The streetball court was shrouded in darkness, and a red-haired teenager, Kagami, was catching his breath on the ground, sweat glistening on his forehead.
"Alex, do you think I'm strong enough to take on those guys now?"
Kagami asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
Beside him, Alexandra, his mentor, paused, lost in thought as she considered the incredible skills of the Generation of Miracles.
"...I'd say you've got a better shot now. And if you can truly grasp what I've been teaching you, you might stand a chance against them," she said, her words reflecting the progress Kagami had made in the past week.
Kagami couldn't help but chuckle at her uncertainty, understanding that even Alexandra couldn't be entirely certain.
"As expected, I have to reach that zone you talked about to take them down, right?"
Kagami raised his hand above his head, his fiery determination evident in his eyes as he clenched his fist. Alexandra remained silent. She knew that someone with Kagami's unwavering passion for basketball had a good shot at entering the zone.
"Nevertheless, I'll keep on training. When I go up against that guy again, I'll come out on top!" Kagami declared, referring to Aomine, and then stood up to retrieve the basketball from the ground.
Alexandra had a warm smile on her face as she observed Kagami. She had come to regard him as a little brother, and she was pleased to see him enjoying his efforts to reach his goal.
With the ball in his hands, Kagami looked at Alexandra curiously and asked, "I know you're Fukuda Sogo's coach. So, I assume you know Kazama better than I do. I'm curious, do you think I can defeat him?"
Kagami couldn't help but think about Tsuna's victory over Aomine, someone Kagami had struggled to beat. That victory alone elevated Tsuna's skills to be above Aomine's in Kagami's eyes, and he was eager to understand the extent of Tsuna's abilities.
Upon hearing Kagami's question, Alexandra was caught off guard.
Her smile disappeared as she thought about Tsuna's capabilities. Alexandra had never witnessed Tsuna's full potential so she couldn't be certain. Yet, she couldn't fathom Tsuna losing, even to the Generation of Miracles.
Taking a deep breath, Alexandra looked at Kagami with a serious expression.
She said, "You still have a long journey ahead to reach his level."
Kagami's eyes opened wide with surprise. He clutched the basketball firmly, unable to conceal his beaming smile. Excitement danced in his gaze as he absorbed the reality of the moment.
"I'm so glad I returned to Japan. This is truly exhilarating!" Kagami exclaimed, his voice brimming with enthusiasm.
Back in the present game, Kagami's elation shone through his wide grin.
Kuroko couldn't help but notice a striking similarity between Kagami's excitement and Aomine's demeanor during their time at Teiko.
As Seirin notched another score, Kagami approached Kiyoshi.
Kagami turned to Kiyoshi and asked, "Senior Kiyoshi, can I take on Midorima by myself?"
Kiyoshi appeared taken aback, scratching his head in contemplation. He was unsure how to respond, considering the coach's strategy.
"Um, I don't know if the coach will approve..." he began, but his words trailed off. Kagami's intense determination and the spark in his eyes made it difficult for Kiyoshi to refuse.
With a smile, he relented, "Alright, Kagami, you've got this. We'll trust you to handle him."
"Thanks!"
Kagami expressed his gratitude and returned to his position, while Kiyoshi moved to his own spot.
Hyuga approached Kiyoshi, a bit confused, and inquired about the change. Kiyoshi confidently reassured him that Kagami could handle it. Their coach, Aida, took note of the exchange.
When she exchanged glances with Kiyoshi, he offered a comforting smile as usual.
Observing Kagami, who seemed more composed than his usual fiery self, she shook her head in wonder and quietly murmured, "Let's see what you're trying to pull off this time, Kagami."
Shutoku couldn't help but notice the change in Kagami and exchanged concerned looks. Midorima, in particular, felt a heightened sense of wariness.
He remained calm, waiting for the game to resume.
He glanced at Kuroko and then at Kagami, his suspicion growing.
