The clock was ticking down on the final minutes of the third quarter, but the true sparks were only just starting to fly. For anyone who wasn't Naruto, Kise, or Akashi, it was oppressive to just stand on the court. The reason for this should be obvious.
'All three of them are in the Zone.' Yuki had to make sure her heart wasn't beating too erratically as the aura from the three powerful players washed over her. It really did feel like she was watching three titans coming down on one another.
It wasn't a face off that happened every day, and those present couldn't be happier to see this.
Up in his seat, Imayoshi felt like laughing, which would definitely would have spook those around him. But he just couldn't help it!
"So Kaijō isn't wasting anytime, huh? Already pulling out their trump card again….."
He wasn't surprised to see Sakurai giving him a look filled with confusion.
"Trump card? What do you mean?"
"Isn't it obvious?" He gestured to Naruto and Kise who stood side-by-side, their faces full of nothing but determination. "Their double team. You can definitely call it Kaijō's trump card. Not even Aomine was able to do anything against them. Something like that is beyond scary to face unprepared."
Aomine almost scowled when he heard this, but he was too fixated on what was about to happen to care too much. Besides, it wasn't like Imayoshi was wrong. Naruto and Kise were already dangerous alone. But together?
Aomine doubted there was anyone who could stop their double play on their own.
Akashi didn't seem to have that concern, though. But why?
'You should already know, Akashi.'
They were able to stop him in the first half when working together. So why wasn't he worried at all?
Deep down, Aomine already knew what the answer was. It wasn't like he had been any different during his match against Naruto and Kise, as embarrassing it was to admit that. Nothing he could do about that now, but Akashi was looking to make the same mistake.
How pitiful.
Soon after, the ball was thrown in for the next play, and it was Kaijō who was going on the offensive.
Akashi might have just defeated them all by himself in the last play, but as Aomine had noted earlier that wasn't going to stop Kaijō's momentum. They still had faith their two aces, after all.
Everyone saw it coming. It couldn't happen any other way. Even Kasamatsu felt like he was only a bystander as he threw the ball to Naruto right away.
There was no other way around this.
"So that's how it's going to be." Akashi faced Naruto, completely unperturbed. The crackling from the electricity shooting from his eyes matched Naruto's perfectly. "You still plan on defying me."
Naruto said nothing. He simply took a deep breath as he relaxed, his stance loose. It was a sight Akashi had grown accustomed since the match had started.
Hayama, who was marking Kise, felt like he was standing next to an unstoppable train. He had to stop himself from showing any hesitation or even fear.
'When he moves….'
Kise wasn't even looking at Hayama, though. He wasn't looking at anyone really. He kept his eyes forward, fixated solely on the hoop that lied just ahead. It really only sent more shivers down Hayama's spine.
Could these two really coordinate with one another without even looking at each other?
Turns out. Yes, they could.
Naruto moved first. He already knew that he was within Akashi's defensive zone. The only reason the redhead hadn't moved first was because he knew Naruto could react to that, and it would leave himself exposed to missing a pass.
But now Akashi came. With his Emperor Eye, he saw clearly that Naruto wasn't trying to pass. He could fully go for the ball without having to second-guess himself. He was confident in his speed now that he was in the Zone. Matched with his Emperor Eye, there was no way he was going to lose to Naruto's animal-like reflexes.
However, as Naruto raised the ball to start his dribble, it was suddenly gone from his hands.
'What!?' It took Mibuchi a second or so to catch up with the scene, his eyes unable to keep up with the speed that was being presented to him here.
Not Akashi, though. He saw it clearly, but even his eyes had to play catch up. Why? Because it wasn't Naruto who had made the ball disappear.
It was Kise, who had moved in just as Naruto was raising the ball. He had moved a split of a second earlier than Akashi, and because Akashi's eyes weren't focused on him the redhead was unable to see him coming and thus couldn't stop Kise from taking the ball.
'That's impossible!' Even after coming to terms with what had just happened, Nebuya was still in disbelief. 'He was really able to get to the ball before Akashi!?'
Something like that shouldn't have happened. Akashi should have been able to reach the ball before Kise, since his Emperor Eye allowed him to be one step ahead from everyone else. Kise's speed in the Zone shouldn't have mattered in this instance. Not anymore. Not with Akashi being in the Zone as well.
But yet!
