Kise Ryōta joined the Teikō Basketball Club like a stone tossed into a calm lake, sending ripples spreading rapidly across the surface. In just a few short weeks, the blond youth who had started from zero shocked the entire First Team with his terrifying "Hyper-speed Imitation" talent.
On the training court, Kise's figure could always be seen. He was like a sponge that could never become saturated, frantically absorbing everything around him. His amber eyes were like the highest-definition cameras, greedily capturing every "cool" movement.
* Aomine Daiki had just ended an attack with a tomahawk dunk filled with Wild Power. The next second, Kise was awkwardly but stubbornly imitating the framework of the jump, body extension, and tomahawk dunk beneath the hoop beside him. Although he was far behind in height and strength, the Fervor of Imitation he displayed was impossible to ignore.
* Midōrima Shintarō released a three-pointer from beyond the arc, and the basketball traced a textbook-perfect arc before swishing through the net. Kise immediately ran to the same spot and meticulously imitated Midōrima's jumping height, arm position, wrist snap, and even the detail of pushing up his glasses. He copied them so perfectly that it was uncanny, despite the balls he shot often veering wildly off target.
* Beneath the basket, Murasaki-bara Atsushi lightly tipped the ball with his fingertips, toying with the defender using a fingertip layup. Kise immediately moved under the hoop and imitated that seemingly casual yet immensely delicate tap at the air, focused like a scientist studying a precision instrument.
* Akashi Seijūrō deceived his opponent with a glance before using a Nutmeg Pass to assist a teammate's score. Kise immediately practiced passing at a wall, attempting to imitate the tricky angle and concealed technique, though the ball often smashed into the wall and bounced away.
* He even latched onto the inconspicuous Kuroko Tetsuya, trying to understand his elusive "gaze guidance" and "Phantom Pass." The result was usually that he confused himself, or sent the pass straight into Kuroko's body. (Kuroko: ...)
What fascinated Kise most, without a doubt, was Aomine Daiki and Bai Ze You. Aomine's Wild Power and Unpredictability, and Bai Ze You's Extreme Flexibility and Deceptive Techniques—these two entirely different kinds of "cool" left him utterly enthralled. He became their most devoted "audience" during training, never blinking as his body subconsciously followed and imitated every detail of their movements.
Momoi Satsuki's clipboard was already densely covered with notes about Kise:
"Observation Subject: Kise Ryōta — Updated Record"
* Imitation Speed: S+ Rank (The speed at which he replicates movement frameworks has surpassed human comprehension and is approaching "see it and know it.")
* Imitation Breadth: A Rank (Imitation targets include: Aomine (breakthroughs/layups), Midōrima (shooting form), Murasaki-bara (under-the-basket techniques), Akashi (basic passing), Bai Ze (footwork/Fake Move), Kuroko (failure in progress...))
* Imitation Depth: C Rank (At present, he can imitate only the form and cannot grasp the essence: he lacks Aomine's strength/speed/Wildness First Sense, Midōrima's calculations/Absolute Accuracy, Murasaki-bara's Absolute Strength/feel, Akashi's insight/rhythm control, Bai Ze's Rhythm Change/deception/core balance, and Kuroko's presence control.)
* Practical Application: D Rank (His imitated movements are acceptable during training, but deform severely under high-intensity competition, and he lacks independent judgment.)
* Learning Curve: Steeply rising (His rate of improvement is astonishing.)
* Latest Discovery: Signs of a "preliminary combination of movements" have begun to appear. (For example, he has tried linking Aomine's change of direction with Bai Ze's spin, but the combination remains stiff and jerky.)
"Potential Rating: S (unchanged)"
"Core Question: Is the end of imitation replication—or the starting point of creation?"
Kise's progress was visible to the naked eye. His dribbling had gone from stumbling and awkward to smooth and effortless (he had imitated Akashi and Bai Ze's fundamentals); his layups had become increasingly relaxed (he had imitated Aomine and Bai Ze's finishing methods); he could even occasionally sink a few three-pointers with textbook form (having imitated Midōrima). In low-intensity practice games, he could also use his imitated movements to shake off defenders, drawing shrieks from some of the girls on the sidelines.
"Kise-kun is so cool!"
"He learned it so well!"
