The entire audience erupted in shocked exclamations, followed immediately by the sound of people sucking in cold breaths. Everyone was completely frozen by the terrifying, heart-stopping scene unfolding before them.
…What did we just witness?
Aomine Daiki slowly opened his eyes, his glowing blue gaze fixed intensely on Haizaki Shogo on the court.
"So he was still holding back when he went one-on-one with me."
But in the next moment, excitement lit up his expression.
Because tomorrow was their match. He believed Haizaki would definitely make it that far. And when that time came, he would go all out and glimpse the true peak of this guy's strength.
Just thinking about it made Aomine's entire body tremble with excitement. It wasn't fear—it was exhilaration, the thrill of facing a powerful opponent and stepping into the unknown.
"Ha… hahahaha! Nice, nice job, Shogo!"
Unable to contain himself, Aomine burst into loud, unrestrained laughter, openly praising Haizaki without holding back.
On the other side of the stands, Murasakibara Atsushi—who had been eating snacks just moments ago—slowly lifted his head. His sharp gaze locked onto Haizaki on the court.
"So even Haizaki is getting stronger… good thing I didn't play last time. That would've been such a pain."
"Hey, hey, Murasakibara, what kind of thing is that to say? Are you running away?"
"Running away? What are you talking about? I just think it's too much trouble."
On the court, even though they had anticipated something, the entire Shutoku team still froze in disbelief.
Damn it… this Haizaki Shogo is a monster among monsters. Compared to what they saw from the stands earlier, this was on a completely different level. It was like watching two different people.
And the person at the center of it all, Midorima Shintaro, was also deeply shaken.
But what shocked him wasn't just Haizaki's performance—it was the fact that Haizaki had done it with his left hand.
"This monster… ever since leaving Teiko Junior High's basketball club, he's become completely different. Even more terrifying. But… good. This makes things interesting."
While most people in the stands still hadn't recovered from their shock, and several players on the court were still frozen in place, Midorima had already received the ball and released another shot.
The basketball soared high, tracing a smooth arc through the air before falling—
CLANG!
It struck the rim and bounced out instead of going in. The Shutoku players' eyes widened instantly before they rushed forward to fight for the rebound.
But it was too late.
Haizaki, who had not moved aggressively until now, caught the ball immediately and shot again in one fluid motion.
The basketball rose into a high arc once more—
And dropped cleanly into the Shutoku basket.
SWISH!
That beautiful net sound shook the hearts and minds of every Shutoku player still crossing half court.
Haizaki Shogo, who had completed the play, curled his lips into a faint smile.
A second time. His rhythm had deepened even further.
"So, Shintaro… can you still use it?"
If the first left-handed shot had gone unnoticed by Satsuki Momoi, Kise Ryouta, Kagami Taiga, and Kuroko Tetsuya, then this second three-pointer was seen clearly by all of them.
Every single one of them had witnessed this outrageous play with their own eyes.
"Haizaki-kun… that's terrifying!" Momoi said.
"That bastard… he didn't even go all out when he fought Seirin." Kagami snapped.
"Ah… Aomine-kun, I think what you said before… about me being leagues behind Haizaki-kun… was true. I really can't reach him yet." Kise admitted.
"As expected… Haizaki-kun's talent is incredible." Kuroko said calmly.
Momoi called him terrifying, Kagami called him a bastard, Kise admitted inferiority, and Kuroko acknowledged his talent.
It had to be said—Kuroko's judgment as an ordinary observer was extremely sharp.
He had long recognized Haizaki's talent, just as he had seen Kagami's potential and Seirin's team synergy.
This time, he deserved credit for his insight.
Meanwhile, Murasakibara—an energy bar now somehow in his mouth—stared silently at Haizaki with his purple eyes.
He was comparing.
Perhaps comparing Haizaki to himself… or to the other Generation of Miracles.
Or maybe something else entirely. No one could tell.
On the court, Midorima stood frozen for a moment, staring at the basket where his shot had just bounced out.
Then he shifted his gaze to Haizaki, his expression turning serious.
"…Haizaki, you're disgusting."
In just two minutes, four consecutive unbelievable plays had already occurred. The intensity of the match left the entire crowd stunned.
Neither team was willing to yield even an inch. In a situation like this, whoever hesitated first would lose their advantage—and likely the first quarter.
Both Fukuda Sogo and Shutoku had the ability to pull ahead at any moment. That made restraint impossible. From the opening tip-off, it was already a battle of life and death.
The vast majority of the spectators were still trapped in shock from the continuous miracles unfolding on the court.
But no one expected that while they were still frozen, another shot would appear.
SWISH!
The sound of the net rippling again struck like a missile, shaking the hearts of Fukuda Sogo's players.
Three first-years and one third-year froze in place, their faces filled with disbelief.
All of them thought the same thing:
Wasn't the ball supposed to be stolen by the captain? Then why is it back again?!
Haizaki exhaled lightly and signaled for the ball again. His teammates immediately passed it to him.
A few seconds after the fifth shot—
The sixth one arrived.
Shutoku's players stood frozen again, each of them thinking the same thing.
Is this even basketball anymore? Is this still a five-on-five game? This… has nothing to do with us anymore.
At that moment, both teams' coaches walked over to the referees' table, preparing to call a stop to the game.
And many people failed to notice something important:
The fifth and sixth shots were both taken with Midorima Shintaro and Haizaki Shogo using their right hands.
So Midorima Shintaro had finally begun to reveal a part of his true self.