The afterglow of the setting sun dyed Teikō Basketball Gym a warm gold, and the day's noisy training finally came to an end. The sweat-soaked floor reflected a faint glimmer, while the air still held traces of the intense clashes. The players packed up in groups of two or three, discussing the thrilling intrasquad game they had just played.
The final score was fixed at Red Team 56 : White Team 52. Although Bai Ze You had been called upon in an emergency and, with astonishing tenacity and skill, successfully contained Aomine Daiki's second-half outburst while repeatedly delivering brilliant assists that brought the entire team to life, the starting lineup still managed to hold on to victory by relying on the huge advantage they had built in the first half and Midōrima Shintarō's crucial Sniper Three.
However, the outcome of the game had already become vague in Aomine Daiki's mind. He irritably grabbed a towel and roughly wiped his sweat-soaked hair, his chest heaving violently—not from exhaustion, but from the intense discomfort of feeling restrained and challenged. Bai Ze You's second-half defense, clinging to him like a bone-deep infestation, was an invisible web. Though it had failed to trap the beast completely, it had severely restricted his rampage, making every score extraordinarily difficult. That slippery dissipation of force, his precise positioning and predictions accurate to the slightest detail, and his swift recovery after having his Fake Move seen through all left Aomine feeling more stifled than ever before.
This wasn't an overwhelming disparity in strength or speed, but a entanglement of skill and awareness—a tenacity that, relying solely on his pure "wildness," he had unexpectedly been unable to tear apart completely for the moment!
"Tch!" Aomine spat unhappily and swept his blazing gaze toward the other end of the court.
Bai Ze You was standing with Murasaki-bara Atsushi and Kuroko Tetsuya. He was soaked through as well, breathing heavily, and clear fatigue showed on his face, but his eyes shone astonishingly brightly, as if he had just undergone a thoroughly refreshing baptism rather than suffered a defeat. He was speaking quietly to Murasaki-bara, whose massive body leaned slightly forward, seemingly listening attentively for once. Kuroko stood quietly to the side, his clear blue eyes fixed on Bai Ze You with a trace of imperceptible observation.
Captain Nijimura Shūzō came over as well. He did not comment much on the result, merely patting Bai Ze You firmly on the shoulder and saying briefly and forcefully, "Nice work, Yū." Everyone present could hear the weight behind those words. They meant that Bai Ze You had not only passed the trial but had also earned the captain's deeper recognition.
That sight was like a spark falling into the powder keg of Aomine's eyes. Why him? Why had a newcomer who had only recently joined the team received such favor from the captain? Why could that slippery, soft style of his make Aomine play so uncomfortably?
A powerful sense of dissatisfaction and an urge to prove something surged and boiled in his chest like magma.
"Hey! Shiro!"
Aomine Daiki's voice rang out abruptly, carrying undisguised provocation and irritation. It instantly overpowered the other sounds in the gym, drawing everyone's gaze over.
Bai Ze You turned at the sound and calmly looked at Aomine. "Aomine-senpai?"
Aomine strode over and stopped directly in front of Bai Ze You. The two were of similar height, their gazes colliding in midair. Aomine's eyes burned with blazing battle intent, while his lips spread into a wild, unrestrained smile filled with pressure. He extended his index finger, bringing it almost to Bai Ze You's nose.
"That defense of yours just now... was pretty damn annoying." Aomine's voice was not loud, but it carried the low growl of a beast. "All those sneaky little tricks!"
Bai Ze You did not retreat. He met Aomine's scorching gaze directly, his tone remaining calm. "I was only doing my best to complete the task the captain gave me, senpai."
"Task?" Aomine sneered as if he had heard a joke. "Don't use the captain as an excuse! I hate that style of yours! Slippery and limp, twisting around like some girl! Basketball is supposed to be about crushing straight through with strength and speed! Like this!" He suddenly made a forceful drive, the wind it stirred seeming to howl beside their ears.
"Aomine-kun..." Momoi Satsuki started forward worriedly, but Nijimura stopped her with a glance. Nijimura folded his arms, his gaze deep and thoughtful. He wanted to see what kind of sparks would fly when these two geniuses with utterly different styles collided.
"So?" Bai Ze You raised an eyebrow slightly, seeming to anticipate what Aomine was about to say.
"So..." Aomine's smile widened, revealing stark white teeth and a nearly primal fighting spirit. "Don't think you can rely on those cheap tricks and assume you're something special! One-on-one! Now! Right here!"
He suddenly raised his hand and pointed toward the center of the empty court. His voice rose sharply like a war drum:
"ONE ON ONE! You up for it, Shiro?! Let me see what else you can do besides dodge!"
"Whoa—!"
The gym erupted in an uproar.
