Chapter 236 - 242

Chapter 236: Taking Aim

Meanwhile, the players from Kirisaki Daiichi also began entering the court.

Led by Miyamoto, they walked in slowly.

As Miyamoto, Atsushi Murasakibara, Dicky Anthony, and the others stepped onto the court, the crowd burst into admiration once again.

“Man, the Kirisaki Daiichi players are tall too—maybe even taller than Yōsen!”

“Now that you mention it, that’s actually true. Especially the purple-haired guy and that foreigner—they look ridiculously tall.”

“Even [Magic Cube] isn’t bad. He looks close to two meters himself, right?”

Watching the imposing Kirisaki Daiichi lineup, the Yōsen players’ expressions gradually turned serious.

But when they saw Atsushi Murasakibara and Tatsuya Himuro, anger surged in their hearts once again.

“Damn it!”

At that moment, they had all made their decision.

Fight!

Fight Kirisaki Daiichi?

No!

Fight Atsushi Murasakibara and Tatsuya Himuro?

Yes!

Every player from Yōsen had already decided—winning this match didn’t matter anymore.

All they needed to do was completely shut down Atsushi Murasakibara and Tatsuya Himuro.

The game could be lost…

But those two had to go down!

During warm-ups, Miyamoto noticed the furious glares coming from the Yōsen players.

But after a moment, he realized something.

Those angry stares seemed to be directed only at Atsushi Murasakibara and Tatsuya Himuro.

At that moment, Masako Araki walked over, holding her wooden sword.

Shogo Haizaki and Makoto Hanamiya immediately stepped closer. If the woman tried anything suspicious, the two of them would act instantly.

However, Masako Araki had no intention of causing trouble. She looked at Miyamoto and said:

“I need to talk to you about something. Can we step aside for a moment?”

Miyamoto glanced at Satsuki Momoi. Seeing her simply smile and nod, he followed.

Masako Araki led him to the side and lowered her voice.

“Can you do me a favor?”

“Put both Atsushi Murasakibara and Tatsuya Himuro on the court.”

Miyamoto paused, then replied flatly:

“Why should I?”

Masako Araki froze, then her expression darkened with anger.

If she didn’t know Miyamoto’s background, she would’ve already swung her sword at him. Why else would she bother pulling him aside to talk?

Miyamoto waved a hand.

“If that’s all, I’m going back to warm up.”

He turned to leave.

Feeling both humiliated and furious, Masako Araki immediately blurted out:

“If you agree, I’ll work for you!”

Right now, she just wanted to see Atsushi Murasakibara and Tatsuya Himuro suffer.

She was completely blinded by anger.

To her, betrayal from subordinates was absolutely unforgivable.

Miyamoto stopped mid-step and glanced back at her.

“You’ll work for me? Don’t take this the wrong way, but what exactly are you capable of doing?”

Masako Araki had never been questioned like this before. After all, she was a female athlete who had represented Japan in international competitions.

She immediately listed her background and abilities.

Just when she thought Miyamoto would agree, he spoke again.

“I’ll have to ask Murasakibara and Himuro what they think.”

After saying that, he turned and walked away.

Leaving Masako Araki standing there alone, stomping her foot in frustration.

Miyamoto returned to the court and asked the two for their opinions. After confirming that both of them wanted to play, he stopped asking further questions and began arranging the starting lineup.

Center: Atsushi Murasakibara
Power Forward: Shuzo Nijimura
Small Forward: Shogo Haizaki
Shooting Guard: Tatsuya Himuro
Point Guard: Miyamoto

Dicky Anthony had no objections at all.

After all, he hadn’t slept well the night before, so getting some rest on the bench sounded pretty good.

As time passed, the game officially began.

After a brief sportsmanlike exchange between both teams,

Atsushi Murasakibara slowly strolled toward the center line to prepare for the tip-off.

Kenichi Okamura walked to the center line with an angry expression, glaring viciously at Atsushi Murasakibara as if he wanted to devour him alive.

But Atsushi Murasakibara completely ignored the hostility.

He even greeted him.

“Hey there.”

A vein instantly throbbed on Kenichi Okamura’s forehead.

“Hey there?”

Hey there my ass!

The referee stepped between them, holding the ball in one hand before tossing it into the air.

Atsushi Murasakibara and Kenichi Okamura jumped at the same time.

Then…

Atsushi Murasakibara easily won the tip.

Miyamoto caught the ball, and in the next instant—

Whoosh!!! Whoosh!!! Whoosh!!!

Ripples suddenly spread out beneath Miyamoto’s feet, sweeping across the entire court in an instant.

The Yōsen players all paused, their movements briefly stiffening.

They knew about Miyamoto’s ability, but actually facing it still felt unsettling.

Kensuke Fukui struggled to regain control of his body and muttered:

“That ability really is terrifying…”

While the players were still momentarily frozen, Miyamoto moved.

With a quick flick of his right hand, the basketball shot forward like a streak of white light, cutting across the entire court before landing in Shogo Haizaki’s hands.

Haizaki trusted Atsushi Murasakibara completely.

So during the jump ball, he had already sprinted toward the baseline.

After receiving the pass there, Haizaki lightly pushed off with his toes and released the ball with his right hand.

The ball dropped cleanly through the hoop.

Swish!

Three points.

Possession switched.

Yōsen High School’s point guard was Kensuke Fukui.

The moment he dribbled past half-court, he immediately felt the pressure radiating from Miyamoto.

Cold sweat instantly appeared on his forehead.

