"Now, it is time to return what originally belonged to you."
"The chance to defeat Yuuto lies within the true form of the Emperor Eye."
No regrets, just a little sadness.
One year in elementary school, he had split half of the life away from Akashi. Now, the moment had finally come to return it.
"Return? What are you saying?" Akashi's heart clenched involuntarily while he was engaging the enemy.
"You should understand. Yuuto is strong. If this continues, we will lose."
"But it is not that the Emperor Eye is inferior to his talent; it is that it is not complete enough."
The 'Other' Akashi walked out of the darkness towards the light.
"The reason is simple. Because there are two of us in this body. Now I will return everything to you, making you a complete person."
Return?
Complete?
Such words caused a stinging pain in Akashi's heart.
"Do not be sad for me. A soul that should not have existed was able to possess such a long time; I am already very satisfied."
"I believe that the court vision capable of delivering the ultimate pass, fused with the Emperor Eye that can see the future, will surely birth the ability to defeat Yuuto."
"Wait..." Akashi wanted to stop him.
This wasn't a movie, and the enemy before them wasn't invincible.
Moreover, they hadn't lost yet; there was still a possibility of victory.
Compared to victory, he hoped in his heart that his other self could stay.
The 'Other' Akashi could clearly feel the emotions of his other self.
This emotion filled his heart with unprecedented satisfaction.
But he still spoke firmly, "The meaning of my existence is victory. If I cannot bring victory, my existence is worthless."
"So, defeat him for me. Prove the value of my existence. Also... thank you."
With the final thank you, Akashi felt a massive change in his body.
Something suddenly poured into him. It didn't feel strange, because it was originally him.
The heterochromatic pupil completely disappeared. The other personality had completely vanished from this world; he couldn't hear him anymore.
Akashi felt a pain coming from his chest.
"Yuuto!!!"
He roared, two golden rings erupting from both eyes simultaneously.
This time, it wasn't just targeting Yuuto alone, but covering everything he could see.
"Mourning for yourself? What a strange guy." Yuuto responded with a cold gaze. "You should thank me. I made you a complete person."
"Shut up!"
Undeniably, it was indeed Yuuto's appearance that made him complete again after his mother's passing.
This wasn't the result he wanted.
But since it had come to this, he had to defeat this enemy.
Red lightning bloomed wildly as Akashi launched a torrential offensive.
That familiar pressure swept over again. The greatest destructive power of the Emperor Eye: decomposing all movements, nullifying all offense and defense.
This was the other Akashi... No, there was never another one.
That was just a phenomenon caused by the split personality. From beginning to end, Akashi Seijuro was only one person.
Yuuto's defensive pressure increased sharply.
The best user of the Emperor Eye, combined with that ultimate pass—he had to stop it all.
"You are the only one I must defeat!"
"Then come!"
Yuuto's eyes went cold. In an instant, the talent Dual Personality activated.
He didn't retreat but stepped forward to meet the attack.
This was the true final battle.
Snap!
The ball vanished rapidly from Akashi's hands. The speed was so fast it exceeded ordinary perception.
Then.
The ball went directly into the heart of Seiho's defense. The moment Hayama Kotaro caught the ball, he felt the change again.
This time, the angle and force of the pass were even more perfect.
What was most unexpected was...
"Tsugawa Tomoki actually couldn't react at all?"
Hayama Kotaro was shocked, but the one even more shocked was Tsugawa Tomoki.
"How did he do that?"
In disbelief, he turned around only to see Hayama Kotaro had already penetrated the Seiho paint.
The timing of the pass was absurdly perfect.
This was the complete Emperor Eye, capable of gaining insight into all futures.
"That kind of pass can be even better?"
"It's like he saw the future of the opponents and his teammates."
"Could it be..."
Aomine and the others who were familiar with Akashi thought of an extremely terrifying possibility.
From now on, there would be no 'Other' Akashi. They had merged into one. Or perhaps, this was the true face of the Emperor Eye.
"Little Akashi, he..."
"The two personalities merged into one."
A totally unexpected development. Akashi's split personality was cured by a game.
He became the complete Akashi Seijuro again, and his talent truly bloomed at this moment.
Transition from offense to defense.
"Reo!" Akashi shouted a warning. Mibuchi Reo, who was guarding Kasuga Ryuhei, reacted instantly.
Kasuga Ryuhei had just received a no-motion pass from Yuuto. Before he could make his next move, Mibuchi Reo had already reacted in advance.
"This..."
Even the no-motion pass was seen through.
"To be able to see everyone's future... This is the real Akashi. This is the original appearance of the Emperor Eye."
Shirogane Eiji was first stunned, then fervent.
It should be like this!
There never was a so-called 'other' Akashi. He was always one person, just mentally split due to excessive trauma in the past.
The host Akashi or the 'Other' Akashi were both parts of Akashi, just isolated to form independent personalities.
Now, Akashi had combined them into one, unleashing his full talent.
This was his evolution, and his growth.
While they spoke.
Rakuzan had completed a brilliant defensive play.
Seeing no opportunity, Kasuga Ryuhei planned to pass back to Yuuto to reorganize, but the moment he released the ball, it was intercepted by Mayuzumi Chihiro, who suddenly dashed out.
In an instant, Rakuzan's counterattack arrived.
Akashi turned his grief and indignation into strength. There was no smile on his face, only the final words of his other self echoing in his mind.
Defeat Yuuto. Prove that the other self's life had value!
Able to see through everyone's future—not just teammates, but opponents too. Everyone's next step, and even the steps after that, were under his prediction.
Then.
The ball turned into a beam of light, cutting through the air into Mayuzumi's hands. The latter caught and shot immediately.
Perfect shooting rhythm brought super high accuracy.
Swish!
The ball went in. Rakuzan overtook the score again.
...
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