NBA Skills: Dominating Kuroko no Basket

Shiro shifted his body slightly to the right, smoothly grabbing the ball with his right hand in a single motion before placing it securely behind him. The movement was seamless, without the slightest pause. Meanwhile, his eyes remained sharp and alert, as if ready to counter any attack from any direction.

The spectators were momentarily stunned upon witnessing this, silently marveling: He's being this cautious against Akashi?

On the other side, Akashi wore a solemn expression as he focused intensely on Shiro. A flicker of doubt and contemplation crossed his gaze. Inwardly, he wondered:

'Could it be that he has already noticed the effect of my Emperor's Eye?'

Akashi kept a calculated distance, about one body length away. He knew that while the Emperor Eye allowed him to predict Shiro's movements, the latter's speed was extraordinary. If he slipped up and got beaten on the drive, there'd be no time to recover. Thus, his best option was to use the Emperor Eye to prepare in advance.

Meanwhile, Shiro held the ball firmly, fully immersed in observing the situation around him. He understood that defeating Akashi would require maximizing his unparalleled physical abilities.

Whether on offense or defense, Shiro relied heavily on his exceptional athleticism. Only then could he neutralize the threat posed by Akashi's Emperor Eye and claim victory.

Shiro placed his left hand on the ball as well, his lips curling into a slight smile as he noticed Akashi's positioning. A flash of confidence lit his eyes. Without hesitation, he pulled up for a jump shot. The motion was smooth and fluid, as though he had rehearsed it countless times.

Akashi's expression shifted, realizing the danger. Shiro's ball-handling was impeccable — keeping the ball positioned diagonally behind his right side not only allowed him to generate more power but also safeguarded the ball from being stolen.

Akashi furrowed his brow, fully aware of Shiro's skills and technique. Even with the Emperor Eye, breaking through such polished moves seemed nearly impossible. At that moment, Akashi realized that Shiro had discovered a way to counter his Emperor's Eye, which intensified the pressure on him.

Swish! The crisp sound of a perfect shot rang out as the ball sailed cleanly through the net. The score was tied at 1:1.

Akashi couldn't even contest Shiro's jump shot properly. Based on his understanding of Shiro, if the latter found a comfortable shooting rhythm, the basket was as good as made.

Now it was Akashi's turn to attack, but the pressure had shifted. Shiro's offense appeared effortless, while Akashi struggled under the weight of Shiro's stifling defense.

Akashi moved the ball quickly, rhe utilized his Emperor Eye, constantly switching up his moves with fakes and crossovers. Despite shaking off Shiro multiple times, Shiro's uncanny physical ability and defensive awareness allowed him to recover each time, thwarting Akashi's attempts to break through.

Taking a deep breath, Akashi adjusted his pace and began dribbling rapidly. As the point guard of the Generation of Miracles, Akashi's ball-handling skills were second to none. He accelerated, constantly changing directions, and finally spotted an opening!

Using the Emperor's Eye, Akashi noticed Shiro's center of gravity shifting slightly toward his pivot foot. Without hesitation, Akashi executed an ankle-breaking crossover, shifting his dribble in the opposite direction. Shiro's balance faltered momentarily.

Akashi drove past him, but to his shock, Shiro somehow recovered mid-motion. With extraordinary flexibility and anticipation, he rebalanced and sprang back into position, effectively cutting off Akashi's path to the hoop.

Perhaps due to his inexperience with the newly awakened Emperor's Eye, Akashi miscalculated. Just as he believed he had fully outmaneuvered Shiro, Shiro shadowed him closely, leaping high to contest the shot. Akashi tried to adjust by increasing the arc of his shot, but the interference from Shiro was too great, and the ball bounced off the rim.

Akashi wiped the sweat from his forehead with his jersey, his expression heavy. 'This guy is insane' he thought. 'He countered my ankle breaker with just his raw physicality. Who else could do that?' Even within the Generation of Miracles, no one besides Shiro could accomplish such a feat.

Next, it was Shiro's turn. This time, he opted for a straightforward drive to the basket. Keeping the ball at a safe distance, he ensured Akashi had no opportunity to steal. After a single dribble, Shiro gathered the ball and executed a three-step layup.

Akashi was powerless to stop him. Despite predicting Shiro's movements with the Emperor Eye, he couldn't find a weakness to exploit. Shiro shielded the ball against his chest, leaving Akashi no choice but to attempt a block. As they collided mid-air, Akashi was overpowered by a physical force rivaling Murasakibara's. He was sent flying out of bounds as Shiro calmly scored.

The score now stood at 2:1.

Watching Shiro's dominant playstyle, the spectators couldn't help but wonder if Akashi was simply weaker than they'd imagined. Sensing their doubts, Midorima remarked dryly, "Try going up against Murasakibara, and you'll see if Akashi is weak"

The crowd fell silent, finally understanding. Akashi had earlier dismantled Murasakibara with ease, showcasing his overwhelming abilities. It wasn't that Akashi was weak — Shiro was simply on another level.

Even Murasakibara, despite feeling frustrated by Midorima's comment, had to concede this harsh reality. Akashi had defeated him effortlessly, and Shiro's performance was far beyond his own.

Akashi himself was shaken. Though he could anticipate Shiro's moves, his raw strength and athleticism rendered the Emperor Eye ineffective. For the first time, Akashi felt truly outmatched.

His belief in his invincibility began to crumble. For a player who had never known defeat, Shiro's dominance was a revelation — and a reckoning.