Shock filled his mind.

Just standing there already creates this much pressure?

What a monster.

Fukui didn’t dare move forward any further. He stopped near the center line and began scanning the court.

Anyone who didn’t know better might think he was preparing to shoot from midcourt.

To play it safe, Wei Liu ran out to receive the pass.

After catching the pass, Wei Liu dribbled to the three-point arc, then quickly swung the ball inside to Kenichi Okamura in the paint.

Kenichi Okamura caught it in the paint with his back to the basket.

Behind him, Atsushi Murasakibara took a defensive stance.

A faint but oppressive aura spread from Murasakibara’s body.

Kenichi Okamura immediately felt the pressure.

Damn it… when did this kid’s presence get this strong?

But he had no intention of backing down.

He immediately pounded the ball and started backing down, trying to carve out enough space for a shot.

But who was Atsushi Murasakibara?

He was the man who had gone head-to-head with Jason Silver in the Zone!

Kenichi Okamura trying to bully him in the post?

What kind of joke was that?

Okamura slammed his shoulder in with full force—

And then…

Nothing happened.

His post-up didn’t even make Murasakibara budge a single step.

At that moment, Kenichi Okamura finally realized something.

Atsushi Murasakibara’s strength had already grown to a terrifying level.

So he made a decision.

Two-man play!

Okamura shot Wei Liu a glance, and Wei Liu immediately understood, cutting into the paint.

He quickly set a screen inside.

Using the pick, Okamura burst toward the basket.

Just as he jumped up to dunk—

Suddenly, rapid footsteps sounded behind him.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Then Wei Liu’s voice rang out in alarm.

“Watch out!!!”

...

Chapter 237: Shock! Two Idiots Show Up on the Court!!!

Atsushi Murasakibara instantly slipped past the screen and rushed straight to the basket.

It should be noted that Atsushi Murasakibara’s mobility is also incredibly terrifying.

After all, in the original story it was stated that everything inside the three-point line falls within Atsushi Murasakibara’s defensive range!

That alone shows just how frightening his defensive mobility is.

Atsushi Murasakibara leaped up from behind Kenichi Okamura and smacked the ball away with a single palm.

“Beep! Out of bounds! Yōsen High School ball.”

Thud!!!

Kenichi Okamura crashed heavily onto the floor, his face full of shock.

After landing, Atsushi Murasakibara extended a hand and said blankly:

“Here.”

Kenichi Okamura clenched his teeth, turned his head away, ignored the offered hand, and stood up on his own.

Then he jogged to the sideline to prepare for the inbound.

Atsushi Murasakibara scratched his head, completely confused. Even now, he still didn’t understand why Kenichi Okamura was treating him like this.

Tatsuya Himuro, on the other hand, had known the reason all along—but there was nothing anyone could do about it.

After all... you can’t stop someone from moving to a better place, right?

The game continued.

Kenichi Okamura tossed the ball to Wei Liu, then immediately charged into the paint.

Wei Liu turned and jumped as if to shoot.

Atsushi Murasakibara immediately lunged forward to block.

Seeing this, Wei Liu suddenly pulled the shot back and fired a bounce pass to Kenichi Okamura.

Kenichi Okamura caught the ball and jumped on the spot, preparing for a two-handed dunk.

But to his shock—

Atsushi Murasakibara had already rushed over!!!

And in midair, he forcefully stuffed the dunk attempt right back down!

Kenichi Okamura was completely stunned.

Are you some kind of flying human?!

After gaining possession, Atsushi Murasakibara passed the ball to the nearest player—Shuzo Nijimura.

Nijimura had originally been watching from the side, curious to see how Murasakibara would deal with his “former team.”

But he hadn’t expected Murasakibara to show absolutely no mercy—blocking two shots in a row.

Feeling a bit mischievous, Nijimura suddenly passed the ball to Tatsuya Himuro.

Then he looked at Himuro with a teasing smile.

Tatsuya Himuro felt like crying.

Nijimura, you set me up!!!

(Dicky Anthony: Why does this feel familiar?!)

Still, after receiving the ball, Himuro didn’t hesitate and immediately sprinted toward the frontcourt.

Shogo Haizaki sprinted alongside him.

The two of them charged forward together.

Behind them, Miyamoto and Shuzo Nijimura watched the scene with smiles and started chatting casually.

“Youth really is nice.”

“Nijimura-senpai, you’re only a year older though, right?”

“Older is older!”

Frontcourt.

Yōsen’s small forward managed to keep up with Tatsuya Himuro’s pace.

But the player farthest ahead was Shogo Haizaki.

Haizaki’s speed surpassed both of them, putting him in the lead.

Naturally, Himuro wasn’t going to waste such a scoring opportunity and passed the ball forward.

Haizaki caught it and prepared to go for the layup.

The Yōsen small forward knew he couldn’t catch up, so he slowed down and gave up the chase.

But just as the Yōsen defender gave up and Himuro relaxed his guard—

Something unexpected happened...

Haizaki, who should have been finishing the layup, suddenly flung the ball backward.

The pass smacked straight into Himuro’s chest and bounced directly into the Yōsen small forward’s hands.

For a moment, the entire court fell silent.

Tatsuya Himuro stood there completely stunned, eyes wide.

The Yōsen small forward was just as confused.

Who am I?

Where am I?

Why is the ball back here?

Oh—damn! The ball!

In the next second, the Yōsen small forward snapped out of it and charged toward Kirisaki Daiichi’s basket.

