"Here's the deal~"
"If you win, I'll give you the jersey back. But if I win, from now on, whenever you talk to me, you have to speak in a normal tone, like I do, no putting on airs~"
"How's that?"
"Pretty fair, right?"
For Shigure Akihito, Reo Mibuchi was just one of the opponents he'd beaten last year. If Mibuchi hadn't brought up that "tone rule" after a whole year, still taking it seriously, Shigure would have completely forgotten it himself.
"This time, are you ready to take your jersey back?"
"Hmm…"
For the past year, after every day's practice, Reo Mibuchi would still keep shooting long into the night, until the sky was pitch-black. Like a fish that would suffocate without swimming, or a migratory bird that would fall into the sea if it stopped flapping its wings.
And whenever Shigure thought about that…
The look in Mibuchi's eyes was like that of a vengeful spirit, fierce and unyielding.
"I'll give it everything I have…"
"And you're going to regret it…"
"Shigure Akihito."
Hearing that, Shigure couldn't help but smile. "You're not giving me a straightforward 'I'm going to win' this time, Mibuchi Reo."
"…"
"You're still as… interesting as ever, Shigure."
"Then, let's have a good match."
"Let's."
While Shigure Akihito and Reo Mibuchi were exchanging words about "jerseys" and "victory," just like last year…
Elsewhere, during warm-ups,
The Teiko players suddenly noticed that one very loud, troublemaking grey-haired teammate was missing. The captain, Shuzo Nijimura, was also looking around for him.
"Nijimura…"
"Haizaki…?"
"He just said he was going to buy some water…"
Right now, Nijimura's aura was like a lion's, dominating everything, friend or foe.
Two third-year benchwarmers who barely saw any playing time swallowed nervously under the pressure of this "former delinquent" captain, and, perhaps out of survival instinct, sold Haizaki out.
"Actually… I think he's just sulking because Midorima's starting this game."
Nijimura nodded, then gave a smile that was just a little too dark.
"Heh~"
"Is that so?"
"Sulking, is he?"
Watching Nijimura storm off toward the exit, the two third-years exchanged a cautious glance.
"…Haizaki, you idiot. Hope you don't get beaten too badly."
Prayers for you, Haizaki.
…
Sure enough,
When Haizaki Shōgo reappeared with Nijimura, "standing together" was a generous description.
In reality,
His face was swollen and bruised, his expression one of barely-clinging-to-life, as Nijimura dragged him along like a rag doll.
"Hmph! This time, I let him off with just a light lesson, since all he was doing was spacing out and not causing trouble!"
…Light?
Really?
Judging by Haizaki's condition, the others were stunned into silence.
First-years, terrified, offered him a moment of silence. In their hearts, their image of Captain Nijimura's "towering presence" somehow grew even bigger.
Standing nearest to Nijimura was Aomine Daiki, who instinctively stepped back two paces. After all, he and Haizaki, plus maybe Murasakibara, were the biggest troublemakers on the team, and thus Nijimura's most frequent "students."
Only…
Aomine had never been punished quite that badly.
"Oi, Aomine~"
"What are you hiding for~?"
"…I'm not hiding."
Murasakibara tilted his head, giving Aomine a slow once-over, then glanced toward where Nijimura was now looking their way.
Then he noticed Aomine suddenly turning very seriously toward the basket to start shooting.
And it clicked.
"Ah~"
"You made Fox-Eyes Captain angry again~"
"Shut it… I did not."
"Then why are you hiding~?"
"Because I respect Captain Nijimura the most."
"…Right."
While Teiko's side was wrapped in this lighthearted back-and-forth, someone else was in a very different headspace, Midorima Shintarō, who would be starting today in place of Akashi.
In all the national-level games so far,
The only Teiko first-year to start besides Akashi had been Midorima. Thinking about that fact, Midorima's gaze sharpened.
And his opponent? None other than Shigure's opponent from last year, Reo Mibuchi.
Midorima knew this man's reputation well.
In a time when Shigure's incredible shooting was seen as unreachable, Reo Mibuchi's was regarded as the gold standard across middle school basketball.
Many middle school shooters tried to model their form on his.
Midorima touched today's lucky item,
A basketball.
Behind the lenses, his eyes were firm and confident.
At that moment,
Aomine, trying to look "natural" under Nijimura's watchful gaze, drifted toward the model teammate: Midorima.
"Oi, Midorima, what's your lucky item today?"
"So nervous you forgot to listen to the morning horoscope?"
"Aomine…"
"The program airs in the morning. It's already the afternoon. And… once I've done everything I can, there's no reason to be nervous."
Swish!
Without breaking stride, Midorima sank a three from beyond the arc.
"Today's lucky item is special… it's the basketball."
Aomine followed the direction of the shot with his eyes, toward the far side, where the imposing Reo Mibuchi was standing with Shigure Akihito.
He muttered, "So the senpai personally picked you to start… and against his old 'rival,' no less. No wonder Haizaki's pissed. Even I'm a little jealous, you damn fortune-teller."
"…We're both three-point shooters…"
"Even if he's a second-year senpai, you're not gonna lose, right?"
Determined to challenge the second-strongest shooter in middle school, Midorima ignored the "fortune-teller" jab and answered with complete confidence:
"After this match, everyone will know, the second-best shooter in the country is me."
Hearing that, all eyes turned to him. Calm and composed Midorima almost never stated his ambition outright like this.
Nearby,
Haizaki scoffed, while Akashi quietly cut off Aomine, who was clapping Midorima on the shoulder and saying something about his "amazing aura today."
"Make sure your first matchup is a success, Midorima."
"Because you're not the only one…"
"…waiting to become the second-best shooter in middle school."
Saying this, Akashi's gaze slid past the group to someone on the bench, Reiji Fukaya, who was tying back his hair and adjusting his gear.
And as the first-years followed Akashi's gaze, they saw it too, Fukaya's bangs pushed back, his eyes suddenly sharp and unrestrained, like an unsealed blade.
Because,
This was the first time they'd seen him in that state…
Since his one-on-one battle against Shigure Akihito.
Thankyou everyone!!
Your continued support means everything. We've already made it through almost half of this journey together, and none of this would be possible without you.
Because of you, this story keeps moving forward, chapter after chapter, battle after battle. You're not just readers, you're part of the team that's keeping this dream alive.
We've come this far… now let's see it through to the very end. 🏆
Stay in the game, and let's cross that finish line together.
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