Bab 149: Chapter 149: Kagami opened up the door!
After the fist bump with Kuroko, Kagami felt a surge of newfound determination coursing through him.
As the game continued, Aomine kept dominating with his state and proved to be an insurmountable force. However, despite the repeated blocks each time Kagami attempted to break past Aomine's defense and score, a smile adorned his face.
His teammates on the court and the spectators in the stands couldn't help but be captivated by the spectacle in front of them.
"...He has a good team, huh?" Alexandra muttered fondly while looking at Kagami, who seemed to have fun in the court.
Nijimura also nodded in respect to the scene in front of him. These two players were definitely formidable and worthy of respect.
Still, though it seemed to most people that Aomine was still thoroughly in control of the game, Nijimura could feel bubbling pressure emanating from Kagami that slowly climbed up, rivaling that of Aomine.
Tsuna also felt it as he thought, "...He's worthy."
With each thwarted attempt, Kagami didn't feel frustration or despair. Instead, a sense of exhilaration overcame him.
It was as if with every block, every clash against Aomine's overwhelming skill. He felt like he had drowned in the depths of a powerful current. However, rather than feeling drowned, Kagami felt more alive than ever.
As time passed, Kagami found himself standing before a massive door in the recesses of his subconscious mind.
The pressure exuding from it was massive, but instead of being intimidated, Kagami smiled. With a resolute expression, he extended his fingers and, with a burst of strength, broke the door open.
Aomine, on the other hand, had sensed this change but dismissed it as he was confident in his ability to maintain control over the game.
However, Aomine's confidence faltered when Kagami's figure suddenly thwarted his attempt to break past the defense. Kagami's swat at the ball was so precise that it caught Aomine off guard.
The ball sailed away, leaving Aomine to turn toward Kagami with a look of disbelief on his face.
Kagami's expression remained completely still for the first time in the game.
Dark red sparks streaked across his pupils, clearly indicating that Kagami had entered the Zone. The air around him crackled with intensity, and an invisible pressure emanated from Kagami, filling the entire court.
Both players from Seirin and Too Academy, as well as the spectators in the stands, were captivated by the unfolding spectacle.
Imayoshi felt a shiver down his spine, thinking, "Did I just jinx myself by saying those words earlier!? Is he entering the zone, too!?"
He knew Kagami had elevated his skills to a level matching the Generation of Miracles. However, not everyone could reach the zone!
"...To think he entered the zone as well!" He thought with a trembling hand.
"Kagami entered the zone!"
Even Hyuga, Seirin's captain, shared the disbelief. The rest of Seirin felt the same, a shared thought emerging, "...We can still turn this around!"
Aomine was initially taken aback before he smirked as he sensed the change in Kagami's demeanor. This moment shattered Aomine's previous notion that the game against Seirin was merely a warm-up.
It didn't take long for Aomine to regain possession of the ball, and Kagami marked him closely. The pressure in the air was palpable, even though Kagami's play wasn't overtly aggressive.
The atmosphere was charged with an intensity that seemed to affect every player on the court.
Aomine grinned as he felt the pressure emanating from Kagami, with dark blue streaks radiating across Aomine's pupils.
As Aomine dribbled the ball, Kagami's eyes effortlessly followed his every move.
It was slow and steady. However, everyone could feel the intensity and power behind his dribble without even facing him directly.
Suddenly, Aomine's pupil sharpened as he abruptly changed the pace, bursting to the left and breaking past Kagami's defense.
In an instant, Aomine found himself sprinting towards the basket as he leaped to unleash another thunderous dunk.
However, a dark red shadow suddenly materialized in mid-air. With his eyes sparked with dark red streamlines, Kagami soared to meet Aomine at the peak of his jump, blocking Aomine's attempt with a resounding clash and making it impossible for Aomine to double-clutch.
The ball that was redirected by Kagami's block flew toward the basket before it bounced back to the court.
The unfolding scene caught Izuki off guard, his eyes wide with surprise as everything happened in a flash, and he truly couldn't keep up with these two players' movements.
"Izuki!"
Hyuga's urgent shout snapped Izuki to reality just in time to see the ball hurtling towards him.
As Izuki caught the ball, Kagami gestured for a pass.
Though still overwhelmed by what had transpired before, with a swift and accurate throw, Izuki sent the ball flying toward Kagami, who had positioned himself strategically for the pass.
As Kagami caught the pass from Izuki, he responded with an explosive burst of speed.
Kagami weaved through the court, leaving Aomine in close pursuit. The Too Academy players, locked in their defensive formation, braced themselves for the impending clash with the incoming Kagami.
As Kagami approached the defensive line of Too Academy, he effortlessly broke through their attempts to stop him.
With Aomine closing in, Kagami leaped for a dunk.
However, just as he was about to complete the move, a dark blue figure materialized from behind. It was Aomine, his speed allowed him to catch up with Kagami swiftly.
The stadium fell into a momentary hush as Aomine soared towards Kagami, attemtping to block the dunk.
However, Kagami remained calm and as Aomine's hand almost touched the ball, Kagami's hand which was initially raised for a dunk, smoothly changed course.
Instead of a conventional dunk, he shifted the ball behind his back, mimicking Aomine's signature move.
The unexpected move left everyone on the court in disbelief.
The ball left Kagami's hand in a perfect shot from behind, arcing gracefully towards the basket.
The resounding swish broke the silence in the gym as the ball sailed through the net. The crowd cheered, and their disbelief turned into admiration for Kagami's incredible display.
Whether it was Rakuzan High in the audience or Kaijo High, sitting alongside Kagetora, who had coached Seirin High before the Winter Cup – everyone was watching in shock at the recent turn of events.
The same disbelief echoed among the Fukuda Sogo players. Nijimura couldn't help but voice his thoughts, "...Am I the only one seeing Kagami making the most of their one-on-one?"
"...Senior, I was thinking the same thing," Ogiwara added, swallowing nervously.
Tsuna just smiled and remarked, "It's not surprising..."
His words grabbed everyone's attention, making them turn toward him. Alexandra, in particular, looked at Tsuna with curiosity as she wondered why he found the situation predictable.
Tsuna glanced at his teammates and then back at the ongoing game. He sighed, saying, "...Taiga is fighting for his team, and Daiki is fighting for himself. That's where they differ, and that's what matters."
The Fukuda Sogo players were surprised by Tsuna's unexpected remark.
Their expressions transformed into smiles as they shifted their gaze back to the court. Even Haizaki couldn't help but smile before realizing it and quickly looked away, trying to wipe the grin off his face.
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