"Is Aomine too weak?" Takao Kazunari blinked in disbelief.
"Shoma, do you even know what you're saying? Aomine beat Seirin, and we still lost to them…"
"I know."
Takao didn't finish his sentence before Midorima Shintaro's temple pulsed with a [Anger] symbol. He snapped, "You don't need to remind us of the obvious!"
"Besides, when I say 'weak,' it's only relative. Remember when I said Aomine is a player who gets stronger the more he plays?"
"Yeah, I remember."
"Getting stronger the more he plays can also be seen as a type of slow warm-up. From this perspective, Aomine now is almost the same as Kagami at the start of a match."
"Who wants to be the same as him?!"
Kagami Taiga's face flushed with anger at the unpleasant comparison, but before he could continue, Hyuga Junpei sharply cut in: "Kagami, shut up! Listen while others talk."
Midorima's lips curved slightly, then vanished in a moment, as he continued: "Players like Aomine and Kagami get stronger as the game goes on, but that also means that at the beginning, it's hard for them to unleash their full potential."
"But compared to Kagami, Aomine's lower limit is higher. That's why in previous games, his performance didn't seem that outstanding."
"However, this time, he faces Akashi Asuka, someone who's already played two quarters and is at his physical and mental peak. Against such an opponent, a partially powered-up Aomine simply can't compete."
"Moreover, before entering this match, Aomine didn't have sufficient warm-up because Seiho deliberately manipulated the timing."
"Trying to face Akashi in this state? Impossible."
Midorima adjusted his glasses, then shifted his tone: "Of course, this only applies to the early stages. Once the second half begins, the situation should change."
============
The first half ended 61:18.
In the final minute, Aomine and Akashi held each other in check, leaving other team members to score one point apiece.
Tōō Academy's bench was silent.
No matter how optimistic Tōō Academy might have been, facing the scoreboard now, relaxation was impossible.
Originally, at the end of the first half, Tōō Academy trailed by 30 points. If they stayed within 30, they could hope to close the gap in the second half.
Though the deficit had grown larger, Aomine had returned in the latter part of the second quarter, so Tōō Academy's plan hadn't gone completely awry.
However, once Aomine entered, the gap didn't shrink, it widened past 40 points, putting the game completely out of Tōō Academy's control.
"Aomine, you bastard! Why aren't you saying anything now?"
Kousuke Wakamatsu fumed, wishing he could punch Aomine on the spot.
But he was stopped by Konishi Shoichi.
Then, with his head bowed, Aomine finally spoke: "For the third quarter, give me all the balls."
"Huh? What did you just say…?"
Wakamatsu opened his mouth in anger, but Aomine cut him off: "It's my responsibility. By the end of the third quarter, I'll bring the deficit down to within 20 points."
After saying this, Aomine fell silent again.
This time, no one dared disturb him. Even off the court, Tōō Academy's players could feel his aura steadily rising…
============
Ten minutes later, the second half officially began.
Aomine's presence was no longer ostentatious as in the second quarter; it had become controlled, concentrated.
"What terrifying focus…"
Tsutomu Iwamura's eyes narrowed. Facing Aomine felt like being stared down by a predator. Even those unfamiliar with basketball would instinctively sense the danger.
The third quarter began with Tōō Academy on offense.
Aomine handled the ball from the three-point line again, facing Akashi.
This time, there was no hesitation. Aomine accelerated, initiating his attack…
"His speed's increased!"
Everyone in the arena felt a jolt.
Aomine's evolution during a game was visible, unlike ordinary players, whose improvements are subtle, his were tangible.
Akashi narrowed his eyes: Impressive… the ace of the 'Generation of Miracles.' But… it's still not enough.
As Aomine surged forward, Akashi spun on a dime and caught up.
Seeing Akashi before him again, Aomine's gaze remained unchanged. He executed a quick crossover under the basket and changed direction in an instant.
Then, he went for a fadeaway shot.
But in the next moment…
A massive hand rose into the air and mercilessly swatted the shot down.
Seiho immediately launched a counterattack. Akashi led the charge. Though his 0–100 acceleration wasn't quite as fast as Aomine's, his straight-line speed was comparable.
Dribbling to Tōō Academy's three-point line, Akashi went for a quick stop jump shot. But as he raised the ball, it suddenly vanished from his hands.
"Steal? Back on defense!"
The steal came from Aomine.
Aomine couldn't block Akashi's shot, but with his speed, he could intercept it before Akashi fully executed his release.
Akashi barely had time to react. Seeing Aomine ready to attack again, he immediately retreated to defend.
Dribbling is naturally slower than running empty-handed, but the matchup still allowed both to confront each other again.
Aomine didn't pause in his drive. With a crossover, he moved to Akashi's left side.
Compared to his previous attempt, Aomine had increased his speed even further.
Previously, Akashi had reacted when Aomine had covered only a third of the distance. Now, he had traversed two-thirds.
Still, this distance was within Akashi's defensive reach. The moment Aomine shot, a huge hand once again blocked it.
Aomine's pupils narrowed sharply.
Facing Akashi's block, he executed a hand switch, redirecting the ball.
"Illegal shot?"
Akashi's mind shifted. As Aomine attempted a second release, Akashi extended his other hand and slapped the ball out of bounds.
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Completed version available on Patreon.com/Veltoria