Feint Upgrade: The Evolution of Deception

The training camp in the mountains of Nagano entered its final day. The hellish training of the previous two days had wrung out the last reserves of stamina from the Teikō players, but like fine steel forged in fire, it had burned away their impatience and tempered their will. Muscle soreness still clung to them like a shadow, yet their breaths were now steadier, accustomed to the biting cold. The theme for the third day's training was revealed by Nijimura Shūzō's hoarse, yet still commanding, declaration—"Technical Refinement, the Art of Deception!"

Inside the gymnasium, the hum of the heaters served as background noise. The players were divided into groups for specialized training. Aomine Daiki, with the assistance of a coach, was honing his finishing touch on various high-difficulty, contorted layups. Midōrima Shintarō was practicing shots from different spots beyond the three-point line, repeating an identical yet incredibly precise routine. Murasaki-bara Atsushi was engaged in a physical battle for position and rebounds in the paint with a sparring partner. Kise Ryōta, meanwhile, was poring over video footage, repeatedly imitating, dissecting, and reassembling move fragments he had "stolen" from the other "Miracles." Kuroko Tetsuya was quietly practicing more concealed and faster passing techniques.

Bai Ze You, however, stood alone in a special training area. In front of him were three mannequins of varying heights and angles, covered in thick sponge padding. A coach held several highly elastic rubber bands, one end attached to a mannequin and the other in his hand, ready to simulate a defender's arm interference and ball-stealing attempts at any moment. The core of this training was Bai Ze You's signature weapon—feints. But today, the requirements were different.

Nijimura Shūzō stood by the sidelines, his face still pale, but his eyes sharp as an eagle's. The pain in his ribs seemed to be forcefully suppressed as he issued commands with undeniable authority:

"Yū! Forget all your previous feints! Forget creating space! Today, I want you to achieve complete deception!"

"Not just deceiving their eyes! You must also deceive their neural reflexes! Deceive their instinctive prediction of space and time!"

"Face a mannequin and execute a triple feint! Every shift in your center of gravity must be so realistic that it elicits a false reaction from the rubber band (simulating a defender's arm)! Each change of direction must be lightning-fast, striking fatally the moment the opponent's balance is compromised!"

"Fail once, and you add a set of drills! Begin!"

The command was given, like the beating of war drums. The rubber bands in the coach's hands snapped like striking vipers, poised around the mannequins.

Bai Ze You took a deep breath, his eyes calm as still water. The struggle at his physical limit yesterday and that unbelievable finishing move seemed to have unlocked something within him. Fatigue remained, but his senses had become even sharper. He dribbled closer to the first mannequin.

A realistic crossover feint! His shoulders, eyes, even his toes pointed to the right! The movement was large, his center of gravity tilting accordingly!

Snap! The rubber band on the left, like a startled viper, shot out instantly, simulating a block on the right flank!

Center of gravity deception! Success!

The moment the rubber band snapped out, Bai Ze You's core strength erupted like a precision spring! He forcefully pulled back his leaning center of gravity! Simultaneously, using his left foot as a pivot, he executed a lightning-fast left turn! His body spun like a top, and during the spin, the basketball was deftly passed between his legs!

The second mannequin was mere inches away! Bai Ze You didn't pause. The moment his spin was complete, his body's center of gravity made another exaggerated forward lean, his eyes locked onto the basket. His shoulders dropped, his entire upper body like a drawn bowstring, preparing for a strong drive to the middle!

Snap! Snap! The rubber bands on both sides of the second mannequin were triggered simultaneously! They crossed to block the middle!

Secondary center of gravity deception! Success!

The moment the rubber bands crossed to block, Bai Ze You's leaning center of gravity vanished like a phantom! His body was as if pulled back by an invisible hand. At the same time, his right foot powerfully pushed off the ground, his body like an arrow released from a bow, breaking through at full speed in the completely opposite direction—the left baseline! A step-back into a straight-line drive as swift as a ghost!

The transition between moves was so fluid, the shifts in his center of gravity so cunning, that the simulated defender's rubber bands completely missed! Bai Ze You instantly bypassed two mannequins and faced the third!

The third mannequin represented an interior help defender! Bai Ze You's speed didn't decrease. Just as he was about to make contact, his body displayed extreme flexibility. He executed a minuscule, lightning-fast Eurostep! A left shake! A right cut! His body, like a slippery loach, slid past the mannequin's "side," easily finishing with a layup!

The entire sequence was smooth as flowing clouds and water, done in one go! The triple feint, each one precisely deceiving the "defending" rubber bands, the shifts in his center of gravity dazzlingly fast, and the final finish concise and deadly!

"Good!" Nijimura couldn't help but let out a low shout, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.

