Chapter 18: A true confrontation

Everyone went to Yogi Park and found an empty court. Aizen and Aomine Daiki were set to duel.

Satsuki and Aizen's teammates eagerly anticipated the match. Satsuki was thrilled, seeing this as an excellent opportunity to gather information on Aizen and potentially reignite Aomine's motivation. She couldn't hide her excitement, smiling brightly with a gleam in her eyes. Aizen's teammates were equally enthusiastic. They knew the value of the person competing against Aizen—Aomine Daiki, the ace of the Generation of Miracles and arguably the top junior high school player in the country.

...

Unlike the excited spectators, Aizen and Aomine were very calm, preparing for the storm to come.

"Who will kick off first?"

"Let's decide by rock-paper-scissors."

Aomine's suggestion of rock-paper-scissors didn't faze Aizen, who smirked, utilizing his metavision to predict Aomine's move. As expected, Aizen won the offensive opportunity. Aomine didn't notice anything amiss, chalking it up to bad luck.

Aizen didn't feel guilty about using his abilities. He believed in utilizing every advantage on the court to secure a win.

...

They decided to play to eleven points. Aizen stood outside the three-point line, holding the ball in a triple-threat position. He felt the pressure emanating from Aomine, which was on a different level than any player he had faced before, including Kise. This forced Aizen to take the game seriously, igniting his excitement.

Observing Aomine's defensive stance, Aizen noticed the casual yet dangerous posture. Not finding a good opportunity to attack, he decisively dribbled the ball with his right hand while moving. His movements were fluid, not just standing still and dribbling aimlessly.

Aomine immediately recognized Aizen's skill level, noting his strong ball sense and body coordination. "Sure enough, he's a player who can beat Kise. I can't treat him like an amateur," Aomine thought, his eyes narrowing.

As Aizen's offensive rhythm accelerated, he performed various advanced dribbling moves effortlessly, each flowing into the next with minimalist beauty, a testament to his mastery of basic skills.

Initially, Aomine kept up with Aizen, even managing to nearly steal the ball several times, which shocked the spectators. But Aizen's ball-handling skills kept the ball firmly under his control. Gradually, Aizen increased his speed, utilizing his dynamic vision to track Aomine's movements.

In a sudden shift of pace, Aizen spotted a vulnerability in Aomine's left side, like a shining puzzle piece. He immediately exploited the weakness, breaking through with explosive speed, feeling like a spear aimed at Aomine.

Aomine's pupils contracted. "Impossible!" he thought as Aizen slipped past him. With a body height of 191cm, Aizen needed only two steps to reach the basket. However, Aomine quickly adjusted, accelerating to block Aizen's path.

Undeterred, Aizen kept pushing forward, holding the ball close. In the restricted area, Aizen jumped, feigning a dunk. Aomine leaped simultaneously, confident he could block the shot. "I'll take this ball; there's no way you're scoring!"

But Aizen had anticipated this, activating his [Core Confrontation] ability. A powerful force stabilized him mid-air, allowing him to execute a backward movement in Aomine's astonished gaze. The ball sailed smoothly through the net.

"Swish!"

The sound of the ball swishing through the net echoed, followed by the thud of it landing. The court was silent, everyone stunned. Aizen's teammates and Satsuki were too shocked to speak, forgetting to breathe momentarily. They had never seen such an intense confrontation. Their captain was incredible, reaffirming their awe despite already knowing his prowess.

Satsuki, used to witnessing the skills of prodigies, was equally astonished. After recovering, she cheered joyfully. "Keep being arrogant, Aomine, you've been bested!" Blushing, she shouted to Aizen, "Come on, Aizen!"

The two players ignored the cheers, their focus solely on each other.

After a moment, Aomine smiled, "Great, I haven't met an opponent like you in a long time. This trip was worth it."

Aizen retorted, "But I think you're still not quite there."

"Haha, cherish your offensive opportunities."

Their exchange only heightened the tension.

---

Aizen's third shot missed, the basketball hitting the rim and bouncing out. The score was 4:0. Aomine had interfered with the shot, his speed increasing. He was starting to surpass Aizen.

But Aizen wasn't upset; he was thrilled. He finally experienced a long-lost feeling of a true confrontation.