章 144: Chapter 144: Putting everything on the line!
As the game unfolded, Imayoshi found himself breaking into a sweat. The evolving dynamics on the court had thrown a curveball, and he couldn't help but think, "...Now, this has become a bit complicated. To think that he had such a trick under his sleeve!"
His gaze lingered on Kuroko, who wore a calm expression despite wiping sweat from his face. Imayoshi's mind raced with thoughts on how to counter this unexpected development.
However, in a moment of distraction, Izuki, who was closely shadowing Imayoshi's every move, seized this opportunity.
With swift precision, he grazed the ball out of Imayoshi's hand, orchestrating a steal that caught Imayoshi off guard. The momentum swung in Seirin's favor, and their players followed suit as they advanced in sync.
"...Shit, I was careless!"
Imayoshi cursed under his breath, the frustration evident in his tone.
Reacting swiftly, he launched into pursuit, chasing after Izuki in a bid to regain control of the situation.
Izuki, with his Eagle eyes, instantly assessed the situation on the court.
Despite Hyuga being closely marked by Sakurai, he recognized an opportunity with Kuroko in close proximity. In a split-second, Izuki threaded a precise pass toward Hyuga.
Hyuga was grinning as he was also anticipating the pass as he swiftly secured the ball. Instantly, he executed his Barrier Jump as he stepped back after exchanging a knowing glance with Kuroko.
From Sakurai's perspective, Hyuga momentarily vanished before reappearing at a distance, leaving Sakurai in a reactive state.
However, by the time Sakurai reacted, it was too late. Hyuga, who was taking advantage of Kuroko's presence that distracted Sakurai, released a shot that sailed through the basket with a satisfying swish.
The seamless execution left Sakurai in disbelief as he watched the ball bounce weakly on the ground.
"...They can even combine it with Hyuga's Barrier Jump!" Sakurai marveled, the astonishment evident in his thoughts.
The stadium erupted in an uproar with cheers and exclamations as Seirin orchestrated a remarkable turn of events.
"Seirin turned the table!"
"As expected, the game is still young!"
"They're actually this good? That's crazy!"
The crowd's excitement reverberated through the stadium. They were feeling even more excited over the intense and unpredictable game unfolding before their eyes.
Each twist and turn of the match seemed to fuel their enjoyment.
On the Rakuzan High seat, Mibuchi couldn't conceal his incredulous expression as he observed the game.
His words betrayed a mix of surprise and admiration, "...Just how could they use Kuroko's Vanishing Drive?"
Meanwhile, Akashi was sitting with a smirk on his face, seemingly enjoying the unfolding spectacle. He calmly stated, "...Misdirection Overflow, it was Tetsuya's doing."
"Misdirection Overflow? What is that?" Kotaro asked with confusion etched on his face.
Akashi began to unravel Kuroko's technique. "He can activate his regular misdirection and divert attention away from him, but the opposite is also true..."
"When his misdirection didn't work, as you've seen a few moments ago, every single player on the court could see his presence..." He explained, keeping his eyes on the ongoing game.
Akashi recognized that it was time for Seirin to overcome the final obstacle and completely shift the momentum. He glanced at Kagami before adding, "...And Tetsuya took advantage of this. Instead of trying to divert their attention with his already broken misdirection, he gathered their attention to him."
"With enough coordination, as long as Kuroko was in their sight, he could draw their focus and make his teammates seem like they disappeared. The opponents, distracted by Tetsuya's presence, would be oblivious to his teammates' movements."
The Uncrowned Kings, their eyes widened in disbelief, grappled with the revelation of such a preposterously effective technique.
Nebuya directed his question to their final regular player, asking, "... Can Mayuzumi pull off the same move for us?"
Akashi shook his head, stating, "While possible, I wouldn't permit him to."
This drew everyone's attention to Akashi, eyebrows raised in confusion as to why he opposed such a technique.
"...There's a significant flaw in that move," he explained. Akashi believed the potential benefit wasn't worth it for a team like Rakuzan High.
A similar conversation unfolded in Kaijo as everyone attentively listened to Kise's explanation of the flaws in Misdirection Overflow.
Frowning, Kise looked at Kuroko and clarified, "First, it should only be employed towards the end of the match. Just like his regular misdirection, he can't keep tricking opponents for an extended period."
Considering the fact that Seirin was using it in the second quarter, they must have understood the repercussions of this...
Kuroko might not be able to play in the third or fourth quarter.
"And he'd be completely out of stamina if he kept using it until the end of the second quarter..." Kise pondered slowly, sighing before elaborating, "The second flaw is that while he uses this ability, he's also exposing its secret..."
Kasamatsu's eyes widened in disbelief as he exclaimed, "So, misdirection won't fool the same opponent?"
Kise nodded solemnly. If Seirin were to face Too Academy again in the future, Kuroko's misdirection would be useless. Kaijo also looked surprised at this revelation, with one of them muttering, "They're going all out just to win this game, huh?"
Back on the court, Kagami's thoughts raced as he found Kuroko's determination to win commendable.
"...It's not just Kuroko; everyone's giving it their all," Kagami observed, observing each of his teammates on the Seirin.
Aware that this year marked their final chance to play together due to Kiyoshi's injury, he muttered, his gaze intensifying, "That's why we have to win this, no matter what..."
Aomine, who was guarding Kagami, was surprised when Kagami's expression shifted dramatically. A potent force seemed to emanate from Kagami, and Aomine couldn't shake the feeling that he was facing someone familiar...
"...It's like when I went up against Tsuna!" he thought, bewildered.
This sensation wasn't exclusive to Aomine. Every player on the court sensed it.
Players from Too Academy stared at Kagami in disbelief, realizing that the pressure he exerted now rivaled that of Aomine.
Imayoshi, however, was taken aback as a bead of sweat rolled down his face. "...But why does his presence feel a bit more intense?"
Izuki, who was in possession of the ball, suddenly sensed an intense gaze locked on him. He turned to Kagami, whose demeanor conveyed a strong desire to get hold of the ball.
Izuku took a brief pause, slowing down to assess the court. His Eagle eyes scanned the court, noting that Kuroko was a bit far from Aomine and Kagami.
Yet, a strange confidence welled up within him, believing Kagami could overcome Aomine this time. "...That's right, he's our ace! I should have never doubted him!"
With a resolute mindset, Izuku skillfully dribbled the ball left and right, creating space between him and his marker.
In a crucial moment, he executed a pinpoint pass to Kagami.
"...Go for it, Ace! You're the final piece to complete the puzzle!"
---
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