"No." Atsushi Murasakibara refused without hesitation. "I'm not leaving Tokima."
Everyone fell silent.
They all knew that Atsushi Murasakibara was no longer the person he used to be. There was no way the current Murasakibara would leave Miyamoto Tokima.
During their previous game against the Black Dragon Team, Atsushi Murasakibara had only agreed to join them because Jason Silver was on the opposing side. He had never actually intended to fight against Miyamoto Tokima.
But this time, they were genuinely planning to challenge Miyamoto Tokima head-on!
How could Atsushi Murasakibara possibly agree to that?
"Aka-chin." Atsushi Murasakibara put a Delicious Stick in his mouth, picked up his bag, and stood to leave. "I'm heading out, then."
"You don't have to, Murasakibara." Seijuro Akashi smiled. "The fact that I'm discussing this in front of you means I have no intention of hiding it from anyone."
"I won't hide it from you, and I won't hide it from Miyamoto Tokima."
"So there's no reason for you to leave. Besides, there's more good food coming later, isn't there?"
The moment Atsushi Murasakibara heard there was more food coming, he immediately sat back down.
"Fine, then."
Seijuro Akashi smiled faintly and continued.
"Everyone, I know you're attached to your current schools and teams, but given the circumstances, this is the situation we're facing."
"And there's also some good news I want to tell you."
Everyone immediately perked up, curious to hear what the good news was.
Seijuro Akashi smiled.
"Coach Shirogane has fully recovered."
"What?!"
Everyone cried out in surprise.
Ryota Kise was especially shocked.
"Coach Shirogane recovered?!"
"Yes." Seijuro Akashi smiled. "And he's already announced that he'll be coaching the Teikō High School basketball team."
That immediately made everyone hesitate.
Seeing their reactions, Seijuro Akashi gave them one final push.
"Coach Shirogane said he misses all of you."
Those words finally made up their minds.
"Okay!" Ryota Kise said. "Akashi, I'm in! I'll start the transfer process tomorrow!"
"I have no objections either." Shintaro Midorima calmly pushed up his glasses.
"Man, Akashi, that isn't good news. That's bad news!" Daiki Aomine sighed helplessly. "But fine, I'm in too!"
"That old man promised he'd take us forward and help us grow together, then disappeared halfway through! I'm definitely going back to 'teach him a lesson'!"
Tetsuya Kuroko immediately exposed him.
"Aomine, haven't you always been afraid of Coach Shirogane?"
"Kuroko! Don't call me out like that!" Daiki Aomine shouted, his face turning red.
Everyone laughed before turning toward Atsushi Murasakibara.
Without the slightest hesitation, Atsushi Murasakibara shook his head.
"I'm not leaving Tokima."
Seeing that, no one tried to persuade him any further.
Seijuro Akashi also looked somewhat disappointed.
He had thought bringing up Kōzō Shirogane might make Atsushi Murasakibara reconsider, but Murasakibara hadn't wavered in the slightest.
In the end, Seijuro Akashi could only give up on convincing him and turned toward Tetsuya Kuroko.
"Kuroko, please tell Kagami as well. I'm sure he'll agree."
Seijuro Akashi knew very well how determined Taiga Kagami was to challenge Miyamoto Tokima.
Tetsuya Kuroko nodded.
"I'll tell him, Akashi."
Seijuro Akashi nodded gently.
"Everyone, the chicken soup is here!"
The restaurant owner approached with a broad smile, carrying over the chicken soup and setting it down in front of the boys.
Everyone immediately went back to eating.
...
"Bro, are you really not coming to Teikō with me?"
Taiga Kagami held his phone, sounding surprised as he spoke to the person on the other end.
"That's right, Taiga. I'm not going to Teikō," Tatsuya Himuro replied over the phone.
"Why?" Taiga Kagami asked, confused. "Wouldn't it be better if we went to Teikō together?"
Taiga Kagami couldn't understand why his older brother, Tatsuya Himuro, was turning him down.
There was a brief silence on the other end before Tatsuya Himuro answered.
"Because... I owe someone a favor, and I plan to repay it."
Taiga Kagami paused.
"How long is that going to take?"
"Probably..." Tatsuya Himuro chuckled. "A lifetime."
After all, the contract Tatsuya Himuro had signed had a minimum term of ten years.
Only after those ten years, if he no longer wanted to continue working for Miyamoto Tokima, would he be allowed to sign a termination agreement.
But considering how well Miyamoto Tokima treated him, Tatsuya Himuro probably wouldn't give up that contract for the rest of his life.
"A lifetime?!" Taiga Kagami exclaimed. "What did you sign, a slave contract?!"
Tatsuya Himuro burst out laughing.
If he had to put it that way, the contract he had signed really wasn't all that different.
"All right, Taiga. The next time we meet, we'll be opponents again," Tatsuya Himuro said.
Taiga Kagami fell silent.
Still unwilling to give up, he asked one last time.
"There's really no way you'll reconsider?"
"No," Tatsuya Himuro replied.
Taiga Kagami sighed.
"Fine. Then next time we meet, let's play again!"
"Sure," Tatsuya Himuro replied.
...
Elsewhere, after Atsushi Murasakibara returned home, he told Miyamoto Tokima what had happened.
Miyamoto Tokima simply said he understood.
After all, he had already expected Seijuro Akashi to try to reunite [The Generation of Miracles].
But Atsushi Murasakibara had already been won over by him, so in the end, [The Generation of Miracles] still couldn't fully reunite.
The next day, a bombshell announcement shook basketball forums across Japan.
Teikō Middle School, which had dominated junior high basketball for three straight years, announced the establishment of Teikō High School!
And the Teikō High School roster included four members of [The Generation of Miracles]!
Their coach would also be the former Teikō Middle School coach, Kōzō Shirogane!
The moment the news broke, basketball forums across Japan erupted.
Everyone was talking about it.
Some people had already begun comparing Kirisaki Daiichi and Teikō High School.
But even after comparing the two, most still believed Kirisaki Daiichi had the advantage.
Then, while everyone was still discussing Teikō High School, an even bigger piece of news came out.
Only two schools from Japan would be allowed to qualify and represent Japan in China's National Basketball Tournament!
The forums exploded all over again.
Some fans even made bold declarations.
[The two schools that qualify will definitely be Kirisaki Daiichi and Teikō High School! If I'm wrong, I'll eat my words!]
...