Even Miyamoto and Nijimura, who had been casually watching, were stunned.

What the hell?

He passed instead of taking a wide-open layup?!

Nijimura cursed.

“What the hell, did that idiot Haizaki leave his brain at home?”

“And Himuro too—he actually spaced out!”

Miyamoto rubbed his forehead helplessly.

“Unbelievable… the two idiots are right on my team.”

On the other side, Himuro was still stunned. Instead of running back on defense, he demanded:

“Haizaki, why didn’t you take the layup?!”

Haizaki scratched his head awkwardly.

His original intention had been to pass the ball back so Himuro could take a three-pointer, but he hadn’t expected Himuro to be spacing out.

“I was trying to pass it to you for a three! Why were you zoning out?”

“You—!”

Himuro started to argue, but swallowed the words.

Because the truth was, both of them shared the blame.

One assumed the other was focused and tried to set up a three-point assist.

The other assumed the play would be finished with a layup and was already getting ready to celebrate.

Honestly, if even one of them had been thinking straight, that possession would never have been lost.

On the court.

Yōsen’s small forward pushed the fast break.

He quickly reached the three-point line. Facing Nijimura’s defense, he immediately passed to the wide-open Kensuke Fukui.

Fukui caught the ball and jumped to shoot.

But Miyamoto suddenly appeared.

He leaped high into the air, completely sealing off Fukui’s shooting lane.

Fukui gritted his teeth and hurriedly dumped the ball downward.

Wei Liu barely managed to grab the pass and immediately jumped for a shot.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Atsushi Murasakibara appeared instantly, completely blocking Wei Liu’s shooting angle.

With no other choice, Wei Liu passed to Kenichi Okamura.

Okamura immediately jumped for a dunk.

Murasakibara was about to go for the block again, but Yōsen’s small forward stepped in.

He moved in early and held Murasakibara back.

Nijimura tried to rotate over to help defend but was stopped by Yōsen’s point guard.

In the end, Kenichi Okamura slammed the ball through the hoop for two points.

When Haizaki and Himuro returned, Murasakibara looked displeased.

“What were you two just—”

Before he could finish, Haizaki raised one finger.

“A big meal.”

Murasakibara instantly closed his mouth.

One sentence for a meal—what a bargain.

Just as Haizaki breathed a sigh of relief, Nijimura’s voice rang out again.

“Murasakibara can be bought off with food. What about me?”

Nijimura looked at Haizaki with a teasing smile that made his skin crawl.

With no other choice, Haizaki accepted his fate.

In the end, both Haizaki and Himuro received their “reward”—ten laps after the game.

Only then was the matter settled.

Possession changed.

Kirisaki Daiichi ball.

Miyamoto slowly dribbled the ball forward, step by step toward the frontcourt.

With each step he took, his presence grew stronger.

Every step. Every dribble.

It felt like a hammer striking the hearts of the Yōsen players.

The pressure was overwhelming.

Kenichi Okamura was drenched in sweat. He had never felt such terrifying pressure from a single player before.

This feeling...

was truly...

so cool—no, so terrifying!

...

Chapter 238: This Kid Is Ridiculous

A suffocating aura spread across the entire arena, and the court gradually fell into an eerie silence.

Off the court.

Cold sweat ran down Taiga Kagami’s forehead. In his mind, he had already been shocked ten thousand times over.

Because even from the stands, he could feel that oppressive aura.

“What the hell is this? How can someone have such overwhelming pressure?”

Junpei Hyuga’s expression was grim as well. The aura Miyamoto was giving off felt strangely familiar.

“It feels… kind of like Animal Instinct. But why would Animal Instinct produce this kind of terrifying pressure?”

Shinji Koganei trembled as he spoke.

“And Animal Instinct is supposed to be obvious, right? But Miyamoto doesn’t look like he’s entered Animal Instinct at all.”

For a moment, the entire Seirin group was filled with confusion, unable to understand what exactly was happening.

Over on Shūtoku’s side.

Shintaro Midorima’s eyes sharpened as he silently muttered to himself.

‘Miyamoto… could it be your Animal Instinct is like mine? Something fused into your body—an instinct that belongs only to you?’

On the court.

The Yōsen players were visibly shaken as they looked at Miyamoto.

In their eyes, a thick black mist seemed to surround his body. Within that mist, faint red glimmers flickered, creating a deeply unsettling feeling.

Strangely enough, it seemed that only the players on the court could see it. Those off the court couldn’t see anything at all.

For example, Masako Araki had no idea what was happening. She only knew that her entire team suddenly seemed frozen in place.

As if their courage had completely collapsed.

On the court.

It wasn’t just Yōsen who were stunned—even the Kirisaki Daiichi players were shocked.

Shuzo Nijimura swallowed nervously, sweat forming on his forehead.

“Good thing he’s on our side. If he were the opponent, I’d have a real headache.”

Miyamoto slowly dribbled the ball forward until he stood in front of Kensuke Fukui, looking down at him with clear disdain in his eyes.

Instantly, an overwhelming pressure swept over Fukui’s entire body, making him tremble involuntarily.

Miyamoto didn’t pay him much attention.

After all, why bother with someone who posed no threat?

While scanning the court to check his teammates’ positions, Miyamoto suddenly realized something.

Every single one of his teammates was wide open.

In that case, Miyamoto—who claimed to suffer from decision paralysis—made a quick decision.

He’d just shoot it himself.

Too many options?

Then I won’t choose at all.

