The anticipation in the gym was thick with tension.
Souta Fujimura stood at the center of the court, rolling his shoulders as he prepared for what would be his toughest challenge yet—facing Teikou's starting lineup in an official practice match.
Kise and Kuroko stood beside him, both equally focused.
Across from them, the Generation of Miracles—Akashi, Aomine, Midorima, Murasakibara, and Kise's starting lineup counterpart—stood like immovable titans, exuding an overwhelming aura.
Even though this was just a practice match, the stakes felt higher than ever.
Coach Shirogane's voice broke the silence.
"Alright. We're playing four quarters, ten minutes each. No handicaps. No restrictions. Play to win."
Souta took a deep breath, clenching his fists.
This was it.
The whistle blew, and the game began.
Murasakibara and Kise jumped for the tip-off.
Despite Kise's athleticism, the taller Murasakibara easily palmed the ball, swatting it toward Akashi.
The emperor caught it effortlessly and initiated the attack.
Souta braced himself as Akashi calmly dribbled past half-court.
Even without activating his Emperor Eye, Akashi was a force to be reckoned with. His movements were sharp, calculated—there was no wasted motion.
He made eye contact with Aomine for a split second.
That was all it took.
Aomine took off like a bullet, cutting through the defense with insane speed.
Before anyone could react, Akashi's pass zipped through the air—
Aomine caught it mid-stride and twisted in the air for a devastating layup.
2-0.
Souta barely had time to process what had just happened.
Akashi had read every defensive movement before they even happened.
Kise sighed. "Man, playing against them is so different from being on their side."
Kuroko nodded. "We have to disrupt their rhythm."
Souta took the inbound pass, breathing steadily.
Focus.
He dribbled past half-court, scanning the defense.
Akashi was marking him closely.
Souta faked left, then activated Phantom Step, slipping past Akashi's field of vision for an instant.
But before he could make his move—
Aomine was already there, blocking his path.
"Tch." Souta backpedaled. They were reading him too easily.
He swung the ball to Kise, who immediately mimicked Aomine's cross-step drive, cutting toward the rim.
But just as he was about to finish—
Murasakibara's massive frame loomed over him.
With one powerful swing, the titan swatted the ball away, sending it flying out of bounds.
Kise clicked his tongue. "That guy's a damn wall."
Souta exhaled sharply. They won't let us score easily.
This was Teikou's true power.
For the next few minutes, the match became a brutal back-and-forth.
Aomine's unpredictable playstyle made him nearly unstoppable in one-on-one situations.
Midorima, when given the slightest space, drilled three-pointers with insane consistency.
Murasakibara's defense shut down the paint, making inside shots nearly impossible.
And Akashi?
He controlled everything like a chess master, dictating the game's flow with absolute authority.
By halftime, the score was 36-22 in favor of the starters.
Souta wiped sweat from his forehead. They were getting crushed.
Coach Shirogane called a timeout.
"We need to adjust," Souta said, breathing hard. "If we keep playing into their strengths, we'll never catch up."
Kise sighed. "Easier said than done. Aomine's too fast, Murasakibara's too big, and Midorima's basically a cheat code."
Kuroko spoke up. "Then we have to use what they aren't expecting."
Souta's eyes widened. That's it.
The third quarter began.
This time, their approach changed.
Instead of a traditional offense, Kuroko took control of the playmaking.
Using his Misdirection Overflow, he confused Akashi's defense, allowing Kise to slip past unnoticed.
Souta executed a perfect give-and-go, receiving a hidden pass from Kuroko.
For the first time in the match, they caught Teikou off guard.
Souta faked a shot, forcing Murasakibara to jump—then passed it behind his back to Kise, who finished with a swift layup.
36-24.
The strategy continued.
By using constant movement, they forced Midorima to abandon his deep shooting spots.
By attacking from unexpected angles, they minimized Aomine's one-on-one advantage.
And by pushing the pace, they wore down Murasakibara's stamina.
By the end of the third quarter, the score was 52-45.
They were closing the gap.
Final quarter.
Akashi's gaze sharpened. "You've improved."
Souta met his eyes. "We're just getting started."
The moment the quarter began, Akashi activated Emperor Eye.
The effect was instantaneous.
He intercepted Kuroko's misdirection pass before it even happened.
He predicted Kise's movement before he even took a step.
And with one effortless sequence, he shut down their entire offense.
Souta gritted his teeth.
This was the difference between challengers and kings.
Akashi dribbled to the three-point line, eyes locked onto Souta.
"You've fought well," he said calmly. "But this game is over."
With a swift motion, he drove past Souta—effortlessly.
No hesitation.
No wasted movement.
Just absolute control.
Souta turned, trying to react—
But it was too late.
Akashi launched a perfect jump shot, sealing the game.
65-50.
Game over.
Silence.
Souta exhaled, staring at the scoreboard.
They lost.
But…
For the first time, he wasn't disappointed.
He had challenged the kings of Teikou.
And he had held his ground.
Akashi approached him, offering a hand. "You did well."
Souta shook it firmly. "Next time, we'll win."
Akashi smirked. "I look forward to it."
Souta glanced at his teammates.
Kise, Kuroko—
They all felt it too.
This was just the beginning.