Duh!
Teiko's first game ends.
Against Heishi Middle School, the final score: 144–33, an absurd blowout.
In the fourth quarter, Nijimura Shuzo and the starters rested, letting freshmen, including Akashi Seijūrō, who sat once and then stepped back in, play the entire final period. As a result, Heishi scored their highest quarter points there:
1st quarter: 0
2nd quarter: 4
3rd quarter: 12
4th quarter: 17
They ended with 33 points total, mostly because Teiko's frenetic tempo created so many possessions. Otherwise, even reaching 30 would've been a struggle.
When the final buzzer sounded, the crowd stared, stunned, Teiko's dominance was almost surreal.
Even the bench alone could've condemned Heishi, and the starters, led by Nijimura and Nijimura, allowed just 4 points total in the first half.
Completely beyond belief!
Clap Clap clap
Only after both teams shook hands at center court did the audience come back to their senses and erupt into applause for this unparalleled performance.
"This year's Teiko is just overwhelmingly strong…"
"It's basically all freshmen and sophomores in the lineup, yet they seem stronger than last year."
"Well, that's mostly because Nijimura and Shuzo have grown even stronger."
"True…"
"But these Teiko freshmen are also legit monsters."
"No question, this championship is theirs."
Meanwhile, Heishi Middle School…
Their players staggered off the court in daze, eyes naturally drawn to the Teiko bench, not to the famed Twin Stars, but to the excited, colorful-haired freshmen who dominated the fourth quarter.
Their athleticism, skill, and unique styles all screamed future superstars.
One 10th-grader from Heishi, looking at his senior teammates' downcast faces, couldn't hold back.
"Those… monsters…"
"Who can beat them?"
Heishi's captain shook his head. He had the words on his lips but couldn't speak them.
He wanted to say: "No one wins forever."
Yet, looking at Teiko, he wasn't so sure anymore.
After all, that side was basically a summit of talent, some were already beasts, others were still growing.
He drew a breath.
Honestly, once the game ended, he did breathe a sigh of relief. Reflecting on the performance, there was little to regret, it was simply a case of being outclassed.
"Everyone…"
"Didn't you play with everything you've got?"
"If you showed what you worked for, there's nothing to regret."
Their coach's voice reached him, and he looked up to see his teammates nodding with bittersweet smiles.
It was… a pity. For many, their middle school basketball journey ended here, pulled out in the first round by Teiko.
Three years of effort, just like Nijimura Shuzo said,
Perseverance and hard work…
Just so unfortunate they didn't pay off.
Talent, huh…
He glanced toward Teiko, full of envy.
Actually… playing with talent isn't a bad thing.
The cheers for Nijimura and Shuzo still echoed in the stands as the Teiko players exited. Shuzo remained cool and distant, but Nijimura waved, soaking in the applause, and his smile grew more genuine thinking of the newly awarded "player coins."
Since last year's All-Japan tournament, Nijimura had only earned serious resources from the Ten-School Tournament, where rewards were items like Talent Cards, not player coins. That's why the player list went a whole year without updates.
This All-Japan tournament was perfect timing:
Back-to-back All-Japan champion
Order within the Teiko Twin Stars
Tasks that final here, along with the player-coin reward just for winning, got him excited. Despite the weak opponents, everything else was satisfying.
"Now that I'm a sophomore..."
When the Miracle Generation bloomed, Aomine did it during his 2nd-year All-Japan; others at the tail end of 2nd-year.
Finish this tournament, get even stronger, and he'd be way ahead, almost on par with the original Miracle Generation timeline.
The Legendary Player reward from the double crown task,
"Time to take off."
He turned to Shuzo and Coach Shirogane with that confident smile.
But then,
"Damn it!"
"What're you doing?!"
Several reporters and camerapersons rushed from the tunnel as Teiko players emerged.
One reporter shoved past Haizaki Shōgo and landed on Nijimura Shuzo.
"Shigure-san!"
"Got time for an interview?"
"How do you feel about the nickname 'The Technician'?"
"What are Teiko's goals this year?"
"Tell us about your team's level…"
Aomine Daiki stared, astonished. He leaned toward Midorima Shintarō and murmured,
"Wow… does Nijimura-senpai really have that much fame?"
Midorima gave him a look.
"Of course. Nijimura and Shuzo are unquestionably the top of middle-school basketball this year.
Maybe the only suspense is which of the two is stronger, rather than the championship."
Aomine looked puzzled.
"Nijimura must be stronger, though? Why compare them?"
Midorima rolled his eyes. Though he thought the same inside, the way they reached conclusions, well,
"I can't communicate with someone whose mind's stuck on 1v1."
"Huh? No way."
After that intense game on the field, that influence subtly changed Aomine.
"My passing's as good as Shuzo's!"
"!?"
"You didn't see? I can bait the help defense like Shuzo, then hit the open man."
"Heh"
He sighed.
"Guys stuck in 1v1 mode only see 1v1."
Midorima glared down at Aomine, who turned dark.
But then he said confidently,
"I score more than you, Midorima."
"More than Haizaki and Murasakibara too"
"Let's be precise"
"My scoring ranks just behind Nijimura-senpai and Shuzo!"
Murasakibara: "?"
Haizaki: "!"
Midorima: "…"
Upon hearing that, the other freshmen stared. Everyone except Akashi, the point guard, frowned. Akashi didn't want to admit it, but Aomine's offense was…
"Ah?!"
Aomine suddenly gasped.
Reporters had picked up on it too: Teiko's freshmen were more than hype, they had depth.
Soon, drenched in sweat, Aomine looked at Akashi, unperturbed amid reporters, and watched as Shuzo glanced curiously toward him.
Meanwhile, Midorima tensed, frowning under his lucky glasses.
The real frustration?
Murasakibara and Haizaki had stealthily climbed onto the stands, one eating snacks, the other leaning mischievously on the rail.
"Black-skinned idiot"
Aomine: "…"
Those two!
When the heck did they sneak up there?!
And not even with me!
End of chapter...
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