Without any unnecessary moves, Miyamoto gathered the ball and rose straight into a jump shot from where he stood.

The motion was clean and effortless.

Standing right in front of him, Fukui didn’t even react in time. He could only stare blankly as Miyamoto shot the ball right in his face.

And…

It went in.

After scoring, Miyamoto calmly turned and ran back on defense.

The suffocating pressure that had filled the court vanished instantly.

The invisible weight pressing down on the Yōsen players slowly lifted.

Kenichi Okamura took several deep breaths and muttered in a low voice:

“What kind of monster is this…? He’s so strong it feels like he doesn’t belong in this world.”

Kensuke Fukui wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and spoke like someone who had just escaped death.

“You guys had it easy. When he stood in front of me, I felt like I was about to meet my ancestors.”

Yōsen’s small forward hesitated before asking:

“So… are we still targeting them?”

Kenichi Okamura fell silent.

Kensuke Fukui also remained silent.

After exactly two and a half seconds of silence, Okamura clenched his teeth.

“We’re doing it! I still can’t swallow the way those two left us!”

Fukui gritted his teeth as well.

“Let’s go!”

Wei Liu simply shrugged.

“I’m fine with it.”

Possession switched.

Fukui dribbled the ball to midcourt but refused to move forward any further. The pressure coming from Miyamoto was simply too overwhelming.

So Wei Liu stepped up and took over playmaking duties.

It could be said that in this game, Wei Liu was doing absolutely everything.

On offense, he had to organize the attack, set screens, and coordinate passes.

On defense, he had to help rotate, box out, and grab rebounds.

All the dirty work had basically fallen on his shoulders.

Wei Liu dribbled to the top of the three-point arc. Facing Shuzo Nijimura, he still felt a bit of pressure.

After all, Nijimura wasn’t someone to underestimate.

The title of No.1 power forward in middle school wasn’t just for show.

However, Wei Liu had no intention of taking Nijimura head-on. After all, their target in this game was Atsushi Murasakibara and Tatsuya Himuro.

So he lobbed the ball high into the paint.

Kenichi Okamura caught it.

But instead of attacking immediately, he waited.

He was waiting for Wei Liu to help.

As Wei Liu cut toward the basket, Yōsen’s shooting guard immediately came over to set a screen.

To keep the play flowing, Tatsuya Himuro stepped forward to follow Wei Liu.

At that moment, both Himuro and Murasakibara were pulled into the paint.

Seeing the opportunity, Okamura immediately turned and tried to drive.

Murasakibara reacted instantly and blocked his path.

Without hesitation, Okamura passed the ball to Wei Liu.

After receiving it, Wei Liu used a bit of body contact, then leaned back on one leg and launched the shot.

Facing Wei Liu—who was much taller and using a one-legged fadeaway—Himuro had no choice but to give up contesting it.

Murasakibara tried to help defend.

But Okamura stepped in front of him.

“Kid, you think you can fly all over the court?”

There was nothing Murasakibara could do. It was simply too late.

He could only watch as Wei Liu’s shot dropped through the basket.

Swish!

In truth, limiting Murasakibara’s defense inside the three-point line was simple.

All it took was one player setting a screen to slow him down. Even if Murasakibara could still run over, sometimes he simply wouldn’t make it in time.

Yet somehow, in the original story, Seirin never used such a simple method.

Instead, they had to give Taiga Kagami a power-up—and even had Tetsuya Kuroko suddenly explode with strength to block Murasakibara’s standing shot.

Seriously.

Murasakibara is over two meters tall. Even if he shoots slightly crouched, his release point is still well above two meters.

And Kuroko actually jumped up and blocked that?

Kid, that’s just ridiculous.

Possession switched again.

Kirisaki Daiichi ball.

This time, the moment Miyamoto received the pass, he immediately sent it to Tatsuya Himuro, who was already moving up the court.

Himuro looked at Miyamoto with confusion.

Miyamoto simply smiled.

“Go get it back.”

Himuro’s lips curved slightly upward.

“Understood, Captain.”

With that, he dribbled toward the frontcourt.

Facing the defense of Yōsen’s shooting guard, Himuro used a few quick fakes and easily blew past him.

After breaking through, he immediately jumped to shoot.

“HIMURO!!!”

Kenichi Okamura roared as he charged forward, looking ready to swat the shot into the ground.

...

Chapter 239: My Friend! I Just Came to Catch Up!

Tatsuya Himuro’s lips curled upward, as if everything had gone exactly as he expected.

With Kenichi Okamura pressing right into him, he released the shot.

Okamura’s face lit up with excitement.

Hahaha, Himuro! I’m sending that shot flying!

Just as Okamura imagined himself swatting the ball away, something bizarre happened.

The basketball Himuro had released… passed straight through Okamura’s hand.

Okamura’s expression changed instantly.

“It… it went through?!”

Kensuke Fukui’s mouth fell open in disbelief.

“How is that even possible? Since when does a basketball pass through someone’s hand? Are we playing basketball or filming a horror movie?!”

Swish!

Under everyone’s stunned gaze, the ball dropped cleanly through the hoop.

For a moment, the entire court fell silent.

Then the sidelines erupted into loud discussions.

On Seirin’s side—

Junpei Hyuga shouted:

“Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How could a basketball pass through someone’s hand?!”

Shinji Koganei added,

“Exactly! This is basketball, not some supernatural trick!”

Just as everyone stood there completely confused, Taiga Kagami spoke.

“Mirage Shot.”

Everyone exclaimed at once.

“Mirage Shot?!”

