Shigure Akihito cast a slightly odd glance at Nijimura Shuzo, wondering if this guy's vision ability was a little too sharp.
Even someone like Kuroko Tetsuya—born with an aura of low presence—had been instantly spotted by Nijimura's field of view. And not just him, but Haizaki Shōgo and Kagami Taiga as well. Wasn't this even sharper than Takao Kazunari's Hawk Eye?
On the court
Kiyoshi Teppei was in the middle of a warm exchange with the Teiko student who had suddenly appeared before them.
He truly admired the boy's perspective—his thoughts on talent, natural gifts, and how even the sheer act of relentless running could itself be considered a form of talent.
Even Hyūga Junpei, who Teppei thought would need a little more time before he would ever agree to join the basketball team, now looked shaken by the boy's words.
"That's right."
"Kuroko."
"Relentless running is a talent that everyone is born with. To chase them down, to turn it around and defeat them—that's truly cool!"
Hearing that, Kuroko scratched his head a little awkwardly.
"Actually…"
"…those are the exact words one of my Teiko seniors taught me."
"Eh?"
"That's amazing!"
"…Wait…"
"…Teiko Basketball Club?!"
Kiyoshi Teppei and Hyūga Junpei instantly widened their eyes. Measuring his height, his slim frame, they thought to themselves
Teiko, the powerhouse of powerhouses.
The team where winning was everything.
Was it really such an open-minded place?
"Um…"
"By the way, when you say 'senior,' who exactly do you mean?"
Hyūga clearly saw it: at the moment he asked the question, the ever-expressionless Kuroko Tetsuya suddenly revealed a faintly proud smile.
"It was Shigure Akihito-senpai, the strongest in junior high."
"…"
"Ehh…"
"EHH?!"
Hyūga gaped in shock.
Kiyoshi, however, stared hard at Kuroko all over again. Anyone who could be personally taught by Shigure Akihito would never be as simple as they looked.
Who was he really?
Not tall.
Blue-haired.
A third-year in middle school.
Same age as the Generation of Miracles…
Wait.
Kuroko Tetsuya?
"The phantom Sixth Man… of the Generation of Miracles."
Kiyoshi spoke aloud the answer that had formed in his mind.
The weight of those words made Hyūga's eyes go round.
"The… Generation of Miracles?!"
This guy?
You had to be kidding!
Even if he hadn't followed middle school basketball in detail, everyone knew of the Miracles. Just like Teiko's Twin Stars, even if you weren't paying attention, those names appeared in every basketball magazine, every write-up.
How could someone with such a low presence be one of them?
And besides
No matter how you looked, he had none of the aura of strength that radiated from someone like Kiyoshi.
"Ohhh~"
"So it's you~"
"The one who's rumored to vanish on the court!"
Before Hyūga could ask further, two rough voices suddenly cut through from the park court entrance.
"Hey…"
"Get out of the way."
"Hah?"
"What kinda bird language is that? I don't understand a word!"
"Hm?"
"That hairstyle of yours… you're from America, aren't you?"
"Clicking your tongue? You mocking my hair, split-eyebrow idiot?!"
"Split…? What…"
"…I'm talking about your eyebrows!"
Kiyoshi Teppei: "…"
Hyūga Junpei: "…"
Kuroko Tetsuya: "…"
"Haizaki, mocking someone's appearance is not a good thing." Kuroko finally spoke up, serious as always—and in doing so, managed to land a second blow on Kagami.
"See?" Haizaki smirked. "Even Tetsuya thinks your split eyebrows look weird."
"… …"
"In fact," Kuroko added flatly, "Haizaki's hair is pretty strange too. It was better back when it was gray." He glanced at Haizaki's messy black dreadlocks, a perfect deadpan critique.
"…Hah?"
BOOM!
With Haizaki's growl, the wild instinct within him surged forth!
The aura exploded—an overwhelming feral pressure that made even Kiyoshi, Hyūga, and Kagami see it: a gleaming, snarling gray wolf standing behind him, fangs bared!
Kiyoshi Teppei: "…"
So it's him.
The one he'd seen back at Nationals in their first year.
Couldn't recognize him after he dyed his hair black.
But yes
The Generation of Miracles' Haizaki Shōgo.
"What incredible wild instinct."
Yes… compared to the strange case of Kuroko Tetsuya, this was the kind of monster he had always imagined Teiko producing.
Third-year middle school… and already so overwhelmingly strong.
Hyūga Junpei: "…Another one…"
At that moment, Kuroko walked to Haizaki's side. His gaze immediately fell upon the red-haired boy standing opposite.
If Akashi's crimson hair was like a rose, then this boy's hair burned like pure flame.
And then
The second striking detail.
Just like Haizaki had said—his eyebrows. Split sharply at the ends. The more you looked, the more those eyebrows drew the eye, even more than the fiery hair itself.
Kagami Taiga: "…"
"Hey! You with the blue hair—what are you staring at?!"
Kagami scowled, brushing his eyebrow self-consciously. He felt these people had no manners at all. But to Haizaki, that split brow was what truly had no manners.
I'm saying
If you're not using the court, then move aside.
That alone wouldn't have been much of an issue. The problem was his tone. For someone like Haizaki, who'd been hanging around rough-and-tumble streetball courts, it had been a long time since anyone dared to bark at him like that.
I'm a Miracle…
And you dare provoke me?
BOOM!
BOOM!
The feral pressure deepened!
Hyūga Junpei: "…"
Totally ignored again. And to think—he and Kiyoshi were the actual high schoolers here.
But he couldn't deny it—even though his own golden hair was no less flashy than Kagami's, in the face of that overwhelming aura, he was utterly suppressed.
Damn it!
"Listen…"
"If you're not gonna play, then leave the court to those who will."
That arrogant voice rang out again—
And in the very next instant, Haizaki darted forward like lightning, snatching the ball straight out of Kagami's hands.
"If you can score one basket against me, I'll let you play all night!"
Kagami Taiga: "!?"
So fast!
END OF CHAPTER
CROWN BEFORE THE MIRACLES
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