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Aomine stepped up to the free-throw line.
Tendou didn't even bother getting into position for the rebound.
With a guy like "black charcoal head," who could casually drain a three from anywhere on the court, free throws weren't likely to miss.
Aomine lightly bounced the ball.
Just a moment ago… he really felt like he'd returned to how it all started.
It was like from the very beginning, he was always destined to be playing against Tendou.
Even when giving his all, he still couldn't beat him.
"Tch… That was back then. This time, I won't lose to anyone."
He took a deep breath and cleared his head of distractions.
Both free throws went in.
But Imayoshi didn't relax.
From the very start of the game, Aomine had been playing from behind.
No matter how strong Aomine was, Tendou always managed to stay a step ahead—like a bottomless pit that could keep rising endlessly.
The pace of the game was fast, but the scoring wasn't actually that high.
And once again, Tendou and Aomine clashed from the three-point line all the way into the paint.
Tendou raised the ball high, channeling every ounce of power for a dunk.
Aomine didn't back down a single step—he leapt up and smacked the ball hard with one hand.
There was no suspense—Tendou overpowered him and slammed the ball through the rim.
"This bastard's strength is almost on par with Murasakibara…"
You couldn't go head-to-head with him.
That was the conclusion Aomine reached.
Their earlier speculation had been correct: Tendou's control over his body had reached an unreachable level.
He could shift all his power to a single limb at any moment, breaking his limits as needed.
"So that's the power of his Six Eyes?"
Even Aomine had never actually played against the fully awakened Tendou.
After Tendou gained the Six Eyes, he never faced off against another Teikō member.
"Was it because of Riko's curse?"
"What a pain-in-the-ass bastard…"
Mid-air, Aomine released the ball—he knew he couldn't match Tendou's strength, so he let it go.
"Aomine's losing the matchup?"
In the stands, the crowd of Tōō fans in matching black uniforms stared in disbelief.
"Impossible. Aomine can't lose. He's the king of the Generation of Miracles!"
They refused to accept it.
Since the day he joined Tōō, Aomine had been untouchable.
Every opponent had been crushed—most didn't even force him to play seriously.
Tōō had won every game by blowout.
Compared to Tōō's dominance, they looked like amateurs—barely beating teams by 10 or 20 points per game.
But those were the opinions of casual fans.
Anyone with a sharp eye knew—Kirisaki hadn't even been trying.
That was what made them terrifying—no one knew what their true ceiling was.
Just like that, the second quarter ended.
The game was so intense, so entertaining, that no one even noticed how quickly the first half had gone.
Back in the locker room, Aomine was breathing heavily, his entire body drenched in sweat.
The rest of the team stayed silent.
Aomine's movement this half—just one half—had already surpassed everything he'd done all season.
His excessive sweat was proof of it. This opponent had pushed him harder than anyone ever had.
That was the key to unlocking Zone.
Aomine's head was lowered, but every cell in his body was alive—his blood boiling, body temperature well above normal.
And yet strangely—his aura was turning colder and colder.
No one could understand what exactly was happening to him.
Wakamatsu wanted to say something—to encourage Aomine to play more with the team.
Because clearly, Aomine alone wasn't enough to beat Tendou.
He didn't even get the words out before Imayoshi grabbed his arm.
"Now's not the time to bother him."
"Aomine hasn't lost yet. He's still the strongest."
Imayoshi was one of the few people who had seen Aomine's true form.
Even if it was only once.
But that one glimpse of his absolute power had shaken Imayoshi to his core.
No matter what Aomine did, Imayoshi wouldn't question it.
Because in his heart—Aomine was the strongest player he had ever seen.
Meanwhile, in Kirisaki Daiichi's locker room—
The bad boys were chatting about the first half.
Normally at this time, Tendou would be reviewing plays, laying out second-half strategy.
He returned to the locker room, pulled on a jacket, and grabbed some snacks from his bag.
No, he hadn't turned into Murasakibara.
It wasn't about snacking—it was about preserving body heat and energy.
Seeing him, the rest of the team went quiet.
They understood what he was doing.
Pro-level preparation.
Many pro players wrap themselves up during halftime to avoid heat loss from long breaks—especially in heavily air-conditioned arenas.
Even eating snacks was a common trick to maintain body temperature. It wasn't highly effective, but it helped.
"Serious to this degree?" Hara Kazuya chewed his gum and popped a few chips in imitation.
Today, for the first time, they'd truly lived up to Tendou's expectations.
Even the dirty elbows and stepped-on shoes—they weren't for fun, or to hurt anyone.
They were all done for one reason: to win.
That was something they'd never experienced under Hanamiya's leadership.
He never gave them the joy of playing the game.
Back then, Kirisaki was like a bunch of sewer rats.
Everyone hated them. Everyone avoided them. And they didn't care.
They were content being the villains.
But now—it was different.
Tendou had pulled them out of the sewer and onto a new stage.
Here, Kirisaki Daiichi shone.
They were the center of national attention.
The ugly ducklings had turned into swans.
Tendou's reformation of the team was nearly complete.
They were still "bad boys," but not Hanamiya's tools of destruction anymore.
They were Tendou Kageyoshi's sword bearers—his elite vanguard.
"What a monster…" Tendou thought to himself as he munched on a snack.
His mind was on Aomine.
He realized—Aomine's explosive performance wasn't a fluke.
Zone wasn't just raw emotion.
It had a trigger—sufficient pressure.
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As long as someone pushed Aomine hard enough, he would naturally break past the 80% threshold and play beyond his limits.
And if that still wasn't enough to win—
Then he'd go further.
Naturally. Inevitably.