Kagami nodded and began explaining.

“That move was created by my mentor. It’s one of the two ultimate techniques he talked about.”

Hyuga looked puzzled.

“Wait—Kagami, you actually have a mentor? And if your mentor created it, then that means the person who used it…”

Kagami’s expression darkened slightly, as if recalling a painful memory.

“Yeah. The one on the court right now is Tatsuya Himuro. He trained under the same mentor as me… and he’s someone who was like an older brother to me.”

The entire Seirin team gasped.

“What?! Like an older brother?!” they shouted in unison.

Koganei looked confused and continued asking.

“Then Kagami… if he was that close to you, why didn’t he come find you? Why join Kirisaki Daiichi instead?”

Kagami’s voice grew heavy, tinged with sadness.

“We… had a falling out.”

For a moment, no one from Seirin knew what to say. They could only offer Kagami a few words of comfort.

After that, Kagami briefly told them the story.

(Basically, Himuro was the one who guided Kagami at the beginning, and Himuro was originally much stronger.)

(But Kagami possessed talent on the level of the Generation of Miracles.)

(His potential exploded, eventually surpassing Himuro.)

(Himuro, unable to accept it, challenged Kagami to a one-on-one. He said only the winner deserved to keep that “older brother” role between them.)

(Kagami valued their bond deeply and held back.)

(Himuro saw through it immediately and cut ties with him.)

(And just like that, the two went their separate ways.)

On the court.

Although the Yōsen players were shocked, it didn’t stop them from continuing their plan.

After all, they never intended to win this game.

They only wanted to target Tatsuya Himuro and Atsushi Murasakibara.

Himuro was easier to deal with.

All they had to do was one thing.

Play physical.

You think Himuro’s body is strong?

Then let him try going head-to-head with Kenichi Okamura!

Being strong only matters relative to your own position. Once there’s a mismatch, the difference in size becomes overwhelming.

What good is your strength then?

You’re not Miyamoto.

So Okamura made up his mind.

I’ll deal with you first, Himuro.

As for Murasakibara…

I’ll let you off for now.

“Wei Liu! Go! Box out Murasakibara!”

Wei Liu: “…Nice.”

On the next possession.

Okamura moved to the shooting guard position, took a handoff pass, and immediately matched up against Himuro.

Himuro seemed to understand what Okamura intended and gave a bitter smile.

“Okamura-senpai, there’s really no need to go this far, is there?”

Okamura replied immediately.

“Quiet! I’m starting the post-up!”

Himuro still tried to reason with him.

“There’s really no need for this.”

Okamura replied firmly,

“I don’t want to waste any more words! Prepare yourself!”

Himuro paused, then said,

“I could introduce you to a few underclassmen girls.”

Okamura suddenly changed tone.

“My friend, don’t misunderstand. I just wanted to catch up with you.”

After saying that, Okamura passed the ball into the paint to Wei Liu, then turned back toward Himuro.

“My friend, shall we talk a bit?”

Himuro’s mouth twitched, but he nodded.

Meanwhile, under the basket, Wei Liu stood there completely stunned.

Wait… weren’t we supposed to target Himuro?

Why are we attacking Murasakibara now?

And I’m the one taking the shot?

Atsushi Murasakibara lowered into a defensive stance, calmly waiting for Wei Liu to attack.

Wei Liu looked at the ball in his hands.

Then he looked at Murasakibara.

He fell silent.

What do you do when your teammate betrays you mid-play?

Waiting online. Urgent.

In the end, Wei Liu forced himself to attack.

He spun twice in quick succession, then stepped back and took the shot.

And…

It got blocked.

Murasakibara swatted the ball away.

The ball flew through the air and smacked directly into Okamura’s head.

Okamura scratched his head casually, then continued chatting with Himuro as if nothing had happened.

At that moment, all grudges vanished.

What?

You say Himuro is a traitor?

Nonsense!

He just went out to improve himself. Of course I support that!

You say Himuro is ungrateful?

Nonsense!

Would an ungrateful person help arrange my future marriage?

This matter shall not be mentioned again!

Finally, Masako Araki called a timeout.

She immediately stepped onto the court and unleashed a series of “family sword techniques” on Okamura.

Only after that did Okamura finally come to his senses.

And just like that—

the alliance against Atsushi Murasakibara was reestablished.

What?

Himuro got left out?

Let’s not talk about that.

Possession changed.

This time, Shuzo Nijimura handled the offense.

Facing Wei Liu’s defense, Nijimura didn’t even bother increasing his speed. He simply used his rhythm and experience to slip past him with ease.

Then he calmly knocked down the shot.

Matches are the fastest way for players to grow.

Possession switched again.

This time, Okamura attacked together with Wei Liu and Kensuke Fukui.

The three of them targeted Murasakibara.

In the end, Wei Liu finished the possession with a one-legged fadeaway.

In the following possessions, Yōsen kept focusing their offense on Murasakibara.

Their three-man coordination and screens gradually began to irritate him.

Finally, during one possession, Murasakibara muttered under his breath:

“How annoying…”

...

Chapter 240: Damn It! We’re Screwed!

Atsushi Murasakibara looked a little irritated, so when it was time to attack, he raised his hand and called for the ball.

Miyamoto didn’t overthink it and passed the ball straight to him.

The moment Murasakibara caught it, Wei Liu and Kenichi Okamura immediately closed in, double-teaming him to apply pressure.

Murasakibara was already annoyed from being targeted over the past few possessions, and now they were pulling the same stunt again.

