Chapter 25 Basketball 24

The gymnasium was empty, with only Kurikawa Sana and Akashi Seijuro left.

After defeating Murasakibara Atsushi in a one-on-one duel, Akashi Seijuro abnormally announced that Murasakibara could stop coming to training like Aomine.

Not only that, he also announced that the same applies to Midorima and Kise. As long as they can guarantee absolute victory in the competition, they can no longer participate in daily training.

Everyone was in disbelief at this decision and turned away from the stadium with grim expressions.

——Fall apart.

This word appeared in Kurikawa Sana's mind.

Subconsciously, Kurikawa Sana's intuition told her that she should leave here quickly, otherwise something bad would happen like what happened that day with Aomine by the swimming pool...

But her body wouldn't obey.

Unable to move forward.

Because, Akashi Seijuro's different-colored eyes were fixed on her, and then he chuckled and said something.

"Finally meeting you... Sana."

Kurikawa Sana was completely stunned.

Akashi always called her "Kurikawa" and never addressed her by her name. And even though he had called her name more intimately, and clearly with a smile on his face...

But his tone was indifferent and distant, completely different from his words.

And most importantly, why did Akashi say he finally met her? Didn't they see each other every day?

Looking at the black-haired girl in front of him who was obviously stunned, Akashi Seijuro slowly approached her, his steps slow but extremely oppressive.

Kurikawa Sana found herself wanting to retreat, until her back actually touched the cold wall of the gymnasium.

"...Akagi-kun, why did you suddenly call my name?"

"Is there a problem? I've changed my name to Atsushi to Murasakibara."

“…I see.”

Weird, it seems like we can communicate normally? So far, it seems like there's no favorability deduction...

Kurikawa Sana opened his attribute panel to check and found that the words (to be unlocked) of Akashi's signature skills "Eye of the Emperor" and "ankle break·Center of Gravity Destruction" had disappeared.

So, are Akashi's now heterochromatic pupils, one red and one gold, the so-called "Emperor's Eyes"? And the skill he just awakened and used to defeat Murasakibara must be this "ankle break," right?

After stealing the ball from Murasakibara, Akashi began to dribble the ball in front of Murasakibara with an ups and downs of rhythm.

The key point is that during this dribbling, Murasakibara was actually unable to maintain the balance of his body's center of gravity. He fell backwards and was unable to get up. He could only watch Akashi score one goal after another.

...So that's the mysterious ankle terminator, center of gravity destroyer?! Such a powerful and outrageous skill can't just be used for basketball, right?

Moreover, after awakening the "Eye of the Emperor of Heaven", Akashi seemed to have become much more childish. Every time after knocking down Murasakibara with his center of gravity destruction, Akashi would say something like "Atsushi, you are too arrogant", "Those who disobey me, even their parents, cannot be forgiven", etc., which made Murasakibara so angry that she almost changed.

"Sana, are you daydreaming?" Akashi Seijuro interrupted her trance.

Kurikawa Sana looked up in surprise.

At a very close distance, she could clearly see Akashi's half-smile.

The other person's heterochromatic eyes scrutinized him inch by inch, bringing a chill that sent chills down his spine.

"Seeing it up close for the first time, it was truly more beautiful than anything I've ever seen, but that's all."

The red-haired boy raised his chin slightly in a haughty manner, almost concluding, "I really can't understand what it is about 'he' that likes you."

Kurikawa Sana opened her eyes wide in surprise.

Are you talking about seeing her for the first time? We see her every day, so how can it be the first time? And who is this "he" that Akashi is talking about?

[Akagi Seijuro, favorability -10.]

!!!

The bad premonition finally came true. Kurikawa Sana's face turned pale and she began to regret why she didn't leave when she should have.

No, I'm afraid it's no use running away today. Tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, if I run into him at school, I'll have to face the fact that my favorability points have been deducted.

Since her favorability must be deducted, at least let her know why she is disliked.

Kurikawa Sana raised her hand to cover her heart, which was beginning to ache again, and asked, "Akagi-kun, what does this mean?"

"Who is the 'he' you are talking about?"

"Akaashi Seijuro."

“?!”

Akashi said his name in a light tone, and the scene was a little weird for a moment. Kurikawa Sana stiffened her body, and a guess emerged in her mind.

