Just thinking about it gave Taiga Kagami a headache.
Ryota Kise's [Emperor Eye] had already been troublesome enough for him.
But he had never expected Seijuro Akashi's [Emperor Eye] to be even more powerful.
Seijuro Akashi seemed to guess what Taiga Kagami was thinking and said coldly,
"Comparing me to a fake? You really are full of yourself."
The moment he finished speaking, Seijuro Akashi's eyes widened, and the rings of light in his golden irises began to twist.
In the next second, Seijuro Akashi closed in on Taiga Kagami and reached out.
Taiga Kagami's heart jolted. He reacted at once, switching the basketball to his other hand to avoid Seijuro Akashi's steal.
But it was too fast.
Smack!!!
The sound of a steal rang out.
The basketball dropped from Taiga Kagami's hands, and shock spread across his face.
After stealing the ball from Taiga Kagami, Seijuro Akashi said coldly,
"You're too arrogant."
Seijuro Akashi had already seen through Taiga Kagami's hand switch with the [Emperor Eye], so he predicted it in advance and knocked the ball away.
After the steal, Seijuro Akashi charged straight toward the frontcourt.
Taiga Kagami immediately turned and chased after him.
Soon, Taiga Kagami was running side by side with Seijuro Akashi.
Seijuro Akashi glanced at him indifferently, then suddenly stopped short and pulled the ball behind his back.
Taiga Kagami saw it and hurriedly hit the brakes too.
But in the next second, Seijuro Akashi suddenly changed direction and rushed forward again.
Taiga Kagami instinctively tried to keep up, but his body collapsed to the floor beyond his control.
As he fell, Taiga Kagami murmured in disbelief,
"How... is that... possible..."
In the end, Taiga Kagami sat sprawled on the floor, stunned, while Seijuro Akashi casually placed the basketball into the hoop.
It became a legendary scene.
After scoring, Seijuro Akashi slowly turned back on defense. As he passed Taiga Kagami, he said,
"Nothing is impossible. I am the strong one, and you are the weak one. That means all you're fit to do is kneel on the ground and look up at me!"
Taiga Kagami sat on the floor and raised his head to look up at Seijuro Akashi. In that moment, his gaze met Akashi's cold, downward stare.
A chill ran through Taiga Kagami.
That coldness shot straight into his mind, stirring a faint sense of fear.
Seijuro Akashi withdrew his gaze and slowly went back on defense.
Taiga Kagami still seemed unable to recover, his expression somewhat blank.
Tetsuya Kuroko ran over and pulled Taiga Kagami up.
"Kagami-kun, are you okay?"
Taiga Kagami came back to himself and nodded.
"Yeah, I'm fine, Kuroko. I just didn't expect the [Emperor Eye] to be this strong."
"But I'm not giving up!"
After saying that, Taiga Kagami was about to turn away, but Tetsuya Kuroko stopped him.
Taiga Kagami turned his head in confusion and saw the determined look in Tetsuya Kuroko's eyes.
Tetsuya Kuroko looked firmly at Taiga Kagami and said,
"Kagami-kun..."
Taiga Kagami met Tetsuya Kuroko's gaze and seemed to understand what he was thinking, so he gave a firm nod.
"I get it."
...
Possession changed.
Seirin High School had the ball.
As Shun Izuki advanced with the ball, something also changed in the frontcourt.
Taiga Kagami suddenly ran into the paint and set a screen.
And that screen just happened to block Chihiro Mayuzumi.
Chihiro Mayuzumi was a little confused.
How could Taiga Kagami have noticed him?
Shun Izuki saw Tetsuya Kuroko run out and immediately passed the basketball over.
Tetsuya Kuroko instantly tapped the basketball up into the air.
He sent it flying high.
Seijuro Akashi's height and jumping ability were not enough to reach that height.
More precisely, no one on Rakuzan High School could jump that high.
But Seirin High School had someone who could.
Taiga Kagami!
Taiga Kagami leaped high, snatched the basketball at the very limit of his reach in midair, and locked his eyes on the basket.
"Aaaaaah!!!"
With a roar, Taiga Kagami slammed the basketball into the hoop.
BANG!!!
That dunk was heavy and powerful.
Junpei Hyuga raised his fist and shouted,
"Nice!"
Tatsuya Himuro, watching his younger brother shine on the court from the sidelines, could not help but smile.
After the basket, Taiga Kagami excitedly bumped fists with Tetsuya Kuroko, then went back on defense.
Seijuro Akashi turned his head to glance at Tetsuya Kuroko and murmured,
'An evolved... shadow?'
Possession changed.
Rakuzan High School had the ball.
Seijuro Akashi calmly dribbled to the three-point line. Taiga Kagami immediately closed in, spreading his arms to defend.
Seijuro Akashi paid him no mind. After a series of rapid dribbles, he suddenly broke through from the right.
Taiga Kagami's center of gravity suddenly tipped backward beyond his control, but he quickly steadied himself.
Still, after that stumble, it was already very difficult for him to recover and defend Seijuro Akashi.
After Seijuro Akashi broke through from the right, his calm gaze suddenly trembled.
Because...
Tetsuya Kuroko!
He had appeared right in front of him.
And Tetsuya Kuroko had already reached out, his hand moving toward the basketball in Seijuro Akashi's possession.
Seijuro Akashi quickly reacted and switched the ball to his other hand.
At the same time, Seijuro Akashi pulled back sharply.
And Taiga Kagami was revealed.
As it turned out, he had been trying to steal the ball from Seijuro Akashi right after the hand switch.
Seijuro Akashi stared at Tetsuya Kuroko in shock and asked,
"How? How were you there? Did you trust that much that I would go that way?!"
Tetsuya Kuroko replied with a serious expression,
"No. I didn't know which way you would go either. But I trust Kagami-kun."
"I trust that Kagami-kun can't stop you, so all I needed to do was follow Kagami-kun and defend in the opposite direction."
Taiga Kagami broke into a cold sweat beside him and silently thought...
Thanks a damn lot.
Seijuro Akashi froze for a moment after hearing that answer, then suddenly laughed.
"So that's why? Hahahaha."
Taiga Kagami frowned and said in a low voice,
"What are you laughing at?!"
Seijuro Akashi's laughter slowly faded. His eyes fixed tightly on Taiga Kagami as he said coldly,
"What am I laughing at? I'm laughing because you people... are far too arrogant!!!"
Clang!!!
...
...
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.