The gym was nearly empty, save for the sound of a single bouncing basketball. Souta Fujimura stood at the top of the key, beads of sweat dripping down his temple. He had been at it for hours now, pushing his limits, refining his Phantom Step, and trying to understand Akashi's cryptic words.
"It's not about vanishing. It's about controlling perception."
Souta dribbled forward and executed Phantom Step, disappearing for a split second before reappearing a few feet ahead. The movement was seamless, but something still felt off. It wasn't quite enough to outplay someone like Akashi or even Kise.
He sighed, stepping back to reset.
As he was about to try again, the gym doors creaked open.
"Still here, Fujimura?"
Souta turned to see Kuroko entering, a basketball in his hands. The blue-haired boy wasn't wearing his practice jersey anymore, just casual athletic wear.
Souta chuckled. "Should've figured you'd be the only one still lurking around."
Kuroko walked over, expression unreadable as always. "You've been practicing Phantom Step, haven't you?"
Souta nodded. "Yeah, but something's missing. Akashi told me it's about controlling perception, but I can't figure it out."
Kuroko dribbled his ball once, looking thoughtful. "It's about misdirection."
Souta raised an eyebrow. "Like how you use Misdirection Play?"
Kuroko nodded. "But misdirection isn't just about disappearing. It's about controlling where the opponent thinks you are. That's why Phantom Step is incomplete if you only focus on movement. You need to manipulate your opponent's attention, not just your positioning."
Souta's eyes widened slightly. He had been focusing entirely on his speed and movement, but Kuroko was saying it wasn't just about that.
"If you can control where the opponent looks," Kuroko continued, "they'll lose sight of where you're actually going. That's when Phantom Step will reach its true potential."
Souta absorbed his words, then smirked. "I think I get it now."
He grabbed a ball and stepped back onto the court. "Let's test this out."
Kuroko took a defensive stance, eyes locked on Souta.
Souta dribbled forward. He started Phantom Step but, this time, focused not on just vanishing, but on redirecting Kuroko's attention.
His eyes flicked left. His body leaned slightly right. A tiny, almost imperceptible fake—
Kuroko's head turned just a fraction.
In that split second, Souta vanished from his vision entirely.
He reappeared past him, sinking a layup with ease.
Kuroko turned, blinking once. "That… was much better."
Souta grinned, his heart pounding.
This was it.
A new threshold for Phantom Step.
And he had just crossed it.
—
The next day, the Teikou gym was buzzing with energy. Coach Shirogane had decided to hold full-court practice matches, and Souta found himself on a team against none other than Kise and Aomine.
"Man, this isn't even fair," Daichi, one of his teammates, muttered. "Kise's got perfect copying, and Aomine is Aomine."
Souta cracked his knuckles. "That just means we have to go all out."
The match began.
Aomine had the ball first. His movements were unpredictable as always, slipping past defenders with ease. He faked left, then right, before accelerating at inhuman speed toward the hoop.
Souta saw an opening and moved to block—
But Aomine grinned, changing his shot midair and scoring effortlessly.
"Too slow," Aomine taunted as he jogged back.
Souta exhaled sharply. Aomine's raw talent was ridiculous, but he wasn't going to let that discourage him.
The game continued, fast-paced and intense. Kise was a nightmare, replicating moves from Aomine and even Midorima, sinking impossible three-pointers with perfect form.
By the time the score was 58-50 in favor of Aomine and Kise's team, Coach called a timeout.
Souta sat on the bench, catching his breath. His body ached, but his mind was alive.
I need to use Phantom Step at its fullest.
When play resumed, Souta took the ball at the top of the key. Kise was guarding him now, his sharp golden eyes locked onto every movement.
This is it.
Souta dribbled once—
Then he activated Phantom Step: Misdirection Variant.
His entire presence flickered.
Kise's gaze moved elsewhere for half a second—
And that was all Souta needed.
He vanished from Kise's vision, slipping past him like a ghost.
The blond barely reacted in time. "Wha—?!"
Too late.
Souta had already driven to the basket, finishing with a smooth layup.
Silence filled the gym.
Then—
"That was so cool!"
Momoi Satsuki practically squealed from the sidelines, eyes sparkling. "Souta, you finally completed it, didn't you?"
Souta smirked, breathing heavily. "Yeah… I think I did."
But the game wasn't over.
Aomine dribbled lazily, watching Souta with sharp eyes.
"Tch," Aomine scoffed. "That move of yours… it might actually be interesting."
Then he grinned.
"Let's see if it can stop me."
Souta's heart pounded in anticipation.
This wasn't just practice anymore.
It was a battle of monsters.
And Souta refused to back down.