"Wow, did Hyuga just pull off Allen's move from the Jabberwock?"
Ogiwara blurted out, wide-eyed with surprise, watching Hyuga execute a move they all knew well.
"Even if that guy was a bit slower, that's definitely the Barrier Jump," Mochizuki remarked, his face showing a serious reaction to the unexpected sight.
He couldn't believe someone from Seirin could pull off a move like that.
"They seem to be trying to mess with the game's speed, huh?" Nijimura remarked, watching the ongoing match with interest.
In that instant, the dynamics shifted, and now it was all about scoring three-pointers.
Kuroko observed the game intently.
His gaze focused on the reliable figure of his teammate, pondering, "...Midorima managed to break my Vanishing Drive. It wouldn't be surprising if Aomine could do the same."
His attention then shifted to Aomine, who was under close scrutiny from Kagami. Taking a deep breath, Kuroko couldn't help but crack a small smile.
"...Looks like I gotta step up my game too," he mumbled.
Kuroko then got to his feet, surprising the other freshmen. Aida noticed this and watched as Kuroko approached her. She widened her eyes a bit, noticing the change from Kuroko's gloomy expression to one of determination.
"What's the matter, Kuroko?"
"Coach, I've got a plan..." Kuroko said firmly.
On the other side, Momoi closely followed the game as the referee finally blew the whistle, signaling the end of the first quarter. Both teams returned to their benches, gearing up for the second quarter.
She had Hyuga's stats in her hand, carefully going through them.
Harasawa inquired, "How was it?"
Momoi nodded, answering Harasawa's question.
She then turned to Sakurai and explained, "Sakurai, in the next quarter, don't get fooled by his upper body. Focus on Hyuga's pivoting foot. If you catch that, you can respond better..."
Facing the group, she told everyone, "Kuroko doesn't give up easily, so he'll probably be back on the court..."
She then turned to Susa, their Small Forward, and asked, "Did you check?"
Susa grinned and nodded in response to Momoi's question. Momoi returned the smile and looked at Imayoshi, saying, "If he does make a comeback this time, Captain, I'll need you to do what we've prepared for him..."
If everything went as planned, Kuroko's misdirection wouldn't be effective on the court. Imayoshi opened his eyes with a small smile, "Got it. I'll make sure to handle it well..."
Aomine scratched his head in annoyance. "...This is getting boring."
Even though Kagami was a formidable opponent, Aomine realized he wouldn't enjoy the game if it played out according to his team's unimpressive strategy.
"...As expected, there is no one like you, Tsuna," Aomine muttered, glaring at Fukuda Sogo in the audience.
Meanwhile, on Seirin's bench. All eyes widened as Kuroko shared his plans for the second quarter.
"...We can't do that too soon," Kiyoshi said, frowning.
He glanced at Kuroko and added, "If we follow your plan now, you'll be exhausted before the second quarter wraps up."
"We also understand that," Aida replied to Kiyoshi.
She was well aware that implementing Kuroko's strategy would strain his delicate physique. That's why she had assured Kuroko they'd only resort to his plan if the situation took a turn for the worse.
Kagami stared at Kuroko in disbelief, his expression showing it all. "...He'd do that much for the team, huh?"
"I'm in, too. I'll give it my all," Kagami thought, determined.
Seirin opted to stick to their initial plan.
Before long, the second quarter kicked off, with both teams ready on the court. Imayoshi got the ball, made his move, and then passed it to Aomine.
"...Missing your shadow, Kagami?" Aomine said, dribbling at a slow pace. Aomine could tell that Kagami felt the heat, especially without Kuroko on the court.
Kagami frowned, loosening up his stance and tapping into his beast instincts. Aomine smirked, sensing the tension, then swiftly shifted his pace, leaving the crowd in an uproar.
He zipped past Kagami's defense in a flash, taunting, "You're not there yet, Kagami. Without your shadow, what can you do against me?"
However, he felt an unexpected jab at the ball clutched in his hand, a sensation that momentarily disrupted his advance.
Halting his steps abruptly, Aomine instinctively sidestepped to evade the jab. As he pivoted, his gaze met with the sight of Kagami's outstretched hand, a daring attempt to pilfer the ball from his grasp.
Seizing the momentary pause, Kagami swiftly closed the distance between them, returning to the familiar position they had occupied just moments before.
The court seemed to shrink around them as the two players locked into a high-stakes dance.
"...I took back what I've said, Kagami," Aomine grinned, his competitive instinct kicking into high gear. He dribbled the ball with unparalleled agility, each movement a calculated challenge to Kagami.
The court buzzed with intensive energy as Kagami shadowed Aomine's every move.
"You're not bad at all!"
Aomine's excitement reverberated through the court, a testament to the exhilarating exchange unfolding before the mesmerized spectators.
As they navigated the court, Aomine reached Seirin's baseline. Kagami gritted his teeth in frustration as he noticed Aomine's intentions.
With an unconventional leap, Aomine propelled himself out of the baseline, adopting an unorthodox form. With uncanny precision, he released the ball from behind the baseline, the shot soaring through the air and finding its mark in the basket from an unexpected angle.
The crowd erupted into cheers, the dazzling display of skill and strategy leaving them in awe.
"Goddammit! Such an annoying trick!"
Watching Aomine effortlessly pull off his formless shot, Hyuga couldn't help but express his frustration with a tongue click.
Seirin took control of the ball, cautiously trying to move forward. Too Academy's tight defense was putting immense pressure on them, making Izuki, who had possession of the ball, furrow his brow.
"...Too Academy is truly living up to their reputation. It seems we have to rely on you right now, Hyuga!"
With Sakurai shadowing him closely, Izuki had no other option but to pass the ball to Hyuga.
Snatching the ball, Hyuga felt a sudden jolt of alarm when he noticed Sakurai scrutinizing his every move, making him think in frustration, "...Did they really figure out the key that quickly!?"
Despite the nagging doubt, there was no time to hesitate. Hyuga swiftly stepped back, going for his jump shot. As anticipated, Sakurai shadowed his every move, leaving Hyuga staring in disbelief as he went for the shot, only to be blocked by Sakurai.
"No way! They can shut that down too?"
The Seirin team, just as astonished, watched in disbelief, letting out their exclamations.
As the game progressed, Seirin noticed that while Kagami could contribute some points, they were still at a disadvantage. Relying solely on Kagami only created an imbalance in their ability to keep up with Too Academy.
Helplessly, they watched Too Academy take the lead on the scoreboard, 36 - 29.
But when Too Academy added another point with Aomine's unpredictable shot, the referee blew the whistle, signaling a substitution. This made Seirin players turn to the familiar figure as their expressions changed.
Their attention shifted solely to Kuroko, his presence bringing a glimmer of hope to the team. Seeing the optimism reflected on their faces, Kuroko smiled.
"Let's turn the tables..."
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