Without the slightest hesitation, Seijuro Akashi passed the ball straight to Ryota Kise.
Ryota Kise caught it, took a deep breath, and rose into his shot.
Zack charged over at the same time and leaped to block him.
But the next moment, Zack was stunned.
Ryota Kise's shooting form and release point were exactly the same as Shintaro Midorima's!
Zack's pupils contracted in midair.
'He can make a shot like that too?!'
Zack stretched his arm as high as he could, but Ryota Kise's shooting arm was almost completely straight, giving him an exceptionally high release point.
Since Zack had only rotated over to help, he had no chance of reaching the ball.
Ryota Kise snapped his right wrist and released the shot.
The basketball soared high into the air. The moment Ryota Kise landed, he turned around without looking back.
His actions were exactly the same as Shintaro Midorima's.
Nick stared at the ball flying overhead and murmured in surprise:
"There are two of them?!"
Even Nash Gold's expression shifted slightly.
If Shintaro Midorima had been the only one capable of shooting like that, they could simply double-team him.
But now that Ryota Kise could do the same, they would have to change their strategy.
...
Possession changed hands.
The Black Dragon Team had the ball.
Nash Gold slowly advanced into the frontcourt, his eyes scanning the floor.
The next second, he passed the ball to Zack.
Zack caught it and immediately accelerated to full speed, blowing past Daiki Aomine.
This time, Zack seemed even faster than before. With a single burst, he left Daiki Aomine completely behind.
By the time Daiki Aomine reacted, Zack had already scored with a floater.
Daiki Aomine frowned at the sight.
'Have they been holding back this whole time?'
The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed.
Before, he had at least been able to keep up with Zack to some extent. Now, he couldn't keep pace at all.
'Damn it. Do I have to enter the Zone?'
Daiki Aomine began to hesitate, wondering whether he should enter the Zone now.
Seijuro Akashi walked over.
"Aomine, don't rush. It's not time yet."
Hearing that, Daiki Aomine abandoned the idea of entering the Zone immediately.
Seijuro Akashi was right. It wasn't time yet.
Possession changed hands.
The Dragon Slayer Team had the ball.
This time, the Black Dragon Team changed its defensive formation.
Before Seijuro Akashi crossed half-court, Allen and Nick were still guarding Shintaro Midorima together.
But the moment Seijuro Akashi entered the frontcourt, Allen stayed where he was while Nick moved.
Instead of continuing to double-team Shintaro Midorima, Nick sprinted toward Seijuro Akashi.
Shintaro Midorima immediately shouted:
"Akashi!"
Seijuro Akashi heard the sudden footsteps behind him and quickly changed his dribble to evade the pressure.
The moment he avoided Nick, another hand reached for the ball.
Seijuro Akashi's [Emperor Eye] caught the movement, and he immediately passed.
Nash Gold's steal attempt missed.
But instead of looking frustrated, Nash Gold's face showed a hint of excitement.
It seemed he had discovered something.
Seijuro Akashi's pass once again reached Ryota Kise.
Ryota Kise used Shintaro Midorima's shooting form and released the ball.
This time, Zack didn't rotate over to help. The other members of the Black Dragon Team also stood by and watched Ryota Kise shoot.
Swish!
After the ball went in, Ryota Kise looked at them in surprise, unable to understand why no one from the Black Dragon Team had tried to defend him.
As Ryota Kise turned to head back on defense, Zack approached Nash Gold.
"Nash, are we really not going to guard that blond guy?"
Nash Gold smiled.
"Of course we are. You're going to guard him."
Zack paused.
"You mean we're leaving that blue-haired guy open?"
Nash Gold nodded.
"Exactly. Leave him open. As for the blond, stay tight on him and force him to shoot from as far away as possible."
"His wrist isn't as strong as the green-haired guy's. Make him shoot from a little farther out, and his wrist probably won't be able to withstand the strain."
Zack nodded.
"Got it."
Over the next several possessions, the Black Dragon Team's offense flowed smoothly. No matter how hard the Dragon Slayer Team tried to defend, they couldn't stop them.
On defense, Zack stayed glued to Ryota Kise, forcing him to take several shots from near half-court.
The strain once again began building in Ryota Kise's wrist.
Finally, after taking another three-pointer from two steps beyond the arc, Ryota Kise instinctively clutched his wrist.
Nash Gold noticed.
The corner of his mouth rose as he spoke to Seijuro Akashi.
"It seems your teammate's wrist can't handle the strain anymore."
Seijuro Akashi had noticed as well. He ignored Nash Gold and turned to head back on defense.
Nash Gold wasn't offended. He simply smiled as he watched Seijuro Akashi walk away.
As Seijuro Akashi retreated, he moved beside Ryota Kise.
"Kise, stop [Copying] Midorima for now."
Ryota Kise answered stubbornly:
"Akashi, I can still..."
Before he could finish, Seijuro Akashi interrupted him.
"Kise, you're not playing alone."
Ryota Kise froze.
That was right. He wasn't alone on the court. There was no reason for him to shoulder all the pressure himself.
A relieved smile appeared on his face.
"You're right, Akashi. I'm not playing alone. In that case, I'm counting on all of you."
Seijuro Akashi nodded.
On the other side, Nash Gold turned toward Jason Silver.
"Silver, it's time to get serious."
Jason Silver grinned.
"Yeah. I'm starting to get impatient too!"
Possession changed hands.
The Black Dragon Team had the ball.
The moment Nash Gold reached the frontcourt, he passed the ball straight to Jason Silver in the paint.
Jason Silver caught it and gathered it in both hands. A terrifying aura began radiating from his body as a wide grin spread across his face.
...
...
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