"There's something going on," he thought, "but I can't figure it out. Regardless, you've just made things easier for me."
With Takao passing him the ball, Midorima immediately went into his shooting motion.
Kagami quickly moved to close the distance between him and Midorima.
However, Midorima was surprised as Kagami didn't jump immediately; he seemed to be waiting for the right moment. Midorima took his shot while jumping, thinking, "I can't miss this opportunity just because I'm unsure of his plan."
Kagami also jumped, but it appeared he might have been a bit late, as his attempt to block Midorima's shot didn't succeed.
"I'm not quite sure what your plan is," Midorima said as he adjusted his glasses. He watched as the ball smoothly sailed into the basket and continued, "But whatever it is, I won't wait around for it."
Kagami simply nodded in response and returned to his position on defense to restart the game.
Midorima found this reaction surprising, considering Kagami's fiery nature and would typically have a comeback. This unexpected change in Kagami's demeanor heightened Midorima's sense of unease.
As the game pressed on, Shutoku began to take the lead, with Midorima's shots finding their mark once again.
As Midorima kept taking shots, he began to sense an unusual feeling creeping over him, and Kagami's defensive pressure seemed to grow with each moment.
The entire Seirin team had unwavering faith in Kagami, who persevered with unwavering determination.
Kuroko, who had complete trust in Kagami, also observed that with each failed attempt, Kagami's smile and excitement grew wider.
"...They both really look alike," This transformation reminded him of Aomine, and he saw a hint of Aomine's former spirit in Kagami's determination.
"The game isn't favoring Seirin right now," Kise remarked, watching from the sidelines.
Momoi and Nijimura exchanged nods as they noticed that Seirin had altered their strategy during the match, seemingly in response to a player's decision. Their coach appeared surprised and hadn't called a timeout.
"I don't get why their coach hasn't called for a timeout," Momoi quietly pondered.
Tsuna observed the situation with a calm smile.
With the ball in his hands, Midorima sensed intense pressure coming from Kagami as he prepared to take a shot.
Their eyes met, and Midorima couldn't shake the feeling that he was facing a predator patiently waiting for the right moment to strike.
He tried to dismiss this uneasy sensation and jumped to take his shot. But in an instant, Kagami, with incredible precision, leaped up to block Midorima's attempt.
Midorima's eyes widened with disbelief as a hand expertly thwarted his shot.
"Could that have been just luck?"
Hyuga questioned, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Kagami had timed his jump accurately, precisely when Midorima could not alter his move and fake a shot.
It was a level of precision that left everyone astounded.
Players from both teams stared at Kagami in amazement, and without missing a beat, Kagami sprinted after the blocked ball, launching an immediate counterattack.
Shutoku swiftly moved to halt Kagami's progress. Midorima reacted just as quickly, joining the pursuit of Kagami.
Yet, Kagami, displaying an uncharacteristic composure and a calm intensity in his eyes, effortlessly evaded their defensive efforts as he headed for a dunk.
Anticipating Kagami's intention to dunk, Midorima didn't chase Kagami directly but instead moved towards the basket. As Kagami leaped for the dunk, Midorima was already in the position to block it.
But much to Midorima's horror, Kagami appeared to have foreseen his arrival.
Kagami fixed him with a cold, calculating gaze as he subtly adjusted his posture mid-air and executed a double-clutch maneuver.
"...What on earth?"
Takao couldn't contain his astonishment, loudly expressing his shock. The Shutoku players mirrored his disbelief, their eyes fixed on Kagami in awe.
Shutoku's Coach stood up in shock, his gaze locked on Kagami. Seirin's Coach, Aida, was equally taken aback, her hand covering her mouth in amazement.
Meanwhile, Kise and Nijimura, well-acquainted with the intense pressure Kagami was emanating, couldn't help but exclaim, "He's tapping into his beastly instincts!?"
Title: Kagami's Awakening!
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