As the minutes ticked by, Ueno bitterly acknowledged his team's impotence. While Teikō's scoreboard ticked by like a frantic counter, Oki's remained hopelessly stuck at zero. His teammates, eyes vacant and breathless, had already given up all hope of resistance. Ten minutes before halftime, the score was already a crushing 60-0.
Receiving a pass, He faced Ryōta Kise. The Kaijō ace wore a nonchalant smile that belied a terrifying interception speed. Ueno attempted a lateral acceleration to break down the right flank, but Kise pivoted with supernatural agility.
CLACK!
With a sharp crack, Kise's hand slammed into the ball, sending it flying out of bounds. "Sorry, I went a bit overboard," Kise said, scratching the back of his neck, a look of false modesty on his face. Ueno ignored him, his dark eyes beginning to crackle with dark flashes. He had planned to save his secret weapon for the substitutes, but the Miracles' arrogance demanded an immediate response.
****
Suddenly, a black flash pierced Kise's guard. Ueno vanished, leaving behind only a trail of dark light. Kise remained frozen, staring at the number 7 who had just obliterated him. "How is this possible...?" he stammered, losing his ever-present smile.
"STOP HIM!" Akashi Seijūrō roared, sensing the threat.
Atsushi Murasakibara, the temple guardian, stepped up to face Ueno. His massive hand (2.10 meters tall) opened like a claw. "You shall not pass, fly!"
Ueno leaped forward, his body fully extended. Murasakibara jumped in turn, striking the ball with his giant hands. The impact was deafening. The ball was launched into the air, and both players crashed back down with a clatter of limbs. But in mid-air, Ueno executed a twist of his torso that defied the laws of physics. He planted himself with lightning speed, leaped again, and caught the ball.
Daiki Aomine then appeared for a last-ditch block, but Ueno, driven by a bestial rage, roared: "GET IN HERE!"
BAM!
Before Aomine's astonished eyes, Ueno smashed the ball into the hoop. The Tokyo Gymnasium fell into a deathly silence before erupting in a historic roar. An unknown player had just scored a basket in total isolation against three members of the Generation of Miracles.
Ueno sat up, his face ashen, his body dripping with sweat. He felt like he'd been hit by a freight train. Every breath was like a tearing pain. His Zone shut down, leaving him drained of his life force. Passing a pale Kise, he forced a defiant smile: "Sorry... I scored by accident."
The next moment, his world shifted. The Zone's 120% nerve overload swept away his consciousness. Ueno collapsed onto the court, losing consciousness before the incredulous eyes of Japan's elite.