Meanwhile.
Seiho's locker room was also undergoing final mobilization.
This time, they didn't ask Yuuto to say a few words. Instead, Captain Tsutomu Iwamura rallied the team.
His speech was as lackluster as ever.
Iwamura was like a stone; it was hard to hear moving words from his mouth.
But today, his presence felt exceptionally powerful.
There was no talk of "The Four Great Centers" in Tokyo. But they were all third-year players, playing for powerhouse teams, and were all team captains.
Tsutomu Iwamura and Taisuke Otsubo had always been the best centers in the eyes of fans.
Their rivalry had lasted from their first year to their third. Even when they didn't face each other directly, people judged their strengths and weaknesses based on stats and their contributions to their teams.
In these comparisons, Iwamura was at a disadvantage most of the time due to team results.
"At this point, I no longer care about my personal victory or defeat against Otsubo. Compared to that, I have something much more important to do."
When they headed out, Iwamura walked at the very back of the line, whispering to Yuuto.
"You and the coach were right. A king without a championship is like a king without a crown."
"For the past two years, we called ourselves kings, only to lose consecutively to Tōō and Shutoku."
"In my last year, I want to win something for Seiho, and for myself."
Iwamura's expression was serious as he spoke, holding his helmet (metaphorically).
Unknowingly, this had become his final year playing for Seiho.
At the moment he was about to step into university, he realized he had so many regrets from the past left unfulfilled.
"I will defend Seiho's stronghold. I leave the rest to you, Yuuto!"
He was already prepared to hand over the captaincy to Yuuto after the Nationals.
Therefore, today's match was especially important.
If they lost, this would be Iwamura's last Nationals as Seiho's captain.
As he said this, he stopped walking.
Along with him, Ryuhei Kasuga and all the other members stopped. They opened a path for Yuuto.
For the next King of Seiho.
"Don't worry. We will win."
Yuuto didn't act modest. Like a passing of the torch, he walked past every Seiho member.
Finally.
He walked at the very front of the team, leading everyone toward the end of the tunnel.
His words were light, but the promise carried the weight of a thousand pounds.
...
"Great, we made it!"
In the top stands of the arena, Momoi patted her ample chest, relieved to have caught the match.
At the same time, she complained to Aomine behind her, "It's all your fault we were almost late. In Yu's words, you're just lukewarm, dead lukewarm!"
"Tch, who cares what that guy says." Aomine walked over lazily.
However.
Despite saying that, he cared deeply about this match.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have agreed to come watch with Momoi.
Especially since it was Yuuto, who had defeated him.
Back when Seirin fought Seiho, without Momoi knowing, he had actually secretly watched the live broadcast.
When Momoi came back to tell him the result, he said, "Oh, really? I knew Tetsu couldn't beat that guy. Didn't need to watch."
Today was the same.
While flipping through the latest Mai-chan photobook he carried with him, he glanced at the center of the court out of the corner of his eye.
He thought Momoi wouldn't notice, unaware that the girl was practically rolling her eyes to the sky.
The next second.
The arena erupted.
Fans in the North and East stands roared with all their might.
Because the two teams walked out of the tunnels.
The difference was that on Seiho's side, Yuuto walked at the very front, while Midorima followed behind his seniors.
Warm-up phase.
There was no interaction between the two sides, but the voices of the fans on both sides were constantly clashing.
Then.
Both teams lined up at center court to exchange greetings.
Seiho, wearing black jerseys, starting five: Ryuhei Kasuga, Tomoki Tsugawa, Yuuto, Giichi Omuro, Tsutomu Iwamura.
Shutoku, wearing orange jerseys, starting five: Kazunari Takao, Shintaro Midorima, Kiyoshi Miyaji, Shinsuke Kimura, Taisuke Otsubo.
Yuuto had played all the way from Okushirazome to Tokyo, discovering that remembering opponents' surnames was difficult.
This is because Japan has the most surnames in the world.
According to statistics, there are as many as 130,000 Japanese surnames.
This dates back to before the Common Era.
Surnames in Japan were once symbols of aristocratic privilege, such as Fujiwara, Genji, Taira, and Tachibana, representing bloodline groups.
It wasn't until the Meiji Restoration that they began to promote modernization reforms, establish household registration, and popularize surnames for all citizens.
But at that time, commoners were used to life without surnames, and combined with low literacy rates, everyone was extremely unprepared for the sudden policy.
To comply with the system, the surnames they hastily created for themselves were very simple.
For example, those living at the foot of a mountain were "Yamashita" (Under the Mountain). If the family sold charcoal, they were "Kamado". Even given names were like this.
If your family grew vegetables and lived near a mountain, a baby girl might be named something like "Nanako Yamashita" (Vegetables under the mountain).
So, if you have friends in the island nation named Fujiwara or Genji...
Don't hesitate, hug their thighs immediately; these are descendants of nobility.
"Let's have a good game!"
"Let's have a good game!"
Even at this moment, there was no verbal exchange between the two sides, like a volcano brewing, ready to erupt at any time.
Seeing this, the referee didn't waste words and carried the basketball to the center circle.
Otsubo and Iwamura crouched halfway, putting themselves in a state ready to explode at any moment.
Whistle blows.
The ball was tossed into the air.
Then.
Accompanied by the roars of the two captains, they leaped into the air instantly.
Almost simultaneously; at least to the naked eye, there was no difference.
Smack!
Otsubo won in the end, securing the first possession for Shutoku.
However.
Just as Kazunari Takao was preparing to organize the team's first attack, a black shadow suddenly exploded forward.
"Takao!" Midorima noticed the figure in his lenses and shouted a warning.
Too late!
Just as Takao caught the ball tapped by his captain, Yuuto was already right in front of him.
The former had naturally noticed it too.
Possessing eyes like a hawk, he had noticed this ferocious attack.
But.
"Your eyes are very special."
Yuuto whispered softly, reaching out his arm like a spear to poke the ball away.
The Eye of the Sky saw the instantaneous changes in Takao's data; his protective motion was read clearly by Yuuto.
Smack!
"What?!"
Takao's playful expression completely vanished. This Lion King seemed to know exactly what he was thinking.
...
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