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Today's opponent was Kadooka Junior High School.
Kadooka was also a basketball powerhouse.
Although their basketball team didn't have as many members as Teiko's, their starting lineup consisted of players who had shone brightly on the court last year.
Unfortunately, they had encountered Teiko.
The moment Ryu and the others emerged from the tunnel, a sudden roar of cheers erupted from the entire arena.
"Teiko... Teiko... Teiko... Teiko... Teiko..."
The sheer force of the chant made the Kadooka team on the other side sweat.
"Don't be nervous. We've made it to the semifinals; this is a symbol of our strength. We don't need to fear them. As long as we play steadily, Teiko is nothing."
Hearing their coach's encouragement, the Kadooka team was energized.
Little did they know, a long nightmare awaited them.
Whistle...
The referee blew the whistle to start the match.
Two hours later, the Kadooka team members hung their heads, their eyes filled with disbelief and despair.
Teiko had defeated Kadooka 132-23 and successfully advanced to the final.
Ryu received his corresponding reward.
Their next opponent was Rakuzan Junior High, their championship contender.
Rakuzan boasted a player nicknamed "Yaksha," whose real name was "Reo Mibuchi."
He also had a well-known nickname, "Reo-nee."
The entire Teiko team was fully prepared, ready for tomorrow's final battle.
...
Today is the final of the Summer League Junior High School Boys' Basketball Tournament.
A bustling crowd surged into the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
The stands for the final match were already packed with people, creating a vibrant and noisy scene.
On a certain street, inside a bus heading to the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, Midorima Shintaro, with his green hair, adjusted the bandage on his hand.
He remained silent throughout the journey.
The others tactfully refrained from disturbing him because today was his match against Mibuchi Reo.
It was also a duel for the title of Junior High School's No. 1 Shooter.
While Midorima Shintaro wasn't obsessed with the title of No. 1 Shooter, he firmly believed that no one could beat him at three-point shooting.
Mibuchi Reo would only be a stumbling block on his path to becoming stronger.
"That green-haired kid reminds me of someone."
Karupin, lying on Ryu's lap, suddenly transmitted his voice.
Hmm?
Ryu's closed eyes opened slightly.
"You mean Midorima?" His gaze swept over Midorima before he asked, "Who does he remind you of?"
Karupin replied, "Someone from my original world, also a guy with glasses. Both of them are very methodical in their work, and they are extremely skilled at controlling precision. I accidentally went to Ryoma's school and saw that guy's playing style."
"Oh, right, I remember your [Data Basketball] originated from him."
Hearing this, Ryu immediately thought of the person from his memory. "You mean Inui Sadaharu, right? Now that you mention it, they do look somewhat alike!"
As he spoke, Ryu fixed his gaze on Midorima. "Perhaps they are both skilled at calculation, just with different methods."
Ryu recalled Midorima's various actions and a sudden question arose in his mind.
Midorima Shintaro was a member of the Generation of Miracles.
The other four either possessed Zones or had flawless imitations.
Compared to them, Midorima seemed to have never even shown any wildness, which made him seem rather mediocre.
Was this all his talent amounted to, or was he hiding something?
"You suddenly brought him up; did you discover something?"
Karupin shifted his body to make himself more comfortable and then said, "The fact that you ask this means you also find it a bit strange!"
Ryu remained silent, tacitly agreeing.
Karupin continued, "It's obvious that the green-haired guy possesses the same talent as those three, but aside from his three-pointers, everything else he's shown is mediocre. While he's comparable to average players, that's about it. This is clearly far from being truly talented."
Ryu was silent for a moment, then glanced at Midorima Shintaro before speaking. "Perhaps that's how it is! Whether he's intentionally hiding his abilities or that's just his true strength, I just need to collect my cat food as usual. Once I open the three gates of the Selfless Realm, or awaken the Asura God Path, I will be invincible."
At the same time, an idea surged in his mind. 'I wonder if he has any otherworldly ball skills.'
Among the tennis skills and abilities shared by Karupin, only the Asura Path was mentioned; there was no information related to otherworldly techniques.
"By the way, Karupin, why haven't I seen any otherworldly techniques among all these?"
Hearing Ryu's question, Karupin shook his head. "I don't know either, but I have some guesses."
"Guesses?" Ryu asked quickly. "What guesses?"
Karupin thought for a moment, then said, "In our world, the Asura Path is also known as the 'Path of Hell.' It's a stage that requires experiencing numerous severe defeats, integrating that unwillingness and perseverance into the spirit of tennis, and undergoing hellish training. Only tennis players who have reached the advanced stage of the Asura Path can comprehend their own otherworldly techniques. I think basketball is probably similar. Otherworldly techniques are different for everyone. If you want to comprehend otherworldly techniques, you must first unlock the Asura Path."
Ryu nodded, seemingly understanding. 'So, does that mean otherworldly ball skills can only be mastered through self-cultivation?'
Thinking this, Ryu asked again, 'Karupin, in your world, which is stronger: the Selflessness Realm or the Asura Path?'
Karupin was taken aback; he hadn't expected Ryu to ask such a question.
However, it seemed he hadn't actually considered this question before.
After thinking for a moment, Karupin replied, 'I can't definitively say which is stronger; these two realms are completely opposite. The Selflessness Realm is about loving the sport to its extreme, while the Asura Path is about being reborn after hating the sport to its extreme.'
Hearing Karupin's explanation, Ryu didn't press further.
Since he couldn't decide which realm to choose, he'd just let nature take its course.
The bus arrived at the stadium while Ryu and Karupin were talking.
As expected, before anyone could even disembark, a large group of sports reporters surrounded them.
Cameras and microphones relentlessly targeted Ryu and his team.
This was nothing new.
To avoid affecting the players' pre-match mindset, the coaches and assistant coaches lured the reporters away.
Ryu and his team quickly disappeared into the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
The situation was similar for Rakuzan Middle School.
As a team that had reached the finals, they naturally attracted a lot of attention.
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