58 Chapter 57

With a score of 27-20 in favor of Too Academy, the game continues as Seirin gains possession. Shun brings the ball back to the halfcourt line and signals for a play as he crosses it.

Upon seeing his signal, his teammates immediately move to initiate the plan. Kagami sets a screen for Shun on the right side, and Shun quickly moves in that direction as Too Academy switches their defense.

As a result of the switch, Imayoshi ends up guarding Kagami, who has a disadvantage due to being smaller and shorter. Meanwhile, Wakamatsu finds himself matched up against Shun, who is faster.

Despite the favorable matchup, Shun doesn't rush to attack Wakamatsu's defense since the play is still ongoing. After Kagami sets the screen for Shun, the other teammates aren't idle either. Kuroko sets a screen for Ogiwara, catching Aomine off guard and allowing Ogiwara to get away from him.

Aomine, who didn't expect Kuroko to set a screen, is late to remind Susa to switch with him. With no one close to him for defense, Ogiwara is now wide open to cut to the basket. Seeing this, Shun goes for a bounce pass to Ogiwara, who is cutting towards the basket.

Ogiwara successfully catches the pass and goes for a quick layup. However, before he can release the ball, he notices a silhouette covering him from behind, as Aomine catches up. With Aomine close to him, Ogiwara decides not to force the layup and passes the ball back to Kagami, who is being guarded by Imayoshi.

As Ogiwara passes the ball, he moves outside to set a screen for Junpei. Junpei uses the screen and momentarily becomes open as Sakurai fails to pass through Ogiwara's screen in time.

Spotting Junpei open, Kagami doesn't hesitate and passes the ball to him. Junpei catches the ball, sets his feet, and releases the shot. However, Aomine is forced to switch to Junpei to contest his shot as he sees Sakurai late to defend.

Feeling Aomine's hand approaching the ball, Junpei quickly releases it in panic. Although Aomine doesn't block Junpei's shot, he successfully disrupts it, causing it to fall short and hit the front of the rim.

As the ball bounces off the rim, Kagami, who is ready for a rebound, catches it with one hand and goes for a putback slam. Imayoshi can only watch as Kagami secures the rebound and scores since he can't prevent Kagami from getting the rebound. Meanwhile, Wakamatsu is still guarding Shun.

With that putback dunk, Too Academy's lead was back to 5, making the score 27-22. The game resumes as Too inbounds the ball, but Imayoshi is taken aback when he sees Kuroko guarding Aomine.

Not only Imayoshi, but all of Too Academy is shocked that they allowed Kuroko to defend against Aomine. Even Aomine himself is surprised, exclaiming to Kuroko, "Are you serious, Tetsu? Is your team so desperate that they would let you guard me?"

Kuroko, with his signature monotonous face, doesn't reply, but his determination can be seen in his eyes. Aomine clicks his tongue and immediately demands the ball from Imayoshi. Imayoshi complies and passes the ball to Aomine.

Aomine doesn't use any fancy moves and immediately bursts past Kuroko's defense. However, before he can escape Kuroko, Kagami is waiting for him and double teams Aomine.

Aomine smirks and spins between Kuroko and Kagami's defense. As he passes through the double team, he is surprised to find Ogiwara already in front of him, attempting to poke the ball away.

Aomine is forced to stop to avoid Ogiwara's steal attempt, but this leaves him trapped between Kagami, Kuroko, and Ogiwara. Aomine remains calm and tries to find an opening to escape their pressure.

While looking for an opening, Kuroko pokes the ball from behind, causing it to become loose. Ogiwara is the first to reach the ball and picks it up. Seeing their successful defense, Kagami immediately rushes to the other side of the court as Seirin goes for a fast break.

Observing Kagami ahead, Ogiwara throws an outlet pass to him. Kagami catches the ball and, seeing no one ahead of him, gathers it as he reaches the paint and jumps for a powerful dunk.

However, just as he is about to slam the ball into the rim, Aomine, who is right behind him, slaps the ball away from Kagami's hands, causing it to go out of bounds. Although Kagami doesn't score, he still considers it a win since it's the first time in the game that they have stopped Aomine.

Aomine, on the other hand, is furious. He is irritated that Kuroko was able to stop him, or rather, it was the collective effort of Kuroko, Kagami, and Ogiwara, but it was Kuroko who managed to steal the ball from him.

