The violet lightning radiating from Murasakibara chilled the very air on the court.
To everyone's shock, Murasakibara had stepped into the Zone.
"…Huh?"
"Wait a minute, isn't one of the conditions for entering the Zone having absolute passion for basketball?"
"How did Murasakibara manage it too?"
The Rakuzan players stared in disbelief.
That same Murasakibara who, just a few games ago, stood motionless in the paint, too lazy to take a single step—he had actually entered the Zone?
No matter how you looked at it, he didn't seem like someone who loved basketball.
Even Aomine was stunned—but then his lips curled upward.
"So that's what it was…"
No matter how much he denied it, stepping into the Zone meant that somewhere deep down, Murasakibara didn't actually hate basketball. In fact, he probably liked it a lot.
"Big purple baby, let's see you try to act cool now!"
"Tendou once mentioned that entering the Zone required a trigger. Aomine's was pressure. So what about Murasakibara's?"
"It must be responsibility. That's what makes the Zone so insane—only when someone like Murasakibara takes on responsibility will it let them in."
"Exactly! That's why the Zone is so terrifying!"
"Then what was Tendou's trigger?"
The audience murmured in confusion.
The director had previously explained that entering the Zone required specific conditions.
It was made clear that each person had their own unique trigger—but the specifics had never been spelled out.
For Aomine and Murasakibara, viewers could infer their triggers through the story arcs.
But as for Tendou? No one could figure his out.
Every time he entered the Zone, it seemed like he just chose to enter, unlike Aomine or Murasakibara who had build-up and context. It felt effortless—impossible to deduce.
It was almost as if the production team could hear the viewers' questions, because the camera immediately cut to a scene from two years ago.
"Zone?"
A long-lost face returned to the screen—Amanai Riko.
The moment she appeared, countless long-time viewers teared up. "Riko! We've missed you!"
Wearing cartoon pajamas, she heard about the Zone for the first time—straight from Tendou.
The director used this scene as an opportunity to explain the Zone in more detail through Tendou's words.
"Yeah, it's a state where you shut out all distractions and push your potential to the limit."
"There are three conditions to enter this state."
"First, absolute passion for basketball. Second, talent that the Zone recognizes. Third, discovering the unique trigger that opens the door."
"The third is the most important. Everyone's trigger is different—it usually lies buried deep in the player's heart."
"Ugh, that sounds like a hassle," Riko blinked, then asked, "So what's your trigger?"
"My trigger? I don't know," Tendou replied honestly.
He wasn't hiding anything—he truly didn't know. That day, he was just playing, and suddenly, he stepped into the Zone.
Watching in the present day, FanGeGe was stunned by the clip.
He immediately launched into analysis.
"First, let's rule out 'team' and 'responsibility.' Don't forget—when Tendou reached the second door, he turned it down outright."
"He's also not the kind to be triggered by pressure. Tendou isn't like Aomine. He fully understands how brutal the basketball world is. He's not some purist like Aomine or Kuroko."
"So let's look back at what happened during Teikō's second year."
"Tendou first entered the Zone when Aomine hit a slump—right when Aomine had awakened and was destroying everything in his path."
"And based on his conversation with Riko, she was worried Tendou couldn't beat Aomine. So is it possible that as long as Tendou wants to win, he can enter the Zone?"
"Maybe his trigger is desire—or more specifically, a will to win?"
FanGeGe's analysis led him to a wild conclusion.
That Tendou, as long as he truly wanted to win, could enter the Zone at will.
Viewers found the logic convincing.
But just as they were nodding along, the scene changed.
Tendou was now standing before the first great gate of the Zone.
Then, like a slideshow, memories flashed before him—snapshots of his Generation of Miracles teammates playing.
He stared at the towering gate in front of him and spoke the words that defined his identity:
"I am the strongest!"
Rumble!
The Zone's gate swung open before him.
"What the—?!"
FanGeGe felt utterly betrayed by the director. After all his detailed analysis, it turned out everything was wrong.
The show had just handed the truth to the viewers on a silver platter.
Tendou's trigger wasn't Aomine's "pressure," or Murasakibara's "responsibility," but something far simpler: confidence.
As long as he believed he was the strongest, he could enter the Zone at will.
That's why he treated it like his personal playground—entering and exiting whenever he pleased.
Because as the captain of the Generation of Miracles, the one thing he never lacked was confidence.
He was the kind of guy who, the moment he first appeared on screen, boldly declared himself the strongest.
...
The anime had only aired for ten minutes or so.
But within the story, from Shirogane Kōzō's explanation of Murasakibara's trigger to the reveal of Tendou's own, only a few seconds had passed on the court.
Smack!
Yamazaki Hiroshi's shot was brutally swatted away by Murasakibara.
Kirisaki Daiichi scrambled to recover the ball.
But in the next second, Kazuya Hara, Kojirō Furuhashi, and Makoto Hanamiya were all sent flying as Murasakibara bulldozed through them and grabbed the ball.
The camera cut back to Tendou.
He was facing away from the lens—but then suddenly spun around and vanished, leaving behind nothing but a silver-white flash and the signature "buzz" sound of the Zone.
By the time the shot switched, Tendou and Murasakibara were already somewhere else on the court, having treated the other players like traffic cones.
...
Murasakibara was experiencing something entirely new.
Everything around him seemed to move in slow motion.
Even the deafening cheers from the crowd failed to reach his ears. His mind felt clear, free of any distractions—only the ball in his hands and the rim ahead remained.
Thump!
With each dribble and crossover, he weaved past two Kirisaki Daiichi players.
It looked like an ordinary breakthrough—but don't be fooled.
He stood at 208 cm tall and weighed 99 kilograms.
For someone his size to move faster than a guard—that kind of power was beyond words.
But just as he stepped past the three-point line—
Tendou appeared out of nowhere like a shadow slicing through the fabric of the court.
"Tendou?"
"Even if it's you… I won't lose!"
In the span of a single breath, the two were already in the paint.
Murasakibara slammed a foot down to stop. Tendou mirrored the move with zero lag, only to see Murasakibara's massive back slam into him.
Tendou was shoved backward by that immense force.
He knew that when he concentrated all his power, he wasn't weaker than Murasakibara in terms of strength.
What he lacked was mass—his body type simply didn't compare.
That was Murasakibara's advantage… but also his disadvantage.
Murasakibara powered past him, turned with the ball, and grabbed it with both hands, leaping for a dunk.
But even as he held the ball tightly—
A steal was already underway.
In that split second where Tendou had been shoved back, the monster within him had already moved—reappearing at Murasakibara's left side.
Tendou didn't hesitate.
He lunged with his right arm and slammed it down—
Not just swiping…
But smashing his fist like a hammer straight toward the ball with terrifying force.
...
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