People connect with basketball in many different ways.
Some because of a game.
Some because of a single play.
Some, like Kise, initially tried it just to kill time and then fell in love with it deeply.
And Akashi.
His connection with basketball stemmed from his mother.
It was an afternoon.
While he was resting for afternoon tea, his mother brought a basketball before him.
For the first time since he was born, Akashi touched a toy outside of his "lessons."
That day.
He possessed the "childhood fun" that other kids had.
From then on, he played and practiced constantly.
The most profound image in Akashi's memory was every time he scored in a game.
When he looked back, his mother would be applauding on the sidelines, watching him.
He felt joy from the bottom of his heart; that was his happiest time.
Basketball and his mother became his spiritual pillars.
But...
Crack.
It was as if something shattered.
His mother's photo appeared at a funeral. Young Akashi stood before his mother's portrait in a daze, unable to recover from the blow.
His spiritual pillar had collapsed.
But his father gave him no comfort, nor time for grief.
As the sole heir to the Akashi conglomerate, the family would not allow him to stop moving forward.
"Perhaps from that time, my personality began to split in two."
The voice in the darkness was incredibly calm, yet Akashi felt a heavy hammer smash into his chest.
Facing "himself," all pretenses were meaningless; they shared the same memories.
Then.
The faces of his Teiko teammates appeared in his mind one by one.
Aomine, Murasakibara, Midorima, Kise, Kuroko, and even Haizaki...
Each one, every scene, was so vivid.
Then...
"The team's philosophy gradually shifted to victory above all else. Our victories became one of Teiko's recruitment billboards."
"But at the same time, everyone's talents began to bloom. The frightening speed of their growth gradually made me feel I couldn't control them, breeding fear."
"And... the anxiety of being left behind by them."
The decisive impact came from a one-on-one with Atsushi Murasakibara.
Facing the awakened talent of Murasakibara, Akashi felt fear and powerlessness for the second time in his life.
"It wasn't just because Murasakibara defeated me, but because he pointed out that my growth could no longer keep up with their evolution."
The two of them, like outsiders, traveled back to that afternoon.
Watching his former self being thrashed by Murasakibara, powerless to do anything.
"So, I was born!"
At this moment, the arrogant Akashi couldn't help but speak.
"I ruled them once again! An unparalleled two consecutive national championships! Flawless victories! I am absolute!"
"You just need to stay here forever!"
"I thought so at first." The voice in the darkness grew closer. Akashi could feel the other self walking out of the dark.
He backed away in fear, telling the other self to return to that "corner."
"But, I increasingly cannot accept the team becoming fragmented like shattered glass."
His teammates' arguments—he heard them all.
Those things more important than victory were falling apart because of him.
Friendship!
This was what Akashi had been pursuing all along.
"I will not allow such a thing to happen, even if that person is myself!"
The other Akashi walked completely out of the darkness.
And Akashi?
Hearing these words, he stopped backing away, as if accepting his fate.
They could never ignore those special friends...
Outside, Midorima was still arguing with Murasakibara.
Kise and the others were trying to mediate, while Aomine watched silently.
And Akashi.
When he opened his eyes again, both pupils were the same color.
"Alright, Midorima... and Murasakibara."
He told the two to stop fighting.
Hearing this.
Midorima, Murasakibara, and the others all looked his way.
They keenly felt that something was different about Akashi, but they couldn't say exactly what.
It was a tacit understanding developed through long battles side-by-side.
"Akashi?"
"Aka-chin?"
"Akashi-cchi?"
Aomine finally turned his head. His instincts were sharper; he was certain something had happened to Akashi, though he didn't know the details.
"Sorry to show you such a sight," Akashi looked at his group of friends apologetically, then said to the coach, "Please believe in me one more time."
"Akashi... but you..."
He wanted to say, the current you is less useful than a substitute.
"No problem. We will achieve the three-peat. We will defeat Yuuto."
Beep~
Timeout over.
Akashi led the Teiko Five back onto the court.
Momoi's eyes had been wide open since earlier.
She had been thinking about how Akashi differed from before.
Only when they left did Momoi wake up as if from a dream.
"The way he refers to himself... changed..."
...
The match continued.
Homi Academy's iron army marched onto the court aggressively.
Teiko's possession.
Akashi brought the ball past half-court to the top of the key.
Upon the first contact, Yuuto's eyes widened.
There was no evidence to prove it, but he was almost certain: this Akashi was not the one he knew from before.
"Nice to meet you, Yuuto!"
"I am Seijuro Akashi!"
Nice to meet you?
What on earth is this guy talking about?
The Homi Academy players had no idea what that sentence meant.
Only Haizaki and Kuroko widened their eyes, seemingly realizing something too.
Then.
The domain of the Emperor Eye expanded again, encompassing everyone on the court within its vision.
A crossover between the legs followed by a spin—smooth as flowing water.
But such an offense was not enough to shake Yuuto's defense.
He took a step forward, blocking Akashi's path.
"Wonderful prediction. You really are strong, Yuuto. Perhaps even stronger than Aomine, but..."
Akashi revealed a smile that felt like a spring breeze.
No longer the formulaic smile learned in etiquette class, but like the first ray of sunlight in early spring.
Whoosh~
The basketball left Akashi's control, flying toward Shintaro Midorima.
It seemed like an ordinary pass.
But the moment Midorima caught it, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up.
That comfortable tactile sensation—it was his most comfortable, most ideal shooting state.
His body jumped involuntarily and launched the ball.
"Ohh!"
The basketball fell like a meteorite, passing through the net and smashing heavily onto the floor.
...
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