Behind Nijimura Shuzo, the monster stirred—its black flames roared and writhed, exuding a scorching heat that almost seared Haizaki Shōgo's eyes. The air was thick, heavy, alive with that burning aura.
Yet, as Nijimura began to move, the basketball in his hands flowing with the rhythm of his body—his technique and style, while undeniably powerful—still felt… less terrifying than that monstrous presence itself.
Who is he fighting against right now?
Haizaki couldn't quite grasp it. Compared to the Nijimura the "Generation of Miracles" once knew, the version before him now seemed clearly weaker.
But by the window, Shigure Akihito's expression was different.
Because he'd seen that silhouette before.
Exactly that one—Nijimura, in his first year at Teiko, the one who exploded during the opening match of the national tournament, clashing with him in that unforgettable scoring duel.
"In the first round of nationals, when first-year Shigure had already evolved again," Nijimura said quietly, "his phantom-level feints shocked me for the first time—not just his athletic gifts: his jumping, his speed, or his shooting touch…"
"…but his technique."
"I'd always been confident that in pure skill, I was above Shigure. But during our entrance tryouts, that confidence was crushed—and the monster inside me, one that had been quietly waiting ever since I joined the team… was finally awakened."
"You could call it…"
"…jealousy."
"In that moment, I lost all sense of reason. Instinct took over, and the blood that burned within me—was lit by that monster."
Hiss—hiss—hiss
As Nijimura's voice deepened, his movements quickened. He accelerated across the half-court in a blur. Behind him, the shadowy flames split into multiple silhouettes—each one seemingly tangible—blocking his path forward.
Thud!
They weren't real opponents. But under the weight of his unleashed aura, it felt real—so real that Haizaki swore he heard the dull, violent sound of impact.
"Get out of my way!"
Nijimura's snarl was identical to the monster's earlier grimace—cold, brutal, enough to send a shiver down Haizaki's spine.
Then, suddenly
He stopped dead in front of an invisible defender. The heat in his eyes ignited again, focused and sharp.
"Where are you looking?"
"…Trash!"
Tap, tap!
A series of crossovers—quick, brutal, merciless.
The phantom in front of him flickered under the blinding speed of Nijimura's dribble, its fiery outline swaying like a candle in the wind.
Thud!
Another body-to-body collision—another phantom shattered.
And then, in an instant, Nijimura broke through—his figure blurring as he approached Haizaki.
Haizaki could tell. Against this Nijimura, he would've won.
Yet, when the man came face-to-face with him, Haizaki instinctively swallowed hard.
Two defenders appeared in front of him.
Nijimura, without hesitation, stopped abruptly—a perfect hesitation step, a feint so sharp that both defenders jumped to block
and he turned between them.
Passing through.
In his eyes—only the basket remained.
Swish!
The ball rolled off his fingers and kissed the glass, falling through the hoop with effortless grace.
Hiss—hiss—hiss
All around, the blazing phantoms that Nijimura had destroyed moments before began to flow back together—merging into that same black monster again.
Their forms overlapped, until no one could tell—was Nijimura the monster, or was the monster him?
"After that match," Nijimura said softly, "maybe it was the sting of defeat that forced me to calm down. Or maybe, I finally made peace with myself."
"At that time, the monster inside me whispered"
"Don't worry. Don't rush. Because the pressure you feel from Shigure's evolution—that urgency—is the spark that will lead you past your limits."
"After that, it seemed to fall silent…"
"…but in truth, it only entered its second stage."
On the court, Nijimura controlled the ball again.
The monster behind him grew sharper, its shape more defined—gradually shifting to resemble Shigure Akihito himself. It moved in perfect sync with him, stepping up as if ready to receive a pass.
"Back then, our third-year seniors were strong—no doubt about that."
"But whenever I looked at them…"
"…with that monster shadowing them, wearing the same form as Shigure, I couldn't help but think"
'If only Senpai could move a little faster… just like Shigure.'
Whoosh!
Nijimura passed the ball.
Far across the court, the monster split again—into two figures. One stood frozen in confusion, while the other—bearing traces of Shigure's form—leaped up eagerly for the ball.
But they were both just illusions.
The real ball passed through them—cleanly, violently—shattering their silhouettes.
Then
From beyond the key, another phantom appeared at the rim, catching the ball with a ghostly feint, spinning gracefully, and finishing with a flying dunk.
"You threw it too fast, Nijimura," a voice echoed.
"If you'd let it bounce first, I could've caught it."
Nijimura looked at the fading shadow with mild disappointment. Then he turned to the distant monster watching him, and smiled faintly.
"In that second stage—until our battle with Okayama—I realized something."
"I no longer felt the bitterness of losing to Shigure."
"Instead…"
"…I wanted more of him."
"More Shigure—to push me, to awaken that thrill of confrontation again."
As he said this, Nijimura's lips curled into a grin—and so did the monster's.
Only…the monster's smile stretched too wide, nearly splitting its face to the ears, its hollow eyes glowing with fire.
"I finally understood."
"Because of Shigure's existence, I kept evolving at a pace I'd never imagined possible."
"And so—both the monster and I began to crave it… crave more nourishment."
"But the truth is"
"Shigure is special. There's only one like him."
END OF CHAPTER
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