Aomine smirked. 'They're good.'
Those two had moved perfectly, timing their moves just right. Was it because they wanted to win? Or because they were on the same team? Aomine didn't know, but he was certain of the result.
'Kise was able to anticipate Uzumaki's next move before Akashi could.' That's the conclusion Midorima had arrived at. It was the only thing that made sense.
It was the trust they had in one another being put in full display, and everyone watching loved it as they cheered.
When Akashi was able to shift his focus to Kise, the blond was already speeding down the court. Nebuya tried to do something about it, of course, but there was no way he was going to be able to stop Kise when he was in this state.
The interference was all Akashi needed to catch up, though.
'Not yet!' The former captain of the Generation of Miracles ran faster than he had ever done before, using all the boost the Zone was providing him with to arrive where he needed to be.
As Kise got around Nebuya and his meager defense, he was met with Akashi on the other side.
"Ryōta! You will not win!" Akashi declared. "I already told you. I am absolute!"
The level of speed Akashi showed stunned everyone watching. It was definitely on a whole other level than what he had shown thus far.
The anger radiating from his voice was easily detected, but Kise didn't care. He wasn't here to lose this match.
Without a word, Kise ducked to the left, looking as if he was going to try and shoot past Akashi like he had with Nebuya. Even Akashi believed that's what Kise was trying to do. His Emperor Eye clearly showed that. There was no room for doubt here, right?
And yet, the ball suddenly disappeared just like it had last time, taken from Kise's hands.
'Again!' Takao was at the edge of his seat. He struggled to keep up, but he was able to eventually see that Naruto was now back in the play again. But one thing was already very clear to him.
Akashi couldn't keep up with the two of them. Even though he had ascended into the Zone, that fact hadn't changed.
"That can't be!" Mibuchi cried out in a panic. "Kotarō! Eikichi! Stop him!"
Hayama, who had been struggling to keep up since Kise first shook him, and Nebuya, who desperately jumped from behind Naruto to stop the incoming shot that he knew was coming, both converged at the same spot around Naruto just as said blond moved for his shot
For the Kaijō players, it was sort of incredible. Akashi might have abandoned his team, but they were still playing and trying to support him.
It did little good, though, as Naruto was able to escape their double team with little effort. He did this with a simple fake, looking as though he was positioning for a formless shot but instead he ducked down and went in with his drive.
The two Uncrowned Kings just didn't have the reflexes to keep up, but it still gave Akashi the opening he needed to perform one final desperate struggle.
Because of Nebuya and Hayama's interference, Naruto was already inside the free throw line. In this position, there was little room for doubt as to what Naruto was going to do.
Naruto was going for a dunk.
That's why Akashi jumped just as Naruto jumped. The two players met in the air at the same time, both letting out determined shouts that shook the hearts of all that heard them.
The two were in strong positions. Unlike last time, Akashi was able to jump with perfect form. He was confident he could stop Naruto from dunking just as he had in the first half. He might not have the physical strength, but with the right timing anything was possible.
It was definitely a cause of concern, even if Naruto didn't seem to think so. But in the end, that didn't matter as this wasn't a one-on-one. Why? Because Kise was right there in the air with them, showing up at the last possible second to support Naruto.
The two blond's came together for the dunk, putting everything they had into it. It was the two of them versus Akashi, and it was Akashi who came crashing down as the two Kaijō players completely overpowered him.
It was a sight that every other Kaijō player seared into their brain, whether they were on the court or the bench. How could they ever forget such a memorable moment?
Aomine, Midorima, and Murasakibara all shared similar reactions, albeit theirs was more along the lines of stunned silence. It was the first time they were seeing something like this. Even the play from the first half didn't compare to this.
When Akashi came tumbling down to the ground, their eyes only widened further.
Even with the Zone…..Akashi was just defeated?
The redhead himself wasn't faring much better either. He could only look up at Naruto and Kise who stood over him, their frames overshadowing him. This was the second time this had happened to him, but for some reason this loss cut Akashi deeper than before.
"They did it!" Yuki didn't waste anytime celebrating. Her high spirit was more than enough to make the bench players come out of their reverent silence and start cheering as well.
This spirit spread across the court, reaching those up in their seats as they let out more cheers of their own.
"Heh, damn straight." Kasamatsu merely smirked, with Kobori and Moriyama doing the same.
