Both teams flooded onto the court like a tidal wave, the tension in the air nearly tangible.
Aomine's eyes burned with intensity, locked onto Midorima. His gaze wasn't just filled with excitement for the upcoming battle—it revealed his predatory instincts.
A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, almost imperceptible but undeniably menacing. He was like a beast ready to pounce, prepared to tear through any defense in his way.
As the game resumed, Aomine's aura engulfed the court like a storm. He closed his eyes, his muscles subtly trembling as he gathered power.
Then, in an instant, a raw, almost primal energy exploded from within him —an overwhelming presence that sent a suffocating pressure through the arena, making everyone acutely aware of the predator in their midst.
Aomine slowly opened his eyes, the wild gleam in them unmistakable. His voice was deep, steady, and dripping with confidence.
"You ready, Midorima?"
His figure blurred before the crowd's eyes, moving like a panther, his sharp gaze locked onto the players of Shutoku.
A chill crept up their spines, a primal fear triggered by his sheer dominance.
Midorima's expression grew serious. He knew that once Aomine entered this state, any defense could shatter in an instant.
He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, but Aomine's sheer presence was suffocating.
From the sidelines, Kise's expression turned grave. He could tell that this version of Aomine was even stronger than before. Under his breath, he muttered:
"Tch... Now things are really getting serious."
Kagami, meanwhile, was shaken to his core. Even back in the States, he had never felt a force like this. Aomine's overwhelming strength and presence filled him with both awe and apprehension.
Kuroko, standing silently nearby, remained expressionless. But deep down, he knew better than anyone—the moment Aomine unleashed his Animal Instinct, he became completely unstoppable.
Shiro shook his head, a hint of concern in his voice.
"Midorima's in for a rough time now."
Nijimura, hearing this, silently nodded in agreement. As a former top-tier power forward in middle school, even he had once been forced to admit defeat against Aomine.
Now, after an entire summer of growth and evolution, Aomine had fully unleashed his Animal Instinct. The storm he was about to unleash was beyond imagination.
With the start of the second quarter and Touou's offense, the game entered a fever pitch. Every player was fully locked in, bracing for the coming clash of power and strategy.
Sakurai inbounded the ball from the baseline, passing to Imayoshi, who then calmly orchestrated the play. Then, something unusual happened—Touou's four other players, except Aomine, all shifted to one side of the court.
"Wait, why does this spacing look so unbalanced?"
"No, that's intentional!"
Some spectators quickly caught on.
Kise smirked.
"ISO. It's a one-on-one isolation play. In basketball, it's when a team spreads the floor to give an ace player space to go one-on-one."
Nijimura nodded, his gaze serious.
"Exactly. The other four players clear out, leaving the ace with maximum room to work. It's a pure duel between the two aces."
Shiro rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, yeah, it's just an isolation play. No need to make it sound so dramatic."
On the court, the tension hit its peak. Aomine's eyes gleamed like a hunter's, locked onto Midorima, analyzing every subtle movement.
But Midorima didn't back down. His sharp gaze remained locked on Aomine, studying his offensive rhythm.
Then, in a flash, Aomine moved.
Like a bolt of lightning, he exploded forward. With a quick bam, the ball bounced lightly in his hands before—
He was gone.
Midorima's eyes widened.
"What—?!
In the blink of an eye, Aomine had blown past him, slicing through the defense like a gust of wind.
Takao's eyes went wide in disbelief.
"So fast! I didn't even see him move!"
Miyaji rushed over to help, arms wide like a defensive wall, trying to cut Aomine off.
But Aomine wasn't fazed in the slightest. With a swift crossover and a spin move, he effortlessly slipped past Miyaji's defense.
Then, he took off.
Soaring into the air, his body formed a perfect arc, ready to throw down a devastating dunk.
"Not happening!"
A voice rang out—it was Otsubo.
The Shutoku center had leaped with everything he had, arms fully outstretched to contest the dunk.
But stopping this Aomine?
Impossible.
In midair, Aomine twisted his body, executing a flawless 360-degree spin, completely avoiding Ootsubo's block.
All Otsubo could do was watch helplessly as Aomine slammed the ball through the hoop.
The entire stadium erupted.
The crowd leaped to their feet, gasping and cheering in sheer amazement.
"Unbelievable!"
"That was insane!"
Aomine's jaw-dropping athleticism and effortless skill had them completely mesmerized.
With that dunk, the scoreboard shifted—30:31.
Aomine had not only secured a crucial two points but also ignited the crowd's excitement to another level.
Now it was Shutoku's turn to attack. They swiftly set up their passing game, trying to break through Touou's defense.
But in the end, it all came down to Midorima vs. Aomine once again.
Shiro narrowed his eyes.
"Alright… This possession will determine the balance of the game."
If Aomine shut down Midorima here, Tōō would seize control.
Midorima locked eyes with Aomine. Though Aomine's presence was overwhelming, Midorima felt no fear.
Then, he made his move.
A quick pump fake.
Aomine's attention flickered upward—he knew better than anyone the danger of Midorima's three-point shot.
But in the next instant—
Midorima step-back dribbled and smoothly launched a three-pointer.