before dipping down the basket.
There were cheers of excitement as well as the clicking sound of cameras from the different photographers present court side.
Everyone was amazed, but not Naruto. His eyes were focused, his aura turning sharper and sharper.
"Not there yet," he muttered to himself, the electricity shooting out more intensely from his eyes. "Faster…..I need to be faster….."
He hadn't reached the bottom of the Zone yet. He needed to focus, and only then would he be able to achieve the level he was looking for.
Imayoshi shivered in his seat. "I'm getting goosebumps over here."
The others couldn't blame him for that. They realized what was happening. Kaijō was looking to strike the final nail in the coffin here. If Naruto was able to crush Akashi on his own, then the possibility of Rakuzan recovering was pretty slim.
But would it happen?
There was a shift in Kaijō's offense from that point on. Instead of focusing on Kise, Kasamatsu made sure to throw the ball in Naruto's direction. It was a direct confrontation against Akashi.
Zone versus the Emperor Eye, and people were loving this development.
'They must think Kise has progressed enough,' Midorima realized, his eyes staring intently at the match. 'If they can combine Kise's copy with Uzumaki's speed….'
Then they would have the two strongest tools on the board. That's what Kaijō was going for here. Like Rakuzan before, they were aiming for a quick and decisive blow.
However, it wasn't just offensively that Naruto took the spotlight. More and more he was coming to the rescue on defense as well, teaming up with both Kobori and Moriyama to stop Nebuya and Mibuchi respectively. It wasn't what Takeuchi had planned originally, but he was going to take full advantage of Naruto's stamina.
It was Nebuya who suffered the most as Naruto completely blocked any of his dunks and other inside plays. Kobori lacked the physical power to stop him, but Naruto had the speed and the raw strength to make sure he didn't score. Just as he had shown before.
'This is crazy.' Mibuchi held the ball again as Moriyama tried to pin him down. 'Just how much stamina does that guy have!?'
But what bothered him most was Naruto's constant attempt at trying to get by Akashi on a one-on-one. It hadn't worked yet, but the attacks kept coming. No one from Kaijō seemed bothered by it at all, not even Kise. This only made Mibuchi worry more.
"Big Sis Reo! Pass the ball!"
Hayama's cry alerted Mibuchi too late of the coming danger, which so happened to be Naruto again. The blond appeared from behind to tip the ball from Mibuchi's hands, forcing the shooter to lose the ball.
While Mibuchi was gaping at this, Moriyama moved to grab the now free ball before tossing it to Naruto who took off like a bullet. He almost made it all the way to the opposing basket if not for Akashi coming to the defense at the last minute.
The redhead was panting heavily, and he looked the most worn out. It was to be expected. Naruto had slowly been getting faster and faster as the quarter progressed, and Akashi's body just couldn't keep up with it.
'It's absurd. It's ridiculous. I am absolute! Presenting myself in this manner….'
It drove Akashi to the edge.
Unaware of Akashi's mental state, Naruto focused all of his senses on this next play. It had been a grind, but he could finally feel it.
He was finally at the bottom.
Just in time too, as Kasamatsu was getting impatient with all of this.
"Enough already." The Kaijō captain narrowed his eyes. "Just end this once and for all."
Naruto was going to do just that.
For Akashi, if there was a metaphor he could use to describe what happened next, as he moved to try and cut off Naruto's advance, it was like glass breaking. Like the reality before him was only an illusion, shattering to a million pieces. That reality of course being Naruto, who stood before him one moment and then vanishing the next.
No, not vanishing. He was just simply that fast.
This wasn't a normal drive either. This was a top speed drive powered by the Zone, with Naruto being submerged at its lowest level. It was as though he became an orange spark. And this time, Akashi was unable to do anything about it.
For it had finally happened. Naruto, all by himself, had finally gotten past Akashi and his Emperor Eye. No tricks, no crossovers. Just pure speed.
The shock that spread throughout the court was self-evident, as the other Rakuzan players froze where they stood.
'You can't be serious,' Mibuchi thought with wide eyes. 'Those movements just now…..just how fast can he go!?'
This dwarfed anything else Naruto had shown up to this point.
'It's just like my dribble,' Hayama realized, stunned by Naruto's showing. 'No, it's something beyond that. It's not just the ball that disappears…..he does too!'