"It can't be…." Mibuchi didn't know what to say. Hayama, Nebuya, and Mayuzumi all felt the same way he did. It was like they were staring at a movie or something. This couldn't be reality…..could it?
But who could blame them. This had been Akashi's trump card. His ace in the hole. It should have guaranteed them their victory, even if it meant that he was discarding them.
Instead, they just witnessed the exact opposite happen. And not long after he showed his hand.
Even at his "best," Akashi was no match for Naruto and Kise combined. That was a fact Rakuzan learned the hard way, and it wasn't one they were going to recover from quickly.
"How strange." Imayoshi's comment caught the others by surprise. "I didn't think Akashi would be this…..predictable."
After what he had shown in the first half, Imayoshi had expected Akashi to read Naruto's and Kise's movements better than this. Falling for the same trick twice….wasn't that strange?
Aomine didn't think the same, though. If anything, he understood perfectly just what Akashi was going through.
Midorima could attest to that feeling, and to some extent Murasakibara was in that camp.
It was simple really. Akashi had relied too much on his eyes. He was fully convinced his Emperor Eye could not be beaten, so he stubbornly clung to them without relying on anything else. Not even his team. He was unable to adapt, and when his eyes failed him he failed as well.
That's exactly why the last minute and a half of the third quarter came to a very disappointing end.
'What?' Even Yuki started to notice something was amiss the moment Akashi failed to make a proper shot. And this was just with Naruto covering him. Under normal circumstances, that should have been easy points for the redhead.
But instead he missed, the ball hitting the rim and going out of bounds.
'This feeling.' Mayuzumi was worried. Maybe even paranoid. But that was justifiable when Akashi was easily passed by Naruto. The whiskered blond didn't even have to use his full speed to accomplish this. There was no strength in the redhead's defense. No sense of authority. No confidence.
Just emptiness.
'What the hell are you doing, Akashi!?' It was Hayama who started to get angry first. That anger only increased when Kise stole the ball from Akashi. Then later when Akashi failed to even dribble properly, and so Naruto was able to get an easy steal of his own.
He wasn't even running that fast anymore! Even Mayuzumi started to become quicker than Akashi, a troubling sign for anyone in the know.
The worst part? Even his Zone was gone. His mind just wasn't focused anymore, and thus the domain pushed him out. It left as quickly as it came. That's how unforgiving the Zone could be.
"Akashi-kun." Aomine heard Momoi's worried whisper, but he kept his eyes on the game.
It was a tragedy to the highest order, and he couldn't look away.
Naruto and Kise saw the change too of course. How could they not? But it didn't affect how they played in the slightest.
They were going to win, and that was that.
"Coach." On the sidelines, Higuchi was gripping his knees with worry. "We have to call a time out-"
"That's not necessary." The Rakuzan coach's face was grim. Seeing his star player fall into such a terrible state had that affect on him. "The quarter is about to end. Calling a time out now would be a waste of time."
True enough, the quarter was down to its last ten seconds, with Rakuzan in possession of the ball. Not that it really changed much.
Akashi held possession, but instead of going through by himself he surprised everyone at the last second by actually passing the ball.
Kasamatsu frowned. 'So he's not fighting alone anymore. But…..'
Something was wrong.
The pass was for Mibuchi, who almost failed to catch the ball since it was thrown so awkwardly.
'W-What!? What kind of pass was that!?'
It was nothing like what Mibuchi was used to getting from Akashi. It totally felt like he was receiving a pass from a completely different person!
It was desperate, but Mibuchi still went for the play. Moriyama was there to try and stop him, quickly trying to decipher his moves. But his slow reaction time proved to be his downfall and so Mibuchi was able to get the space he needed to shoot his Heaven shot.
Just in time too, as the buzzer went off just as the ball was in midair.
Rakuzan managed to get the buzzer beater, and the crowd had to cheer for the shot even if it looked a little clunky at the start.
"Oooh, the third quarter is finally over!"
"Just one more to go!"
"What's gonna happen next?"
Akashi's terrible performance at the end hadn't hampered the mood of the audience it seemed. But the same couldn't be said for his team.
Nebuya and Hayama didn't bother to hide their disgust as they glared at their captain, the two walking off the court. Mibuchi didn't even look at him while Mayuzumi kept his eyes forward.
