Kuroko’s Basketball: Before Generation Miracles, I Already Crowned Chapter 284: So this is the thrill of playing like Shigure…?

"What's Rakuzan going to do now?"

Watching the chaos unfolding on court, Haizaki Shōgo shook his head, a thin layer of sweat gliding down his temple.

"What else can they do…? Just start praying for them, I guess."

"Even that monster Hagioka Kasayuki's not gonna be enough this ti."

"Man… this is brutal."

Monts earlier

In Kaijō's offensive possession, Hagioka Kasayuki had suddenly stepped up to the free-throw line, taking a familiar defensive stance that imdiately drew the attention of Teikō's forr mbers watching from the stands.

There was no mistaking it

That was the Ultra-Wide Range Defense.

Even without the aid of the Zone, with Hagioka's physicality, wingspan, and mastery of Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain, Shadow, Thunder, he could already deploy a version close to it in his normal state—sothing only Murasakibara Atsushi and Shigure Akihito had managed before.

But until now, under the overwhelming rhythm of Rainbow Connection and Shigure's relentless pull on the court, Hagioka hadn't been able to fully unleash it.

Now, however

With Zone activation layered atop that monstrous base

He finally released it.

The Ultra-Enhanced Ultra-Wide Range Defense.

And yet

Much like Kaijō's players themselves

That terrifying Zone-based defensive field, which should've exuded suffocating pressure, instead felt… strangely harmless.

"Senpai," Shigure said softly, dribbling at the top of the arc, one hand tucked behind his back, his eyes locked on Hagioka's form.

"You know this better than anyone."

"Even with Zone…"

"It's the sa."

Within the black haze of Nanchiruyin—the Unknown Shadow—Hagioka's senses and reactions intertwined with his Zone-enhanced perception, forming a spherical defense domain with himself at the core.

That sphere's diater spanned from the top of the three-point arc to under the rim… maybe even farther.

But Shigure understood one crucial thing

No matter how vast the sphere, its diater could never perfectly overlap the semicircular arc of the three-point line.

There would always be a gap.

He knew exactly where that gap lay.

Tap— tap

As the ball bounced rhythmically, the blazing aura of the Fla Man erupted once again

His calm like the forest— consud by black fire.

Breakthrough!

Zone Hagioka gave chase.

Rainbow Connection— engage!

Swish— snap— snap— snap!

Just like Rakuzan's lightning-fast "Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain, Thunder" relay, Kaijō's passes now surged even faster—supercharged by Shigure's Emperor's Pass and the blazing synergy of Fla and Green Light.

The ball traveled

Through Nijimura Shuzo,

To the 45-degree arc,

Then from Fukasaya Reiji at the corner,

Down the baseline

And finally into the hands of Kurokami Shinji beneath the rim!

Without question

That single possession shattered Hagioka's Ultra-Wide Range Defense.

All in one clean, flowing motion.

"One possession?!"

"They broke through Zone-level Hagioka in a single possession?!"

"Under the rim— Kurokami turns— Tajika Makoto's Thunder in Motion is a step too slow!"

Kurokami spun. Though his finesse wasn't yet as refined as Fukasaya's—unable to execute the full "Emperor's Hook" variety of free-form moves—his raw technique…

Was more than enough.

Spin!

Sendō-style Aerial Tomahawk!

BOOM!

A perfect slam!

...

And on Rakuzan's following possession

That was when Haizaki muttered his quiet requiem.

Now, Tondo Kaoru could barely breathe.

Pressed relentlessly by Fukasaya Reiji, whose defense burned with both the Fla Man's fire and the brilliance of the Green Light.

"Ugh!"

Tondo gritted his teeth, trying to break through with Thunder in Motion and Nanchiruyin's intuition

To no avail.

That pressure!

It was suffocating.

He couldn't even make the next dribble step after the catch.

"Damn it…"

"Hagioka!!"

Whoosh!

Tondo's pass instinctively avoided Shigure's mark, but he'd forgotten one crucial fact

There were four Shigure Akihitos on the court now.

Slash!

Kurokami Shinji, standing just over two ters tall, cut in sharply, leaving Tajika behind with shocking agility—so fast it was as if Hagioka himself had reappeared at the ga's start!

Snap!

Steal!

"Oh no!!"

"Kurokami Shinji with the steal!"

"Kaijō's counterattack!"

Rakuzan's defenders all sprinted back. Tajika Makoto, assigned to mark Kurokami, was the first to react—but

He couldn't close the gap.

Not even Thunder in Motion could keep up with that blazing run!

Fwoosh— fwoosh!

The air itself felt scorched.

Kurokami's eyes glead

So this…

This is what it feels like to play like that guy Shigure…?

It's…

So damn fun!

The sound of sneakers slamming the floor echoed like thunder.

But just as Kurokami lost himself in the thrill, the guiding pulse of Nanchiruyin's link to Shigure flickered—his focus split for an instant.

BOOM— BOOM—!

Twin thunderclaps roared as Hagioka burst free from Shigure's dark fla

And in the blink of an eye, overtook Kurokami.

"Don't even think about getting past ."

Hagioka's glare flashed.

"Tch… then how about this!"

Ultimate Shadow!

The Shadow— takes flight along the ground!

SWISH!

A feinting pass like a phantom!

Kurokami's body dropped almost flat to the court, flying forward in a near-horizontal dive

a blur of movent wrapped in black fla and green light!

The illusion— the fire— the light

rged into one unstoppable drive!

From Rakuzan's bench, Mibuchi Reo couldn't help but exclaim,

"Now that's earth-shaking…"

But even that

Wasn't enough to surpass Hagioka.

His Zone brilliance intertwined with thunder within the dark haze of Nanchiruyin—eyes sharp, utterly unfooled by the illusionary feint.

He stepped up

And cut Kurokami off cold.

END OF CHAPTER

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