Suddenly, Watanabe's eyes widened as a bone-chilling cold washed over him, freezing him in place. He couldn't believe such an intimidating aura could come from a single person.
Smack!
Shiro intercepted the ball before Watanabe could even look back.
Shiro then quickly advanced to half-court, holding the ball with both hands, flicked his wrist, and smoothly launched a shot. The ball sailed through the air in a perfect arc and went straight through the net.
84:87
Teiko had once again taken the lead.
"What was that?" The players on the court tried to lock eyes with Shiro, searching for anything that might explain this shift, but all they felt from his icy gaze was a sharp, predatory intensity.
Shiro's aura only grew stronger, white streaks of lightning crackling at the edges of his eyes, becoming so vivid they seemed almost tangible.
"This…this is the Zone!" Coach Shirogane, a seasoned observer, leapt to his feet in shock, his wide eyes fixed on Shiro. He muttered, "He's awakened the Zone at just 13? Impossible!"
Known for his composure, Shirogane was visibly rattled.
"Coach, what is the Zone?" one of the bench players asked curiously.
"I remember Shiro telling me about it" Momoi answered quickly.
"The Zone is a rare state that only a few naturally gifted players can access. It allows them to max out every physical attribute—strength, speed, reflexes, vision—pushing their entire potential to its limits. In the Zone, a player reaches an 'off-the-charts' level, moving and playing with such precision and speed that it's almost impossible to defend against them."
"Exactly" Shirogane added.
"Normally, players can only access about 80% of their potential. But in the Zone, they achieve 100% or even more, achieving a level of performance far beyond their usual. It's nearly impossible to defend against someone in the Zone"
"I never expected Shiro to unlock the Zone at this age. He's truly exceptional" Shirogane remarked, amazed.
"Shiro, you're amazing! I can't wait to challenge you one-on-one again!" Aomine said, looking at him with such admiration it was almost comical.
Sensing Aomine's intent, Momoi turned to him and sighed "No, Daiki, Coach said you two can't play one-on-one anymore!"
Aomine pouted but reluctantly returned his attention to the game.
Meanwhile, Shiro's sheer presence put immense pressure on everyone. Kawamura, despite his fear, dribbled forward, keeping his composure as best as he could. He passed the ball to Mibuchi, knowing it wasn't the right moment to involve Watanabe.
Smack!
Unnoticed, Shiro intercepted the pass, then bolted down the court in a white blur, reaching the three-point line and shooting before Rokko players could even react. He was already halfway back on defense when the ball swished through the net.
84:90
"No way! How's that possible?"
"This guy's a monster!"
"Shiro is amazing!" Fans chanted, "MVP! MVP!"
But Shiro was unfazed, intensifying his offense and putting up an impenetrable defense.
Snap!
The crisp sound rang out, seeming to break the silence of the entire arena. Shiro had suddenly appeared in Kawamura's passing path, his speed like lightning, leaving no chance to react.
In that instant, Watanabe was oblivious to Shiro's movement. He stood in shock, his face full of disbelief.
The game then settled into an eerie rhythm. Whenever Rokko tried to mount an offense, the usually lively court fell silent. The paint was locked down by an unseen force, no player, not even Hachimura, could score inside. They resorted to desperate three-point shots, but their success rate was abysmal, and Rokko's morale was plummeting.
Shiro, now fully in the Zone, escalated his attack. He locked eyes with Watanabe Yuta, easily blowing by him with a sharp crossover, then calmly pulled up and sank a jump shot.
Next, Shiro forced a switch on defense between Watanabe and Mibuchi. Facing Mibuchi's defense, he unleashed the signature double step-back, creating space before confidently draining a three-pointer and drawing a foul!
Shiro then targeted Nebuya, nailing beautiful fadeaways in the style of Kobe Bryant, repeatedly leaving his defender helpless.
Even Kawamura, the point guard, couldn't escape. Shiro blitzed through the defense, weaving past Hachimura with a flurry of moves before delivering a monstrous dunk, leaving Hachimura as mere backdrop.
Shiro was in peak form, displaying every skill and move in his arsenal. Singlehandedly, he dismantled Rokko's defense.
Not a single player could slow him down. Even double- or triple-teaming him failed to make an impact on Shiro, who continued his assault with unstoppable dominance.