And Akashi? He bowed his head, not meeting anyone's gaze. It was another show of weakness for anyone who knew him. What he was thinking was anyone's guess.
Naruto and Kise just watched all of this from a distance, their faces unreadable. They had to wonder about one thing, though.
Was this really the limit of Akashi Seijūrō?
"That's just strange."
Midorima couldn't find any fault with Takao's statement.
"I never thought Akashi was so…..brittle." That was the best word Takao could use to describe the current situation.
"It's only natural I suppose." Midorima readjusted his glasses, his voice calm. It matched the sharp look in his eyes perfectly. "For the first time in his life, Akashi Seijūrō feels defeat upon him."
It wasn't like his one-on-one with Murasakibara either. Because then, his Emperor Eye had managed to secure him his win. Here?
His eyes were useless.
"T'ch, damn sensitive first years." Miyaji scowled. "Are you trying to show off or something?"
The Shūtoku captain, a third year by the name of Ōtsubo Taisuke, shook his head.
"I don't think he's saying that as a compliment, Mijyaji."
Sure enough, the results were speaking for themselves. Losing focus just because you were pushed back like this…..it was unbecoming of a player, especially a captain. It was one of the worst things you could do when the stakes were so high.
But it was unavoidable. Midorima understood that. This was foreign territory for Akashi, after all. Now that his trump card was defeated, he didn't know how to act. He probably felt lost and confused.
The question is. Would he recover? Or would he buckle to the situation?
'But trying to stop Uzumaki and Kise now is…..'
Impossible perhaps?
No, it wasn't. There was still an opening available. Rakuzan still had a chance to win this game. That's what Midorima believed. However, it all depended on whether or not Akashi could recover.
A most delicate position indeed.
There was nothing to be said among the Rakuzan players. The Uncrowned Kings were all in their own little bubble at the moment. Frustration was the common theme here.
Mayuzumi wasn't all that different either, although he still had enough of an open mind to look at the others.
What were they going to do?
Shirogane stood before them, his arms crossed. He could say many things at this moment, to try and sound encouraging. But they wouldn't amount to anything in the end. They didn't need words, after all.
'I still can't believe it. Akashi was hiding such a sensitive side….?'
It didn't make any sense. More like. Were they even the same person?
There wasn't much choice here anyway. Akashi wasn't saying anything in his defense. He still had his head low, not looking at anyone. It was almost like he was trying to hide from the rest of the world. Or maybe he was just operating on auto-pilot? His eyes didn't have any life in them anymore, that's for sure.
It was a hard decision, but Shirogane still moved ahead. For the good of the team.
"Akashi, you're-….."
To be completely honest, Akashi wasn't even listening to the man. He wasn't listening to anyone. The sound just couldn't reach him. He could see the man's lips moving, but that was it. No sound came out. Just. Nothing.
"You are weak."
The other voice was back, and unlike with the coach Akashi could hear this voice very well.
How frustrating.
"You're letting your own weakness affect the others. You are going to lose."
Weakness? How laughable. He wasn't here because he was weak. He was here because he was strong!
"No. You were my weakness. That's why you're here."
No. No! That wasn't true at all.
"Can't you realize it by now? You can't win as you are. Fighting alone is-"
'You know nothing!'
It was like Akashi was staring at a mirror again, only this time the mirror was inside his head.
He glared at the reflection.
'This game….it isn't over yet.'
"Then why aren't you doing anything?"
To this, Akashi said nothing. Not because he wanted to stay silent. No, it was because he couldn't.
There was nothing he could say to defend himself.
"You've seen it, haven't you? The path we abandoned. The path Kise has found. It's given him strength. So much so that we've become this unsightly."
It was only a setback. Yes, a small setback. But there was still something Akashi could do. He could still win this game….!
"No, you can't. If we stay as we are, we will definitely lose."
Lose? That wasn't possible. They had never lost before. To lose now would be….
"You can't imagine it, can you? Truth be told, I'm the same as you. No, perhaps I'm a little different. I did think losing wouldn't be so bad at first. A foreign sentiment to you, I'm sure. But now, I've changed my mind. After seeing them play together….it's made my heart beat in anticipation. In excitement. Strange, isn't it? It's not something I've felt toward basketball in a long time."
Akashi had no reply.