Even the calmest person has a breaking point.

So Murasakibara snapped.

“ROAR!!!”

In his anger, Murasakibara unleashed his Animal Instinct.

A massive, ferocious bear seemed to appear behind him, radiating an overwhelming sense of pressure.

Instantly, both Okamura and Wei Liu felt as if they were being stared down by a savage beast.

A thought involuntarily surfaced in Okamura’s mind.

We’re screwed… we’re totally screwed!

The next second—

With his back to the basket, the enraged Murasakibara planted his feet as rings of white air burst outward beneath him. He leapt straight up and spun 180 degrees in midair.

The sheer force of the movement pushed Okamura and Wei Liu stumbling backward.

A fierce light flashed in Murasakibara’s eyes as the giant bear behind him beat its chest and roared.

Thor’s Hammer!!!

BOOM!!!

Crack… crack…

The rim shook violently, letting out a metallic wail.

Murasakibara landed slowly, but the rim kept trembling.

Wei Liu’s pupils shook as he suddenly realized something was wrong.

The backboard was shaking more and more violently, as if crying out in its final moments.

Seeing this, Wei Liu shouted:

“Run!!!”

He grabbed Okamura and pulled him away from the basket support.

Murasakibara quietly stepped back two steps.

The next second—

The violently shaking hoop collapsed.

BOOM!!!

The basket structure crashed onto the court with a thunderous sound.

The entire arena fell silent.

Over on Seirin’s side—

Junpei Hyuga’s mouth hung wide open—big enough to fit an apple—as he muttered in disbelief:

“A… a monster… He even destroyed the hoop…”

Shun Izuki swallowed hard. Normally the one cracking dry jokes, he couldn’t think of a single thing to say.

Riko Aida looked utterly shocked. She knew Murasakibara’s stats were outrageous, but she never imagined they were outrageous to this degree.

Over on Shūtoku’s side—

Shintaro Midorima clenched the mascot in his hand tightly, his expression turning serious.

Kazunari Takao rubbed his eyes repeatedly, afraid he had seen it wrong.

“No way… he shattered the hoop? What kind of monster is that?!”

Because the basket had broken, the game had to be paused.

The referees and staff had no idea how to deal with the situation.

Although this was the national tournament, something like this had never happened before, and none of the courts had spare hoops prepared.

It seemed the match might end right there.

At that moment, Miyamoto stepped forward. After speaking with the referee, he went to make a phone call.

That’s right—Miyamoto arranged for someone to come repair the hoop. Of course, that would take some time.

So both teams left the court to rest.

As the players rested, the discussions in the stands grew louder and louder.

Over on Kaijō’s side—

Ryota Kise sighed helplessly. Ever since the game started, the wry smile on his face hadn’t disappeared.

Terrifying.

Absolutely terrifying.

Murasakibara’s power had completely shocked him. Kise never expected Murasakibara to grow to such a level.

Over on Tōō’s side—

Daiki Aomine sat with his fingers interlocked, his expression unusually serious.

The rest of the Tōō players also looked serious.

After all, their next opponent would be decided by this very match.

And that opponent would be Kirisaki Daiichi.

Under Miyamoto’s arrangements, maintenance staff quickly arrived and replaced the hoop.

Once the new hoop was installed, the match resumed.

After both teams returned to the court, it was obvious that Yōsen still hadn’t recovered from the shock.

What had just happened was simply too overwhelming.

Some of the Yōsen players even looked at Murasakibara differently now.

Clearly, their fighting spirit had been shattered by that dunk.

In the stands, Midorima saw this and immediately stood up.

Takao asked in confusion:

“Shintaro, what’s wrong?”

Midorima replied calmly:

“There’s no need to keep watching. Yōsen has already given up. Let’s go prepare for the next game. Our next opponent is Rakuzan.”

With that, Midorima turned and left without another glance.

The rest of the Shūtoku players also stood up and followed him out.

It wasn’t just Midorima who left.

Aomine also stood up and led the entire Tōō team away.

Their next opponent was Kirisaki Daiichi.

Just as everyone expected, Yōsen stopped targeting anyone.

Because there was no point anymore.

The score gap was already huge, and now they had lost the will to keep fighting.

Naturally, the game fell apart.

Kirisaki Daiichi pushed hard for one quarter, widening the lead before sending in their second lineup.

Yōsen also swapped out all five starters for their bench players, openly signaling their surrender.

After the game, Masako Araki approached Miyamoto.

“I will keep my promise.”

Miyamoto nodded and led the Kirisaki Daiichi players away from the court.

After changing clothes, Murasakibara and Himuro came to find Miyamoto together.

“Miyamoto, Himuro and I want to go take a look.”

Miyamoto naturally knew where they wanted to go, so he nodded in agreement.

The two of them then ran to Yōsen’s locker room.

At first, the Yōsen players didn’t give them very friendly looks.

But after Himuro said something—no one knew exactly what—their attitude instantly changed.

It flipped a full one hundred and eighty degrees.

They immediately dragged Himuro and Murasakibara out to treat them to a big meal.

Miyamoto smiled helplessly, finding the whole situation rather absurd.

His players had just crushed the opposing team…

And now that same team was inviting them out to dinner?

Afterward, Miyamoto took the remaining Kirisaki Daiichi players out for a meal before heading back.

...

That night.

Inside Shūtoku’s basketball gym, the lights were still on.

From inside, the sound of basketballs swishing through the net echoed repeatedly.

