03x22 - A Warning

[bunniefuu]

RAKUZAN - SEIRIN

We got them back, but...

We don't have any shooters.

Kagami, Koga, and I can sh**t threes.

But we've got nowhere near
Hyuga's accuracy.

Rakuzan has scarier shooters than Akashi.

Mibuchi!

Is this...

Wild instincts?

-A three without a fake?
-No, this is...

Void!

He jumped during Leo's Void?

The rebound's mine!

Damn.

Thanks to Koga,
I know how to stop his three-pointers.

And how to beat Void!

EPISODE 72 LET ME WARN YOU

Hyuga, you're coming in?

Yeah. I know the risks.

But this time I'll beat Mibuchi.

Sorry, Hyuga. I wasn't strong enough.

What are you talking about?

You're the reason I can fight.

I'll crush him for you, too.

Yeah. I'm counting on you, Hyuga.

We have ten more minutes.

There's no need to rush.

But don't try to maintain the point gap.

Keep attacking until the end
and crush Seirin!

Yeah!

Leo,

they're putting Hyuga back in.

He may have four fouls,
but don't let down your guard.

I know.

Eikichi,
there's still life in Kiyoshi's eyes.

-Pull yourself together.
-Yeah.

Kotaro, how long are you going
to stay out of the fight?

You need to score again.

Of course.

And I'm supposed to keep playing
like this.

How economical of you to use me
until I've got nothing left.

But...

I'm not sure what it is.

But something seems off about Akashi.

The break is now over.

Let's go!

Teppei?

What's up, Riko?

Nothing. Never mind.

Kiyoshi!

Yeah.

Let's win!

Seirin, fight!

Yeah!

It's finally the fourth quarter.

This will determine
the Winter Cup championship.

Can Seirin make up a 20-point difference?

Who knows?

But they haven't given up.

When it comes to k*lling giants,
attitude matters more than strategy.

A three already?

He's already on him!

-Coach, will you do me a favor?
-What?

Can you stop my hands from shaking?

Wait, what?

But you sounded so in control.

That's irrelevant.

I've got four fouls.

The pressure's k*lling me.

Sheesh. Turn around!

Okay!

WHACK!

He's fast.

Yeah!

Nice, Captain!

RAKUZAN - SEIRIN

Yes! Let's go, Rakuzan!

With four fouls,
I thought he'd barely be able to play.

But this is the best he's played all game.

Let's stop their attack!

Yeah!

Defense! Defense!

Their defense is good.

Hyuga really pulls his team together.

But how can he fight
when he can't afford a single foul?

You can do it, Junpei.

That's Heaven!

But Hyuga knows it's coming!

A fake? Then he's going for...

Earth! Hyuga's fifth foul!

Captain!

He's not jumping.

Did he predict this, too?

Mibuchi,
your form is practically identical

before you jump for each of your shots.

But your center of gravity
is slightly different.

Heaven, Earth, Void.

Your center of gravity shifts
towards the direction you're jumping.

As long as I know which way...

-Go, Hyuga!
-Hyuga!

This is the strongest he's been all game!

Teppei, are you...

That idiot!

I can't make the right call
about my future or injury anymore.

All that matters is this moment.

It's no use.
He still can't get in position.

I thought that might be it.

No matter what we say,
you're always reckless.

Even if we subbed you out,
you'd force your way back on the court.

I won't stop you anymore.

Kiyoshi, how long have you been a center?

Don't let that musclebound moron beat you!

He's fast.

-Go!
-Kagami!

Yeah!

Now you've done it, Junpei.

I'll crush you.

Right back at you.

And stop calling me that!

He's mad, but he hasn't lost his cool.

I don't need to worry about Leo.

But...

Damn it!

Calm down, Eikichi.

What are you doing, Kotaro?

You've got a short fuse like me.
Be careful.

Kiyoshi's strong.

If not for his injury,
he would've been as strong as us.

Don't underestimate him.

Shut up. I know.

Another sh**ting guard showdown!

Hyuga Junpei...

He's dangerous.

He can distinguish between my three shots
and react accordingly.

Then I'll use Void,
unstoppable even if you see it coming.

But maybe he's figured something out
about Void.

Should I avoid threes or pass the ball?

No, that's why I must fight!

A Rakuzan player can't back down.

I'll risk all my pride and sh**t Void!

That's it!

I know why the defender can't jump
when he takes that shot.

It's because of how deep he crouches
before he jumps.

When Mibuchi shoots Void,
he crouches lower than normal.

And when he jumps,

he stops moving just as
the defender's knees are fully extended.

The defender expends all the power of
his crouch, leaving him unable to jump.

But Mibuchi still has strength
from crouching so low.

He uses the remaining power to sh**t.

