The atmosphere in Teikou's gym was electric. The National Tournament was only a few weeks away, and the intensity of practice had skyrocketed. Every player, whether on the first or second string, pushed their limits, hoping to earn a spot on the court when it truly mattered.
For Souta, this was his moment to break through.
His recent improvements—his Phantom Drift, his refined misdirection, and his growing instincts—had caught the attention of not just Kuroko, but even Akashi himself.
But he knew it wasn't enough.
The Generation of Miracles were still on a level beyond him.
And if he wanted to stand among them, he needed to go beyond his limits.
One-on-One with Kise
"Oi, Souta, let's play a quick game!"
Souta turned to see Ryouta Kise grinning at him, spinning a basketball on his finger.
"One-on-one?" Souta asked, raising an eyebrow.
Kise nodded. "Yup! Coach gave us some free time today, and I've been dying to play against you properly!"
The challenge was clear in Kise's golden eyes.
Souta knew that among the Generation of Miracles, Kise was the most adaptable.
His Perfect Copy could steal skills from other players, making him an absolute nightmare once he fully developed.
But right now, he wasn't perfect yet.
If Souta wanted to test himself, this was a golden opportunity.
"Alright," Souta smirked. "Let's do this."
The rest of the team noticed immediately. Midorima, Aomine, and even Murasakibara gathered around to watch, curiosity in their eyes.
Even Akashi took a glance from the sidelines, as if evaluating the match.
The rules were simple.
First to 10 points wins.
The Battle Begins
Kise started with the ball.
With a swift crossover, he charged forward, his movements fluid and natural.
Souta locked in.
He matched Kise's pace, keeping up with him step-for-step.
Not bad.
But Kise wasn't slowing down. He suddenly pulled off Aomine's speed fadeaway, launching the ball with perfect form.
Souta reacted instantly, leaping up to contest the shot.
But—
Swish!
"One-zero!" Kise grinned.
Souta frowned. He's already using Aomine's moves this well?
Kise dribbled again, this time attempting a drive-in spin move.
Souta read his movement and cut off his path—
But Kise immediately switched to Midorima's ultra-high release shot.
The ball soared high, well out of reach—
And landed cleanly.
"Two-zero!"
Souta clicked his tongue.
If Kise could already use moves from his teammates, then his own Phantom Drift would need to be even faster.
Counterattack
Now, it was Souta's turn with the ball.
He activated his misdirection, lowering his presence.
Kise hesitated for just a moment—
And in that moment, Souta vanished.
He reappeared behind Kise, driving towards the hoop.
Kise reacted fast, spinning around to block—
But Souta wasn't there anymore.
A sudden shift, a quick step, and Souta had already changed directions.
Kise barely had time to react before Souta sank an easy layup.
"Two-one," Souta smirked.
Kise whistled. "Man, that move is scary~."
But he didn't look discouraged. If anything—he looked excited.
"Alright, now it's getting fun!"
The intensity of the match doubled.
The Evolution of a Phantom
The game became a battle of instincts.
Souta relied on his Phantom Drift and quick shifts, while Kise adapted to each movement, adjusting his playstyle constantly.
But Souta had something Kise didn't—experience against himself.
Kise might be able to copy moves, but he couldn't copy Souta's instincts and decisions.
Every time Kise adapted, Souta changed his rhythm.
Every time Kise tried to predict, Souta acted unpredictably.
With each point scored, the gap between them narrowed.
8-8.
9-8.
Souta was leading, but just barely.
For the final point, he had to finish this now.
He dribbled forward—Kise watching closely.
Then—he stopped.
Kise blinked in confusion.
In that instant, Souta exploded forward, slipping past him.
Before Kise could react—
Slam!
The ball slammed through the hoop, and the game was over.
"10-8. I win," Souta breathed out, wiping sweat from his forehead.
Kise let out a laugh. "Damn! You really don't give up, huh?"
Souta smirked. "No chance. If I did, I'd never catch up to you guys."
Kise stretched, cracking his neck. "Looks like I need to level up even more."
Souta clenched his fists.
Me too.
Aomine's Challenge
Just as Souta was catching his breath, a familiar voice called out.
"Oi, Souta."
Souta turned—Aomine stood there, spinning a basketball on his finger.
"You're getting better," Aomine said, a dangerous grin on his face. "But let's see if you can keep up with me now."
Souta's heart pounded.
A one-on-one against Aomine Daiki?
Aomine, who had already begun tapping into his unstoppable form?
This was exactly what he needed.
"Bring it on," Souta said, stepping forward.
Aomine's grin widened.
"Good answer."