“Shintaro, is that Akashi guy really that scary?”

Takao asked while picking up the ball under the basket.

Midorima caught the ball and shot it.

Then, remembering the strength Seijuro Akashi had shown in middle school, he nodded seriously.

“He’s strong.”

Takao yawned loudly, clearly exhausted.

Seeing this, Midorima said:

“Takao, you should go home and rest.”

Takao shook his head.

“Forget it. If I leave, who’s going to rebound for you?”

Midorima replied calmly:

“There’s no need. I can train with the shooting machine Coach bought.”

Takao pursed his lips helplessly.

“You really are a training maniac. Alright, I’m heading back. You should rest early too, Shintaro. See you tomorrow.”

With that, Takao left.

...

Chapter 241: You’re not scared, are you?

After Kazunari Takao left, Shintaro Midorima didn’t resume training. He simply stood there, motionless, for a long time.

Then he closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, Shintaro Midorima was already standing before the massive [Gate].

He stared at the solemn, tightly shut [Gate] in silence.

He didn’t move, just stood there quietly watching it.

After an unknown amount of time, Shintaro Midorima stepped forward, raised both hands, and pressed them against the [Gate].

Then...

He pushed!!!

He pushed!!!

He pushed!!!

“Damn it!”

Shintaro Midorima couldn’t stop himself from cursing, his expression turning furious.

Usually calm and rational, even he couldn’t hold back his anger in front of the [Gate] that completely blocked his path.

“Why? Why?! What did I do wrong? What gives you the right to keep me locked out?!”

Shintaro Midorima looked almost unhinged.

One year. A full year.

He had been shut out by the [Gate] for an entire year.

During that time, he never once neglected his training. He had even awakened his Animal Instinct, yet the [Gate] hadn’t budged in the slightest.

Shintaro Midorima seemed to possess a rather unusual ability. By focusing his attention, he could observe the process of others pushing open the [Gate].

This ability appeared to be linked to his Animal Instinct.

Because of it, he had effectively witnessed every member of the Generation of Miracles opening the [Gate].

Daiki Aomine, in his second year of junior high, had casually pushed the [Gate] open with just one hand.

Seijuro Akashi, in his third year, stood before the [Gate] for the first time and opened it immediately, walking straight through.

As if the moment he thought, “I want to open the [Gate],” it simply opened.

Like strolling through his own backyard.

Not long ago, he once again sensed someone pushing the [Gate] and immediately went to watch.

It was Atsushi Murasakibara.

And the way Atsushi Murasakibara opened the [Gate] left him completely stunned.

At the time, Atsushi Murasakibara’s face was filled with extreme rage, devoid of any rationality.

He actually drove his fingers straight into the [Gate] and, bit by bit... pried it open!

That moment shook Shintaro Midorima to the core.

After that, only Ryota Kise and he remained in the Generation of Miracles without awakening.

But in the very next game, Ryota Kise opened the [Gate] right in front of him.

That was when Shintaro Midorima truly started to crack.

Among all of them, he was the one who believed in himself the most. He had absolute confidence in his three-pointers.

At the same time, he trained harder than anyone else. It could be said that within the Generation of Miracles, only Daiki Aomine’s training intensity could compare to his.

No one else came close.

And yet, despite such relentless, disciplined effort, he still couldn’t push the [Gate] open even a fraction.

Anyone in his position would break.

Shintaro Midorima sat down weakly in front of the [Gate], lowering his head, motionless like a statue.

On the other side.

Daiki Aomine lay on his bed, staring at his raised hand in silence.

“Who exactly are the gatekeepers of those two great [Gates]?”

...........

On the other side.

At the Akashi residence.

Seijuro Akashi picked up the phone. The person on the other end was silent for a moment before speaking.

“Akashi, you’re not planning to play in the next match either?”

Seijuro Akashi replied coldly, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

“Yes, Senpai Chihiro, I won’t be playing at all during the Summer Cup.”

Chihiro fell silent for a moment, then said:

“But Akashi, the next match is your—”

Before he could finish, Seijuro Akashi cut him off sharply.

“I know. If you lose, it just means you weren’t good enough. Go back and figure out why. Settle everything in the Winter Cup.”

Chihiro could hear the finality in his tone. With no other choice, he sighed.

“I understand.”

Then he hung up.

After the call ended, Seijuro Akashi looked at his reflection in the mirror, his expression turning angry.

“Miyamoto Tokima!”

He shouted the name, and a gentle voice echoed in his mind.

“You can’t defeat Miyamoto Tokima. Even that move you’re currently training in isolation... I’m afraid it still won’t be enough to defeat Miyamoto Tokima, let alone his team.”

Seijuro Akashi exploded like a lit fuse.

“Shut up, you coward! The moment you gave up, you already lost!”

“Since you’ve already lost, stay buried where you belong. Don’t come lecturing me on what to do!”

The voice fell silent for a moment, then replied:

“Then... do your best.”

The next second, everything returned to calm.

Seijuro Akashi’s anger gradually subsided.

He glanced at the basketball on the floor, then at the photo of himself and his mother on the wall.

“Mother, I will win. I will. I will!!!”

............

Elsewhere.

At the street court.

Taiga Kagami was constantly dribbling, driving, dunking, and shooting.

Sweat soaked his entire body, yet he didn’t stop for even a second.

He kept attacking relentlessly.

Right now, it felt like his body was burning.

Behind him, the faint silhouette of a fierce tiger flickered in and out of view.

“Little Kagami, working this hard? You’re still training this late.”

