Possession changed hands once again. Kuroko Tetsuya held the ball, eyes calm, but for the first time, a strange unease crept into his chest. In front of him, Takao Kazunari locked onto him like a predator. This feeling, it's like being watched by a natural enemy. Every subtle movement, every feint, every route he tried to take, all of it felt seen through.
"Hey, hey! Shin-chan's teammates aren't simple at all!"
"Of course not, he's one of the 'Five Rising Stars,' after all!"
Aomine Daiki glanced sideways at Haizaki Shogo. "You know what's going on, Shogo?"
Haizaki thought for a moment, then glanced at Midorima Shintaro and Takao nearby. "The last time they played against Fukuda Sogo, he didn't get the chance to show it. Watch carefully, Kuroko's been sealed."
"Sealed? Like that guy from your team?"
Haizaki shook his head. "Completely different. That guy locks onto Kuroko's body and ignores everything else, he shuts him down at the root." He narrowed his eyes slightly. "But Takao, he sees through Kuroko's passing routes."
"What?"
"He's sealed Kuroko's future."
Aomine frowned. "You've gotta be kidding."
Haizaki smirked faintly. "Takao Kazunari has a rare ability, Hawk Eye."
Aomine's pupils shrank slightly. Now he understood.
=======
On the other side, Midorima tightly guarded Kagami Taiga, cutting off any passing lane. "What's wrong with Kuroko? Something feels off," Kagami muttered.
Midorima pushed his glasses up, voice calm. "He's facing his natural enemy. What do you think?"
"Natural enemy?"
"Watch."
For a brief moment, Kuroko stood there, holding the ball. Not passing. Not moving. He didn't know where to pass. And Takao's gaze, it felt like being cornered, like prey trapped with nowhere to run.
Seeing this, Aomine stepped out from the paint, moving beyond the three-point line to break the stalemate. And at that exact moment, Kuroko vanished. No hesitation. No warning. He slipped past Takao like a ghost. The ball soared into the air. Kagami leapt. BOOM! And slammed it into the hoop with a thunderous alley-oop dunk.
Silence. Then shock. Aomine. Midorima. Kagami. Momoi. Shimizu. All of them stared, stunned, mouths slightly open, eyes wide, at that thin, seemingly fragile boy.
From the sidelines, Shimizu Rena felt something different. What was that just now? Why does he feel so different all of a sudden? Kuroko's presence, usually faint to the point of invisibility, now carried a strange, captivating aura. Her interest in him deepened instantly.
Meanwhile, Satsuki Momoi had no such restraint. She rushed over and grabbed Kuroko's arm excitedly. "Tetsu-kun! What was that just now?!"
"Vanishing dribble."
"Waaah! That's amazing! Tell me how it works!"
"Momoi. We're still in a game."
"Ah!" Snapping back to reality, Momoi quickly let go, stepping off the court with an apologetic smile, though her eyes still sparkled with curiosity.
=======
On the court, the most shaken person was Takao. He had experienced it firsthand. And that made it worse. Why? Why did he disappear? I couldn't see anything, I couldn't understand anything! His expression darkened, frustration creeping in.
A hand suddenly clapped his shoulder. Midorima. "You shouldn't be discouraged," he said calmly. "If you can't understand it once, then watch it again." His words struck like a clap of thunder.
Takao blinked, then exhaled deeply. "Thanks, Shin-chan."
"Focus. Our ball."
Takao regained possession and passed to Midorima. Facing Kagami's intensified defense, Midorima calmly dribbled, switching hands left and right. Then he shot. The moment Kagami saw the form, his instincts screamed, that's off! He turned to grab the rebound, but before he could react, Haizaki was already in the air. He caught the ball mid-flight, slipped past Aomine's block with a smooth between-the-legs switch and slammed it in with his left hand.
BOOM! Kagami's heart skipped a beat. That coordination. That timing. It was flawless. Their team took the lead by two. Is this the level of synergy from Teiko's Generation of Miracles? I love this feeling.
Possession changed again. Aomine watched Kuroko with a satisfied smile. You've grown, Tetsu.
"You've got a strong light now, Aomine."
"Of course I do!" Aomine laughed.
Haizaki, listening from the side, immediately understood. Aomine had already figured it out. The principle behind the Vanishing Drive was simple. Kuroko used Aomine's overwhelming presence, his "light," to draw Takao's attention away. For just a split second, Takao's focus shifted. At that exact moment, Kuroko lowered his body sharply at an angle, creating a visual blind spot, a misdirection within motion. And just like that, he "disappeared." Two conditions were required: a dominant "light" capable of drawing all attention, and instantaneous reaction speed.
As Aomine continued moving off the ball, Kuroko vanished once more. He slipped past Takao again and passed to Kagami. Kagami caught it and went up for another dunk but, "SLAP!" Haizaki's hand shot out, swatting the ball away mid-air.
Midorima caught it beyond the three-point line, and released instantly. Before Aomine could even jump, the ball had already flown. Swish. Nothing but net.