The gym was still buzzing with murmurs even after the match ended.
Souta lay flat on his back, staring at the ceiling, sweat rolling down his forehead.
He lost.
But something inside him wasn't disappointed—it was hungry.
Aomine stood over him, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Not bad, huh?"
Souta exhaled. "You—" He paused, catching his breath. "You really don't hold back when you're having fun."
Aomine chuckled and stretched. "Tch. That was the most fun I've had in a while." He tilted his head slightly. "But you're still too slow."
Souta sat up. "I kept up with you."
Aomine grinned. "For now."
That response made Souta clench his fists. He's right…
Keeping up wasn't enough. He had to surpass them.
Lessons from Defeat
As the practice session ended, Momoi walked over, holding a towel. "You pushed Aomine-kun further than anyone else."
Souta grabbed the towel and wiped his face. "Yeah, but pushing him wasn't enough. I still lost."
Momoi smiled softly. "Even so, you've caught the attention of everyone here."
Souta glanced around.
Midorima adjusted his glasses, watching him with intrigue.
Murasakibara was still munching on snacks but gave him a lazy nod of acknowledgment.
Kise was grinning ear to ear.
Even Akashi, who had barely spoken, was watching him carefully.
Kuroko approached, his usual neutral expression in place. "That was an incredible match."
Souta sighed. "Thanks, but I need to be better."
Kuroko nodded. "Then you'll need to understand your weaknesses."
Souta raised an eyebrow. "And what do you think they are?"
Kuroko looked at him directly. "You rely too much on your system skills. They're useful, but Aomine-kun showed you that pure instinct and speed can override them."
Souta frowned. "You're saying I should… play more naturally?"
Kuroko nodded. "Instead of treating your abilities as crutches, incorporate them seamlessly into your game."
Souta processed those words.
Play naturally… while using my system as an advantage, not a crutch.
It was something to think about.
A New Training Regimen
The next day, Souta woke up feeling the ache of yesterday's match.
But pain meant growth.
If he wanted to catch up to the Generation of Miracles, he needed to go beyond just normal training.
He opened his System Interface.
[Training Mode Unlocked!]
His eyes widened. "Wait… I can access training simulations now?"
The system responded.
[Training Mode: Allows user to practice against AI opponents based on real-world players.]
Souta grinned. This changes everything.
Without hesitation, he activated the feature.
[Select opponent:]
Standard Defender Fast Break Scorer Three-Point Shooter Daiki Aomine (Training Mode)
His fingers hovered over Aomine's name.
No better way to improve than by facing the strongest.
[Simulation Starting…]
The world around him blurred—
And suddenly, he was back on the Teikou court, standing across from a digital Aomine.
"Let's go," he muttered, ready to push himself to the next level.
Battling the Phantom Aomine
The AI version of Aomine wasted no time.
He lunged forward, his dribbling smooth, unpredictable.
Souta reacted, keeping up with his speed.
But even in this simulation—Aomine was still faster.
A fake to the right.
A sudden drive to the left.
Before Souta could blink, Aomine scored effortlessly.
"Damn it…"
The system displayed a message.
[Error: Insufficient Speed. Increase Agility and Reaction Time.]
Souta clenched his fists. I need to get faster.
He reset the simulation and attacked instead of defending.
If he couldn't beat Aomine's speed, then he'd have to improve his own offensive skills first.
Dribbling low, he activated Phantom Drift, shifting his presence to mislead his opponent.
Aomine narrowed his eyes—he could still follow him.
Souta faked left and spun right, using Phantom Step—
For a split second, he was invisible—
He reappeared near the basket, going for a quick layup.
The ball hit the backboard and went in.
[Score: 1-1]
A small smirk formed on Souta's face. "Alright. Let's go again."
For the next three hours, he pushed himself in the simulation.
By the end, his body was drenched in sweat.
But when the system displayed:
[Progress: Speed +2 | Agility +1 | Phantom Step Improved]
He knew he was one step closer to surpassing Aomine.
Unfinished Business
The next day at practice, Souta approached Aomine.
Aomine raised an eyebrow. "What? You want a rematch already?"
Souta smirked. "Not yet. But soon."
Aomine grinned. "Heh. Good. I'd be disappointed if you gave up."
As the team gathered for drills, Akashi finally spoke.
"You've improved, Fujimura."
Souta turned to him, surprised.
Akashi's sharp golden-red eyes locked onto him. "But you're still not strong enough."
Souta smirked. "Not yet."
Akashi nodded. "Then we'll make sure you are."
The rest of the Generation of Miracles all turned toward Souta.
At that moment, he realized—
This was just the beginning.
And if he wanted to stand among them, he'd have to keep evolving.