"It's a very familiar feeling. Wasn't it something Kuroko said long ago….? Ah, or maybe this was the answer he found?"
The answer?
'Our wager….'
"Uzumaki has nothing to do with that, and yet….."
Akashi lowered his head once more. The reflection in front of him seemed to move forward, almost like it was stepping right through the glass. It wasn't just a reflection anymore.
"They're alike, don't you think?"
Again, there was no answer. It wasn't long before the reflection was standing in Akashi's place, and Akashi began to disappear.
Or maybe he had been the reflection all along…..?
Well, it didn't matter really. Not anymore. There was only one important fact here.
Akashi Seijūrō was going to win this game.
"You can't be serious." Mayuzumi wasn't going to have any of this. He knew full well what their coach was about to say, but he couldn't stand by and let it happen. Not without expressing his disgust first. He had kept it inside for sometime now, and he needed to get it out.
It was something of a shock for the others as Mayuzumi got up and stood before Akashi. It was the first time they were seeing the quiet Mayuzumi take charge, after all.
"Are you really going to continue with this embarrassing charade?" Mayuzumi glared at the redhead. "You've talked big this entire time, but this is all you've got to show for it? Don't make me laugh. Are you really that weak?"
There was nothing but gaping from the others, but Mayuzumi ignored them. His focus rested solely on the boy in front of him.
"More like, just who are you?"
It was a simple question, but to Akashi it held deep significance. For both of them.
"You're asking a foolish question."
When Akashi raised his head for the world to see, it wasn't just Mayuzumi who was surprised.
"Just who do you think I am?" Standing up, Akashi faced Mayuzumi head on, no longer fearful or confused. Only Akashi's face didn't hold anger or even coldness. There was but a simple smile that reached his eyes. It was an expression Mayuzumi had never seen on Akashi before, and he didn't know what to make of it.
"You...just who are you?"
Akashi's smile widened a little.
"I'm Akashi Seijūrō of course."
The original was finally back on the court.
For Kaijō, the two minute break was more of a quiet affair. They all collected their thoughts as well as their strength. For better or worse, there were only ten minutes left in the game.
They could hold nothing back.
As the buzzer blew again to signal the end of the break, Yuki watched them go with a somewhat wary look. She had come to learn that nothing was truly set in stone until the last second of the game.
But she had to keep her faith. It was the least she could do.
'Everyone….good luck.'
She didn't need to say this out loud. The five understood this well. And it wasn't just Yuki's wishes that were with them. Every other player on the bench felt the same way.
They weren't going to let those wishes down.
"Ohoho, so they're finally back." Only someone like Imayoshi could take immense pleasure at the current situation. More specifically, at Rakuzan's current predicament. "Are they going to recover during the last quarter? Or will Kaijō topple down the emperor?"
How exciting~
Aomine's eyebrow twitched. "You've got a bad attitude there, four-eyes."
"F-Four-eyes!?"
Imayoshi's cry of dismay toward his nickname went ignored. Even if the others didn't agree with Imayoshi's sentiment, they were just as curious to see what came next.
They were all surprised when they saw Akashi approach Naruto and Kise, with the two feeling just as surprised.
Naruto frowned. "Are you here to threaten us again or what?"
His disdain toward the former captain of the Generation of Miracles was obvious, but Akashi only smiled it off.
"Not at all, Uzumaki-kun. If anything, I was here to introduce myself."
Introduce….what?
While Naruto was confused, Kise caught on right away. "Akashicchi….?"
The redhead offered a similar smile to Kise. "It's been a while, Kise. There are many things I want to say, but…..I believe that can wait for now. I believe we're all ready to finish this, right?"
Kise was left speechless as Akashi walked back to his team. It was only after Naruto slapped him on the back that he returned to the land of the living.
"Hey, what the hell was that all about?"
The others, who had been eavesdropping, all had the same question.
But Kise shook his head. "I can give you the details later. Let's just say….we're about to be in for a tough time."
While those words may have worried others, Naruto only grinned.
"Is that so?"
He didn't quite understand, but if it meant that their victory wasn't secured yet then he couldn't ask for more.
'Bring it on.'
The minds of the Rakuzan players were filled with countless thoughts that they were trying to organize. One thing was certain. There was no denying the wave of determination they felt as they set foot on the court. What else were they supposed to feel after Akashi had asked for their help just before the buzzer sounded off?