It was almost like a lightning drive instead of a lightning dribble. In other words, it was a technique in its own right.
'Uzumakicchi.' Kise could barely contain his excitement. 'You're amazing, alright.'
The crowd erupted into more cheers as Naruto dunked, completely unopposed.
The Rakuzan players only watched, helpless and confused.
There was one question that needed to be asked by this point. What was Rakuzan going to do next?
On the bench for Rakuzan's team, the team manager gulped as he stared at Naruto in disbelief. His name was Higuchi Shōta, and quite frankly he was nervous right now. For very good reasons.
"Coach, shouldn't we call a timeout?"
This was the perfect moment for that. They needed to regroup. Not even passing to Mibuchi and Nebuya was working anymore. If they kept going like this, they were going to lose total control of the game.
Their coach, Shirogane, didn't seem to think so. He was looking at Akashi who had his face lowered, not meeting anyone's gaze.
"No."
Higuchi almost shouted, "What? Why not?"
"Leave it to Akashi."
What the hell? But Akashi had just been totally defeated! What else could he do at this point?
He really didn't want to, but Higuchi bit his tongue and didn't argue further. It was the coach's orders, so he couldn't argue.
There was a familiar sentiment among the Rakuzan players on the court. They needed to rethink their strategy, right?
Akashi didn't make that call, though. Rather, he simply turned to Mibuchi.
"Reo. You four will head down for the next play."
"W-What? Sei-chan, what does that-"
Mibuchi's question was left hanging as Akashi gave him a curt stare in response.
"Just go."
Mibuchi, Nebuya, Hayama, and Mayuzumi knew. There was no room for a discussion here.
"What are they planning?" It was Yuki who wondered this out loud, her face troubled.
Akashi didn't seem defeated. There was still fighting spirit in him left. But what more could he do at this point?
Yuki really shouldn't have asked.
"Get back!" Kasamatsu tried to rally the others for defense but even he had to stop when he noticed that Akashi wasn't joining the rest of his team for the upcoming play.
'What is he thinking?' Kobori thought, confused by this.
Kise and Naruto shared a brief look with one another. They were just as confused as the others, but they could worry about it later. For now, stopping this next play was their top priority.
'Sei-chan.' Mibuchi's head wasn't in the game right now. He knew what that look was. He had seen it once before, after Kaijō's match against Tōō. For once, Akashi had seemed excited. But now, it was the opposite. It was as if he was hiding his emotions behind a wall, just ready to explode.
"Big Sis Reo!"
There was another shout of warning from Hayama, but Mibuchi was too troubled by his thoughts to stop Moriyama from slapping the ball out of his hands.
It was another failure, only this one stung more deeply than the rest since it could have been easily avoided if he had been more focused.
Moriyama, not one to miss an opportunity, quickly ran for the loose ball before Mibuchi could recover. Once he had it, he didn't hesitate throwing it to Naruto. Moriyama could have tried to score by himself, but right now hammering Akashi down was more important.
If Naruto could score twice in a row on Akashi without the redhead being able to put up a fight, then their victory would be right around the corner.
And Naruto was going to make sure that happened.
He was fully submerged in the Zone now. He was confident no one could keep up with him in this state. This was made all the more clear when the Uncrowned Kings failed to react in time to try and cut him off. Only Akashi was there to defend the basket as he hadn't moved from his position.
Naruto didn't care either way. Not even Akashi could stop him now.
'I'll jam this in and finish it!'
With a scream, Naruto dashed forward, seemingly disappearing like an orange spark again.
But the ball didn't follow him this time.
'What!?' Yuki had to stand up from the bench as she gasped. 'Naruto-kun was-!?'
Kise couldn't believe it either. 'Did Akashicchi just steal the ball!?'
He had. With a simple flick of his arm, Akashi had been able to take the ball from Naruto's hands just as the blond was passing by him.
"This farce has gone on long enough." Reddish-pinkish currents of electricity shot out from Akashi's eyes, showing his ascension to the Zone for all to admire. "It's about time I remind you just why I'm always right."
Murasakibara, Midorima, and Aomine all recoiled in their seats. Akashi was able to enter the Zone as well?
'Forget the minor details!' Naruto didn't allow this revelation to slow him down and instead bolted back to try and stop Akashi from advancing.
The Rakuzan captain was already sprinting down the court, however. But proving his speed, Naruto was still able to catch up to him.
