NBA Skills: Dominating Kuroko no Basket

Shiro stared at Akashi in astonishment, shocked that Akashi would make such a decision. However, since his opponent had already chosen this path, he could only accept the challenge.

He smiled slightly and said, "Fine, five points. First to score five wins."

Akashi nodded, his demeanor calm yet confident. Want to defy me? Then prove it with your strength.

"Shiro…" Momoi stepped forward and held his hand, her expression filled with concern as she looked at him. She was afraid that the two of them might end up in a serious conflict.

Shiro patted Momoi's head, signaling her not to worry.

The rest of the first-string team also felt uneasy. A conflict between their captain and the team's top scorer was not a good sign. If things escalated, it could spell disaster for the entire team. Yet, at the same time, they couldn't help but feel excited. After all, how often could they witness a showdown between two members of the Generation of Miracles? It was an opportunity too thrilling to miss.

Murasakibara, who had been about to leave, paused and turned to watch the two on the court, curiosity flashing in his eyes. He knew how strong Akashi was—after all, he had just been outplayed repeatedly by him.

As for Shiro, he was a mystery, someone whose true strength even Murasakibara couldn't gauge. This duel piqued his interest immensely.

Aomine's expression lit up with intrigue when he heard the news. He was eager to see just how strong Shiro had become. Though they had faced off once in their first year of middle school, neither had gone all out, and Aomine felt that Shiro had been holding back even then. To him, Shiro's abilities remained a puzzle.

On top of that, hearing from others about Akashi's awakened state stirred a sense of urgency in Aomine. It seemed like everyone in the Generation of Miracles —except maybe Kise — had grown significantly stronger.

"How arrogant, Shiro" Akashi remarked, his face darkening as he caught the ball. He stood still at the three-point line, poised.

Meanwhile, Shiro assumed an intensely focused defensive stance, just half a step away from Akashi. His eyes locked onto him, and his unique wingspan enveloped Akashi with suffocating pressure.

Akashi, with the power of his Emperor Eye, wasn't necessarily the strongest in a 5-on-5 game, but in a one-on-one setting, he was undeniably one of the best.

Akashi's eyes gleamed red as he used the Emperor Eye to predict Shiro's defensive movements. Despite this, even Akashi couldn't help but admire Shiro's impeccable defense — it seemed completely without flaw.

But Akashi hesitated for only a moment.

'Everyone has weaknesses. If none appear, I'll force them to show!'

Akashi immediately dribbled forward, but Shiro didn't recklessly attempt a steal. After all, the Emperor Eye could predict his next move. Lunging for a steal would only put him at a disadvantage.

Dribbling in place, Akashi's eyes remained fixed on Shiro. Suddenly, he accelerated to the left. Shiro instantly reacted, shadowing him step for step. But in a flash, Akashi halted, pulled the ball back, and performed a lightning-fast crossover to the right — an ankle breaker!

This time, Shiro's footing slipped, and he lost balance, falling backward. The spectators weren't surprised — after all, Akashi had just crossed Murasakibara to the ground five times in a row.

Akashi smirked, his confidence swelling as he breezed past Shiro.

'As I thought, no one can oppose me!'

But just as Shiro was about to hit the ground, his body twisted unnaturally, as though controlled by some mysterious force. With a forceful push of his left hand, Shiro twisted back into position, reappearing in Akashi's path to block him.

"What the hell?" Aomine's eyes widened in disbelief, though a smile crept onto his face. "Shiro, you really are the best opponent."

The audience was stunned. The flexibility and reaction speed Shiro displayed were beyond imagination. Was such a move even humanly possible? His talent and dedication left them awestruck.

Akashi's expression showed a flicker of surprise. He hadn't expected Shiro to recover from the ankle breaker. Though puzzled, Akashi quickly regained composure.

Without hesitation, Akashi gathered the ball and leaped for a jump shot. His eyes locked on Shiro, using the Emperor Eye to predict his next move.

To his shock, Shiro didn't jump to contest the shot but remained standing, seemingly waiting for something.

Akashi released the ball, confident in his technique.

In that instant, Shiro sprang into action. His explosive jump resembled a pouncing predator, cutting through the air with incredible speed.

Akashi's eyes widened in disbelief.

'Damn it! How is this possible?'

Leveraging his extraordinary athleticism and timing, Shiro contested Akashi's shot mid-air. Akashi, left with no choice, adjusted the arc of his shot to avoid Shiro's block.

The ball soared high, striking the back rim before bouncing softly into the net.

1–0

Akashi exhaled deeply, his eyes filled with a mix of emotions as he stared at Shiro.

'What a monster! His physical attributes alone can rival the Emperor Eye.

Indeed, Shiro's strategy revolved around using Leonard: Lockdown Defense and his natural physical gifts to guard Akashi. He wouldn't budge from his defensive position unless absolutely necessary.

Unfortunately for Shiro, luck had favored Akashi this time, allowing the ball to drop in.

The spectators couldn't help but admire Shiro's defense. His strategy seemed almost flawless, but Akashi's skillset was undeniably formidable, especially with his swift crossovers and devastating ankle breakers.

Even Murasakibara's enormous frame and innate talent hadn't been enough to resist Akashi, who had repeatedly floored him. Akashi's offensive prowess was undeniable.

Yet Shiro's defensive poise and adaptability left the audience in awe. Despite facing such a daunting opponent, Shiro had managed to mount an effective counter.

Now, it was Shiro's turn to attack. After exchanging the ball, Shiro received Akashi's pass. Under the scrutiny of the Emperor Eye, how would Shiro approach his offense?