Akashi wasn't going to fight alone. Not anymore. And they were all for that.
It wasn't just the players on the court who noticed this shift in Akashi's demeanor. Right away, Aomine, Midorima, and Murasakibara were on edge when they saw Akashi standing with his team. At first they thought it was just their imagination.
They realized it wasn't when Akashi first got the ball and moved for the basket, officially starting the fourth quarter of the finals.
Right away, Naruto stood in Akashi's way, his eyes emitting the familiar orange electricity. He still wasn't out of the Zone, but that didn't seem to worry Akashi any.
He wasn't smiling this time, but Naruto could still see that there was something different about Akashi. Something fundamental had changed about him during the break, and Naruto couldn't figure out what it was.
'What is he planning?'
The redhead wasn't in the Zone anymore, and by the of the last quarter he hadn't been able to do much of anything. Naruto felt pretty confident in stopping Akashi from advancing.
It was almost like Akashi was giving him a reality check when he passed right away instead of moving ahead on his own.
It wasn't just a normal pass, though. For one, it moved right through Naruto's immediate vicinity. Which meant the blond should have been able to stop it or at least be able to react to it.
But no. Even with Naruto's instincts, the ball managed to get through with no difficulty.
The pass headed straight for Nebuya, who caught it with ease. It was a perfect pass if he was being honest. He couldn't explain it very well, but the feel of the ball was able to give him something of a boost.
Boost or not, Nebuya moved right in and dunked over Kobori who wasn't able to stop him or even slow him down like before.
As the crowd cheered, happy to see that Rakuzan was still pressing on, Aomine, Midorima, and Murasakibara all came to a startling conclusion.
Kise had it as well. 'That pass…...no doubt about it.'
'It's the same passes we used to get,' Murasakibara thought, remembering their time at Teikō.
Those wonderful passes that felt so easy to catch. It felt like an eternity since they last saw one.
"Nice dunk, Nebuya."
And that was the other thing.
Akashi was giving Nebuya a compliment….?
What the hell?
Nebuya couldn't help but grin widely, his enthusiasm rising further.
"I don't get it." Kasamatsu's eyes were a little wide, clearly baffled. "Up until now, his passes have been a pain in the ass. You're telling me he was holding back?"
"That's not it." Kise's face was troubled. "Akashicchi has simply…..changed back."
Changed back?
Moriyama frowned. "What does that even mean?"
"The details can wait. Just know this." Kise looked at the retreating Akashi. "He's more dangerous now than ever before."
When Kise first uttered those words, the others had all been expecting to see something major from Akashi. Instead, they were treated to a very different sight.
'Goddammit!' Kasamatsu looked livid as Mayuzumi managed to get around him again. The new phantom disappeared from sight and diverted Akashi's pass back over to Mibuchi. Unlike last time, Mibuchi had no problems making the shot. If anything, he was probably even a little bit faster than before.
This didn't bode well for Moriyama at all, who had already been struggling to keep up with the Uncrowned King to begin with.
The same thing kept repeating itself. Akashi would never engage directly, rather just hanging back and providing support with his passes. It was still effective, though, as not even Naruto with his Zone-amplified instincts was able to do anything about his passes.
Conversely, Kaijō still had their two aces, which Rakuzan could do nothing about. So it wasn't like they were falling behind or anything.
Still….something just wasn't right about this.
'This Akashi….he's just too normal,' Naruto thought as he stared at the redhead.
"Normal, huh?" Imayoshi could tell exactly just what Naruto was thinking. The blond's face gave it all away. "I wouldn't be thinking that if I were you."
Otherwise, he was bound to regret it.
Wakamatsu didn't understand, though. "I don't get it? Akashi is only just….playing a supportive role. How is that supposed to be intimidating?"
Imayoshi sighed. "You really don't see it, do you? Having a massive supporting player can be huge, especially if they're at this level."
No, it was more like Akashi was kind of perfect at this? To a scary degree. He was so good that it was having a very noticeable impact on the whole team.
'I don't like this.' Kasamatsu felt like something massive was happening, but he couldn't tell what it was. And he didn't like feeling lost.
The others were all in the same boat, their eyes gleaming with uncertainty and unrest.
Noticing this, Akashi chuckled a little. "You shouldn't worry so much, Kaijō. It's not as though you should be worrying about me."
