Seijuro Akashi understood perfectly well just how troublesome Nick was.
Nick saw through every one of his strategies and could even turn them against him, designing traps around the very tactics Seijuro Akashi employed.
He made Seijuro Akashi's strategies part of his own plans.
Worse still, whenever Seijuro Akashi chose not to use a strategy, Nick would put one of his own into motion and force Seijuro Akashi into a difficult position.
This was the first time Seijuro Akashi had ever experienced anything like it.
He had not been cornered by overwhelming strength.
He had been cornered by sheer intelligence.
The situation continued until the end of the second quarter.
The score had reached a staggering 73 to 40, with the Dragon Slayer Team trailing by a full 33 points.
Such a massive deficit dealt a heavy blow to the team's morale.
As both teams left the court for halftime, a section of the crowd suddenly erupted into thunderous cheers.
The people from Japan stared at them in confusion.
Their faces were flushed, and they screamed themselves hoarse as though something incredible had just happened.
Were they not the ones being completely dominated right now? Why were these people cheering?
The members of the Dragon Slayer Team also looked toward the stands in confusion.
Was this not supposed to be their revenge match?
How had they somehow ended up looking like the villains?
They were baffled. The members of the Black Dragon Team were baffled. Miyamoto Tokima was even more baffled than anyone.
Something was wrong.
No, everything about this was wrong!
Were they not supposed to be the villains in the eyes of Japan?
The Black Dragon Team was winning, so what the hell were these people cheering for?
Meanwhile, the mastermind behind it all sat smugly at the back of the stands, wearing a self-satisfied grin.
...
Inside the Dragon Slayer Team's locker room, the atmosphere was unbearably heavy.
The enormous deficit from the first half had left everyone dispirited.
They had always been considered geniuses.
During their time at Teikō Middle School, the [Generation of Miracles] had dominated middle school basketball for three entire years.
Now they had grown stronger, reunited, and even gained more powerful teammates.
Yet despite all that, the Black Dragon Team had still overwhelmed them so completely that they could barely breathe.
The feeling was deeply discouraging.
There were only two exceptions.
The first was Atsushi Murasakibara.
Miyamoto Tokima was on the opposing team, so Atsushi Murasakibara already knew they would have a hard time winning. He fully acknowledged Miyamoto Tokima's strength.
The other members of the Black Dragon Team meant nothing to him.
The only person he refused to accept losing to was Jason Silver.
The second exception was Daiki Aomine.
While everyone else sat in silence, a smile appeared on Daiki Aomine's face.
"This is great!"
Everyone turned toward him in surprise.
Daiki Aomine burst out laughing.
"A game like this, with this much pressure, is exactly what I've been waiting for!"
"I want to fight strong opponents! The stronger they are, the more excited I get!"
Everyone stared at him, unsure how to respond.
Daiki Aomine stood up, his face brimming with excitement.
"The game's only halfway over, and the score hasn't reached a point where we can't fight back!"
"Right now, all I want is to give them everything I've got! I want to fight them with everything I have and avenge the others!"
The word "avenge" made everyone's heart jolt.
That was right.
They were here for revenge.
Ryota Kise gave a bitter smile and muttered, "Seriously, when did I become so hesitant? The game isn't even over, but I've already convinced myself that we're going to lose."
"That's not like me at all."
Taiga Kagami slapped himself lightly on the head.
"Looks like I lost my senses too!"
Shintaro Midorima pushed up his glasses and looked at the scope in his hand.
'Destiny is on our side. Now we must do our part.'
Seijuro Akashi raised his head and looked around.
The atmosphere surrounding everyone had completely transformed.
There was no despair.
There was no discouragement.
All that remained was an endless fighting spirit.
Even Seijuro Akashi was moved by the change.
The voice of his primary personality echoed inside his mind.
"What do you think? They're... quite impressive, aren't they?"
The secondary personality showed a rare smile.
"Yes. They're... quite impressive."
Kagetora Aida quietly watched everyone from the side.
He had planned to offer them a few words of encouragement, but they had already regained their fighting spirit on their own.
He smiled helplessly.
'It seems there's nothing more I need to say.'
These geniuses were not only immensely talented. Their mental strength had also been tempered through their battles against Miyamoto Tokima.
The pressure Miyamoto Tokima had placed upon them had been enormous.
At the same time, he had taught them that no matter how strong they became, someone stronger could always exist.
Naturally, they were able to recover quickly.
...
The atmosphere inside the Black Dragon Team's locker room was far more relaxed.
After all, they had barely felt any pressure throughout the game.
Jason Silver gulped down some water and burst out laughing.
"You guys have no idea how much fun I had! That brat Murasakibara entered the Zone and started going head-to-head with me in the paint!"
"It's been ages since I've enjoyed a game this much!"
Zack laughed as well.
"Hey, defending that guy was pretty fun too. He jumps like he can fly."
Nash Gold spoke up.
"Let's maintain this pace in the second half. I have a feeling they're going to risk everything."
Jason Silver waved him off casually.
"Relax. Even if they go all out, they still can't beat us!"
...
When halftime ended, both teams returned to the court in preparation for the third quarter.
The referee blew his whistle and shouted, "The third quarter is beginning! Both teams, take the court!"
The spectators applauded, eagerly awaiting the resumption of the game.
The Black Dragon Team and the Dragon Slayer Team stepped onto the court.
The Black Dragon Team's lineup remained unchanged.
The Dragon Slayer Team, however, had made a substitution.
Shintaro Midorima had been taken out, and Ryota Kise had replaced him.
There were two reasons for the change.
The first was to allow Shintaro Midorima to conserve his stamina so he could make a greater impact later.
The second was to search for a way to break through the Black Dragon Team's defense.
Shintaro Midorima was clearly being targeted, making it extremely difficult for him to receive the ball.
Ryota Kise adjusted his uniform and stepped onto the court with a serious expression.
There was no hesitation in his heart.
There was no discouragement.
There was only fighting spirit.
The same was true for every other member of the Dragon Slayer Team.
They stared at the Black Dragon Team with fierce determination, their expressions solemn as they prepared to strike.
...