That's the secret behind Void.

My back hurts...

Has Riko always been that strong?

No, of course not.

She just hit me extra hard.

With not just her own,
but the entire team's hopes.

I don't care
if you're an Uncrowned King or Rakuzan!

No matter how strong you are,
I'll stop this shot!

-Yes!
-Hyuga!

They broke Rakuzan's defense!

With the return of their sh**ter,
their defense spread out,

making it easier to create space
on the inside.

No, you don't!

How did he reach that?

But he's too late. Kiyoshi's in control.

A three?

It's a good shot.

There's no spin or shift.

Three shots in a row!

But Akashi isn't saying anything.

What is he thinking?

It's strange that he's emphasizing
one-on-ones with those three.

Why doesn't he attack himself?

Could it be?

Is he preventing even Akashi
from attacking?

What's going on?

Kagami's becoming even more impressive.

Today's Seirin-Touou game was...

interesting.

Honestly, that hadn't occurred to me.

I have experience with the Zone.

But what's truly surprising
is how Daiki deliberately entered it.

It's possible...

with sufficient focus
to push open the door...

and awareness of your own trigger
to unlock it.

Sei, there you are.

Yeah. What is it?

We've got a game tomorrow.

We wanted to get a light workout.

It sucks that we haven't played
since the first day we were the top seed.

I'm glad you're here. I need an opponent.

Sure. What do you want, a one-on-one?

No. Three-on-one.

Huh? Hey, Akashi.

I'm pretty sure you can't beat us.

Don't complain about the results.

Good. This should work in an actual game.

Seriously?

Akashi's a monster.

But we should consider this my trump card.

Using this would mean
Rakuzan is in a dangerous situation.

And one more thing.

Let me warn you.

My trigger
for entering this condition is...

They're using a stealth
full-court man-to-man defense.

This can't be good.

Considering the range
of Kagami's defense in the Zone,

there's hardly any passes
Kuroko can't steal.

Leo!

-Crap!
-Kuroko!

He stopped.

Even at full power,
Kiyoshi can't beat Nebuya.

He doesn't have to win.

He just needs enough to stay in the game.

He put pressure on his leg to spin again!

We're ten points behind!

Damn.

Mibuchi, the four of you will go
during our next attack.

What? Sei, what do you...

Run.

They broke through in a second.

Crap! Go back!

He's not moving?

Think later! Focus on defense!

He has the same eyes...

Let me warn you.

My trigger for entering this condition

is the intent to achieve victory

not by using others,
but by taking it for myself.

In other words,

when I fight with my strength alone.

When I lose hope in and abandon you.

Are they going to score again?

I'll make the shot.

He can't stop my Meteor Jam
like he did in the first half.

Take this, Akashi!

Akashi?

I will demonstrate my superiority
to everyone here.

Akashi's Zone.

Wait, Akashi!

No way!

Stop him!

He changes speed so quickly!

He's too fast!

You have defied me.

It's not enough for you to sit.

Kneel.

Damn! A fake!

Witness my sublime form and realize...

your defeat is absolute.

He made it!

He took the ball from hoop to hoop!

Even without us...

No, he's stronger without us.

Such a monster shakes our very existence.

Does he really not need us?

They called for a time-out.

But is there anything they can do
to stop him?

I'll do it.

Kagami! You mean you'll do it by yourself?

We're counting on you, then.

What? Don't you think
you agreed too quickly, Captain?

It's a valid verdict. Yeah, nice.

You, too, Izuki?

You heard them, Kiyoshi.

Okay.

Why is everyone agreeing?

Why are you objecting?

What?

It's how we've always played.

Against the Generation of Miracles,
we always face this situation.

Eventually we have to rely on our ace.

If we didn't have one, we'd be screwed.

But we have Kagami.

That's good enough.

Kagami.

You know what this means, Kagami.

This fight will determine
who wins and who loses.

Win, Kagami!

Yeah!

Aomine, I've been wondering.

What?

Earlier you said something.

He's even deeper in the Zone.

What did you mean?

It's a metaphor.

When you enter the Zone,
you open a massive door.

Inside it is water.

The more you focus, the deeper you sink.

If you sink far enough,
you reach the bottom.

That's when
you're fully immersed in the Zone.

You can perform at your true best.

But there's an even bigger door.

A faceless figure stands before it
like a gatekeeper.

What if you open that door?

Who knows?

I've never opened it.

But I'm certain.

Beyond that door lies a Zone
greater than the Zone.

If Kagami has any chance of winning,

it's by opening the second door.

PREVIEW

You've entrusted your ace with the game,
Seirin?

Then I must simply shatter your hope.

I can't lose.

The weak must kneel before the strong.
I am absolute.