I'll Take Every One of Your Abilities!
Hm~?
Smells good!
Just a few minutes ago, the Rakuzan players had been wishing they could recruit "the Phantom Sixth Man" for themselves.
But a few minutes later—after personally receiving a pass from Akashi—they were already converted into his most devoted followers.
"Rakuzan…"
"…has just acquired Nijimura Shuzo."
Riko Aida spoke bitterly.
"..."
Don't tell me—Seirin won't get a single one?
If that's the case…
Her original plan was to let her players experience a higher level of basketball—by facing one of the three monsters, Shigure, Nijimura, or Hagioka—and see what it meant to stand against that kind of power.
But if they didn't draw a single one…
That would basically mean going up there naked, just to get beaten down.
This is bad…
And yet, Riko's hopes were completely shattered the moment the third draw came out—for the right to compete for Hagioka Kasayuki—and she saw the faces of Kuroko Tetsuya and Haizaki Shōgo go completely black.
It was over.
"Three-point contest?!"
"..."
Haizaki growled in frustration.
Kuroko stayed completely silent.
Both of them were frozen, because they knew—there was no contest more hopeless than this one.
Because…
Midorima Shintarō.
Step
Step
Step
Rakuzan's bench was buzzing with excitement, already pushing for Reo Mibuchi to take the court.
But Akashi Seijurō, who hadn't said a word, noticed something first
Midorima had already stepped onto the court the moment the lot was drawn.
Clap
Aomine Daiki passed the ball straight into Midorima's hands.
"Three-point contest?"
"There's no need to compete."
"If, after watching this, you still feel confident stepping up—be my guest."
From half court, Midorima raised his hand and shot.
Whoosh!
The ball arced through the air—so high it seemed to pierce the clouds—and then, in front of everyone's eyes, fell like a blade straight through the rim.
Midorima adjusted his glasses and looked directly at Reo Mibuchi.
"Let me show you"
"What a real three-pointer is."
Reo Mibuchi: "..."
That was…
Shigure's ultra-deep three?
Back in his second year of middle school, during the Nationals, he had lost to Fukasaya Reiji—but at the same time, he had also personally defeated another monster freshman shooter.
That player's interference resistance was absurd, his shooting arc ridiculous, and his range beyond reason.
Back then, Reo had thought that if the guy kept developing, he'd definitely reach his level—maybe even surpass him, given his age.
But as Reo's own shooting grew stronger, that memory had been buried deep in the corners of his mind.
Now…
It came flooding back.
Though if that was all there was to it
He wouldn't lose.
Yet even Reo Mibuchi, who prided himself on his composure, couldn't hide his astonishment.
The Rakuzan and Seirin players—especially those outside the "Generation of Miracles" or the Five Kings—were all staring in shock.
Oh
That included Hyūga Junpei and Izuki Shun.
Unlike Reo, who remembered the Nationals in his second year, Hyūga remembered something else:
That time in his first year of middle school, when he'd watched Shigure Akihito blow Reo Mibuchi off the court with his own eyes.
He'd even kept a secretly snapped photo of that moment
Which, to this day, was still his phone wallpaper.
On the sidelines, Koganei Shinji gaped.
"Whoa! All of them are monsters… these middle schoolers are insane!"
He'd only started playing basketball this year, and yet, every few weeks, his worldview was shattered again
From Teiko's Twin Stars, to Rakuzan, to the Generation of Miracles
And now, it was happening again.
The Rakuzan players were murmuring too.
"The ball almost touched the ceiling! Even if he's like Shigure Akihito and can hit from the center line, this kind of arc—how could he possibly be accurate?"
"And besides…"
"From that far out, with that exaggerated parabolic angle, and not even grazing the rim—it's precision on the level of machinery!"
But the surprises didn't stop there.
Because then
Under everyone's stunned gaze, Midorima caught another pass from Aomine—backed up—then fired again.
One step back, another shot.
One step back, another shot.
Step by step…
From in front of half court
To behind half court
Until
Three-quarters court.
And he was still backing up!
Clap!
Midorima caught the pass again—and this time, he was standing at the opposite baseline.
"...?!"
Hey!
Are you kidding me?!
Do you even realize how far that is?!
He steadied himself, gathered power, jumped
And actually shot!
The trajectory was impossibly high, higher than anyone had ever seen.
The ball's flight seemed endless—an almost torturous wait—as everyone held their breath, knowing, deep down, it was going in.
Swish!
Clean.
Not even a whisper of the rim.
Then
Thud!
It slammed into the ground and bounced high.
From the moment Midorima started shooting from three-quarters court, Hyūga Junpei was already numb.
Now he pulled off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.
"No way…"
That Midorima Shintarō…
His range was the entire court?!
That was insane.
He'd backed up with every shot—and hadn't missed a single one!
After his final shot, Midorima didn't even look at Reo Mibuchi.
Instead, he turned to Haizaki Shōgo.
"Haizaki," he said calmly.
"You know my rule: as long as my shooting form isn't broken, my hit rate is 100%."
"Do you have the confidence to copy that?"
"If not—"
"Then in a three-point contest, I win."
"There's not even a chance for a tie."
Haizaki Shōgo: "..."
Copy…?
Impossible.
That kind of three-pointer
Even with his "Predation" ability, capable of mimicking Hayama's Thunder Dribble or Reo's Void
He couldn't replicate a Miracle.
Midorima knew that.
And the violent lunatic who had taught him "Monster Immersion"—Nijimura Shuzo—knew it too.
Monster Immersion…
Hmph.
Midorima.
Aomine.
You'd better be ready.
Because the monsters I'm building in my heart
Won't stop at just one or two.
On next year's high school stage,
Through Monster Immersion
I'll take every one of your abilities.
END OF CHAPTER
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