The second day of the Tokyo Division round-robin finals.
Right now, the match being played is Seirin vs. Narusei.
This Seirin is, of course, completely different from how they were in the original storyline.
To Seirin, Narusei might as well be a bunch of nobodies with no reputation whatsoever.
Even with Haizaki and Kuroko each playing only half the game, Seirin still crushed them with a doubled score—124 to 65.
With a victory like this, even if Seirin only manages to win this one match in the round-robin finals, they would still, in all likelihood, secure the No. 3 seed for Nationals.
Of course
Seirin definitely won't "only win one match."
There is someone who will only win one match…
But that's someone else.
The third day of the Tokyo Division round-robin finals.
Seirin's fated showdown with their long-time rival, Kirisaki Daiichi, took a turn no one expected
Kirisaki Daiichi outright forfeited.
From the very first quarter, they practically raised a white flag.
None of Kirisaki's starters, including Hanamiya Makoto, stepped onto the court for even a single minute.
Their poor bench players were left trembling under the violent onslaught of Kagami.
Fifty points.
That was Kagami's total score for the game.
Watching Kagami's sour expression from the bench, Haizaki could clearly tell
that meeting with the Miracles the other day…
especially Akashi
had practically broken Kagami's mental defenses.
And with that
The three Tokyo seed slots were decided.
No. 1 seed: Tōō Academy.
No. 2 seed: Seirin.
No. 3 seed: Kirisaki Daiichi.
On the very day Seirin secured their seed, Kiyoshi Teppei, who had missed last year's Winter Cup prelims, felt a surge of emotion.
The moment their seed was confirmed, his clenched fist trembled faintly.
Kiyoshi Teppei: "..."
Hah…
This time
He didn't have to sit out.
Everyone had done great.
This year… they would go even further.
Kiyoshi turned to look at his teammates.
He opened his mouth several times, hesitated several times, and finally—
under Hyuga Junpei's fed-up glare—scratched his head and said:
"Everyone!"
"This summer is only just beginning!"
"Let's give it everything we've got!"
"OHH!!"
"OHHHH!!!"
Seirin's summer began the very moment the prelims ended
eager, frantic, unstoppable.
The heavy, rapid breathing inside the Seirin gym echoed nonstop, drawing the attention of passing students.
"Time's up!"
"Next drill—start!"
Not only the starters
even players like Fukuda Hiroshi, Kawahara Koichi, and Furihata Koki—who practically never get any court time—were pushing themselves, gritting their teeth for the sake of Seirin's championship ambition.
But reality was obvious:
compared to first-years like Haizaki, or to Kuroko—who survived Teiko's devil training—the other first-year rookies were in terrible condition.
Even so, when they heard Aida Riko's voice, they all lifted their heads and shouted with burning determination:
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
Not for any noble reason
They were simply being overwhelmed by Kagami's insane work ethic.
Same first-years…
but Kagami, for reasons unknown, was training with suicidal intensity.
He kept adding extra work on top of every drill on Riko's program.
"How many times have I said this?! No dribbling!
If you dribble again—two penalty laps!"
"Fast-break passing drill!"
"Move faster!"
"Are you a snail?! Even Kuroko's faster than you!"
All the first-years were about to vomit from the insane workload
and all they earned in return was Riko's merciless shouting:
"If you're gonna puke, do it on the sideline.
When you're done, come back."
"If you dare puke on my court, you'll clean it up and THEN go run laps!"
Not far away, Haizaki Shōgo's face darkened.
With his current physical ability, of course the drills weren't the issue
it was Aida Riko herself.
He was seeing another version of that Shirogane demon coach.
And that familiar line…
This was the "Nijimura version" of Coach Shirogane.
Furihata and the other rookies staggered to the sideline to breathe for a moment
when suddenly, they heard whispering from outside the gym.
"I heard the basketball team's getting a magazine interview this afternoon."
"Really?"
"Yeah, for real. They already contacted the school."
"That's amazing…
Only two years since the club was founded and they're already at this level.
That match against Tōō… I still can't believe it.
Aomine Daiki is crazy strong, but we're not bad either."
"Huh?"
"They're getting interviewed, and they're still training this insanely?"
"Of course. This isn't a show for the interviewers.
They've been like this ever since prelims ended.
After all…"
"Their goal this year is the championship."
"Alright, that's all for today's training.
There'll be a magazine interview later."
"That's all."
Aside from Kiyoshi, Haizaki, and Kuroko, everyone looked tense and excited as Riko shared the news.
A team in only its second year
with their best achievement being last year's Winter Cup Tokyo qualifiers
had NEVER been offered such a feature interview.
But this year
They had just qualified for the Interhigh.
The magazine couldn't wait.
Hyuga Junpei glanced at Haizaki and Kuroko with a complicated expression.
After a short dismissal, everyone moved to the locker room.
Compared to the luxurious Teiko facilities, Seirin's locker room was several levels lower.
But since Seirin had few members, it wasn't crowded.
Haizaki, as a first-year, shared the row of lockers with Kuroko, Kagami, and Furihata.
At that moment
Furihata's equipment bag fell from the locker, hitting the floor—
and a Weekly Basketball magazine slid out.
Haizaki: "..."
Annoying.
The cover showed the third-year Generation of Miracles.
And standing right at the front
was that bastard Aomine Daiki, who had beaten him in the prelims.