Aomine Daiki, Teikō's unanimously recognized first-year ace and offensive spearhead with monstrous physical gifts, had actually taken the initiative to challenge a new student who had only just enrolled to a one-on-one! This was explosive news!
Murasaki-bara Atsushi stopped wiping his sweat. His huge body turned slightly as he watched the two facing off with interest, muttering, "Huh? Are they gonna fight?"
Midōrima Shintarō pushed up his glasses, a calculating glint flashing behind the lenses. "One-on-one? The data comparison is overwhelmingly lopsided. Aomine's win rate is over 98.7%. Meaningless."
Kuroko Tetsuya quietly watched Bai Ze You's back. The warm glow of the setting sun was reflected in his clear blue eyes, and his emotions were impossible to discern.
Momoi Satsuki's heart leaped into her throat. She nervously opened her observation record, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the pen. More than anyone, she knew how terrifying Aomine's dominance was in one-on-one matches. He was a pure, unreasonable offensive machine that crushed everything through talent! Yū, he...
Nijimura Shūzō said nothing and simply watched in silence. He saw the pure battle intent burning in Aomine's eyes and his extreme displeasure with Bai Ze You's defensive style. He also saw how calm Bai Ze You's profile remained in the face of this enormous challenge. Perhaps this one-on-one was not a bad thing.
Every gaze and every ounce of pressure converged on Bai Ze You.
Aomine's challenge exploded before him like a thunderclap. He felt the contempt in Aomine's words, but even more than that, he felt the wild momentum rushing at him, almost powerful enough to swallow him whole. His heart pounded forcefully in his chest—not from fear, but from a flame called "excitement" that had been kindled within him as well!
He slowly raised his head. The golden light of the setting sun fell across the slightly damp tips of his white hair, illuminating his clear yet bottomless eyes. Beneath that calm exterior, a soul equally eager to prove itself was roaring!
Facing Aomine's aggressive stare, Bai Ze You did not answer immediately. He was silent for two seconds, then the corners of his mouth slowly curved upward. It was not Aomine's wild smile, but one carrying a restrained sharpness, like an undercurrent surging beneath a tranquil lake.
He gently pushed away Aomine's finger, which had nearly poked his nose. His gaze was as calm as still water, and though his voice was not loud, it clearly echoed through the suddenly silent gym with unquestionable resolve:
"Just what I wanted, Aomine-senpai."
The moment his words fell, it was as if invisible electricity exploded between them! The air suddenly grew heavy and thick with the scent of gunpowder.
Bai Ze You took off his training jacket, revealing the white undershirt already soaked through with sweat. He rolled his neck, producing a faint crack, then walked straight toward the center line, bent down, and picked up a basketball that had rolled across the floor. His fingertips felt the familiar texture of the leather.
"Rules?" Bai Ze You tossed the ball to Aomine, his movement crisp and decisive.
"Whatever!" Aomine caught the ball, the battle intent in his eyes growing even stronger. "We play until neither of us wants to anymore! Or until one of us admits defeat!" He slammed the ball against the floor, and the basketball answered with a deep, powerful echo.
"Fine." Bai Ze You replied succinctly and assumed a defensive stance. He lowered his center of gravity to an extreme, his eyes sharp as a hawk's as he locked onto the ball in Aomine's hands and every minute change in his body. His experience defending Aomine during the intrasquad game, along with that oppressive feeling, raced through his mind, analyzed and reinforced.
Momoi Satsuki took a deep breath, opened a fresh page in her observation record, and forcefully wrote across the header:
"Observation Record: Aomine Daiki VS Bai Ze You — First Official ONE ON ONE"
The tip of her pen trembled slightly. She was worried, but even more than that, she was excited to witness a historic moment.
Nijimura Shūzō gave a slight nod and retreated to the sidelines with his arms folded, his eyes focused. He knew this sudden one-on-one would far exceed an ordinary contest. This was the first direct collision between two entirely different basketball philosophies—the power of pure wildness and the balance of supreme technique!
Murasaki-bara Atsushi produced a pack of Umaibo from somewhere and leaned against the basket support, looking ready to enjoy the show. Midōrima Shintarō pushed up his glasses as well, seemingly wanting to see whether that minuscule "variable" truly existed. Kuroko Tetsuya silently walked to the sidelines like a quiet ghost, yet his gaze never left the two who were about to face off on the court.
In the empty gym, the setting sun stretched the two men's shadows long. Aomine Daiki was like a black cheetah poised to pounce, his entire body radiating a primitive desire to attack. Bai Ze You, meanwhile, was like a deep pool, its tranquil surface concealing unknown whirlpools beneath.
The basketball spun in Aomine's hands. Its "thump, thump" against the floor sounded like a war drum being struck.
The prelude to the one-on-one had begun!
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