[After winning the fourth round of the group stage, there wasn't much time left before the group stage concluded.]
[Now, only four teams remain. Your match against Shutoku is scheduled for the sixth round.]
[In other words, you will be fighting for the sole qualifying spot in the final match of the group stage.]
"I only have one chance to simulate."
Yuuto felt it was a pity. If he had been given just one more chance to simulate, his odds of winning would have increased by at least twenty percent.
[One day later, the fifth round began.]
[At this stage of the regional qualifiers, you have to play a match almost every day.]
[Shutoku's fifth-round match was scheduled for the afternoon. After establishing an early lead, Masaaki Nakatani subbed out all his starters.]
[In the following match, Yamashita Shio also demanded that you establish a lead as quickly as possible.]
[You all understood Yamashita's intent. In the first quarter, the team went full throttle, crushing the opponent by 19 points. In the second quarter, you took over the game completely, scoring 23 points alone to help Seiho enter the second half with a massive lead.]
[Masaaki Nakatani was present at the game. He noticed that the destructive passing ability you showed in the last match was gone, as if it were a flash in the pan.]
[You didn't use those passes that could shatter a defense with a single touch to help the team.]
[He also noticed that you increased your driving attempts significantly in these two rounds, scoring more in the paint while reducing your attempts from the three-point line and long-range.]
[He didn't understand why, but he believed this could serve as a reference point for the match against Seiho.]
[You were subbed out to rest. The Seiho bench players maintained the point difference effortlessly.]
[Although you wanted to play—after all, this is a simulation and you need better performance to earn more experience points—the controller is in your coach's hands. His current goal is simply to defeat Shutoku.]
[After the match ended, you successfully advanced to meet Shutoku in the group final.]
[That day, Yamashita Shio didn't leave the basketball club; he pulled an all-nighter in his office.]
[The morning of the match.]
[He told you all, "Today we have two plans. First, we keep our defensive formation unchanged—the 2-1-2 zone—sealing their wing drives. Tsugawa, I'm assigning Midorima Shintaro to you."]
[Tsugawa Tomoki is a perimeter defender ranked in the top 3 nationally. If he could single-handedly shut down Midorima, then Seiho's chance of winning would reach at least 80%. That would be the best-case scenario for Seiho.]
[But even Yamashita Shio didn't hold much hope for this.]
[Through observation, he was certain that the Yuuto from a year ago was definitely not as strong as the current Yuuto, even though Yuuto hadn't gone all out yet.]
[Naturally, he couldn't look at Midorima Shintaro, the strongest shooter of the Generation of Miracles, with the eyes of a year ago either.]
["If this formation doesn't work, we change immediately. Expand the defensive area, play a 3-2 zone, and extend the line."]
[Yamashita wasn't ready to give up on the zone defense because that was his specialty.]
[Facts proved that his preparation was absolutely necessary.]
[In the very first possession of the game, Midorima proved that a player of Tsugawa Tomoki's level could not stop him.]
[Jump ball. The captains of Seiho, King of the North, and Shutoku, King of the East, faced off.]
[They jumped almost simultaneously, but Iwamura lost by a hair's breadth.]
[Shutoku's offense. Kazunari Takao found Midorima Shintaro immediately.]
[Facing Tsugawa's defense, Midorima chose to ignore it completely, utilizing a fake before pulling up for a three right off the catch.]
[High school freshman Midorima Shintaro stands 195cm tall. His static measurements are even better than Yuuto's.]
[Combined with those long arms born for shooting, Tsugawa's 1.8m height looked like nothing next to Midorima's historic-level frame.]
[Tsugawa had already done everything he could, but Midorima didn't even blink. He raised his hand at the 45-degree angle outside the three-point line and buried the shot.]
[Yamashita reacted instantly. No need for further observation. Tsugawa, who froze Kise Ryota a year ago, could not guard the Miracles' strongest shooter.]
[You changed formations. You took on the primary defense against Midorima Shintaro, while Tsugawa switched to man-marking Takao.]
["We've met on the court before, but this is the first time we've actually matched up, isn't it?" As Midorima caught the ball, you immediately pressed up in front of him.]
["You look too relaxed. Don't mistake me for that idiot Aomine. By the way, Cancer is ranked first in today's horoscope." Midorima adopted a triple-threat stance.]
[You said to him, "I never pin victory or defeat on such ethereal things. Unless you're just looking for a crutch because you're scared."]
[He is the strongest shooter of the Generation of Miracles, but he is absolutely not just a pure shooter.]
[The author of Kuroko no Basket gave strength, speed, learning ability, and eyes to Murasakibara, Aomine, Kise, and Akashi respectively, but he gave the softest touch and the most excellent perimeter frame to Midorima.]
[This does not mean Midorima lacks athleticism. He even stopped an awakened Kagami Taiga head-on during the Winter Cup.]
[Facing Yuuto, the man who personally ended the Teiko Dynasty's dream a year ago, Midorima chose to isolate.]
["That idiot." Nakatani did not want Midorima to isolate too often.]
[His talent should be used elsewhere. The entire Shutoku team was built specifically for Midorima. The freshman Takao was promoted to starter specifically to assist Midorima.]
[But he had promised Midorima that he was allowed to be selfish three times a day!]
[This was the first time today!]
[Midorima attempted to drive past you. His drive wasn't as sharp as Aomine's, but it was at least on Kagami's level.]
[His weakness is that his center of gravity is too high. Yours is lower.]
[You stepped sideways to block Midorima, but he stepped back as if he had anticipated it.]
[You suddenly opened your eyes wide. Eye of the Sky activated. Calculating his next move based on the subtle changes in his leg muscles.]
[Your arm shot out like a spear. Slap! Just as Midorima completed his gather, he immediately felt the basketball leave his control.]
[In terms of individual combat capability, you are the superior one!]
...
Get 20+ chapters ahead on - P.a.t.r.e.o.n "RoseWhisky"