The other players training on the sidelines were also drawn in. Aomine whistled, "Not bad, Shiro! Slippery as an eel!"

Midōrima pushed up his glasses. "Feint deception success rate: 100%. Center of gravity control efficiency significantly improved."

Momoi Satsuki quickly jotted down notes. "Feint Level Upgrade: From Deceiving Vision → Deceiving Neural Reflexes/Spatial Sense! Center of Gravity Change Speed and Deceptiveness ↑↑↑!"

However, this was only the beginning. Akashi Seijūrō appeared at some point, his scarlet eyes calmly observing Bai Ze You. He spoke with a chilling tone, posing a higher demand:

"Deceiving a static target is merely basic. The real battlefield is dynamic, full of variables."

He pointed to the sideline. "Kishimoto, Minami, you two cooperate with Bai Ze You. Simulate an actual combat double-team."

Kishimoto Minori grinned, stretching his shoulders. Minami Ryō nodded sharply, his eyes keen.

The live simulation began! Kishimoto, like a brute bull, pressed in close, using strength and physical contact to squeeze space. Minami Ryō, like a ghost, roamed the perimeter, ready to predict and steal the ball or block passing lanes. The pressure increased dramatically!

Bai Ze You's first attempt involved a change of rhythm to draw out Minami, but Minami's prediction was precise. His center of gravity wasn't fully deceived, only slightly disrupted! Kishimoto's forceful pressure left Bai Ze You with very little room to change direction. He managed a weak breakthrough but was intercepted as the two defenders closed in!

"Too slow! Your intention is too obvious!" Akashi's cold voice rang out.

"Strength! Crush him with strength!" Kishimoto sneered, firing off trash talk.

Bai Ze You wasn't discouraged. He steadied his breathing, his mind rapidly replaying the recent sequence. Against experienced defenders like Kishimoto and Minami, simple feints were ineffective. He needed to upgrade the depth and suddenness of deception!

On his second offensive drive, facing Kishimoto's pressure, Bai Ze You suddenly lowered his center of gravity and executed a highly exaggerated in & out dribble, feigning a strong drive at Kishimoto's right side! The shoulder drop and the deceptive look in his eyes were fully convincing! Kishimoto's center of gravity shifted subconsciously to the right to block!

Deceive Kishimoto's center of gravity!

The moment Kishimoto's balance shifted, Bai Ze You's core strength erupted! But this time, he didn't immediately change direction to break through! Instead, he forcefully stabilized his body and, with an extremely subtle flick of his wrist, the basketball, as if imbued with life, executed a lightning-fast behind-the-back bounce pass! The ball was incredibly fast and angled sharply!

The ball shot through the extremely narrow gap between Kishimoto's shifted center of gravity and Minami, precisely delivered to Kuroko Tetsuya, who had successfully cut to the basket using Murasaki-bara's screen! Kuroko caught the ball and easily made the layup!

Feint as a decoy! True objective: Passing!

"Beautiful!" Nijimura cheered.

"Hmph! What skill is passing?" Kishimoto grumbled, displeased.

Minami Ryō, however, looked thoughtfully at Bai Ze You. The angle and timing of that pass had completely defied his prediction.

For the first time, Akashi Seijūrō's eyes revealed a clear, scrutinizing interest. He raised his hand to call a timeout and walked up to Bai Ze You, his scarlet eyes looking directly at him.

"Deception isn't just about the defender in front of you," Akashi's voice remained cold, but with a hint of guidance. "A higher level of deception is deceiving the opponent's 'first sense' and 'prediction pattern' itself."

He pointed to the sideline. "Kishimoto predicted you would force a breakthrough, and Minami predicted you would pass to the strong side. Your feint decoy combined with the behind-the-back pass successfully broke their inherent prediction patterns. But that's not enough."

Akashi's gaze was sharp as a knife.

"Imagine this: when you execute a breakthrough feint that is utterly convincing, not only do you draw Kishimoto off balance, but you also make Minami's 'first sense' believe you will definitely pass, causing him to prematurely lunge towards the likely receiver... At that moment, wouldn't the true breakthrough path appear?"

"Or, after you've used feints to draw out the opponent several times and chosen to pass, making them form a 'prediction pattern' that 'you don't dare to finish'... the next time, wouldn't a true finish possess absolute suddenness?"

Deceive the opponent's predictive instinct! Utilize the 'fixed mindset' formed by the opponent!

Akashi's words opened up a brand new door! An unprecedented light blazed in Bai Ze You's eyes! His previous feints had mostly remained at the technical level of "creating space." What Akashi described was a higher dimension, rising to the level of "psychological warfare" and "tactical deception"!

"I get it!" Bai Ze You's voice trembled with excitement.

