"Hunt…"
Dicky Anthony kept repeating the word under his breath, his eyes locked tightly onto Daiki Aomine.
That stare sent a faint chill down Aomine's spine.
"Animal Instinct? No… something's not quite right."
He sensed the difference. Dicky Anthony had clearly activated Animal Instinct—but there was something off about it. A strange sense of discord.
Still, Animal Instinct was Animal Instinct. Even if it felt unusual, its power was undeniable.
Aomine understood that perfectly. In his normal state, he and Dicky Anthony were evenly matched.
But once Dicky Anthony entered Animal Instinct, he would absolutely overwhelm Aomine's regular state.
He couldn't afford even the slightest carelessness. Every possession on the court now had the potential to drag him into an endless abyss.
So—
Daiki Aomine activated his Animal Instinct as well.
In the stands, Taiga Kagami was completely stunned.
He had thought there weren't many real powerhouses in Japan.
But the moment he returned—
He was dumbfounded.
"Generation of Miracles." "Magic Cube." Names he had never even heard before kept ringing in his ears.
He had thought he could come back and defeat them all with ease.
Now?
Damn it. They're all monsters!!!
On the court—
A black panther slowly emerged behind Daiki Aomine.
Its sharp eyes locked onto the venomous snake behind Dicky Anthony, like a predator fixing its gaze on prey.
The snake refused to yield, flicking its tongue as its body coiled into an attack posture.
A faint blue glow radiated from Aomine's body. His breathing gradually steadied. His presence sank into stillness.
Like a predator before the hunt.
As the offensive player, Dicky Anthony made the first move.
Guided by instinct, he abandoned flashy techniques. He rose straight up on the spot, choosing the simplest, most direct way to score.
Aomine read it instantly. He jumped with him, extending his palm to block Dicky Anthony's line of sight.
Behind Dicky Anthony, the venomous snake opened its jaws and sprayed venom.
The black panther behind Aomine dodged nimbly, then counterattacked, slashing its claws toward the snake's eyes.
The snake didn't dodge. It opened its mouth and spat venom again.
An exchange of wounds.
But…
The snake was venomous.
Swish!!!
Three points.
Even without any vision, Dicky Anthony buried the shot cleanly.
After scoring, he didn't run back on defense. He stood where he was, staring at Aomine, murmuring over and over—
"Hunt…"
The snake behind him steadied itself again, resuming a defensive stance as it flicked its tongue.
The black panther behind Aomine also settled back, watching the snake warily.
Aomine wasn't frustrated.
He had defended to the absolute limit.
If Dicky Anthony could still make it, that wasn't something he could control.
But he did notice the abnormality.
"Have you lost your mind?" Aomine muttered.
Dicky Anthony gave no response.
He just kept repeating—
"Hunt…"
Aomine let out a soft, helpless laugh.
"So he really has gone crazy. First time I've seen someone lose it after activating Animal Instinct. Interesting."
A heat began to burn in his chest.
Passion.
Something he had lost long ago.
Something he had only ever felt when facing Miyamoto Tokima.
He hadn't expected to feel it again first because of Dicky Anthony.
Aomine bared his teeth in a grin.
"Fine. Let's have a proper fight."
...
Possession changed.
Tōō ball.
Aomine didn't bother advancing slowly. The moment he received the ball in the backcourt, he exploded forward toward the frontcourt.
His speed was staggering.
Miyamoto Tokima watched and smiled at Shuzo Nijimura beside him.
"Senior Nijimura, Aomine's faster than he was in middle school, isn't he?"
Nijimura observed carefully, then nodded.
"He is. A lot faster. Honestly, I probably couldn't keep up with him now."
Shoichi Imayoshi suddenly spoke up.
"You two… aren't you worried about your teammate?"
"Honestly, this is the first time I've ever seen Aomine like this."
Miyamoto Tokima smiled faintly.
"Why would we be worried?"
Imayoshi froze.
At that moment, Nijimura casually hooked an arm around his neck and laughed.
"Exactly. No need to worry. After all, next quarter is when Miyamoto makes his move."
Imayoshi's eyes widened.
Next quarter… the Magic Cube was stepping in?
He swallowed.
He had heard Miyamoto Tokima's reputation.
He knew Miyamoto was the very target Aomine had always been chasing.
If someone like that entered the game next quarter… what would this match turn into?
Could Aomine really endure it?
Questions kept surfacing in Imayoshi's mind.
He probably never imagined that simply hearing someone would take the court at a certain time could shake his own fighting spirit.
...
On the court—
With Animal Instinct active, Aomine surged toward Dicky Anthony at lightning speed. The black panther behind him let out a low roar.
Like a predator closing in for the kill.
Dicky Anthony's eyes locked onto the ball in Aomine's hand. The snake behind him swayed restlessly.
Aomine closed the distance in an instant. His eyes sharpened as his hands blurred, dribbling at extreme speed.
Then he burst past on the right.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The ball pounded against the hardwood in rapid succession.
His speed tore straight through Dicky Anthony's defense.
Dicky Anthony reacted quickly, chasing from behind to stop him from reaching the paint.
From the corner of his eye, Aomine noticed.
Right now, Dicky Anthony really did resemble a stubborn snake.
Even if you knocked him down, he would still coil around you and refuse to let go.
Relentless. Suffocating.
"It really does suit your Animal Instinct," Aomine muttered.
Then—
He slammed on the brakes.
From full speed to a complete stop.
A sudden pull-up jumper.
Dicky Anthony didn't have Aomine's stopping power. He tried to halt, but inertia carried him sliding back a step.
By the time he lunged forward again—
Aomine had already released the ball.
...
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