An enormous tiger appeared behind Taiga Kagami, savage lightning flashing in its eyes.
The moment it emerged, the tiger threw back its head and unleashed a mighty roar that echoed through the mountains and forests.
At the same time, brilliant crimson lightning erupted from Taiga Kagami's eyes.
The lightning raged through the air as if proclaiming his extraordinary power.
Red lightning blazed in Taiga Kagami's eyes, while the mighty tiger behind him stared ahead with identical crimson lightning flashing in its own.
Man and tiger stood upon the court like gods of war.
At that moment, Taiga Kagami felt as though limitless power were surging through his body.
The sensation felt even better than it had during the Winter Cup.
Seijuro Akashi also sensed the change in Taiga Kagami. Just as he was about to pass him the ball, he noticed Nash Gold making a subtle move.
Seijuro Akashi immediately pulled his hand back and sent the ball through with a behind-the-back pass.
Nash Gold smiled faintly.
He had done it deliberately.
That subtle move had been meant to force Seijuro Akashi into making a behind-the-back pass.
After all, a behind-the-back pass could not produce the same effect as a precision pass.
After catching the ball, Taiga Kagami stared at Miyamoto Tokima with fierce fighting spirit burning in his eyes.
"Ever since I returned to Japan, I've been hearing your name. From that moment on, there was something I wanted to do."
"I wanted to play against you! Unfortunately, I never had the chance!"
"But now that chance is right in front of me, and I'm going to seize it! I'm going to give you everything I've got!"
Taiga Kagami's voice grew more resolute with every word.
"I'll stake everything on this!"
In an instant, his fighting spirit erupted to an unprecedented level, and his presence reached its greatest intensity yet.
Off the court, Daiki Aomine's pupils trembled violently.
"That's... the second door..."
Kagetora Aida noticed it as well, his face filled with shock.
"To think he actually..."
The next moment, Kagetora Aida made his decision.
He immediately told Daiki Aomine to move to the sidelines and prepare himself.
On the court, Miyamoto Tokima's lips curled upward as he watched the tremendous presence erupting from Taiga Kagami.
'Finally... you're starting to look a little like a protagonist.'
'In that case, I suppose I'll take this a little more seriously.'
The next moment, Miyamoto Tokima's expression became slightly more serious.
Layers of black mist began pouring out from within his body, thick and dark like ink.
The mist spread rapidly, engulfing the entire court in the blink of an eye.
Nash Gold stared at the sight before him in terror, his body trembling uncontrollably.
He remembered the horrifying presence that had once filled him with dread, and fear and unease surged through his heart.
"Could this... be...?"
he murmured, his voice trembling.
Jason Silver's body also began to shake, as though some invisible force had overwhelmed him.
He felt something mysterious within his body retreating, as if it feared what was about to appear.
"Are we finally... going to see it again?"
he murmured, a trace of anticipation in his voice.
The black mist swallowed the entire court in an instant, plunging everything into darkness.
Everyone on the court seemed trapped within it, unable to break free.
Through the mist, they could barely make out a gigantic silhouette resembling a towering mountain.
Blue-white lightning flashed around it. Every bolt that tore through the darkness was accompanied by the howling of a hurricane, as though heaven and earth themselves were roaring.
The figure circled within the black mist, its form blurred and indistinct, making it impossible to see its true appearance.
The only thing they could clearly make out was a pair of intensely crimson eyes.
They burned like flames, radiating an aura that was both supremely noble and viciously savage.
It was difficult to imagine two such conflicting qualities existing within the same being.
Nash Gold stared at the scene before him in confusion.
"It's... different?"
Jason Silver felt the same way.
Whenever the Black Dragon had appeared before, there had also been black mist, but it had never been this dense.
They had always been able to see the Black Dragon's true form.
Now, however, the mist covered the entire court, concealing even the Black Dragon itself.
They could no longer see its appearance.
All they could see were those crimson eyes.
Had it... evolved?
Nash Gold and Jason Silver had both witnessed Miyamoto Tokima's Black Dragon Animal Instinct before. Its terrifying presence had been carved deep into their bones.
They stared intently at the figure hidden within the mist, trying to make out its appearance.
But they soon gave up.
They could only see the faintest outline.
Even so, there was one thing they were certain of.
The Black Dragon had changed.
Even its size alone was completely different.
At that moment, Taiga Kagami also saw the crimson eyes within the black mist.
The mighty tiger behind him began trembling violently.
It lowered its body, then rolled halfway onto its back and exposed its belly.
It was submitting.
Cold sweat poured from Taiga Kagami's forehead as he stood rooted to the spot, gritting his teeth in pain.
He seemed to be desperately resisting the overwhelming pressure.
Off the court, Daiki Aomine stared wide-eyed at the scene, his face filled with shock.
He was not the only one.
Everyone both on and off the court watched with their eyes wide open.
Ryota Kise stared at the dense black mist, his lips trembling uncontrollably.
"Miyamoto... really is... a monster..."
Makoto Hanamiya swallowed and lowered his head.
Did Miyamoto Tokima really need him as his sword?
Why did it feel like even if his sword were broken, Miyamoto Tokima would still be perfectly fine?
Kagetora Aida's face had also gone pale, and the way he looked at Miyamoto Tokima had completely changed.
'What the hell kind of monster is he?!'
'I've never seen anyone radiate this kind of presence before! Not even the NBA players I've met could compare!'
Kagetora Aida's eyes began to tremble.
'Could it be... that you've already reached a level beyond most NBA players?!'
'Just what kind of monster are you?!'
...
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on p-@-treon.
p-@-treon/GhostParser (45 Chapters Ahead)
You can also follow as a free member to read a few advanced chapters.