In an instant, Zack burst out from the other side and swatted Shogo Haizaki's shot away.
The moment he landed, Zack accelerated, streaking down the court like a phantom.
Daiki Aomine's pupils contracted.
'He got faster!'
Shogo Haizaki noticed it too.
The next moment, he hurried after Zack.
Daiki Aomine gave chase as well.
Yet despite their incredible speed, neither of them could catch up to Zack!
Daiki Aomine was stunned.
'How is that possible? How did he get so fast?!'
Then something suddenly occurred to him.
'Wait! Could it be...?'
Zack charged into the paint and leaped into the air, raising the ball high in his right hand before slamming it through the basket with tremendous force.
After landing heavily, Zack slowly turned around. At that moment, his eyes changed.
They now radiated a bloodthirsty aura.
Daiki Aomine stared at Zack in shock. In those eyes, he seemed to glimpse an ancient beast.
Off the court, Ryota Kise stared in disbelief and exclaimed:
"Animal Instinct?!"
That was right. Zack had activated his Animal Instinct.
Kagetora Aida immediately sensed the change in the atmosphere and called a timeout.
"Beep! Timeout requested by the Dragon Slayer Team!"
As both teams returned to their benches, Kagetora Aida immediately began issuing instructions.
"Kise, you're replacing Haizaki. Look for an opportunity to help defend against their No. 12, Zack."
Ryota Kise nodded, his expression serious.
Shogo Haizaki showed no particular reaction. He understood that Kagetora Aida wanted Ryota Kise to [Copy] Daiki Aomine.
Shogo Haizaki could also use Daiki Aomine's techniques, but their playing styles were different.
Having two nearly identical players on the court would put tremendous pressure on their opponents.
On the other side, Nash Gold and the others returned to their bench, chatting and laughing.
Miyamoto Tokima and Satsuki Momoi sat there without the slightest trace of concern.
Once everyone had gathered, Miyamoto Tokima said:
"They might send Kise in next. He's the blond one. Keep an eye on him."
Zack waved dismissively and laughed.
"Don't worry, Miyamoto. It doesn't matter who they send in!"
Nash Gold immediately rebuked him.
"Zack, rein in your arrogance. Haven't you noticed by now? They're no pushovers."
"Don't underestimate them and make things harder for us later."
Zack waved his hand again.
"Got it, Nash."
Miyamoto Tokima smiled.
"You can make your own decisions on the court. I trust you to make the right calls."
Nash Gold and the others nodded in unison.
"Yes!"
...
"Beep! The timeout is over! Both teams, return to the court!"
The Black Dragon Team and the Dragon Slayer Team took the court once more.
The Black Dragon Team immediately noticed that the Dragon Slayer Team had indeed changed its lineup.
Shogo Haizaki had been substituted out, and Ryota Kise had taken his place.
Zack watched Ryota Kise enter and muttered:
"I wonder how good that blond guy is."
Allen bounced lightly on his toes.
"He's probably decent. Miyamoto told us to keep an eye on him, so he must have some skill."
Zack nodded and said nothing more.
The game resumed.
The Dragon Slayer Team had possession.
Seijuro Akashi slowly brought the ball into the frontcourt and noticed that Allen had once again left Ryota Kise open to help defend Shintaro Midorima.
Seijuro Akashi immediately passed to him. There was no reason to turn down a wide-open opportunity.
The moment Ryota Kise caught the ball, the pass settled perfectly into his hands. He immediately jumped and entered his shooting motion.
Zack suddenly charged toward him, his eyes filled with ferocity.
He raised his right hand high, blocking Ryota Kise's shooting path.
Ryota Kise smiled faintly.
"This is exactly what I was waiting for."
He altered his shooting motion and whipped the ball to Daiki Aomine, who had reached the baseline.
Daiki Aomine caught it and immediately went into his shooting motion.
Jason Silver reacted at once, charging toward him with astonishing speed.
Daiki Aomine initially intended to pass to Atsushi Murasakibara.
However, when he caught sight of Zack running back toward the paint, he immediately changed his target.
He passed the ball back to Ryota Kise.
Jason Silver reacted quickly. He hadn't tried to predict the pass. Instead, he waited until Daiki Aomine released the ball, then followed its path.
He swiftly moved in front of Ryota Kise and prepared to jump for the block.
After catching the ball, Ryota Kise made a slight adjustment before lowering his body.
That brief adjustment gave Jason Silver enough time to catch up.
To Jason Silver's surprise, however, Ryota Kise rose calmly into the air.
It looked like a completely ordinary jump shot.
Jason Silver immediately grew irritated.
'An ordinary shot? Is he looking down on me?!'
In the stands, Reo Mibuchi watched Ryota Kise's movements and smiled.
On the court, Jason Silver prepared to jump, only to discover that he couldn't get off the ground.
His pupils contracted.
'I can't jump?!'
Ryota Kise smiled in midair.
That was right. He had used [Void]!
Just as Ryota Kise released the ball, Jason Silver suddenly roared:
"HAAAH!!!"
Then, through sheer force, Jason Silver managed to jump straight up from where he stood!
He didn't rise high enough to block Ryota Kise's shot, but the fact that he had jumped at all left Ryota Kise stunned.
After landing, Ryota Kise stared at him in disbelief.
'He actually... jumped?!'
Even Reo Mibuchi was shocked.
'How is that possible? He jumped?! Wasn't he affected by [Void]?'
On the court, Jason Silver struck his knee in frustration and cursed:
"Damn it! It drained my strength!"
Ryota Kise stared intently at Jason Silver, mentally marking him as an extremely dangerous opponent.
'Even after losing most of his power, he still forced himself into the air. What kind of athleticism does he have?!'
...
Possession changed hands.
The Black Dragon Team had the ball.
Once again, Nash Gold chose the same reliable tactic.
He called Jason Silver over to set a screen, then pulled back.
This time, Atsushi Murasakibara hesitated.
He didn't know whether he should step up and help defend Nash Gold.
The last time he had done so, Jason Silver had been left open to score.
...
...
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