"So fast!!!"
Even Akashi was shocked by this scene.
Because he realized that Seirin's ball movement at this moment was even faster than the Emperor Eye—it might have actually reached the level where it could break through the Emperor Eye's predictions.
"Seirin reacting instantaneously is certainly surprising, but how are they able to synchronize so seamlessly with Kagami's movements?"
He couldn't figure it out.
Even Akashi's brain couldn't fathom how ordinary players could match the pace of Kagami in the Zone.
After all, this was something even Team Zone hadn't achieved.
"Matching Kagami's movements..."
Wait!
Akashi's eyes suddenly widened. "Could the true Zone actually be..."
His expression turned to shock.
Meanwhile, on the court, Seirin had already penetrated deep into Seihō's territory through rapid-fire passing.
"This is terrifying!"
Even Yuuto found this troublesome.
Seirin's current playstyle gave him the feeling of Barcelona's peak tiki-taka football.
Through small-area combinations and rapid passing, they constantly shifted the ball.
Pass after pass, and the opponent's defensive line would be torn to shreds before anyone even knew where the ball was.
Even more terrifying—even Yuuto's processing speed couldn't keep up with Seirin's offensive rhythm.
It was simply too fast, conducting like electricity.
Slap!
Slap!
Slap!
The basketball kept passing through Seirin players' hands. In one possession, all five players touched the ball.
This was what Spurs patriarch Gregg Popovich dreamed of—the ideal form of team basketball.
"Don't even think about getting through!"
Iwamura and Ōmuro stepped up together, blocking Kagami's path.
Kiyoshi Teppei voluntarily cleared to the wing, leaving all the space for Kagami.
Then—
He quietly waited for Kagami to pass.
"Thinking too much won't let you keep up with Kagami's speed. Don't overthink it—just trust your instincts."
"You can do it. Believe in the bond between us!"
Slap!
As he spoke, Kagami fired the ball toward Kiyoshi with force.
The close-range power pass was sudden and fast—even if you reacted, there was nothing you could do.
However—
Kiyoshi Teppei was already prepared. The instant the ball arrived, he redirected it with a gentle push.
The basketball shot skyward. At that moment, Kagami had just used two quick steps to blow past both Iwamura and Ōmuro.
Jump.
Catch.
Slam.
The entire sequence could only be described as lightning-fast. From initiation to finish, it seemed like no time had passed at all!
Even Yuuto couldn't stop it. Though his brain's processing speed had caught up, even seeing it, he couldn't react in time.
BOOM~!
The arena erupted again. This beautiful brand of basketball had mesmerized the fans. It took a moment before the massive roar erupted.
"Great play!"
Seirin's bench came alive again, cheering loudly.
And Kagami and his teammates?
No celebration. They immediately turned back on defense.
They were racing against time!
Their defensive alignment didn't change—still one-on-one pressure defense.
"But where's Kuroko?"
Akashi noticed Kuroko's position—far from Kagami, leaving Yuuto to Kagami alone.
This was Seirin's original strategy, unchanged.
Yet an indescribable pressure emanated from Seirin.
Every member of Seihō felt it clearly.
This shouldn't be possible.
No matter how strong their will, it shouldn't manifest like this. Seirin's other players hadn't even broken their 80% limiters.
They turned their gazes to Yuuto, seeking answers from him.
But they saw Yuuto charge forward without a word, attacking Seirin's defensive line.
In a one-on-one matchup, Kagami was no match for Yuuto.
He was terrifyingly strong. Within the white steam, golden light radiated. Through the vapor, he attacked at high speed—his ruthlessly efficient style overwhelmed everyone.
But the next second—
Seirin's help defense arrived perfectly.
In this moment, their coordination was as if they were one person, all of them matching the game's rhythm.
"They let me in on purpose, surrounding me with a trap that was ready from the start.
Not bad, Zone!"
Yuuto had long known what the Zone's second gate was, but experiencing it firsthand was completely different.
With just a glance, they could read each other. Everyone synchronized with Kagami's offense and defense—comparable to Pain from Naruto, six bodies controlled by one mind.
