"Now you see the truth about relying on teammates, don't you?" Akashi's second personality whispered, teasing from the depths of his mind.
Once again, Akashi smoothly evaded Meizawa's double-team, passing the ball to Yamamoto Ryu.
"Don't rush—look for an opening, shake off the defenders first," he instructed clearly.
Yamamoto nodded, determined. But what came next left Akashi utterly speechless.
Someone closed in on Yamamoto, and recalling Akashi's advice, he immediately scanned left and right, searching for an open teammate. Spotting Kirihara Hayato, he threw the ball without hesitation.
It was accurate, yet disastrously mistimed—the pass landed straight into the opponent's hands.
Akashi's mind froze. The spotlight above his head seemed to dim.
He didn't even notice Meizawa's counterattack, instead standing rooted, lost in thought.
Training had been rigorous; his teammates had improved. But under pressure, they faltered. A simple mistake now handed the advantage to Meizawa.
He glanced at Sendo, imagining the frustration he must have felt last year. Somehow, that guy still managed to keep his cool.
Meizawa scored again.
Seiyo 48 — 62 Meizawa
A fourteen-point gap. The situation was growing increasingly grim.
"I can only rely on myself now," Akashi resolved silently.
No longer could he trust his teammates to carry the offense. If Seiyo were to survive, he would have to carve a path himself.
Akashi dribbled forward again, this time choosing to confront the double-team head-on.
Bang… bang… bang… His feet shifted, his body spun fluidly, executing a behind-the-back dribble and a large-scale pivot.
The two defenders froze. Their expectation—that Akashi was merely a passer—had been shattered.
With perfect timing, Akashi broke free and charged toward Meizawa's basket.
Kirihara, Kobayashi, and Yamamoto ran to their open spaces, ready for a pass. But Akashi had no intention of passing.
He would take this one himself.
Footsteps thundered behind him—a defender rushing to block the shot. Calmly, Akashi cradled the ball and launched himself upward.
The defender stretched to block him—but Akashi was already ahead. With a subtle twist of his wrist, he gently sent the ball toward the outstretched hand.
The basketball rebounded off the defender's palm, falling straight into the hoop.
Swish.
Seiyo 50 — 62 Meizawa
The court fell silent for a brief instant.
Meizawa's defender stood stupefied, humiliated by having been manipulated into scoring against his own team.
Kirihara, Kobayashi, and Yamamoto rushed over to congratulate Akashi, unbothered by why he hadn't passed earlier. To them, the goal mattered more than the method.
Sendo, however, gave a subtle thumbs-up, as if silently acknowledging Akashi's strategy.
From this point, Akashi's style shifted dramatically.
He stopped orchestrating passes, becoming a swift, aggressive scorer. Even against Meizawa's double-team, he moved with precision, predicting their every step before they made it.
Time and again, he broke through, scoring continuously.
Kirihara, Kobayashi, and Yamamoto realized Akashi intended to go it alone. They trusted the choice, knowing it was the only path forward.
Sendo, watching closely, saw the Akashi of last year—a leader trying to carry his team alone, dragged down by weaker teammates, yet never losing composure.
The scoreboard reflected the tense deadlock:
54 — 66… 58 — 70… 64 — 76…
Akashi scored relentlessly, but Meizawa's counterattacks kept the gap at twelve points.
"This can't continue," Akashi thought, his breathing steady, his gaze sharp.
With only five minutes left, there was one solution—the Emperor's Eye.
A move requiring immense mental energy. Once used, there was no turning back. If it failed to widen the lead, Seiyo would have no chance.
"What are you waiting for? The Emperor's Eye is your talent," Akashi's second personality whispered, sharp and insistent.
Akashi didn't answer. He understood perfectly. The move would seize control when his mind weakened. That was why he rarely used it.
But he could not allow Seiyo to lose.
Focusing on Meizawa's advancing offense, Akashi's heterochromatic eyes widened.
The Emperor's Eye activated.