Since it was an out-of-bounds violation, Kuroko doesn't wait for Too Academy's defense to set up. He quickly gets ready for an inbound pass as the referee hands him the ball. His teammates are already prepared for this, having noticed him stepping out of bounds for the inbound.

On the other hand, except for Aomine and Imayoshi, who were the first ones to get back, their other teammates are slow to return on defense. They are still in the process of getting back as the referee hands the ball to Kuroko.

Kuroko receives the ball from the referee and immediately passes it to Shun, who is waiting for him. Shun recognizes that Too Academy's defense is still trying to get set, so he swiftly drives towards the paint to attack.

At the moment, the only defender in the paint is Aomine. As Shun enters the paint, Aomine steps in front of him to stop him. However, instead of challenging Aomine's defense, Shun executes a behind-the-back pass to Kuroko. Kuroko plants his feet and forcefully taps the ball for an ignite pass, sending it directly into the hands of Kagami, who is positioned under the basket.

Kagami successfully catches the pass and dunks the ball into the rim with both hands. With that dunk, Too Academy's lead is reduced to 3 points, making the score 27-24.

Seeing Kagami score once again, Aomine becomes increasingly frustrated, especially with his teammates who were slow to get back on defense. He immediately confronts Wakamatsu, bombarding him with words. Wakamatsu refrains from responding, knowing that it was also his mistake, but he can't help feeling irritated.

Throughout the game, apart from Imayoshi, who brings the ball up the court, no one else on their team has had a chance to touch the ball except Aomine. Despite their current lead, Wakamatsu's irritation continues to grow. This is particularly evident in their last possession, as it was Aomine's turnover that initiated Seirin High's play, causing them to be late in transitioning to defense.

Seeing the rising tension between his teammates, Imayoshi, as the team captain, quickly intervenes. He positions himself between Aomine and Wakamatsu, attempting to diffuse the situation. Aomine, noticing Imayoshi's presence, he clicks his tongue as he ceases his conversation with Wakamatsu and refocuses on the upcoming offensive possession.

Meanwhile, Wakamatsu remains visibly irritated and vents his frustrations to Imayoshi. Although Imayoshi empathizes with Wakamatsu's concerns, he understands that their team is technically still in the lead. He consoles Wakamatsu, assuring him that his time to contribute will come.

Imayoshi also notices Sakurai becoming anxious as Aomine criticizes their defense. Sensing Sakurai's unease, Imayoshi approaches him to offer reassurance and calm him down. He provides words of encouragement, reminding Sakurai of his abilities and encouraging him to stay focused and composed.

The game resumes with Imayoshi bringing the ball down the court. Aomine, still frustrated about his earlier turnover, immediately demands the ball from Imayoshi. Recognizing Aomine's insistence, Imayoshi passes him the ball.

Despite being guarded by Kuroko once again, Aomine refrains from engaging in conversation this time. Kuroko prepares himself for Aomine's attack, while Kagami and Ogiwara position themselves slightly closer to provide defensive support in case Aomine tries to break past Kuroko.

Contrary to their expectations, Aomine doesn't attempt to bypass Kuroko's defense. Instead, without even dribbling the ball, he pulls up for a shot from outside the paint. Given Kuroko's shorter stature compared to Aomine, raising his hands high is futile, as he can only reach Aomine's elbow.

Helplessly, Kuroko watches as Aomine's shot sails through the air, finding its mark. As Aomine's shot swishes through the net, his expression turns serious, and he locks eyes with Kuroko, choosing not to say anything. Kuroko can sense that Aomine's demeanor has shifted compared to their previous encounters.

Kuroko understands that this change signifies that Aomine is now taking them seriously. He's unsure whether to feel proud that they've earned Aomine's respect or concerned because the game is about to become even tougher for them.

Aomine swiftly jogs back to the defensive end of the court. As he moves, everyone on the court and in the stands can sense the shift in his aura. Despite the growing intimidation from Aomine, Kagami can't help but feel a surge of excitement coursing through his veins. Even though they're currently struggling to contain Aomine, Kagami embraces the exhilaration of intensified competition. This is the very reason he plays basketball—for the thrill of the game and the process of striving for victory.