Tap tap tap
Tap tap tap
The Kaijō players stared at Coach Genta Takeuchi, whose tongue was unusually sharp today, his words firing out like a machine gun, each one hitting hard. Their expressions were all a little odd.
Akihito Shigure's expression was odd too.
Because standing before him was Kaijō, Ryōta Kise's Kaijō.
He instinctively glanced back.
Ah…
That kid Kise hadn't even joined Teiko yet.
Shigure: "…"
The promises Takeuchi had just rattled off kept replaying in his mind. He had to admit, they were tempting. But if he joined Kaijō…
Where would Kise go later?
After a brief moment of hesitation, he gave only a vague "It's still too early to say" and, more firmly, "I won't be going to Rakuzan," which was enough to settle Takeuchi's nerves for now.
Then…
Although Takeuchi hadn't sealed the deal for Shigure, he still felt he'd gained the upper hand in this little tug-of-war. He gave Eiji Shirogane, who'd been watching from the side with that eternally irritating smile, a sharp "hmph" before turning away with head held high.
"Hmph!"
As they brushed past each other, Takeuchi once again let out a disgruntled snort at that smug, squint-eyed grin of Shirogane's.
But just then
Shigure's voice called out from behind him.
"Coach Takeuchi, one last thing I want to confirm — about the autonomy I'd have over the player lineup I want."
"If I request that the entire roster be made up of 'special recruits'…"
"How far could that go?"
As he spoke, Shigure's gaze swept over Shuzo Nijimura, Shinji Kurokami, and Reiji Fukaya. Takeuchi instantly understood the implications, and his heart skipped a beat.
This guy…
What an ambition.
The so-called "special recruitment" was the same as what he'd called "scholarship players" earlier.
In middle school basketball, this was rare, but for the top echelon of players each year, it had become an unspoken rule.
Nijimura, of course, would be no problem, even qualifying for the same level of privileges as Shigure himself.
But Kurokami and Fukaya…
Though both came from powerhouse Teiko, they were role players. And the number of special recruitment slots each year was limited. Two was already the limit. Regular recruitment would be fine, but Shigure's intent was clearly more than that.
And besides…
Even role players from Teiko would face fierce competition from other schools, and if the terms weren't right, Kaijō wouldn't win them over.
Takeuchi paused, then, without giving a firm promise, gritted his teeth and said, "All I can say is I'll do my best… but before that, I'll need to confirm their abilities myself."
Hearing this, Shigure smiled faintly. He had no doubts about Kurokami and Fukaya's skill. In that sense, Kaijō wasn't a bad choice at all.
Himself, Nijimura, Kurokami, Fukaya — four Teiko second-years. If they all entered the same high school two years later, plus a solid point guard, they could stand against Rakuzan's three Uncrowned Kings plus Kasayuki Hagioka.
And what tipped him toward this line of thought, setting aside Kise's situation — was that by the time they entered high school, Kaijō's point guard would already be a second-year…
Yukio Kasamatsu.
The future captain of Kaijō High's basketball team, the heart and soul of the squad.
A strong leader, known for his quick stop-and-turn jump shots after fake cuts, agile and second only to the Generation of Miracles in speed.
A well-rounded point guard — penetration, shooting, and passing all top-tier.
Even his mental toughness was exceptional.
On the other side, Kurokami and Fukaya had no reason to object to Shigure's plan. Only Nijimura, the sole rival within the team, frowned slightly — but in the end, he simply shifted his gaze away from Shigure.
Nijimura: "…"
One more year. One more year to drag Shigure into the abyss.
When that time comes, after shattering him…
Then he'll decide.
…
That afternoon — quarterfinals.
Last year, in Shigure's mind, Senzan was "last year's runner-up." This year, they were "the year-before's runner-up."
If they landed in the same bracket again next year, they'd be "three-years-ago's runner-up."
Mm…
The Uncrowned Kings really were unlucky.
Before the game, Assistant Coach Naoto Sanada gave a detailed rundown of their opponent, focusing on the first-years who hadn't faced them yet.
"Senzan's strength has dropped a bit since last year after losing their starting power forward, who was one of the top five in the country. Their inside game isn't as strong as before.
But with Reo Mibuchi's growth, their outside game has undoubtedly strengthened. Just this morning, Mibuchi single-handedly defeated another Uncrowned King — Teppei Kiyoshi.
Statistically, at shooting guard, Mibuchi ranks just below Akihito Shigure — without question, the second best in the nation."
When Sanada finished his briefing, Kōzō Shirogane came over with the tactics board, as usual, ready to lay out the game plan.
But unexpectedly, Shigure himself suggested a strategy. The confidence in his eyes made Shirogane nod in agreement and confirm the arrangement.
Before tip-off, Sanada gathered the team into a huddle.
"Crush Senzan! This year, we're not just going to win the Nationals — we're going to dominate completely and take the championship in style!
We'll earn a thrilling victory and step into the third day's final stage!"
"Our goal…"
"Nationals Champion!"
"Nationals Champion!"
The team shouted in unison. Fully geared up, they strode into the players' tunnel. As expected, a roaring wave of cheers crashed over them.
From the other end, their opponents entered — Senzan Middle's yellow-and-brown uniforms, the same kind Shigure kept as a personal memento, now meeting them head-on.
Leading them was Number 4 — Reo Mibuchi.
His eyes held no fear, only a fierce spark of excitement and fighting spirit. His back was straight, his steps light and graceful, yet each movement carried the force of someone determined to take victory from Teiko.
As they crossed paths, Mibuchi suddenly spoke — solemnly, without his usual affected tone:
"As promised, I've even changed my way of speaking for you, Shigure-kun."
Last year's defeat felt like a dream long past.
But now…
Reo Mibuchi had come to challenge him again.
End of chapter...
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