Even as he said this, Akashi's eyes were shrouded in the same reddish-pinkish electricity from before.
'He's back in Zone,' Yuki thought in alarm.
Did this mean that Akashi was going to start playing by himself again?
Naruto almost scoffed. "Are you trying to scare us with that? It won't work. You should know by now."
Akashi's smile returned. "I already said it, didn't I? I'm not the one you should be worried about."
It was then that Naruto and the others noticed it. Spewing out from every single one of the Rakuzan's players was the same reddish-pinkish electricity like Akashi's.
"What-!" Moriyama was too shocked for words.
The others weren't faring much better either.
"Akashicchi." Kise struggled to come up with any words. "You've even doing this….?"
It was just as Imayoshi had said. Thanks to Akashi's support, the play of the others was gradually increasing. To the point that they were now grazing the gate of the Zone. So it wasn't as though they were in the Zone, but it was still close enough.
"Well, Kaijō." Akashi stepped forward with his team in tow. "Let's continue, shall we?"
It was time for Rakuzan to go on the full offensive.
As troubling as this development was, Kaijō still didn't lose hope. They couldn't. Not at this stage. Not when they still could rely on their two aces.
'Don't mess with me.'
Naruto wasn't shaken for very long. He couldn't allow himself to lose focus. Not when he was finally at the bottom of the Zone. He hadn't realized it before, but there was even something else down here. Could he call it another gate? He didn't understand what it meant really, or what it was. But he didn't have the time to wonder about that.
He moved forward. For you see, Naruto had learned another thing recently. For whatever reason, this Akashi didn't seem to have the Emperor Eye. Why? Again, Naruto didn't know. It did provide him with an opening, though.
Even if Akashi was back in the Zone, Naruto was still faster than him. And without the full power of the Emperor Eye to back him, Akashi didn't seem to be able to keep up with anymore.
Naruto sped through, with Mayuzumi and Nebuya coming in to try and stop him. Their speed had also increased thanks to the boost they received from Akashi. Naruto could have gone through by himself, but he didn't rush it and instead dribbled the ball behind his back and passed it over to Kise who was already waiting for it. The model was just in the perfect position to dunk.
But then Hayama jumped in to stop the dunk, but Kise read him like an open book. The blond pulled his hands down just as Hayama's went up for the block before coming back up again, performing a clean double clutch dunk over the Uncrowned King.
'T'ch, just as I thought.' There was a bitter smile on Hayama's face. 'You're a on a different level.'
Even now, stopping Naruto and Kise was still impossible for them.
Although that impossibility didn't look like it was going to stay that way as Kise landed back on the ground. He was already panting very heavily and was sweating more than he should be, especially after the break they just had.
Aomine frowned somewhat, realizing what the reason for this. 'So it's time.'
He had sort of seen this coming. After copying Naruto and Akashi, on top of using the Zone for so long, it was only natural to see that Kise was already approaching his limit.
Thinking the same thing, Kasamatsu gritted his teeth. 'Not now.'
They couldn't just keep relying on Naruto and Kise's double team. If they did, then Kise was going to collapse before the quarter was even halfway through.
They had to alleviate some of the pressure anyway they could. Otherwise, they were going to be digging their own grave.
'Yeah, right. Easier said than done.'
Kasamatsu hated to admit it, but besides Naruto and Kise they couldn't stop Rakuzan at all. That went double for their offense.
It started to show right away. Moriyama was unable to block any shots that Mibuchi pulled out. The Rakuzan shooter didn't need to use Earth or even Void. Heaven was more than enough, and it allowed him to conserve more energy too.
Kobori was easily overpowered by Nebuya, who was now even faster than the Kaijō center. Speed was the one area Kobori could contest in, but that was no longer the case. Because of this, Naruto was unable to jump in time to stop the so-called Herculean Strength from scoring.
Kasamatsu himself couldn't keep up with Mayuzumi anymore. It was like the phantom had returned to his original full powered state from the second quarter, while Kasamatsu grew more and more exhausted.
Kaijō's defense was collapsing, and their offense wasn't looking much better as Kise started to falter.
'Crap, crap, crap!' Kise cursed as he looked down in anger. His body was getting heavier and heavier as time went on. He could already feel himself starting to slip out of the Zone, and he knew his copying abilities would follow soon after. Having added Akashi's Emperor Eye to his arsenal had really taken its toll on him. It was just like when he had first been training to copy Naruto back before the preliminaries.
