Teamwork: Teikō's Gears

With only one week left until the regional preliminaries, the atmosphere in the Teikō basketball gym was more somber than usual, and the training intensity had reached a new level. The sound of sweat hitting the floor, the whistle of the basketball being passed at high speed, the dull thud of muscles colliding, and the Captain Nijimura Shūzō's deep, powerful commands all combined to form a symphony of preparation.

After that soul-stirring one-on-one duel, a subtle change occurred in the relationship between Aomine Daiki and Bai Ze You. The animosity hadn't disappeared; instead, it transformed into a more intense sense of competition, but this competition was strictly confined within the framework of "teammates." Aomine no longer provoked Bai Ze You with words like "slippery" or "girly." Instead, his training defense became fiercer, and his offensive probes more cunning, as if to say, "Don't think you're so great just because you won one defensive round; try me again!" Bai Ze You, in turn, responded with more focused anticipation and increasingly refined techniques for absorbing force and sliding steps, his eyes burning with silent fighting spirit.

Under Nijimura Shūzō's intentional guidance, this healthy competitive atmosphere was gradually integrating into the operation of Teikō's precision machine.

"Stop!" Nijimura's voice was like thunder, instantly halting the intense half-court offense-defense drill. He frowned, pointing at a recently concluded offense: "Midori! Your movement is too rigid! You predicted the opponent would follow your three-point route, so why didn't you use Murasbara's screen to cut inside in the opposite direction? Can't you shoot from mid-range?"

Midōrima Shintarō adjusted his glasses, his expression unchanged. "According to my calculations, the success rate of forcing a cut from that position is only 43.2%. The opponent's defensive intensity on my three-point shots reaches 78.5%. Waiting for an open shot on the perimeter or drawing defenders and then passing is a more optimal solution."

"Calculations?" Nijimura's voice carried a hint of pressure. "The basketball court changes in an instant; your opponents aren't robots! Your rigid movement gives the defense a chance to breathe and compresses the overall offensive space! I need you to move! Move like a living person! Tear apart the defense with your movement and create opportunities for others! This is a team, not your personal shooting show!"

Midori fell silent for a moment, his gaze flickering behind his glasses. He finally nodded slightly. "Understood, Captain." He wasn't unreasonable; it was just that his habit of relying too heavily on calculations needed an external force to break it.

Nijimura's gaze shifted to the paint zone. "Murasbara! Boxing out! Box out aggressively! Use your body to tell your opponents that this paint zone is your territory! Don't let them easily get around you! Also, when you get a rebound, immediately look for Aomine making a fast break or Akashi or You in a good position. Don't dribble aimlessly yourself! Your job is to dominate the paint, not be the point guard!"

"Ah~ So troublesome..." Murasaki-bara Atsushi replied lazily, but he still symbolically shoved the practice player defending him behind him. His massive body stood like a wall, firmly occupying the space.

Next, Nijimura looked at Bai Ze You and Aomine. "You two! Transition faster on offense and defense! Aomine, once You gets a rebound or a steal, your eyes should be on the frontcourt! Don't wait for the ball to reach your hands before you start running! You, keep your vision wide open the moment you get the ball, and find the fastest, most threatening point to advance! If Aomine is running, you have to get the ball in front of him! Don't let him slow down!"

Aomine pouted but said nothing, though his eyes indicated he understood. Bai Ze You nodded seriously. "Yes, Captain." He quickly reviewed the previous few fast breaks in his mind. Indeed, there were two occasions where he had observed slightly too late and missed the optimal passing window when Aomine had already started his run.

"Akashi!" Nijimura finally looked at the calmest commander on the court. "The rhythm! You control the offensive rhythm! Be thunderous when you need to be fast, and as steady as a rock when you need to slow down! Observe everyone's condition and position, and get the ball to where it needs to go most! You are our brain!"

Akashi Seijūrō nodded calmly, his crimson eyes sweeping across the court like an Emperor overlooking a chessboard. "Understood."

The training resumed. This time, Teikō's offense was noticeably smoother.

The gears began to mesh.

* Midōrima Shintarō no longer confined himself to the three-point line. He began to use Murasaki-bara Atsushi's massive body for off-ball screens, sometimes cutting against the grain to receive Akashi's precise bounce pass for a mid-range jump shot; other times, he used his cut to draw defenders away, creating open shots for Bai Ze You or Akashi on the perimeter. His movements, though still possessing a calculated feel, were no longer rigid, becoming an important part of stretching the defense.

* Murasaki-bara Atsushi's presence in the paint became even more terrifying. He remembered Nijimura's reprimand, boxing out like a beast fighting for territory, firmly occupying the area where the rebound would land. After securing the rebound, he no longer hesitated, his gaze quickly scanning the court, like a lighthouse accurately flicking the ball towards Aomine, who had already started his run, or finding Akashi or Midori in prime positions. Occasionally, he would also pass to Bai Ze You, who was cutting inside. A massive, efficient Rebound and First Pass Hub was taking shape.

