Midorima's Animal Instinct

Shiro's lips curled into a slight smile as he noticed the shift in Midorima's presence. 'As expected from one of the Generation of Miracles' he thought. 'His ability to adapt and respond is on another level'

As Aomine sprinted full-speed towards the basket on the fast break, Midorima immediately took off in pursuit. But his gaze was ice-cold—sharp and unyielding, like a viper lurking in the grass, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Aomine felt a chill creep up his spine. Something felt…off. He turned his head slightly, locking eyes with Midorima.

At that moment, time seemed to freeze.

He wasn't just looking at Midorima anymore. In his mind's eye, a massive cobra loomed over him, its piercing eyes gleaming with an eerie light. The serpent's head stood tall, its tongue flicking out, poised to sink its fangs into him.

For the first time, Aomine saw something in Midorima he had never witnessed before— his animal instinct.

His heartbeat spiked. A cold sweat formed on his forehead.

'So he unleashed his animal instinct…'

The realization hit him like a truck, but there was no time to dwell on it.

Midorima had closed the gap—he was now only a step behind!

Aomine forced himself to push through the unease, gathering the ball in his hands as he prepared for a layup.

But Midorima wasn't backing down. He leaped into the air, fully committed to blocking Aomine's drive.

Aomine reacted instantly. In midair, he adjusted—switching from a layup to a hook shot.

'He won't stop this one!'

The move had worked before. Aomine was confident. But then—

Midorima read it.

With an impossible reaction speed, Midorima spun 360 degrees midair, positioning himself perfectly.

His outstretched hand met the ball—

Slap!

The block was clean.

The gym fell dead silent.

Aomine landed, his expression frozen in disbelief. Midorima, however, remained perfectly calm. Unshaken. Confident.

His emerald-green eyes locked onto Aomine's.

"The game" he said in a cold, steady voice, "is just getting started."

That wasn't just a challenge. It was a declaration.

Midorima's intensity was different from Aomine's raw, untamed aggression.

Aomine played like a wild panther—fast, unpredictable, driven purely by instinct. His explosiveness was unmatched, but it carried an air of recklessness.

Midorima, on the other hand, was calculated. His energy was like a coiled snake—patient, controlled, deadly. Every move he made was precise. No wasted motion. No hesitation.

Midorima shifted his gaze toward the rest of Too Academy's team. His presence alone felt suffocating.

They felt it. The pressure.

Cold sweat dripped down their backs.

The game they thought was already decided… suddenly felt wide open again.

Imayoshi's eyes widened slightly, a rare flicker of genuine shock crossing his usually composed face.

"What the hell…? Is this really the same Midorima? Damn, these Generation of Miracles guys are built different…"

From the sidelines, Kise whistled, shaking his head in amazement.

"Animal Instinct, huh?"

He had believed his own growth over the summer was impressive, but now? Watching Midorima unlock something even deeper? He felt that same mix of admiration and frustration.

"Damn, he's even adding a fadeaway to his arsenal? And on top of that, he's awakened his Animal Instinct? Man… I still have a long way to go."

Kagami watched in stunned silence.

"So… he wasn't even playing at full power when we faced him?"

For the first time, he truly understood just how monstrous the Generation of Miracles were.

Hearing Kagami's words, Kuroko felt uneasy. Kuroko could sense the doubt creeping into him.

"Don't let it shake you" Kagami muttered, sensing Kuroko's unease. "They're strong, yeah. But so are we."

Kuroko exhaled, nodding.

"Right. We'll catch up to them."

Kise chuckled, overhearing their exchange.

"You'll need more than just confidence to take down the Generation of Miracles, guys."

Then, he paused, eyes flicking back to the court.

"Aomine and Midorima are already at this level… how strong have the others gotten?"

The thought sent a shiver down his spine.

He shook his head, brushing off the concern.

"No point worrying. Just gotta keep working hard and enjoy the game!"

Back in the stands, Shiro nodded approvingly, his gaze never leaving Midorima.

"A cobra, huh?" he mused to himself.

His words had only planted the seed. Midorima had done the rest.

Next to him, Momoi's eyes sparkled with admiration and curiosity.

"Wow, Shiro! So this is Midorima's animal instinct?"

Shiro smiled warmly, reaching out to tousle her hair.

"Yep. Pretty damn impressive, huh?"

Momoi pouted, swatting his hand away.

"Hmph! You keep messing up my hair—you'll make me go bald at this rate!"

But despite her words, she didn't really mind.

Shiro just laughed, pulling her into a light hug. The casual, affectionate moment stood in contrast to the intense battle raging on the court.

Watching from nearby, Kawamura and Nijimura exchanged knowing smiles. They were used to Shiro and Momoi's dynamic by now.

But Moyun was different — his entire focus was locked onto Midorima, as if nothing else around him mattered.

"So this is the Generation of Miracles' greatest sharpshooter…" Moyun thought to himself, realizing the massive gap between his own skills and Midorima's. The realization only strengthened his resolve to improve.

Meanwhile, Aomine, sensing the same intensity coming from Midorima, couldn't help but grin.

"Hah… this is getting interesting, Midorima. I gotta say—you really are something!"

That was just who Aomine was—he thrived on competition, drawn to the thrill of facing stronger opponents.

And now, the game had truly begun.

The game was about to get even more fun.