'Why am I so weak!?'
'Can't I do anything about him!?'
'Why can't I keep up!?
'How could I reach my limit at a time like this!?'
These were the thoughts shooting through their minds, only further adding to their deterioration.
'This can't be.' Yuki felt her eyes start to water when she saw the state Kise and the others were in.
Was this really it for them? Could they no longer keep up with Rakuzan? Were they going to lose this game?
"No, not yet!"
It was Naruto's shout that broke through the defeated thoughts plaguing the minds of the others.
Naruto's shout was followed by a powerful show of force. Pushing his legs to the limit, he managed to step in to block Nebuya from scoring again, leaving the Rakuzan center to fall back to the ground as the ball was slapped away from his grasp.
'How the hell can he move so fast!?'
Without even realizing it, Kobori moved to secure the ball before any of the other Rakuzan players could reach for it. When he did, he didn't hesitate to throw it down the court to where Kasamatsu was.
Mayuzumi moved in to intercept the Kaijō captain, but Kasamatsu had a good enough sense to keep the ball moving. That's why he quickly threw it for a second pass, right for Moriyama.
Mibuchi smirked when he saw this. "What's this? Trying to struggle to the end, Yoshitaka-chan?"
Moriyama narrowed his eyes, feeling a wave of determination hit him. "I already told you…..we're not losing this game!"
He quickly moved to shoot. Mibuchi was once again mused just how odd Moriyama's form was, but that fact was no longer going to stop him.
As Moriyama launched his Unorthodox Shot, Mibuchi managed to jump just in time to get a finger in to tap the ball. It wasn't a full block, but it was more than enough to make sure the shot didn't go in. It was more than what Mibuchi could do at the start of the game, that's for sure.
Even so, Moriyama wasn't worried at all.
'You're not going to lose, are you!?'
That thought was directed straight at Kise who was already under the hoop ready for the rebound.
But Hayama was also there, and he was looking more feral than before.
"I definitely feel like I can stop you this time!"
"Huh? What did you say!?" Kise more than just a little ticked off by Hayama's words. It definitely hurt to move, and Kise was sure he was going to regret it the next day. But right now, he didn't care. He was sure he couldn't keep using the Zone like Naruto, but that didn't mean he was completely powerless.
With a similar explosive power that Naruto used, Kise jumped for the ball just after it hit the rim for the rebound. Hayama was in the air with him as expected, but the Lightning Beast had the ball stolen right from underneath him as Kise snatched it before he could.
As the two touched back down, Kise quickly moved for the pass, handing it right to Naruto who arrived with impeccable timing.
However, while Hayama was in no position to jump a second time to stop him, Akashi was.
It was Naruto and Akashi who met for the aerial battle this time, and there was no Kise to jump in for backup.
Naruto didn't care. He pushed through as the others all shouted in encouragement. He and Akashi were the only ones still in Zone, but Naruto made sure to show his raw strength as he knocked Akashi's hand out of the way.
The dunk was a success, and the hoop felt the full brunt of Naruto's raw power. To the point that it almost looked like the hoop was going to fall over, but with a miracle it managed to stay in place.
Regardless, the whole court erupted into cheers after the play.
"Kaijō is still in this!"
"They're not giving up hope!"
It honestly brought tears to Yuki's eyes, only the tears weren't from sadness but gratitude.
'Naruto-kun, thank you.'
It was a sentiment shared by the others as they all stood around the whiskered blond who felt his legs twitch a little.
'T'ch, so it's like that huh.'
He had been in the Zone the longest. For nearly half the game. It wasn't as severe as Kise, but Naruto was starting to feel tire as well.
'But that doesn't matter.'
He was going to push past that. He had to. He wasn't going to let the others down.
While the Uncrowned Kings and Mayuzumi were left scowling, Akashi couldn't help but smile at the play. "Well, would you look at that."
There was still a fighting spirit left in them, huh?
"Not yet." In direct opposition, Kasamatsu glared at the Rakuzan players who stood before them. "We're Kaijō...! DON'T YOU DARE THINK THIS IS OVER!"
The fourth quarter had begun at last, and the climax was here. It was time to see who would come out on top…..!