The praise made the smile on Kise's face even brighter, and he imitated everything with even more enthusiasm. He seemed immersed in the satisfaction that came from copying other people's cool movements.
However, the true test arrived soon afterward.
It was a high-intensity intrasquad scrimmage. Kise was placed on the reserve team, and his matchup was... Bai Ze You.
As soon as the game began, Kise displayed his terrifying imitation ability. Facing Bai Ze You's defense, he did not hesitate to use Bai Ze You's signature Rhythm Change dribble. He lowered his center of gravity, rocked his shoulders, and used a crossover to feint a drive to the right!
The smoothness and similarity of the movement were enough for Momoi on the sidelines to mark a check on her clipboard. But as the "original," Bai Ze You's gaze remained calm and unruffled. He was far too familiar with his own movements! Kise's imitation was fast, but it lacked that deceptive pause in rhythm and the shifting reality of his center of gravity. It looked more like an accelerated version of radio calisthenics.
The instant Kise changed direction, Bai Ze You had already predicted his driving route. With one precise slide, he cut him off in advance like a phantom!
"Bang!"
Kise crashed solidly into the defensive wall Bai Ze You had formed ahead of time! The difference in strength made him grunt, his movement instantly falling apart as the ball nearly slipped from his hands!
"Your movements are too straightforward, Kise-kun." Bai Ze You's voice rang out calmly. "Rhythm can't deceive anyone like that."
Kise steadied the ball, a flash of defiance passing through his eyes. He opened up some distance and dribbled again. This time, he imitated Aomine Daiki's Explosive Breakthrough! His right foot slammed into the ground as he burst into his fastest speed, attempting to overpower Bai Ze You on the left like an arrow loosed from its string!
His momentum was impressive! He was also much faster than before! But Bai Ze You's lateral slide was just as swift! More importantly, while sliding, Bai Ze You cleverly turned his body sideways and used the Roll-off Teique to neutralize most of the force behind Kise's charge. At the same time, his arm shot out like a venomous snake!
"Smack!"
A precise steal! Bai Ze You slapped the basketball cleanly away!
"Good explosiveness, but your intention was too obvious. Where's the change of direction?" Bai Ze You picked up the ball and commented flatly.
Over several possessions, Kise used everything he had. He imitated Aomine's breakthrough, Midōrima's pull-up jumper (which bricked), and even attempted Bai Ze You's gyroscope spin (which Bai Ze You easily saw through and cut off). Yet he failed to score a single point. Instead, Bai Ze You defended him so thoroughly that Kise was left in an embarrassing state, turning the ball over again and again.
"Hey, blondie! Stop worrying about showing off! Pass! Move!" one of his teammates finally shouted.
"Exactly! Quit trying to imitate everyone else and play one-on-one!"
Kise gasped for breath as sweat dripped from his golden hair. The sunny smile that defined his face had vanished, replaced by confusion and frustration. The imitation he had been so proud of looked so pale and powerless before a true expert and under the pressure of real competition. He could imitate the "form" of a movement, but he could not copy its "spirit"—Aomine's Wildness First Sense and explosive power embedded in his bones, Bai Ze You's painstakingly honed rhythm control and deceptive techniques, Midōrima's machine-like calculations and Absolute Accuracy... None of these could be learned simply by "watching."
"Did you see that, Kise?" After training ended, Nijimura Shūzō called out to the somewhat dazed Kise.
Kise raised his head, his eyes slightly dim. "Captain... I..."
"Imitation is your talent, and it's your fastest shortcut." Nijimura's voice was low and powerful. "You learn quickly, and that's a good thing. But on the basketball court, no one becomes a true ace by 'imitating' someone else."
Nijimura pointed toward Aomine and Bai Ze You, who were practicing extra shots. Aomine was working on all kinds of difficult pull-up jumpers and contorted layups, his movements brimming with his own wild, uninhibited style. Bai Ze You, meanwhile, was practicing dribbling combinations with various Rhythm Changes and Fake Moves. His movements were smooth and deceptive, every detail carrying his unique imprint.
"Aomine's Wildness grew from his own bones. Yū's Phantom was polished bit by bit through sweat and his body. Midōrima's three-pointers are the result of countless repetitions, calculations, and hours of practice." Nijimura's gaze burned as he stared at Kise. "You can imitate their movements, but you can never become a second Aomine, a second Yū, or a second Midōrima."
