NBA Skills: Dominating Kuroko no Basket

In the stands, the entire crowd froze, as if time itself had stopped. Their eyes widened, mouths slightly open, faces filled with disbelief.

"ZONE!"

Kise slammed his hands on the railing, his eyes shining with excitement.

He practically shouted the word, unable to contain his thrill. This was the first time he had ever witnessed someone step into that legendary realm—the gates of Zone.

Back in his first year, before he joined Teiko's basketball team, the only stories he had heard about Shiro unlocking Zone came from others. Those tales planted a seed in his heart, making him dream of reaching that state himself.

"Aominecchi is insane!"

His gaze locked onto Aomine, admiration burning even brighter in his eyes. Aomine's performance was everything he aspired to.

"What the hell?! That speed is unreal! Is he even human?"

Kagami's jaw nearly hit the floor. His voice was filled with sheer disbelief.

In just a fraction of a second, Aomine had appeared in front of Midorima, swatting away his signature three-pointer with shocking ease, only to instantly race down the court and throw down a devastating dunk on the other end.

The entire sequence had happened in the blink of an eye, leaving Kagami both stunned and in awe.

"So this… is the Zone!"

Kuroko's eyes held deep admiration for Aomine.

As a member of the Generation of Miracles—even though he had only joined Teiko's first-string later—he had heard countless stories about Shiro unlocking Zone. But seeing it firsthand… the impact was on a whole different level.

"Wait, hold up—what the hell is Zone?!"

Kagami finally snapped out of his daze and turned to Kuroko and Kise, eager for an explanation. His voice carried both curiosity and urgency—this was something he needed to understand.

"Ah, Kagamicchi, you probably haven't heard of it yet. Zone is a rare state that only a handful of players can enter. When a player steps into Zone, they shut out all unnecessary emotions and thoughts, their focus reaches an absolute peak, and they perform at their maximum potential."

Kise paused for a moment, then continued.

"In Zone every aspect of a player's game—speed, strength, agility, court vision, reflexes—gets pushed to 100%. It's like stepping into a whole new world, where time seems to slow down for them, and they can push their body beyond its normal limits. But Zone isn't something that lasts forever; there's a time limit."

"For most players, even at their physical peak, they can only use around 80% of their full potential. But those who are truly one in a million—natural-born geniuses—can enter Zone and unleash 100% of their abilities. However, there's a key requirement… they need to have an unshakable love for the game."

"Only those who dedicate themselves to relentless training even have a chance of reaching the 'gates of Zone.' But even among those players, the ones who actually manage to step inside? Almost none. Even in the NBA, Zone users are incredibly rare."

"In short, it's the ultimate domain of basketball, reserved for the absolute elite. A true once-in-a-million ability."

Kise spoke nonstop, explaining the mystery behind Zone. By the time he finished, his throat was dry, forcing him to pause and cough a little to clear the irritation.

"Damn, talking that much really dried my throat."

He let out a small chuckle before grabbing a water bottle and taking a deep gulp.

Then, his eyes shifted back toward the court, locking onto Aomine's powerful figure. His mind couldn't help but drift to one person—Shiro.

"If Aominecchi is this strong… then just how terrifying has Shiro become?"

A hint of awe colored his voice.

Hearing that name, Kagami and Kuroko's expressions immediately changed. Both of them could easily imagine just how monstrous Shiro's skills must be now.

If Aomine in this state could completely dominate a game, then Shiro — the true ace of the Generation of Miracles — was on a whole different level.

...

While the game raged on, Shiro himself was calmly explaining the concept of Zone to Moyun.

Nearby, Nijumura and the other who had once witnessed Shiro unlock Zone for the first time listened in, already having some understanding of its power.

"That speed… Aomine's Zone is unbelievable."

Nijimura couldn't help but be amazed. Watching Aomine tear through the court, he felt a mix of admiration and helplessness. Deep down, he knew that no matter how much he trained, he might never reach that level.

Even Shiro's face showed a slight shift in expression.

In the original timeline, when Aomine had entered Zone, he hadn't displayed this level of speed.

But now? This was on a completely different scale. Even in his normal state, Shiro himself would struggle to keep up.

"So my presence has made the Generation of Miracles even stronger, huh? But if that's the case… what happens to Kuroko and Kagami?"

He stroked his chin in thought, slightly concerned.

Originally, the main protagonists were supposed to be Kuroko and Kagami. But with the Generation of Miracles evolving beyond their expected limits… could they even compete anymore?

His gaze returned to Aomine, and a subtle smirk appeared on his lips.

"Aomine never managed to beat me back in Teiko… but this version of him? He might finally give me a real challenge."

Back on the Court

"This has to be a joke! I swear I didn't even see him move before he dunked!"

Takao stood frozen, a cold sweat dripping down his forehead.

For the first time in his career, he felt completely helpless on the court.

Watching an opponent like this? It was almost soul-crushing.

Midorima, usually calm and composed, was at a rare loss for words. He just stared at Aomine, his expression complicated.

"I should have known… Aomine would be the second one to enter Zone."

In all honesty, Midorima wasn't surprised.

Every single one of the Generation of Miracles had known that if anyone could push through those 'gates' next, it would be Aomine.

But now… what the hell were they supposed to do?

Midorima let out a quiet sigh, a bitter smile creeping onto his face.

"Tch… and to think, three years ago, we all watched Shiro enter Zone like it was nothing."

Now, faced with Aomine in that same unstoppable state, Midorima let out a bitter chuckle.