The rookies immediately gathered around.
"Huh? Is this…?"
"That's the Miracles' graduation special issue, right?"
"So cool—Haizaki's in here too!
The guy on the cover is standing right in front of me, hahaha!"
"Kuroko too—though only half his face…"
"But that makes it look even cooler!
The Phantom Sixth Man!"
Hearing this, Kiyoshi and Hyuga also looked over.
Furihata, mortified that his beloved magazine was exposed in front of Haizaki and Kuroko themselves, wanted to dig a hole and jump in.
Fortunately, neither of them showed any reaction.
Instead, Hyuga nodded thoughtfully
thinking that since he'd be interviewed later,
learning from Teiko's media experience wouldn't hurt.
He began reading seriously.
Hyuga: "..."
As expected of the Miracles.
Each one had their own dedicated section with a one-on-one interview.
As captain, he decided to begin with Akashi.
He turned a few pages
Akashi's smiling portrait appeared, with a huge headline:
Teiko's Four Consecutive Championships
and the New Stage of Their High School Basketball!
Haizaki froze.
The headline reminded him of Teiko's graduation ceremony.
Last year, at Teiko's graduation ceremony.
Akashi—student council president and representative of outstanding students
gave the graduation speech.
After the ceremony, Kise Ryōta was, as usual, swarmed by a mob of fans
girls overflowing with hormones, desperate to take pictures with their golden model prince.
Not far away, Haizaki scowled.
"Tch."
"Idiot."
Meanwhile
"Sigh~"
"Boring."
Haizaki and Aomine exchanged a glance.
"Come to think of it… none of the senpai came to the ceremony.
I thought maybe since we're graduating, fighting them one last time would be the best graduation gift…"
Haizaki frowned.
"Idiot. How is that a gift…"
"Haizai~"
"Ao-chan~"
"Akashi said everyone should meet in the gym later, okay~
Oh! And don't forget the graduation interview~"
Haizaki: "..."
Aomine: "..."
Good grief—
even remembering ONE thing is enough for that guy.
Soon, after the ceremony, the Generation of Miracles gathered in the gym where they had fought side by side for three years.
"Everyone, after today, we become rivals.
Our next meeting will be on the national stage of high school basketball."
Akashi still wore a calm smile, but the intensity beneath it was unmistakable.
Haizaki Shōgo: "You're seriously overflowing with killing intent, Akashi."
Aomine: "Well, I can't wait either~"
"Ahaha, well… you're not wrong, but you don't have to say it THAT aggressively~"
Kise laughed.
"This time we won't just be separating temporarily~"
Murasakibara spoke lazily, but even he understood perfectly what graduation meant.
Akashi shook his head slightly at Kise.
"Because of the pressure from senpai—Nijimura and Shigure—we all had to pair up in duos.
But aside from that, none of us ever considered joining a third person."
"I'll say it clearly for everyone"
As Akashi spoke, his gaze swept slowly over each member of the Miracles.
Every one of them stared back with unwavering seriousness.
"We may be called the Generation of Miracles, and that honor is fine
but everyone here shares the same goal."
"To defeat the strongest…"
"And become the strongest."
"In the process
aside from our final goal, and aside from those two senpai"
"On the high school stage, unless we eliminate EVERYONE who once played beside us
we won't stop.
This isn't theory."
"It's instinct."
Aomine: "That's how it is."
Midorima: "Agreed."
Murasakibara: "Mm~"
Haizaki: "The one who wins in the end will be me."
Kuroko nodded.
"My goal is the same.
Entering this war, defeating everyone else
to prove my basketball."
Kise: "..."
Kise: "M-me too!"
"Tch."
Idiot Kise.
What do you even 'same'?
Back in the locker room, Haizaki snapped out of the memory, irritated.
Losing to Aomine—fine.
But losing to Kise?
Absolutely not.
Just then
He looked up and noticed Hyuga Junpei making a strange expression.
Not at him
But at Kagami.
Well…
no wonder.
Hyuga: "..."
What on earth was wrong with Kagami these past few days?
He was acting weird.
Haizaki 2.0 getting emotional when seeing Akashi in the magazine was understandable.
But Kagami
what kind of memories do YOU have with Akashi?
From a moment ago until now, Kagami's glare at Akashi's photo looked like he wanted to kill someone.
And for Kagami
He did have memories with Akashi.
Because
It was recent.
A few days earlier, right after Seirin vs. Tōō, outside the gym—
Kagami had first run into Rakuzan's "Thunder Beast," Hayama Kotarō.
Thanks to watching Kaijō vs. Rakuzan footage
Kagami recognized him instantly.
Rakuzan's…
Hayama Kotarō!
A member of the Five Uncrowned Generals, just like Kiyoshi.
And Kagami knew very well
this guy could enter the Zone, just like Aomine.
But while Kagami was watching Hayama and Koganei bicker like idiots
a warm, mild voice came from behind, tinged with amusement.
"So that's where you were, Kotarō."
"Oh~"
"Sorry sorry~, Captain Akashi~"
Kagami turned his head.
And instantly
Akashi.
Midorima.
Murasakibara.
Haizaki.
Kuroko.
Even Aomine and Kise—fresh off the battlefield
all those guys with bizarre hair colors
the entire Generation of Miracles appeared before him.
The sight hit Kagami like a shockwave.
He instinctively took a step back.
END OF CHAPTER
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