If you think about it carefully, from just now on, Akashi changed the way he referred to himself from "I" to "servant". Whether it was his playing style, aura, tone of voice or expression, he seemed like a completely different person.

"Akagi-kun, do you have a dual personality?" She asked the doubts in her heart.

"I don't like this wording. I originally had two people, but now I and 'him' have switched places."

"He couldn't cope with the drastic change in his current situation. I finally took control of his body. I possess the power to overcome everything. Only I can make everyone obey."

"And you, Kurikawa Sana, you are one of the reasons why 'he' is weak."

Akashi Seijuro looked down at the black-haired girl in front of him, his pupils reflecting her pale, stunned face, and he said word by word -

"Superficial emotions like love only make people weak. I'm different from him."

"I will never be bound by such useless emotions."

[Akagi Seijuro, favorability -20.]

The cold reminder sound of favorability being deducted rang out in my mind again.

“………”

Kurikawa Sana closed her eyes tightly.

I see.

This is why Akashi's favorability is reduced.

There are two personalities coexisting in Akashi's body. The first personality, Akashi, who had an 80% favorability towards her, disappeared, and was replaced by the second personality, which is more assertive and self-centered.

The second personality, Akashi, is equivalent to a completely new individual. He has not had the experience of living with her day and night, and does not have the same feelings for her as the first personality, Akashi.

Not only that, he also judged that she was the reason for the weakness of another self, so he deducted her favorability.

He is a completely different individual... From this point of view, it seems lucky that only 30 points of favorability were deducted and it didn't drop directly from 80 to 0.

"Really? I understand."

The dizziness and headache caused by the acute lack of oxygen, and the pain all over her body, made Kurikawa Sana's face pale and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

She used all her strength to suppress the urge to faint and said through gritted teeth: "Akagi-kun, do you have any other advice?

Akashi Seijuro was a little surprised when he heard Kurikawa Sana's cold and even prickly tone for the first time.

But her pale face and the uncontrollable slight trembling of her body were too obvious to ignore. Akashi Seijuro frowned and asked, "What's wrong with you?"

After he asked the question, he couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.

...Is it another personality still influencing her? If it were him, he shouldn't have cared about her, let alone asked.

Kurikawa Sana didn't want to answer at all: "If there's nothing else, I'll leave first, Akashi-kun."

After leaving these words, the black-haired girl turned around and left the gymnasium without looking back.

It was raining heavily outside the gymnasium, and everything was gray, just like everyone's bad mood today.

Seeing the girl dive into the heavy rain without hesitation, Akashi Seijuro's golden pupils were dyed with the familiar crimson again for a moment.

It was like he couldn't stand his other self and hurt her like this.

Realizing this, Akashi Seijuro's pupils contracted violently. He suddenly raised his hands to cover his eyes and shouted in a low voice: "Go back! What can you do now? Nothing!"

"You couldn't even beat Atsushi, you lost to someone else, Akashi Seijuro, do you think she would like that?"

…

In the end, that "he" calmed down.

Akashi Seijuro put down his hand and stared at the open door of the gymnasium, his brows furrowed even deeper.

In the pouring rain, the slender and fragile figure of the black-haired girl had completely disappeared, and he felt a sense of irritation that something was out of his control.

...It turns out that another personality is still influencing him.

It wasn't that he was worried.

…

*

Kurikawa Sana took a long time to relax, took deep breaths, and then felt the dizziness and pain subside a little.

The physical discomfort caused by having your favorability points deducted is something that happens once, but it happens again. The last time it happened was so sudden that she fainted and fell into the swimming pool. This time, she forced herself to hold it in.

She stumbled out in the rain, and when she came to her senses, she found herself at a bridge by the river outside the gate of Teiko School.

Here, she heard two familiar voices.

It was Aomine and Kuroko's voices.

Kurikawa Sana was startled and looked down from the overpass where she was. She saw Aomine Daiki and Kuroko Tetsuya standing by the river in the heavy rain, talking about something intensely.

"Aomine-kun, I understand how you feel, but..."

"Huh? Why are you, Lian Zhe, trying to persuade me to go back to training? You think you can understand how I feel? Stop kidding. How can someone like you who has no scoring ability at all understand me?"

"Even I am training non-stop every day, working hard to deliver the best possible pass..."

