Chapter 97: Tendou Did It Too

The game began, and the scene was intense.

Today, Teikō's opponent came from Okinawa, led by a head coach nicknamed "Bandit Coach." From that alone, you could tell what kind of team they were.

According to the intel Momoi gathered, every single game this team played was filled with chaotic, all-out physical clashes.

They knew full well their hard power couldn't match Teikō's, so their strategy was to smash the rhythm of the game and win through disruption.

On the very first play, their center charged at Murasakibara like a wild beast.

Caught off guard, Murasakibara stumbled. Just as he was about to complain, the opponent dove for the ball, managing to save it just in time.

That aggressive dive lit a fire in their team. His drive, strength, and sheer presence caught everyone's attention.

Tough!

Today's opponent was more aggressive and physical than even the teams they'd faced in Tokyo.

Even Aomine showed a hint of interest—just a hint.

At this point, he no longer believed anyone could truly beat him.

Just as one of the opposing players used an elbow to shove the straightforward Murasakibara aside and went up for a dunk, Aomine rushed over for a block—but today's spotlight wasn't his.

Right before the dunk, a white streak blasted into the paint from beyond the three-point arc like a comet. The speed was jaw-dropping—on par with Aomine's.

Tendou soared high, swinging his arm like he was spiking a volleyball, and delivered a vicious block.

"BOOM!"

The opponent's dunk attempt was brutally denied, slamming off the backboard with such force that the entire hoop rattled.

"Tendou?!" Momoi gasped in shock.

She immediately pulled up Tendou's data and found that today, Tendou was faster and more explosive than ever.

Everyone else looked equally shocked.

This version of Tendou reminded them of the time Aomine awakened—his full potential igniting all at once. Could this be the same?

The ball hit the ground and Tendou hit the gas, launching into a fast break.

Just one step, and his acceleration sent him flying down the court with incredible momentum.

Even while dribbling, only Aomine could keep up—Akashi and the others were a half-step behind.

"You're not getting past us!"

"No way!"

The opponent had scouted well—everyone knew by now that Teikō's fast breaks had to be stopped.

Two third-year defenders positioned themselves near the arc, arms out like a wall.

Tendou didn't slow down at all.

Just before contact, his eyes glinted—his pupils rotating like starlight.

"What is this?!" The defenders shuddered.

Tendou's dribbling became a blur.

Step one—he glided past their side.

Step two—he broke through their double-team as if it didn't exist.

It all happened in the blink of an eye. He hadn't even slowed down.

"BOOM!"

Before anyone could react, Tendou was hanging from the rim, having completed the dunk.

Even Momoi's heart skipped a beat.

The last time she saw this kind of overwhelming presence was when her childhood friend, Aomine, was at his peak. But lately, Aomine had stopped training extra—he just lounged around reading after dinner.

She was worried.

"Don't just stand there—get back on defense."

Tendou jogged back down the court, slapping Kuroko's shoulder on the way.

Kuroko's face lit up with excitement.

"This is the power I've been missing!"

The familiar thrill was back.

Tendou had always been strong, but something was different today—something raw, overwhelming.

And Aomine could feel it. Every fiber of his being was screaming:

This guy is dangerous.

"Tendou, you really are the best!" Momoi exhaled in relief.

Back on defense, the opponent stuck to their physical tactics—elbows out, brute force.

Murasakibara had faced this kind of player before, but even he was hesitant now.

He was afraid that if he fought back too hard, he'd get ejected from the game.

That hesitation let the opposing center once again dominate the paint.

But then—Tendou came flying in again.

No one even saw where he came from—he just appeared, knocking players aside like bowling pins and yanking the ball out of the air.

"BOOM!" The crowd exploded.

Tendou, Teikō's new captain, had just snatched the ball mid-layup from the opponent's center.

"What a block! Incredible defense! Teikō's Demon Star is back! He just stripped a center's close-range shot right out of the air! My god—how high did he jump?!"

The commentators went wild. The stadium erupted.

But Tendou wasn't done.

Still in mid-air, he scanned the court.

His eyes lit up again—every corner of the court fell under his watchful gaze.

He zeroed in on one target, funneled all his power into his arm, and hurled the ball behind him like a missile.

The pass flew over the heads of eight players, straight into Aomine's hands—who had already crossed half-court.

Aomine reacted instantly, finishing the break with an easy dunk.

Yet the audience wasn't watching Aomine.

They were fixated on Tendou's eyes.

When Aomine caught the ball, he immediately sensed it—this wasn't an ordinary pass.

The all-powerful Tendou was back!

Each time Tendou made a play, the animators gave a close-up of his eyes—twinkling like galaxies.

"Where's the production team? Come out here! Stop stabbing us with emotion and explain what this new power is!"

"It has to be 360-degree vision."

"His dynamic visual acuity must be off the charts!"

So far, the audience could only guess.

No one realized yet that Tendou had also unlocked something else—perfect body control, allowing him to temporarily break past his stat limits.

And this was just the beginning.