After saying that, Tetsuya Kuroko's expression turned deadly serious.
He did not shoot or pass.
Instead, he began dribbling right in front of Nash Gold.
The next moment, Tetsuya Kuroko vanished from the sight of every other member of the Black Dragon Team.
But to Nash Gold, his movements remained perfectly clear.
Seeing Tetsuya Kuroko attempt to get past him that way, Nash Gold found it laughable.
He immediately followed, ready to steal the ball.
But the next second, Tetsuya Kuroko suddenly struck the ball away.
Just as the ball rebounded off the floor, Tetsuya Kuroko slapped it forward.
Nash Gold saw the move clearly, but he was too late to intercept it.
The ball flew straight toward Shogo Haizaki.
Shogo Haizaki caught it at the three-point line, rose into the air, and began his shooting motion.
Nash Gold tried to rotate over, but Tetsuya Kuroko suddenly stepped in front of him.
A screen!
As he blocked Nash Gold's path, Tetsuya Kuroko's unwavering voice rang out once more.
"Hope is always there! It always has been!"
Nash Gold saw the screen and moved around it, but that brief detour left him one step too slow.
Swish!
The ball dropped through the net.
Nash Gold stopped and gave Tetsuya Kuroko a long, meaningful look.
At that moment, he began to acknowledge him.
Anyone willing to keep fighting and give everything for victory on the court deserved respect.
Nash Gold looked at Tetsuya Kuroko.
"Kid, what's your name?"
Tetsuya Kuroko answered with a resolute expression.
"Tetsuya Kuroko."
Nash Gold nodded almost unconsciously.
"Tetsuya Kuroko, huh? I'll remember you. Some of your beliefs may clash with mine, but I respect your spirit."
Tetsuya Kuroko remained expressionless, his voice equally calm.
"Thank you for acknowledging me."
Nash Gold smiled faintly.
"What an interesting kid."
At that moment, the referee blew his whistle.
"Beep! The Dragon Slayer Team has called a timeout! Both teams, leave the court!"
Both sides immediately turned and headed for their benches.
On the Dragon Slayer Team's side, Taiga Kagami and Shogo Haizaki left the Zone as soon as they stepped off the court.
Both had excellent stamina, so the Zone had not drained them too heavily.
Tetsuya Kuroko, however, was different.
He was a Shadow by nature, and he had used [Phantom Shot] several times in succession. Beads of sweat were now running down his face.
Kagetora Aida naturally noticed and turned to Seijuro Akashi.
"Akashi, are you feeling better?"
Seijuro Akashi kept his head lowered and said nothing, merely giving a slight nod.
Seeing that, Kagetora Aida said,
"Then Akashi will replace Kuroko."
On the other side, the atmosphere around the Black Dragon Team was far lighter than the Dragon Slayer Team's.
In fact, the difference was enormous.
Not a single member of the Black Dragon Team looked nervous.
Zack took a sip of water and joked,
"You guys have no idea. Those kids kept entering the Zone one after another just to take me on. I didn't even know what to make of it."
Allen chuckled mischievously.
"That's because you were asking for it, Zack."
Zack snapped back,
"Screw off, Allen! You damn pervert!"
Allen immediately began piling on the absurdity.
"I'll have you know, my gender is Walmart..."
Zack panicked and quickly covered his mouth.
"Allen, you win."
Allen pulled away from Zack's hand and burst out laughing.
"Hahahaha! Zack, you really know when to back down!"
"But it looks like the other side is still holding something back."
Zack answered without concern,
"So what? They're holding back, but aren't we doing the same?"
Allen grinned.
"I was only pointing it out. I never said we were going to lose."
Zack raised a hand to smack him, but Allen opened his mouth again.
From the shape of his lips, Zack recognized the first syllable.
Wal...
Zack immediately froze.
"You win, Allen."
Allen's laughter rang out once again.
Miyamoto Tokima watched them helplessly. He never would have imagined that the Allen from the original story would grow into someone like this.
It was truly...
...
"Play will now resume! Both teams, take the court!"
The referee blew the whistle to restart the game.
Both teams rose and walked back onto the court.
As Seijuro Akashi stood, Tetsuya Kuroko called out to him.
"Good luck, Akashi."
Seijuro Akashi paused.
Without turning around, he stood there and replied in a cold, magnetic voice,
"I know, Tetsuya."
With that, Seijuro Akashi walked onto the court.
Tetsuya Kuroko's pupils suddenly contracted, and the look in his eyes changed as he watched him leave.
He knew that Seijuro Akashi had changed.
The moment Miyamoto Tokima stepped onto the court, he sensed something different about Seijuro Akashi.
He turned to look at him.
Seijuro Akashi looked back at Miyamoto Tokima.
Their gazes met across the court.
The moment Miyamoto Tokima saw those eyes, he understood.
The second personality was now controlling the body.
Miyamoto Tokima smiled faintly and murmured,
"Did a single defeat make you change, Akashi?"
...
Possession changed hands.
The Black Dragon Team had the ball.
After Nash Gold brought the ball into the frontcourt, he also noticed the change in Seijuro Akashi.
Before, Seijuro Akashi had seemed somewhat aloof, but there had still been a trace of gentleness beneath it.
Now, he was cold through and through. An icy pressure radiated from his entire body, as though he stood above everyone else.
Nash Gold frowned.
He had never seen anyone's presence change so drastically in such a short time.
Curious, Nash Gold spoke.
"You've changed quite a bit."
Seijuro Akashi's expression was icy, and his voice carried endless indifference.
"Thank you for the compliment."
The words themselves expressed acknowledgment, yet coming from Seijuro Akashi, they somehow sounded sarcastic.
The stark contrast left Nash Gold momentarily unable to make sense of him.
...
...
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