"No, if the game continues like this, things will go badly for us."
The score on the court read 6–10. Seirin held a lead, but Coach Aida Riko wasn't celebrating. She bit her nails, her brow tightly furrowed.
A game's outcome isn't just about the score.
Kagami Taiga entering the Zone at the start was something Aida hadn't anticipated. On the surface, it didn't seem advantageous.
Yet she didn't immediately call a timeout. If handled correctly, this situation could even work in Seirin's favor.
Seirin had faced fast-starting games before.
More than once.
While starting at full power risks burning out later, if a team can establish early momentum and pressure the opponent, it could decide the game from the start.
Not every team can stage a comeback under pressure.
Even if they couldn't win immediately, controlling the first quarter's momentum would stabilize the game.
Momentum, though invisible, affects a player's performance in real time.
Seeing Kagami enter the Zone, Aida chose patience. She might let him intimidate Seiho first, turning the situation to Seirin's advantage.
Reality, however, was different.
Kagami's zoned-out bursts gave him a points advantage, but they didn't unsettle Seiho's other players.
They were too steady.
Even against the "Emperor Rakuzan" in the last match, Seiho's team stability couldn't compare.
It was as if Seiho's players were robots. Kagami's movements on the court didn't disrupt them; even repeated scores over their heads left their formation untouched.
Without disorder, there are no weaknesses. Against a flawless team, scoring, even in the Zone, became far more difficult.
"Compared to last year, Seiho is like a completely different team now."
Aida Riko muttered, glancing at Akashi Asuka. And this guy… I haven't seen him at the gym for a month before the Winter Cup. I still don't know his full physical capacity.
Even a zoned Kagami didn't guarantee victory over him. This monster had likely grown beyond imagination.
Aida weighed all of Seiho's players' abilities, but Akashi remained an unknown. She had physical data, but that was all.
So far, she'd only seen Akashi in two private matches:
Akashi vs. Kiyoshi Teppei and Hyuga Junpei.
Akashi vs. Aida Kagetora.
Both times, Akashi won. Yet even Kagetora couldn't read Akashi's full potential.
·····
Beep~~~
Aida called a timeout.
If Kagami's Zone couldn't be used to rattle Seiho's morale, maintaining this slight lead was just wasting energy.
"Finally! Seirin's coach called a timeout!"
"Probably to break Kagami's rhythm. At this pace, Seirin can't sustain the start of the game."
Among the crowd were countless coaches and national-level players. What Aida observed, they all could see too.
When Kagami returned, his Zone state had already disappeared.
Using the timeout to neutralize the Zone was an excellent choice.
"Eh? The Zone is gone already?"
Most found it reasonable, but many on Seiho were surprised.
"Feels like his Zone isn't that strong!"
Tsugawa Tomoki spoke bluntly, reflecting the inner thoughts of the other Seiho players.
Seiho had faced nearly every Generation of Miracles member in the past, often against zoned opponents. The usual reaction was helplessness: no matter how many defenders, the monster's scoring seemed unstoppable. Even a triple-team only reduced efficiency, not total blockage.
Previously, only Akashi could match a zoned opponent.
But now… against Kagami, even without entering the Zone, Seiho's coordinated defense greatly limited his scoring efficiency.
Almost exactly what they had predicted, with only a tiny difference.
Akashi knew why.
This was Kagami's true strength.
As Akashi had always said, Seirin is miraculous but not inherently powerful. The Zone magnifies a player's potential. Kagami's normal state defines his baseline.
Only after a full awakening does Kagami become overwhelmingly strong. Even in the Zone, his power without awakening is limited.
Akashi didn't dwell on this. Instead, he said:
"Since the opposing ace has already exploded, it's our turn. Let's start by breaking through their interior."
·····
When the game resumed, Seirin and the spectators immediately noticed Seiho's new formation.
Most notably, Akashi was no longer guarding Kagami. Instead, he moved inside, pairing with Tsutomu Iwamura in a twin-center tactic.
"Oh~~ they're targeting Seirin's interior?"
Yosen's first noticed Seiho's plan, but Murasakibara Atsushi sensed something more complex.
By raw strength, Seiho could penetrate Seirin's interior.
Even after Kiyoshi returned and Seirin's interior improved, the defense was mainly supported by him. Kagami could assist, but their combined power still fell short against Seiho.
Akashi alone, stronger than Murasakibara, was a challenge. Add Iwamura, one of the nation's best centers, and Seirin's interior seemed doomed.
Yet the obvious nature of this outcome gave a strange sense of unease.
"What… is this feeling?"
Aida sensed unease, unable to pinpoint why.
The match resumed. Seirin kept possession. With Kagami out of the Zone, team-oriented play returned. Shun Izuki handled the ball, using Hawk Eye vision to spot defensive gaps for passing plays.
A quick glance revealed a massive open spot.
Kuroko had no defender nearby.
Akashi and Iwamura held the paint. Kasuga faced Izuki. Omuro switched to guard Kagami. Tsugawa, who had guarded Kuroko before, rotated to Hyuga Junpei.
"Trying the same trick again? You're underestimating us. This Kuroko is completely different from last semester!"
Previously, Seiho had ignored Kuroko entirely, crushing Seirin.
Seeing the positional switch, Izuki instinctively passed to Kuroko.
Facing the open spot, Kuroko didn't hesitate. He adopted the Phantom Shot stance.
"Ohhh~~"
"It's coming!"
"The miraculous shot of Seirin's mysterious boy!"
Cheers rang out. Some spectators' expressions shifted.
Aomine sighed. "Tricked again! Seirin!"
Aida sensed trouble too, but it was too late.
Kuroko's shot was blocked by a massive hand.
SLAP!
The crisp collision echoed like a slap to the face, leaving Seirin's players shocked.
"How…?"
"To block the Phantom Shot on the first attempt?"
Seirin's players were stunned. Against Rakuzan, the secret had almost been deciphered, but never fully. For Akashi, this was his first real encounter.
It was the first time Seirin had seen the Phantom Shot blocked.
Seiho launched a quick counterattack.
Kasuga dribbled forward, not rushing. Seiho rarely ran fast breaks, especially now.
Passing outside the three-point line, Kasuga handed the ball to Akashi. Kagami and Kiyoshi had already positioned inside.
Yet Akashi, undeterred, drove into the paint using his back-to-basket technique.
"Damn, his strength… how can it be this strong?"
Kiyoshi and Kagami applied maximum force, pressing against Akashi's back. Faces deformed under the pressure.
Still, they couldn't slow him.
BOOM!
A violent dunk sent Kiyoshi and Kagami flying.
"Ohhh~~~"
"Unbelievable! Not even two of them together could stop him!"
"True ruler of the paint, Akashi Asuka!"
·····
Kiyoshi rose, massaging his numb arms. "This guy… feels like another Murasakibara… no, maybe even stronger!"
Hyuga Junpei agreed. "We already expected this. Let's counterattack."
Recovering quickly, Seirin reformed and launched a new offense.
Back on defense, Akashi returned inside. This time, Seirin attacked from the perimeter.
Learning from the previous pass, Izuki didn't give the ball to the open Kuroko. Instead, he passed to Hyuga on the opposite side.
Hyuga tried to find a shot, but every attempt was blocked, he couldn't find an open lane.
"This defense… relentless."
His face turned pale. Tsugawa's tight coverage was formidable. The memory of stopping Kagami with four fouls was still fresh.
Facing Tsugawa directly, Hyuga felt the full force of his defense.
No exaggeration, Tsugawa now felt equal to the Generation of Miracles.