"Who else can you pass the ball to? You've also noticed that I haven't received your pass for a long time. I can easily beat everyone by myself. I don't need anyone at all."

"Don't you understand? My pain comes from the fact that the game no longer brings me joy. I'm almost forgetting what it feels like to receive your pass."

…

Listening to what Aomine Daiki said, Kurikawa Sana couldn't help but sigh in her heart.

Previously, Kuroko said in a text message that he would have a good talk with Qingfeng, and that the time should be now, but the conversation still ended in a bad mood.

Qingfeng’s current defense is completely indiscriminate and fully automatic, and no matter who comes, it will be useless.

As the "light and shadow" combination with Qingfeng who has the best tacit understanding, Kuroko must be very sad now.

Standing on the overpass, she saw the sky-blue-haired boy with an expression filled with shock and hurt.

In the heavy rain, Kuroko Tetsuya left in a daze.

Aomine Daiki frowned and clenched his fists, but raised his head as if sensing something. When he saw the figure of the black-haired girl on the overpass, his indigo pupils suddenly contracted.

"...Kurikawa?!"

When she heard Qingfeng suddenly calling her, Kurikawa Sana was startled and turned around and ran subconsciously.

Akashi has already deducted 35 points of favorability from her today. She doesn't dare to talk to Aomine anymore. If her favorability is deducted again... she can't imagine it.

? !

Looking at the girl's running back on the overpass, Aomine Daiki stood there in a daze.

After hearing his shout, the girl was obviously startled, and then she became visibly anxious and flustered. She turned and ran away without responding to him - as if he was some terrible monster like a flood or a beast.

...Yes, he was so mean to her yesterday, wasn’t he a monster?

If it were in the past, it would be unimaginable that Kurikawa Sana, who is usually polite, elegant and has a very good personality, would turn around and run away even though she clearly heard the other person calling her.

Recalling the extremely unpleasant scenes at the swimming pool after yesterday's game, the girl's face suddenly turned pale and fragile, and she fainted and fell...

Aomine Daiki twitched the corners of his mouth in self-mockery.

Maybe, like Murasakibara said, she already hates him?

When I thought of this possibility, a sour and swollen feeling suddenly surged in my chest, which was extremely unfamiliar.

It is no less frustrating than the feeling you get when you find your opponent has given up resistance during a match.

Aomine Daiki lowered his eyes and made an irritable "tsk" sound, but when he lowered his head, he saw the reflection of his own face on the surface of the river.

——It looks so lame.

…

*

The sky was getting dark, but the rain still didn't stop.

After jogging away from the riverside overpass, Kurikawa Sana walked aimlessly on the way home, but she felt her head becoming more and more swollen and painful, and she felt so dizzy that she could hardly recognize the road.

The cold rain hit her face, but she could still feel her cheeks and skin all over her body burning, and her muscles sore and weak.

Could it be that I have a fever?

If she really had a fever... her health would probably be deducted again. When she first came to this world, she was hit on the head by Qingfeng's basketball, which also deducted her health.

The system also reminded her at the beginning to be careful not to get sick, otherwise her health value would be deducted.

“Woo…”

Yesterday, Aomine deducted her favorability points, and today, Akashi deducted her favorability points. Now she is suspected of having a high fever. The successive blows have made her really sad.

Now I feel dizzy and hungry as if I am about to have hypoglycemia. I can hardly see the road... Kurikawa Sana sobbed and was about to cry.

I couldn't hear the system's voice in my head clearly, but I felt that the electronic voice seemed a little anxious: [Sana, Sana? Don't fall here, Sana...]

Ugh...but she really feels dizzy, the system...

The rain continued to pound on her body, and the thin uniform of Teikou Junior High School stuck to her body with dampness, making it even more uncomfortable. Kurikawa Sana felt cold all over, and her vision narrowed and darkened.

Until a familiar young boy's voice sounded: "...Kurikawa?"

The other person's voice was low, magnetic, and extremely pleasant to the ear, with suppressed emotions and a hint of heartache.

...Huh? Has the rain stopped?

She raised her head and saw under the warm-toned street lights, a tall boy also wearing the Teiko school uniform came to her side holding an umbrella, protecting her from the rain.

The girl blinked gently and felt relieved immediately.

Then, he fell forward limply.

The other party also subconsciously hugged her.