* The fast break connection between Aomine Daiki and Bai Ze You began to show its power. As soon as a defensive stop was made or a rebound secured, Aomine, like a cheetah smelling blood, would sprint towards the opponent's half-court at full speed. And Bai Ze You, with Nijimura's reminders and daily observations of Momoi's notes on "vision and passing timing," saw his passing awareness and accuracy rapidly improving. He could always find that streaking black lightning bolt amidst the chaos, delivering a perfectly timed long pass to guide the ball, allowing Aomine to receive it without slowing down and complete a dunk! This combination of "Wild Sprint" and "Phantom Guidance" became one of Teikō's most deadly fast break weapons.

* Akashi Seijūrō's playmaking became increasingly masterful. Like the most precise computer, he calmly analyzed every subtle change on the court. When the opponent tried to double-team Murasbara in the paint, he immediately passed the ball to Midori, who was poised on the perimeter; when Aomine was heavily guarded, he cleverly used Bai Ze You's cuts and feints to draw defenders, creating a momentary passing window for Kuroko Tetsuya; and when the opponent's defense was repeatedly stretched and in disarray, he could also keenly seize the opportunity to launch a surprise attack himself. Every pass he made was like a scalpel, precisely dissecting the opponent's defensive formation.

And within the operation of these magnificent offensive gears, there was an almost invisible yet crucially important component—Kuroko Tetsuya.

His presence was still faint, but his impact was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. His "Misdirection" was used more skillfully. Often, a simple movement could cause the player guarding him to briefly "forget" his existence, thereby creating valuable open space for his teammates. His passes were still as elusive and well-timed as ever, always appearing in positions the defense least expected and reaching the receiver in the most comfortable spot.

During a set offense, Akashi controlled the ball, drawing a double team. Murasbara was being denied in the low post. Midori was tightly guarded. Aomine was being double-teamed on the weak side. The offense seemed to stall.

Just then, Kuroko Tetsuya, like a ghost, silently slipped to a seemingly harmless position near the free-throw line. The player guarding him was completely focused on the ball-handling Akashi and the strong-side Aomine, his attention briefly shifting.

Akashi's peripheral vision caught this fleeting opportunity! With a flick of his wrist, an extremely concealed bounce pass. The basketball, as if imbued with life, skimmed along the floor, passing rapidly through the gap between the feet of two defenders!

Kuroko received the ball steadily! At this moment, the player who had been guarding him finally realized his positional error and rushed over in a panic!

Kuroko didn't pause at all, not even looking at the basket. The instant he received the ball, his wrist flicked nimbly like a magician's. The basketball, with even greater speed and a more bizarre spin, shot from an unbelievable angle beside him, a no-look pass towards the baseline!

There, Bai Ze You, using a solid screen from Murasbara, had just shaken off his pursuer and was cutting towards the basket at full speed! The basketball, like a precision-guided missile, landed perfectly in front of his charging path!

Bai Ze You caught the ball, stepped, and leaped! The entire motion was seamless! The defender desperately tried to chase and block, but Bai Ze You displayed his signature flexibility and sense of balance in the air. With a light crossover layup, he avoided the block and smoothly put the ball into the basket!

"Nice pass! Kuroko!" Bai Ze You landed and gave Kuroko a thumbs-up.

Kuroko Tetsuya's face remained impassive, but he simply nodded slightly. Yet, deep within his eyes, a faint, almost imperceptible glimmer flashed. His value, his passes, had been seen and utilized in the most crucial way.

"Well done, Tetsu!" Nijimura praised loudly from the sidelines, his eyes filled with relief. He saw it: this machine called "Teikō," under his refinement, was having its various parts tightly meshed and operating smoothly. Aomine's wildness, Bai Ze You's agility, Midori's precision, Murasbara's dominance, Akashi's control, Kuroko's mystery... these disparate, even seemingly incompatible "gears," were spinning at high speed towards the same goal—victory.

During a break in training, Momoi Satsuki, holding her record board, quickly updated the data. She looked at the players running, cooperating, and shouting at each other on the court, especially the white-haired boy who was thriving in the team, perfectly integrating his individual talent into the team system. The corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up. Under Bai Ze You's personal page, in the "Teamwork" section, she forcefully wrote a new comment:

＞ "Integration Level: Significantly Increased.

＞ · Fast break connection awareness enhanced (Cooperation efficiency with Aomine-kun ↑35%)

＞ · More active off-ball movement, effectively stretching the space

＞ · Willing to share possession, trusts teammates in crucial moments (e.g., Kuroko-kun)

＞ · Beginning to understand his role in the team's tactical system—'Lubricant' and 'Speed Shifter'."

And on the Team Tactical Analysis page, she drew a complex gear structure diagram. Each gear was labeled with a name: Nijimura (Core axis), Akashi (Command center), Aomine (Assault gear), Midori (Long-range gear), Murasbara (Inside gear), Kuroko (Invisible gear)... And the gear representing Bai Ze You had a soft halo drawn around it in pencil, with the following annotation:

"Codename: Phantom Gear"

"Function: Lubrication, Speed Change, Connection, Critical Hit"

Looking at this diagram, Momoi Satsuki nodded with satisfaction. Teikō's chariot was fully equipped, its gears meshing perfectly, fitting together seamlessly. This precision machine, composed of geniuses, was about to display its unparalleled, overwhelming, and terrifying power in the upcoming regional preliminaries! And the gear named "Phantom" had already become an indispensable key component in the operation of this machine.