Once both teams were ready, the referee stepped to midcourt to begin the tip-off.
He tossed the ball high into the air as Dicky Anthony and Kosuke Wakamatsu leapt at the same time.
In the end, Dicky Anthony cleanly tapped the ball away.
Shogo Haizaki caught it and immediately launched the offense.
Yoshinori Susa was already prepared and stepped up to defend right away.
Shogo Haizaki's expression didn't change at all. While sprinting, he suddenly came to a sharp stop, then slipped past Yoshinori Susa with an effortless behind-the-back dribble.
Just as he was about to drive in for a layup, a sudden sense of danger flashed through his mind.
Shogo Haizaki quickly turned his head and saw Daiki Aomine already right on his heels.
He immediately gave up the fast break, pulled the ball back to the three-point line, and squared off against Daiki Aomine.
Daiki Aomine spread his arms, fully focused on defense.
"Haizaki, come on. Let me see what you've got now."
Unwilling to back down, Shogo Haizaki instantly decided to take him on.
And he would do it using Daiki Aomine's own moves!
Thud! Thud-thud-thud!
Shogo Haizaki slammed the ball down once, then launched into a rapid series of dribbles.
The ball flickered back and forth in his hands so fast it left afterimages.
Daiki Aomine's expression turned even more serious.
Because Shogo Haizaki's familiarity with his movements had already surpassed even Ryota Kise.
Thud!
Seizing the moment, Shogo Haizaki burst to the right.
Daiki Aomine immediately moved to cut him off—then froze.
There was no ball in Shogo Haizaki's hands.
"Awooo!!!"
A wolf's howl echoed across the court.
Shogo Haizaki had activated Animal Instinct!
As he drove right, he had already spun the ball and slammed it toward the left side.
From the very beginning, his plan had been to pull Daiki Aomine's center of gravity to the right, then instantly activate Animal Instinct to drastically boost his speed and break through.
Everything unfolded exactly as he intended.
With Animal Instinct activated, Shogo Haizaki's reflexes and speed surged.
He planted his foot hard, cut sharply to the left, and caught the ball as it rebounded vertically.
Then he blew past Daiki Aomine on the left and charged into the paint.
Daiki Aomine was briefly caught off guard by the sudden shift.
But the moment he recovered, he activated his own Animal Instinct.
Black Panther!
A black panther appeared behind Daiki Aomine, its fur shimmering with a dark blue-black glow.
Exploding with full power, he chased after Shogo Haizaki at incredible speed.
"Haizaki!!!"
Shogo Haizaki noticed him closing in from behind.
Although his quick combo had caught Aomine off guard, Aomine's speed—both his own and enhanced by Animal Instinct—was overwhelming.
He had already recovered.
But Shogo Haizaki wasn't worried. He had anticipated this.
Ignoring Aomine behind him, he leaped forward.
Seeing this, Daiki Aomine stomped his right foot and sprang up after him.
His right hand reached relentlessly toward the ball.
Just as Daiki Aomine was about to make contact, Shogo Haizaki suddenly changed his move.
He pulled the ball back and drifted toward the far side of the backboard.
Daiki Aomine's pupils shrank as he realized what Haizaki was about to do.
His hand slapped against the backboard—but nothing more.
Head lowered, Shogo Haizaki slipped beneath the basket, then at the very last moment before landing, flicked the ball up.
The ball rose from behind the backboard, tracing a smooth arc before dropping cleanly into the hoop.
Two points.
The score was 2–0.
After scoring, Shogo Haizaki slowly turned and locked eyes with Daiki Aomine.
Daiki Aomine met his gaze without hesitation.
After two and a half seconds, they both looked away at the same time.
Shogo Haizaki retreated on defense, while Daiki Aomine moved forward to receive the ball.
Both had something to say—but neither spoke.
Daiki Aomine closed his eyes and lowered his head.
Akashi... you might really have made the wrong call...
...
On the other side.
As Shuzo Nijimura ran back on defense, he came up beside Shogo Haizaki and grinned.
"Hey, Haizaki, why not catch up with Aomine a bit?"
Shogo Haizaki let out a long breath, his voice low.
"There's nothing to catch up on. Ever since I left Teikō, I've had nothing to say to them."
"Right now, all I want is to help Miyamoto stand at the very top of the basketball world."
Under Shuzo Nijimura's stunned gaze, he continued:
"As a [Sword]."
"Even if it means... giving up everything I have!"
With that, Shogo Haizaki left him behind and ran back to his position.
Shuzo Nijimura slowed to a stop, his eyes fixed on Haizaki as he processed those words.
"Even if it means... everything...?"
Possession switched.
Tōō ball.
Shoichi Imayoshi brought the ball past half court, only to come face-to-face with Miyamoto.
Danger. Danger. Danger.
His body instinctively sounded the alarm.
He quickly adjusted his stance, turning sideways and dribbling with the ball protected behind him.
Miyamoto simply took a defensive stance, making no unnecessary moves.
Cold sweat trickled down Shoichi Imayoshi's forehead.
He forced a strained smile.
The pressure is unreal... He's just standing there doing nothing, and it already feels this dangerous.
What a monster... No matter how many times I face him, this feeling never changes...
"Imayoshi! Ball!"
Just as he was thinking, Daiki Aomine cut in and called for the pass.
Shoichi Imayoshi immediately sent the ball over.
Daiki Aomine caught it and squared up against Shuzo Nijimura.
Holding the ball low at his waist with both hands, he guarded against a sudden steal.
Shuzo Nijimura bent slightly at the knees, settling into his defensive stance.
He smiled.
"Aomine, come on. Get past me."
Daiki Aomine stared him down, eyes sharp.
Behind him, the black panther let out a low, warning growl.
Shuzo Nijimura smiled as a faint glow began to radiate from his body.
A damp, sweltering, dangerous aura spread outward.
Animal Instinct! Unleashed!
...
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