The arena for the Vorpal Swords match was the grandest they'd seen yet, a colossal dome with tiers of light and sound. This wasn't just a conference game; it was a Season Kick-Off Event.
The Vorpal Swords took the court—a collection of the finest talents from the Kuroko universe. The aura was different from Teikō's cold perfection. This was polished, professional, and explosively versatile.
And then there was Midorima. On their very first possession, he received a pass just over the half-court line. Without a dribble, he elevated. The arc was a perfect, maddening parabola that seemed to defy physics. The ball sailed over Renz's desperate, leaping contest and swished through the net without touching the rim.
3-0.
It was a statement. Flowstate's defense, honed against the best of Slam Dunk, was already obsolete.
The game became a brutal lesson. For every hard-earned basket from Flowstate—a driving layup by Renz, a post move by Teo—the Vorpal Swords had an effortless answer. Aomine scored with impossible acrobatics. Kagami powered through contact. And Midorima kept firing from a different area code.
Flowstate fought, as they always did. They never gave up. But they were playing checkers against a team playing chess. The final score was a stark reflection of the gap: Vorpal Swords 98, Flowstate 78.
As the teams shook hands, the respect was there, but it was the respect given to a promising junior. They had been measured, and found wanting.