"Don't be shaken…"
The first words Coach Takeuchi told them the moment they arrived at the bench resounded within the silence.
They were still in a state of shock and disbelief after witnessing Yuuji's capabilities to copy other's movements, just like Kise. In addition to his absurd physical capabilities, he would be an even more dangerous threat than Kise would.
"Even if he could copy like Kise, you've all played against Kise and experienced playing against someone like that. Just calm down, and make sure to keep your attention on him."
""Yes.""
Takeuchi nodded and turned towards Kise.
"Kise."
"Yes?"
"Have you been watching his movements?"
"...Yes."
"Good. Then try to copy his movements. It'd be a good reference for you to improve your skills as well."
"Yes, I understand."
Kise nodded obediently. Although he had his pride as being a part of the Generation of Miracles, after seeing what Yuuji had done… he had no choice but to admit that Yuuji was better than him. Copying him would allow him to grow as a player.
"Also, I'll have you mark him along with Kasamatsu."
""Yes.""
None of them would've expected that the day would come when they had to double team a player from Bonyari. But when Takeuchi told them to do it, no one complained.
In fact… Some, including Kasamatsu and Kise themselves, were still worried that this might not be enough.
And Coach Takeuchi also knew of this. But, he'll just wait and see how this double team goes first. It'd be a good chance for these two to learn how to properly double team an opponent much stronger than them as well.
"Good. We'll adjust the strategy again after we see how this goes. Remember. Contain that point guard, and the scoring against the rest would be much easier."
""Yes!!!""
"Good. Then go."
The game resumed, and shock filled the crowds when they saw Kasamatsu and Kise double-teaming Yuuji as he dribbled the ball in his hand.
"Eh…? Why are two people guarding Yuu-kun…?!"
Yuna pouted as she watched two people surrounding her Yuuji. Didn't this mean she won't be able to see Yuuji play?
"...Considering Yuuji's domination up until this point, in makes sense. They wouldn't want someone as skilled as him to keep scoring points and be left unguarded."
Haruka, who stood beside the twins and heard Nina's words, also pouted and puffed her cheeks.
She knew it was the logical decision from the other team, but she wanted to watch Yuuji play!!!
"Geez…! Yuuji-kun!!! Do your best!!!"
"Yes! Yuu-kun, you can do it!!!"
She cheered loudly, followed by Yuna, Yotsuba, and even Chitoge, who began gripping onto Raku's collar and shaking him out of frustration.
In contrast, Yuuji was not shocked at all by this outcome.
He had heard that this was something that could happen in the game from his seniors when he first came for practice. And he had been guarded by two, and sometimes even three people, while they trained.
'And in this sort of situation, the easiest thing for me to do would be…'
Yuuji moved forward slowly, and the two immediately tensed and went to an even higher level of alertness.
Then, in a flash, Yuuji lowered his body and exploded into immense speed to the left.
Kasamatsu and Kise immediately pivoted their heels and moved to block him. But in that moment, Yuuji stopped and bounced the ball in between his legs to his right hand.
'What…?'
The stop was… abrupt. Too abrupt. And as the two watched Yuuji's figure with eyes widened in shock, they could feel the momentum of their movement continue pushing them despite their will to stop, pushing them off balance.
Their bodies fell and landed onto the ground on their back.
Kise looked up with eyes filled with shock and disbelief. And for a moment, he swear he saw Akashi before him, looking down at him as he stood.
The sound of the basketball hitting and bouncing off the ground resounded, bringing Kise and Kasamatsu out of their daze. And they were just in time to see Yuuji dribbling past them, and took a shot, scoring yet another two points.
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Their efforts to double team Yuuji and limit his movements proved to be ineffective. In fact, rather than containing him, it gave Yuuji more leeway to pass to his other teammates, now that only three people were guarding his four teammates.
And even when he didn't pass, they were still overwhelmed by his speed and dribble.
'Dammit! It's like going against Aomine again…! Or even worse…!'
