Chapter Twenty-Five: Aomine Daiki
"Yagami, are we really doing three-on-three against that guy?" Aida said uneasily. "And you're bringing me? I'll definitely drag you down. Why don't you find someone better?"
"Aren't you part of Ryonan too?"
Yagami focused intently on his stretches, not looking up. "Relax. It's not the national tournament, just messing around."
You better be just messing around! Aida saw the excited gleam in Yagami's eyes and didn't believe a word he said.
"Hey, you two are Ryonan first-years?" Fukuda frowned. "I never agreed to play some three-on-three."
As if finding a savior, Aida quickly explained. "Fukuda-senpai! I'm Aida Hikoichi, he's Yagami Sorato—we're both new members of Ryonan's basketball team! Coach Taoka and Sendoh-senpai specifically sent us to find you and ask you to return to the team!"
"Really?!"
For an instant, surprise and excitement flashed in Fukuda's eyes, but it quickly became shrouded in complex emotions.
"Even so, I don't want to team up with you two for three-on-three. I suggest you not provoke that guy either."
Hikoichi looked helplessly at Yagami, but the latter seemed completely oblivious to Fukuda's warning. His gaze remained fixed on Aomine Daiki as he suddenly spoke flatly.
"Why? I saw you having plenty of fun going one-on-one with him just now."
"???"
"Fun?" Fukuda glared at Yagami. "Which eye saw me having fun?!"
"You don't understand—playing against this guy, you can't even see a path to victory!"
That feeling just now exceeded even the oppressive pressure Fukuda had experienced challenging Uozumi or Sendoh. More thorough. More suffocating.
"I'm only saying this because I'm thinking of you two!"
"So you're scared." Yagami nodded. Players whose fighting spirit shattered after facing the Generation of Miracles were indeed not uncommon.
"You bastard—"
"That won't do. Ryonan aims to dominate nationals. If you're already scared now, how will we face him head-on and defeat him on the national tournament stage?" Yagami said calmly.
"Ryonan? Dominate nationals? Defeat?" Fukuda couldn't keep up with Yagami's logic, unable to understand what this first-year was saying.
"How about this," Yagami seemed to hit upon a good idea. "If we lose the three-on-three, we won't force you to return to Ryonan."
"Deal!"
Fukuda blurted it out, then immediately realized something felt off.
"Wait, I do want to return to Ryonan! So what's even the point of agreeing to this three-on-three?!"
"Are you guys ready yet?" Aomine said boredly. "If you keep stalling, I'll lose interest."
Behind Aomine stood two guys he'd randomly pulled from the court. After witnessing Aomine's "performance" earlier, plenty of people were willing to team up once they learned they'd be playing with the Generation of Miracles.
"By the way, is three-on-three even necessary? I could handle three-on-one perfectly fine." Aomine said mockingly. "Or are you deliberately doing this to make it seem fair?"
"Think what you want." Yagami didn't deny it. "I already said one-on-one right now I'm not your match."
"Basketball is five-on-five, right? With current conditions finding enough players is difficult, but three people should be enough to beat you."
"Heh, at least you're honest." Aomine said indifferently.
As for the other party deliberately emphasizing "right now" he's not a match one-on-one, as if he'd soon be capable—Aomine dismissed it as unrealistic fantasy.
Either way, after this showdown, he should recognize reality.
Street Basketball Three-on-Three Rules (Brief)
1. Scoring: Inside shots worth 1 point, outside shots worth 2 points. First team to 11 wins.
2. On defensive rebounds, must clear the three-point line before attacking.
3. After scoring, possession switches. Inbound from baseline, no shot clock.
4. No stealing inbounds. Out of bounds switches possession. Shooting fouls result in one free throw worth 1 point if made.
Ryonan Team: Yagami Sorato, Fukuda Kicchou, Aida Hikoichi.
Aomine Team: Aomine Daiki, Meguro Kousuke (Random 1), Ichikawa Hiroshi (Random 2).
After a coin flip, Aomine's team got first possession.
"Looks like even luck isn't on your side."
Aomine stood at half court with the ball, passing it to Meguro. After passing it back, Meguro quickly cleared out, leaving the stage entirely to Aomine.
That completed the opening check-in.
"That guy obviously won't pass to teammates. Should we double-team?" Fukuda asked.
"No. First possession, I want to experience this myself." Yagami took a deep breath, lowering his center of gravity and spreading his arms before Aomine.
Aida watched the confrontation nervously. Yagami's defense had been on full display these past two practice games—he could almost always cover conventional offensive routes and limit opponents.
However, Aomine's offense didn't fall under "conventional" categories.
BANG! The ball hammered into the ground.
Aomine used no complex fakes—just a crossover with absurdly exaggerated amplitude, his body weight tilting instantly as if he'd explode right the next moment.
Yagami's center of gravity instinctively shifted in the same direction—maybe moved one centimeter—
In that instant, Aomine's wrist flicked. The ball snapped back to his side as his entire body ghosted past Yagami's left like a phantom!
So fast only an afterimage remained!
Did Yagami expose an opening?
No. He didn't.
Aomine was simply too fast!
Aida only saw Aomine's figure flash before breaking through Yagami's defense.
"First time seeing this—he didn't even need extra technique..."
Aida tried to rotate, but Aomine had already penetrated inside.
Fukuda slid under the basket with arms raised. Aomine swept past him like wind without even touching his jersey.
Just then, Yagami caught up.
Aomine's lips curved into a smile. Elevating in the lane, he didn't simply lay it up but executed an extreme mid-air tuck, avoiding Yagami's potential contest before reverse-slamming the ball through the rim!
Ryonan 0 - 1 Aomine
"I said I alone was enough. It's not too late to end this boring farce now."
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