Once again, the cherry blossoms were in bloom.
But this time, it wasn't just spring—it was also the start of a brand-new school year for high schools across Japan.
In Kanagawa Prefecture stood Kaijō High, a powerhouse on the national stage, a school that made the Interhigh almost every year.
Shigure Akihito glanced around at the campus. From the towering gym buildings in the distance to the sheer scale of the club recruitment booths in front of him, it was obvious: this was a school that invested heavily in club activities—especially sports.
"Come swim with us! Even if you're not aiming to compete, you can enjoy the pool after class!"
"If sports feel like too much trouble, why not join our Literature Club?"
"Are you interested in baseball?"
"Our light music club is looking for new members!"
Club banners, culture shirts, flyers, and hand-painted signs filled the campus, welcoming the new students with bustling energy. Shigure Akihito walked into Kaijō with curiosity written all over his face, and what greeted him was this vibrant, noisy chaos.
And then he thought—where would Kise Ryōta go now? In the original story, Kise was meant to join Kaijō, but here they, his senpai, had beaten him to it.
Shigure couldn't help but chuckle, shaking his head. If anyone was to blame, it was Coach Takeuchi Genta, who had been far too persistent.
Meanwhile, students walking nearby instinctively took detours around him. Not for any reason other than this: standing like a crane among chickens, Shigure's towering frame radiated pressure. Compared to the students who barely reached his shoulder, his height alone was intimidating.
Realizing this, Shigure scratched the back of his head with a wry smile.
Had he grown taller again?
If this kept up…
Next year, would he actually catch up to Murasakibara's height back when he first entered Teiko?
[Name: Shigure Akihito]
[Position: Point Guard / Shooting Guard / Small Forward / Center]
[School: Kaijō High (First Year)]
[Height: 196 cm]
[Rank: S]
[Offense Attributes]
Inside Shot: 127
Mid-Range: 130
Three-Point: 127
Dunk: 130
Layup: 130
[General Attributes]
Passing/Control: 120
Strength: 127
Toughness: 130
Jump: 130
Stamina: 130
Dribbling: 127
[Defense Attributes]
Rebounding: 130
Blocking: 127
Contest: 130
Steals: 127
[Unlocked Player Data]
Standard: Tomokazu Godai, Nobunaga Kiyota, Tomoyuki Uekusa, Ichirō Kanzō, Kenji Fujima
Training: Sendō Akira, Maki Shin'ichi, Akagi Takenori, Nobunaga Kiyota
Legendary: Mitsui Hisashi
After his three-peat, Shigure Akihito carried the aura of a legendary player. His entire presence screamed invincible—like a magnetic field that pushed people away. Students scattered around him, as if repelled by sheer force.
How different this was from when he had first joined Teiko, back then just a transparent, unnoticed newcomer.
Noticing the crowd's reaction, Shigure sighed inwardly. At nearly two meters tall, his frame no longer just drew attention—in high school, it was reaching the point of intimidation.
It was the same shock he had once felt in middle school, when he first laid eyes on the towering Hagioka Kasayuki, who had already exceeded two meters in height.
"…Eh?"
"Wait, is that… him?"
"That's right! No mistake—that's Shigure Akihito from Teiko!"
"What's he doing at Kaijō? Didn't he get offers from bigger-name powerhouses?"
"Hey, Kaijō is a powerhouse too!"
"You guys won't believe who I just saw earlier!"
"Who?"
"Nijimura Shuzo! He rode in on a motorbike!"
"Huh?! Then that means—"
The students gradually recognized him, but even so, no one dared approach—not until two more towering figures appeared. Their presence silenced the crowd immediately.
Because among them was a blond giant—even taller than Shigure—and with a glare so fierce it made people step back instinctively.
"Eh~? Who's this big guy?"
A familiar voice spoke behind him. A tall figure, already 202 cm, easily draped an arm across Shigure's shoulder.
"It's you, Shigure~"
Shigure turned and saw a short-haired Black-haired boy—Kurokami Shinji. Behind him was another familiar figure with a distinctive bowl-cut: Fukasaya Reiji.
The sight brought a smile to Shigure's face.
"A Teiko alumni reunion, huh?"
"Also…" He smirked, turning to Reiji. "Reiji, now that we're in high school, how about finally changing that haircut? Though I'll admit—it does look pretty cool when you 'transform' on the court."
"Click."
Reiji only gave a clipped response. "You've grown a lot taller."
Kurokami chuckled, nodding. "His strength too, probably. Every year this guy finds a new way to shock people. But speaking of which… what about Nijimura? He barely made it to 188 cm, but with Shigure at this height, there's no way he can keep playing power forward, right?"
At those words, Reiji's lips twitched.
Out of the four of them, he was the only one who hadn't grown much, still stuck at 185 cm. But the good news was, if Shigure shifted to power forward, then his own position as shooting guard should remain secure. Shigure had always played well across multiple positions anyway.
Neither Kurokami nor Reiji doubted their starting spots for a second. That was the confidence of Teiko's players.
The three walked forward together, scattering crowds like migrating birds.
"What about Nijimura?"
Kurokami's question made Shigure pause. "He's looking for a place to park that busted motorbike of his. Who knows where he even got it—this is Kanagawa, after all."
"Seriously?"
Reiji glanced at Shigure, amused. "Don't tell me… he didn't give you a ride again?"
"Hah!"
"Like I'd ride with him! One way or another, I'll get my own someday!"
Shigure grumbled for a while before Reiji cut in again. "I already called him. He said he'll meet us at the gym. Until then"
"Same as middle school. Let's head to the basketball club's recruitment booth first."
"Yeah, and then…"
By the time Reiji finished speaking, they had arrived.
He picked up a form from the desk and continued, "Fill it out."
The Kaijō basketball club's booth was the biggest of all the school's clubs.
Shigure and the others each grabbed a form, scanning through it. Compared to when they had joined Teiko, it felt almost the same.
The club member manning the desk suddenly found his vision swallowed by shadow. He looked up—only to meet Shigure's eyes.
S-so tall!
Wait… wasn't this Shigure Akihito, the strongest player of middle school basketball?!
Had he always been this huge?
The Kaijō member froze, recalling the matches he'd watched in junior high. And standing beside him were two more recognizable faces—also former Teiko starters. He remembered seeing them in championship features, and in articles where Shigure Akihito's name was mentioned, their images were always there too.
END OF CHAPTER
CROWN BEFORE THE MIRACLES
🔥 Rookie Recruit – Read 15 chapters ahead
🔥 Starting Five – Jump 35 chapters ahead + 6 bonus chapters!
👉 patreon.com/MrBehringer