A combination of Aomine and Akashi… Honestly, even if they decided to add another person to guard Yuuji, Kise didn't know if it'd make a difference.
In the end… Kaijo decided to go all in on offense. With Kise being the tip of their spear and copying some of Yuuij's movements, they managed to score enough points to keep the game from being hopeless.
But even so, he didn't know how long he'd be able to keep this up.
Just copying him had taken up plenty of his stamina. His movements… are so swift, and impossibly refined and accurate. And oftentimes, his moves were simply a feat of pure physical prowess that he simply couldn't replicate.
And by the time the third quarter started, many members of the core team were exhausted.
The first years, who had substituted in, couldn't do anything in the face of Yuuji's plays. This time, he didn't even score personally. He was simply passing the ball and overwhelming them with fast breaks and tactics.
They could only run around the court in futile, trying their best to stop Bonyari, and run out of energy instead without being able to do anything.
And when the main team was subbed back in the fourth quarter, Yuuji began to play actively once more.
This time, however… Kaijo had marked him with Kasamatsu, Kise, and Moriyama. A triple-team defense against Yuuji.
And as Kise expected, nothing changed.
He began dribbling slowly, before rapidly changing his rhythm and tried dribbling past them. His movements were extremely quick and his dribbling was seamless.
Even with the three of them, they couldn't find any chance to steal the ball from his hands.
And just like before, with a sudden surge in speed, Yuuji charged forward, towards the three of them.
They braced for his charge and pivoted to their heels. And in that moment, Yuuji stopped and slipped the ball in between his legs, and made a step back.
'Kuh!! Again…?!'
Kise, Kasamatsu, and Moriyama all felt themselves losing balance and falling to their knees.
And they could only look up as Yuuji went into a shooting form, and made his shot from far outside the three-point line.
The ball flew into a beautiful arc. So high. Before it fell straight down to the net.
And in that moment, Kise realized something…
The feeling of dread he felt… It was the feeling that all his opponents… those who fought and struggled against the "Generation of Miracles"…
This feeling… of hopelessness… Of standing before an impossibly tall wall.
'He's… He's like all of us, combined…'
Even Kise himself couldn't believe what he was implying… But there's nothing else more apt to describe it.
He couldn't help but laugh… He didn't expect to find someone so absurd right here. In a school whose basketball team never seemed to be anything but average.
The game resumed, this time with the ball in Kaijo's possession.
"Pass!"
Kasamatsu made a chest pass and sent the ball directly towards Koji who was under the ring. He jumped, and this time as well, Yuuji appeared right before him.
'Kuh…! As expected. He's too fast! But…!'
Koji had expected this… He knew he wouldn't be able to escape his clutches even though he was under the ring long before Yuuji.
So he kept the ball in his hands… and passed it to Kise.
'Make it! Kise!'
With gritted teeth, Kise received the ball and leaped up high into the sky and towards the ring for a dunk.
But at that moment, Yuuji appeared once more before him. His figure, high in the sky, swallowing him in his shadow…
"Kuh!!"
With overwhelming force, Yuuji swatted the ball away from Kise's hands, slamming the ball onto the ground and bouncing high.
Kise fell to the ground on his back, his face grimacing from the pain and shock.
"Ah, I'm sorry. Are you okay?"
He looked up, and saw the monster of a man, holding his hand out for him.
And while he'd expect smugness or conceit to be in the eyes of someone who just completely destroyed him and slammed him onto the ground… Kise saw nothing of the sort when he looked up.
"O-Oh… Thanks…"
He instinctively took his hands, and he realized how truly strong Yuuji was when he was lifted up quite easily.
"Sorry about that. I might've gotten a bit too rough there. You were so fast."
"A-Ahahaha… No problem…"
Yuuji nodded softly with a smile, and tapped Kise on the shoulder, before he began running to his team.
As he left, Kise couldn't help but stare at Yuuji in silence…
And soon, the whistle signifying the end of the game resounded, with a score no one would've expected at the start of the game.
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