No, it was even beyond Nagato, because Kuroko and the others were voluntarily matching Kagami.
But it still wasn't enough!
Yuuto showed no fear. His speed didn't decrease as he continued attacking Seirin's defense.
Hyūga Junpei, Izuki Shun, and Kagami Taiga—three defenders converged front and back.
Yuuto's Demon Eyes snapped open. He made a shoulder-drop feint, then completely skipped the crossover, slipping through like a phantom.
"This monster—even this can't stop him?!" Seirin's bench players felt like they were going insane.
But just when they thought Yuuto would score, Kuroko emerged once more.
"The quasi-Emperor Eye?! It works on Seirin's other players too?!"
Murasakibara and the others were stunned. Could he actually see all his teammates' movements across the entire court?
Kuroko gave everything, reaching out to slap at the basketball in Yuuto's hands.
"Beautiful strike. The timing, the spacing—everything perfectly judged!"
Yuuto offered a word of praise, his composure unbroken, only increasing the pressure on everyone.
He flicked his wrist, and the ball vanished from his hands, landing with Kasuga Ryuhei.
"What a freak!" People's scalps went numb.
Just watching made their brains tremble. Seirin's defense had been virtually airtight.
Yet Yuuto still found the gap.
Seirin had sent four people to defend him!
Unfortunately—
Kasuga Ryuhei couldn't convert. Kiyoshi Teppei decisively abandoned his man to help, forcing Kasuga to pass to Iwamura.
Then—
Iwamura's dunk attempt was chased down by Kagami.
They didn't stop for a moment. The entire team was in constant motion. It was precisely this movement that had allowed them to defend even that level of attack.
The next second, Seirin's fast break was already underway.
"They even defended that monster's pass!" Takao Kazunari gaped.
This Seirin was honestly a bit frightening.
Even Shūtoku, renowned nationally for tactical execution, looked like children compared to Seirin right now.
"What on earth is this?!"
Rakuzan's players stared wide-eyed, completely unable to comprehend.
"Synchronizing movements to 100% with just a glance at teammates, forming ultra-high-speed coordination that matches Zone-state Kagami's rhythm."
"Linked Zone!"
Akashi provided the answer.
At this point in the game, even he had no absolute confidence.
Seirin's hope of victory hadn't vanished—if anything, it had grown.
"So that's how it is..."
Meanwhile, in the stands, Aomine suddenly covered his eyes and laughed. Everyone looked at him strangely.
Then Imayoshi turned to see Aomine laughing until tears streamed down his face.
"No wonder I couldn't open it. I destroyed it with my own hands!"
He'd finally figured out what was happening.
That was the Zone's second gate.
There was no so-called gatekeeper blocking his entry. That person had always been his partner.
Boom!
While they spoke, Kagami had once again overpowered Yuuto for a dunk.
"My strength alone can't defeat you! But I'm not fighting alone—I'm fighting alongside my comrades!"
He spun around, roaring at Yuuto. The gap had been cut to around 30 points again.
If they could reduce it to under 20 before the fourth quarter began, Seirin would still have a chance!
Even though he was exhausted, having come this far, they would keep running until they collapsed completely.
"Fighting alongside comrades? That's just the Zone's second gate."
!!!
At these words, Kise and the others froze in place.
This was something neither Akashi nor Aomine had ever achieved—something that had only truly revealed itself today.
Could he possibly...
"Don't make that face. I can't enter the second gate, and I don't intend to."
Yuuto's voice was cold as ice. In the haze, Kagami seemed to see him close his eyes. When they reopened—that gentle golden radiance within Yuuto's irises was suddenly dispersed.
Crackle~
Silver-white lightning erupted from his eyes.
"Zone?!"
"No, wait—this feeling!"
Akashi strained with his Emperor Eye, trying to see through Yuuto, but found he could see nothing.
The white steam dissipated, replaced by a pure white radiance that enveloped Yuuto's entire body, including his hair—holy as an angel.
Yet the cold lightning blazing in his eyes made even a single glance feel like plunging into an abyss.
"What... is this?!"
"Angel Mode!"
Sora declared proudly to Momoi.
...
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