"You're not going anywhere!" Naruto declared, his aura growing in intensity again.
"H'mph." Akashi didn't bother with words and moved forward. Naruto made to cut off Akashi's route of attack, but the redhead wasn't playing in the same level as before. He didn't fear getting close to Naruto now. With this newfound confidence, Akashi cut back at the last second before ducking in the opposite direction. In doing so, he trapped Naruto in an all too familiar ambush.
'No!' With the high level speeds they were moving in, Naruto wasn't able to find his footing like before and fell back, falling for Akashi's ankle break. It was almost like he was experiencing it for the first time again.
'Not good!' Seeing this, Kise attempted to step in while the others tried to mount their own defense.
"It's useless." Akashi didn't bother wasting too much time, quickly cutting past Moriyama and Kobori like they weren't even there. Only Kise and Kasamatsu were left by the basket, the two looking determined.
"You've been getting in my way all this time." Akashi's eyes narrowed. "I'll remind you just why I was the one leading you, Ryōta."
There was no time for a reply as Akashi was already moving again. He ducked to the right, but only Kasamatsu fell for the lure. Kise was able to see through Akashi's fake and made for the opposite direction.
"Don't insult me too much, Ryōta." Akashi's Emperor Eye focused right on the blond. "There is no way a fake can surpass the original."
Kise's eyes widened. He knew what Akashi was getting at, but his body was already in motion. He instinctively tried to correct his mistake and move back, but in doing so he only fell for Akashi's ankle break.
In that moment, Akashi had performed two crossovers simultaneously, reading both Kasamatsu and Kise like a book. The end result was the two players dropping to the floor like flies, unable to keep their balance.
And all Akashi had to do was walk by like he had nothing to worry about. Kise was too dumbfounded to even try to stand again.
Akasi made to jump, looking like he was going to dunk. Probably in an attempt to show off.
Or he would have if Naruto didn't appear at the last second with a jump, stepping in between Akashi and the hoop.
It was just another showing for Naruto's speed, but unfortunately he was in a reactive situation. Akashi had the initiative, and while before that wouldn't be a problem Akashi's body could now keep up with Naruto's tremendous speed.
"How futile."
The redhead spun just as he was about to jump, bypassing Naruto's block altogether. Since he was in midair, Naruto wasn't able to react quickly enough to attempt a second block. Akashi was free to finish the play with a simple layup, his face cold.
Simple, but elegant.
"Understand this," he said, voice full of authority. "Your defeat is certain. You cannot defeat me."
He was absolute, after all.
"Oh, amazing! He went coast to coast all by himself!"
"He scored right through the whole team!"
The shock and amazement by that last play didn't just extend to Kaijō and the audience. Akashi's own team was alarmed by what they just witnessed.
'He didn't need us at all,' Mayuzumi thought, his expression one of pure astonishment.
But wasn't it better to say that Akashi was better without the rest of them? From that showing alone, it looked as though they were only holding Akashi back.
"I don't believe this." Yuki fell back to the bench as she shook her head. "He still had this level!?"
Takeuchi was surprised as well. "Yes. This is indeed troubling. However…."
There was no need to panic just yet. They had their trusty aces, after all. That's why they couldn't give up.
Speaking of which, Naruto was helping Kise back to his feet as Kasamatsu, Kobori, and Moriyama gathered around the two.
"I didn't think we would be facing a situation like this," Kise said, his smile bittersweet. "Leave it to Akashicchi to have such a trump card."
"Huh!?" Kasamatsu almost kicked him. "This isn't the time for admiration, you idiot! Better yet, what are you going to do about it!?"
What was he going to do? Well, the answer was simple.
Kise looked at Naruto. "You don't have any complaints, do you?"
Naruto did, but there was no other choice now.
Stepping forward, the whiskered blond cracked his neck, his eyes turning sharper and more animalistic.
"Let's go."
Kise was right beside him, yellow torrents of electricity shooting from his eyes.
"Right on!"
Smirking, Kasamatsu followed behind them, with the determined Kobori and Moriyama in tow.
Aomine smirked as well. "Their spirit isn't dead yet."
If anything, was it possible to kill Kaijō's spirit in the first place? Aomine didn't know, but he didn't care. This was exactly what he wanted to see.
Akashi faced the two blonds. He was more than prepared to take them on again.
The third quarter raged on.