Kuroko's return to the court seemed to breathe life back into Seirin.
He'd even matched Kagami's rhythm during the game, completing an alley-oop together.
The prototype of the Zone's second gate?
Yuuto's eyes narrowed slightly.
In the original story, this game had also been full of surprises.
The most notable, of course, was the Zone's second gate.
After Kagami Taiga's state reached 100%, he couldn't improve any further. But when he pushed open that second gate, all of Seirin synchronized with his rhythm, executing an impossibly fast-paced offense alongside him.
The power of trust!
That was the original explanation.
However, Yuuto had already prepared for this.
Seihō's offensive possession.
The gap had shrunk to 27 points. Since Kuroko entered the game, Seirin had been on a continuous scoring run.
And Yuuto?
He remained unshaken, once again dribbling up to face Kuroko and Kagami.
Thump!
Yuuto made another micro-adjustment to his movements. To the eye, it didn't look much different, but the feeling it gave Kuroko and Kagami was completely changed.
The instant Yuuto drove forward, Kuroko and Kagami simultaneously lunged in two directions, sealing off every path.
Then—
They succeeded, shutting down Yuuto's attack once more.
Was Yuuto's invincible legend about to be shattered today?
Many found it hard to believe, but it was truly happening right before their eyes.
The seemingly invincible Lion King of Okukozome had his offense stifled repeatedly.
A kind of pressure arose—pressure he hadn't felt even against Akashi or Aomine.
Of course, compared to the past, this level of pressure was nothing to Yuuto.
Whoosh~
Yuuto streaked forward like a beam of light in pursuit, simultaneously marking both Kuroko and Kagami, completely disrupting their coordinated plays.
Kuroko and Kagami moved as one, charging at Yuuto together.
At the moment of contact, they split left and right again. Kagami tapped the ball toward Kuroko, who immediately redirected it toward the basket.
Without his Misdirection, Kuroko's passing skills remained intact.
This pass was flawless—the most comfortable delivery for Kagami.
And Yuuto—
He chased all the way to the paint, one hand sweeping across to intercept the ball's trajectory.
But Kagami changed from a dunk to a layup, softly dropping the ball into the basket.
25 points!
Seirin had gone on a 9-0 run.
Their momentum was surging. They celebrated loudly, encouraging each other.
On the sideline, Yamashita Shigeo considered calling a timeout. Seirin's morale had become almost terrifying. But Yuuto shook his head—no need.
Seihō's advantage was still substantial. It wasn't time to make changes yet.
He took the ball again and charged at Kuroko and Kagami.
Their consecutive successes had boosted Kuroko and Kagami's confidence even further.
The gap in court vision between Kagami and Yuuto had been filled by Kuroko. The power they generated together was immeasurable.
Even Akashi and Aomine in the stands weren't confident they could break through their partnership.
But Yuuto charged straight ahead anyway.
Brilliant golden light erupted from his body. The basketball thundered between his hands like lightning. Even against two defenders, both could feel the immense pressure.
And this was only the beginning.
As the game progressed, Yuuto grew stronger with each exchange. His drives became sharper, his combat power somehow increasing even further.
At any moment, he might skip past a major move with a feint, keeping Kagami's nerves wound tight, unable to relax.
In the north stands, Seihō's fans never stopped roaring.
They didn't believe Yuuto could be defeated, even with two opponents before him.
And Yuuto didn't disappoint them.
He suddenly split into two, simultaneously attacking Kuroko and Kagami's defense.
Kagami made his read, but immediately realized he'd been fooled. Yuuto executed a lightning-quick step-back to the three-point line and released in one fluid motion.
Splash!
The three-pointer dropped. Kuroko and Kagami's defense had finally been breached.
"He finally scored! Though he still hasn't directly broken through Kuroko and Kagami's defense."
"But it's only a matter of time!"
Since Yuuto had started scoring, breaking through Kuroko and Kagami's defense was inevitable.
Aomine, Midorima—they'd all faced Yuuto and knew how terrifying he was.
On the other end—
It wasn't just defense where Yuuto was scoring. His defensive pressure on them had also intensified.
Kuroko and Kagami's seamless coordination sent the basketball flying into the paint in a dizzying display. Kagami slammed it down—a thunderous dunk.
But as he landed, his expression grew even more grave.
Faster than before...
He'd been that close to having his dunk swatted away by Yuuto.
26 points!
The situation remained absolutely unfavorable for Seirin. They had to contain Yuuto.
At this moment, Seirin desperately wished Yuuto would pass to his Seihō teammates. That way, they could at least use their tenacity and fighting spirit to defend.
But Yuuto didn't. He shouldered the entire offensive burden alone.
No one on Seihō had any complaints. This was a star's moment!
All of Seihō believed Yuuto was invincible. Everyone else just needed to focus on their own "job."
Yuuto attacked again.
This time, Kuroko and Kagami felt even more pressure, wary of Yuuto's superhuman step-back.
They gave everything to stop this Lion King.
But—
They saw no fluctuation whatsoever on Yuuto's golden visage. His composure was almost frightening.
Once more, he made a step-back motion, seemingly retreating.
Then they saw Yuuto suddenly change direction mid-step-back, accelerating past Kagami's flank.
In this situation, even Kuroko was helpless.
Though his quasi-Emperor Eye could observe Kagami's future movements, the help he could provide was limited—far inferior to the genuine article.
He could only make simple lateral movements. Once Kagami lunged forward to defend, was he supposed to retreat?
Kuroko still made the correct judgment, positioning himself in Yuuto's path.
However—
Hum~
The red Dead Point bloomed.
He was too weak. In a one-on-one situation, Yuuto could see Kuroko's Dead Point the moment he opened his eyes.
Yuuto ignored him completely, accelerating straight through.
"Stop right there, Yuuto!" Kagami roared, spinning around to give chase.
In the Zone, he was truly powerful—capable of contending with Yuuto.
But—
"This way, Kagami loses his 'eyes' again."
The athletic ability Kagami possessed was something Kuroko simply didn't have.
He could keep up, but that meant Kuroko couldn't.
So—
When Kagami caught up to Yuuto again, the world in his eyes suddenly went dark. His own Dead Point erupted.
Swish!
The basketball banked off the glass and in. The gap was back to 28 points.
Things had gotten troublesome again.
...
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