Kise's body trembled slightly, confusion and a trace of unwillingness filling his amber eyes.
"Then... what should I do?" His voice was somewhat hoarse.
"What should you do?" A meaningful curve formed at the corner of Nijimura's mouth. "Your imitation shouldn't just be replication! It should be the Foundation of Creation!"
"The... Foundation of Creation?" Kise murmured.
"That's right!" Nijimura's voice suddenly rose. "Use your eyes to greedily absorb every kind of 'cool' you can see! Aomine's explosiveness, Yū's flexibility, Midōrima's precision, Akashi's vision, Murasaki-bara's strength, even Kuroko's mystery... Put all of it into your mind and fuse it into your body!"
"And then—" Nijimura abruptly pointed at Kise's heart. "Use your own way to smash it apart! Reassemble it! Digest it! Turn it into something that belongs only to Kise Ryōta! Imitate Aomine's change of direction? Then add Yū's Rhythm Change! Imitate Yū's spin? Then inject Aomine's explosiveness! Imitate Midōrima's shooting form? Then blend in your own coordination and find the release point that suits you best!"
"Don't be satisfied with 'looking like someone else'! Pursue a kind of cool that is 'one of a kind'!" Expectation burned in Nijimura's eyes. "Imitation is your starting point, but it absolutely isn't your end point! Let me see whether this 'rough gem' of yours, filled with infinite possibilities, can temper a dazzling 'miracle' of your own from the ashes of imitation!"
Nijimura's words exploded in Kise's mind like thunder! He stood there blankly as the fog of confusion gradually cleared from his eyes, replaced by a light more fervent and profound than anything before. Imitation... creation... one of a kind...
He suddenly raised his head and looked toward the dazzling figures on the training court, then lowered his gaze to his own hands. A completely new flame, mixed with enlightenment and a desire for challenge, blazed to life in his chest!
"One-of-a-kind... cool..." Kise whispered. The corners of his mouth slowly curled into a smile different from the ones before. It was no longer merely bright and sunny; it now carried a weighty sense of thought and burning determination.
He no longer hesitated. He turned and ran back onto the court, no longer imitating anyone's specific movement. He picked up a basketball, his eyes frighteningly focused. He began trying to combine Aomine's explosive First Step with Bai Ze You's deceptive pause in rhythm; adjust Midōrima's standard shooting form into an angle that felt more comfortable and allowed for a faster release; and incorporate Murasaki-bara's under-the-basket techniques into his own more agile physical condition...
His movements became strange, even clumsy, and were nowhere near as smooth or attractive as when he imitated others. His failure rate was extremely high, and the ball often slipped from his hands or fell short without touching the rim.
"What's he doing? His movements are so weird..."
"Doesn't look anything like them, does it?"
Some whispers came from the sidelines.
But Kise paid them no attention. He was completely immersed in his own world, trying, failing, and trying again over and over. Sweat soaked through his golden hair and jersey, yet his eyes grew brighter and more resolute! They were no longer the eyes of an imitator, but the eyes of an explorer, a creator!
Momoi Satsuki watched the blond youth on the court keep trying and failing, his eyes growing brighter all the while. Beside Kise's name on her clipboard, she solemnly crossed out the label "Imitator" and wrote in a completely new hand:
"Observation Subject: Kise Ryōta — Status Update"
"Core Ability Evolution: 'Imitation' → 'Imitation · Creation' (Budding Stage)"
"Current Behavior: Actively deconstructing, reassembling, and attempting to fuse techniques from different styles in search of a personal form of expression"
"Failure Rate: Extremely High"
"Potential Level: Re-evaluating... (↑↑↑)"
"Note: The seed of the fire of creation has been lit. Whether it will set the world ablaze remains to be seen."
Bai Ze You stopped shooting and looked at the strange yet exploratory figure on the court. A faint, approving smile appeared at the corners of his mouth. This blond guy... had finally begun walking his own path. The Teikō court had gained another challenge filled with possibilities and anticipation.
Kise Ryōta's challenge was no longer simple imitation. He had embarked on a thorny road leading from "replication" to "creation." At the end of that road, perhaps a truly one-of-a-kind "miracle" would be born. The Imitator's Starting Point was beginning to nurture infinite possibilities for creation.
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