The training continued! This time, Bai Ze You's gaze had changed. He no longer just stared at the defender in front of him. Instead, like a chess player controlling the board, he incorporated the positions and potential reactions of Kishimoto, Minami Ryō, and even the players providing help defense from afar into his 'deception' strategy!

* He first used two realistic shooting feints to draw out Minami Ryō, and habitually chose to drive and pass (to Kise on the perimeter) after creating separation. After repeating this twice, Kishimoto and Minami Ryō began to form a predictive pattern: "after the feint draws them out, he'll pass."

* The third time! Bai Ze You again performed a realistic shooting feint! Minami Ryō's center of gravity rose as expected! Kishimoto also instinctively shifted his body, preparing to block his likely passing lane!

* Now!

Bai Ze You's core strength erupted instantly! He forcefully pulled back his shooting posture! Simultaneously, his right foot pushed off the ground like it was spring-loaded! His body, like a spring compressed to its limit, shot forward! A straight-line strong drive as swift as a ghost! Striking the dragon's head!

Kishimoto's center of gravity had shifted due to anticipating a pass, and it was too late to recover! Minami Ryō was still in the process of falling back! Bai Ze You, like white lightning, instantly pierced through the huge gap exposed by their misprediction! He scored easily with a layup!

Success! Using the opponent's formed 'fixed mindset' for the ultimate deception!

"Nice!" Aomine couldn't help but exclaim.

"Prediction deception... succeeded," Midorima whispered.

Kishimoto and Minami Ryō exchanged glances, their faces filled with shock and disbelief. They felt like marionettes being played with.

Bai Ze You landed, his chest heaving slightly, his eyes gleaming with excited confidence. He had found it! Under the pressure of Akashi's cold 'absolute finish' concept, he hadn't abandoned his 'Phantom' trait but had instead pushed it to a higher realm – the evolution of deception! It had risen from mere technical moves to the level of psychological warfare!

Akashi Seijūrō watched Bai Ze You, a barely perceptible fluctuation flashing in his scarlet eyes. He didn't speak, merely nodding slightly. This subtle acknowledgment meant more to Bai Ze You than any praise.

The whistle for the end of training blew. The players were exhausted but filled with the satisfaction of achievement. Bai Ze You walked to the sidelines to drink water, and Momoi Satsuki immediately rushed over with the record board, her eyes sparkling with adoring little stars:

"Yū-kun! That was amazing! Those breakthroughs just now, especially the last play where you fooled Kishimoto-senpai and Minami Ryō-senpai! Your feint levels are completely different now! Your center of gravity changes are so fast I can't even see them! And..." she excitedly flipped through the records, "your 'target of deception' has expanded from simple defenders to their 'prediction patterns'! The data shows the opponent's defensive reaction was delayed by more than 0.5 seconds! This is a qualitative leap!"

On the "Feints" section of the record board, she heavily marked with red pen:

"Evolution: Deception Level Jump!"

"Level 1: Deceiving Vision (Basic) → Level 2: Deceiving Neural Reflexes/Spatial Sense (Advanced) → Level 3: Deceiving Predictive Instinct/Fixed Mindset (Master)!"

"Core Support: Extreme Center of Gravity Control + Psychological Warfare Ability + Tactical Insight!"

"Rating: S → S+!"

Next to "Personal Style," she drew a more agile white gear icon with multiple phantoms:

"Codename: Phantom Gear - Evolution Complete! Deception Mist Upgrade, Psychological Warfare Begins!"

Bai Ze You looked at Momoi's excited expression and the detailed data on the record board, a faint smile appearing on his face. Sweat slid down his temples, and tiredness remained, but his heart was filled with the exhilaration of breakthrough and the anticipation of even greater strength in the future. Akashi's 'Absolute Victory' concept was like a mountain, but he wasn't destined to only go around it or yield. He had found his own path – using more extreme 'deception' to carve out a unique evolutionary path for the "White Phantom," between teamwork and individual finishes, between flashiness and certainty!

However, just as the joy of harvest permeated the air, a dull thud of a heavy object falling, like a thunderclap, exploded in the corner of the gymnasium!

"Captain!"

"Nijimura-senpai!"

Terrified shouts instantly tore through the calm at the end of the training camp!

Everyone turned towards the sound, only to see Nijimura Shūzō's tall figure collapse heavily onto the cold, hard floor, as if all support had been removed! His face was as pale as paper, his eyes tightly closed, and a trace of stinging crimson lingered at the corner of his mouth! The hand that had been pressed against his ribs hung limply on the ground.

"Captain Nijimura!!!" Momoi Satsuki screamed, her voice cracking.

The water bottle in Bai Ze You's hand clattered to the ground, his pupils suddenly contracting!

The entire Teikō basketball team froze instantly, falling into a deathly silence and panic!