A voice suddenly interrupted him.

He turned his head, puzzled.

“Ryota Kise? What are you doing here?”

Ryota Kise was dressed in white, holding a light gray suit in his hands.

He brushed back his blond hair with a smile.

“I just finished a modeling shoot.”

Taiga Kagami gave a simple response.

“Oh.”

Ryota Kise immediately shouted:

“Give me a normal reaction, will you!!!”

Taiga Kagami remained expressionless and replied again:

“Oh.”

“You ‘oh’ what, you idiot!!!”

“Oh.”

“..........”

Taiga Kagami stopped messing around and asked:

“Want to play one-on-one?”

Ryota Kise thought for a moment, then shook his head.

“Better not. We’re starting joint training tomorrow. We’ll have plenty of chances then.”

That’s right. Kaijō High School and Seirin High School had already arranged a joint training camp.

Riko Aida approached Genta Takeuchi to propose it, and after weighing the pros and cons, he agreed.

It was scheduled to begin tomorrow.

Since one team hadn’t made the Summer Cup and the other had already been eliminated, they had plenty of time for training.

But Taiga Kagami clearly didn’t want to wait.

“Let’s do it now. What, are you scared?”

Ryota Kise’s smile slowly faded, his eyes sharpening.

“Looks like I need to teach Little Kagami a lesson.”

..........

Chapter 242: Seijuro Akashi’s Absence

The next day.

The joint training camp between Kaijō High School and Seirin High School officially began.

Both teams arrived early at the meeting point as agreed.

As soon as the Kaijō players showed up, Ryota Kise waved enthusiastically and called out:

“Kuroko, Kagami, good morning!”

Tetsuya Kuroko waved back.

“Good morning.”

Taiga Kagami had dark circles under his eyes and looked completely drained. In response to Kise’s greeting, he muttered:

“Not good at all.”

The next second, Ryota Kise slung an arm over Taiga Kagami’s shoulder and grinned.

“So, Little Kagami, did you even manage to fall asleep last night?”

Taiga Kagami’s face twitched. He shoved Ryota Kise away and replied stubbornly:

“Of course I did. I almost beat Miyamoto Tokima in my dream!”

Ryota Kise froze for a second, then burst out laughing.

“In your dream... almost beat him... hahaha, Little Kagami, you’re hilarious.”

Taiga Kagami clenched his fists.

Yeah, that’s right. His fists were itching.

In reality, Taiga Kagami hadn’t slept at all. After getting schooled by Ryota Kise again, he ended up lying awake the whole night.

No wonder he looked like this.

At that moment, Riko Aida stepped forward.

“Alright, quiet down. Everyone from Kaijō, since your coach had something come up, I’ll be leading this training camp.”

As she said that, a bright, beautiful smile appeared on her face.

“Which means, during this camp, you’ll all be following my training program.”

The Seirin players shuddered at that familiar smile, goosebumps rising instantly.

The Kaijō players, however, still hadn’t realized how serious things were.

A first-year girl training us to death?

You guys think we’re scared?

Please, we’re fearless.

That night.

The Kaijō players lay sprawled on their beds like corpses, despair written all over their faces.

Ryota Kise was the worst of them. The lively sparkle he had that morning was completely gone, replaced by a hollow, lifeless look.

Taiga Kagami walked in after his shower. The moment he saw Kise like that, he burst out laughing.

“What’s wrong, Kise? It’s only the first day.”

Ryota Kise weakly waved a hand, on the verge of tears.

“Yeah, yeah... I know. Just let me sleep.”

Seeing him like this, Taiga Kagami felt like he had finally gotten his revenge.

They had chosen a beach for this training camp. In both the morning and afternoon, Riko Aida put them through what could only be described as brutal, hell-level training.

Of course, her father’s influence was clearly behind this program.

Seirin was already used to this kind of targeted, high-intensity training and could manage it.

But Kaijō was different. This was their first time experiencing something like this, and they were completely overwhelmed.

And so, the joint training camp between Kaijō High School and Seirin High School continued.

..........

Time flew by, and before long, it was the Summer Cup semifinals.

Four teams had made it this far:

Shūtoku High School, Rakuzan High School, Tōō Academy, and Kirisaki Daiichi.

All four teams had members of the [Generation of Miracles]. Among them, Kirisaki Daiichi even possessed the [Magic Cube], which surpassed the [Generation of Miracles]!

Each school had strong fan support, but Kirisaki Daiichi had the largest following.

After all, their strength was simply terrifying.

The semifinal matchups were quickly announced:

Shūtoku High School vs. Rakuzan High School
Kirisaki Daiichi vs. Tōō Academy

“So it’s Aomine again?”

Miyamoto Tokima muttered as he looked at the bracket.

“Akashi versus Midorima... honestly, I’m kind of looking forward to that.”

Shuzo Nijimura nodded.

“Yeah. I heard from Haizaki that Akashi’s gotten ridiculously strong too. I’m curious to see how he stacks up against Midorima.”

Miyamoto Tokima smiled faintly.

“Then let’s go watch.”

The first match, Shūtoku vs. Rakuzan, was scheduled for the morning.

Kirisaki Daiichi vs. Tōō Academy would take place in the afternoon.

So Miyamoto Tokima and the others headed to the stands on the day of the match.

Notably, while Tōō Academy and many other schools were present, Seirin High School and Kaijō High School were nowhere to be seen.

Of course, hardly anyone noticed.

The stands were huge. It wasn’t like anyone was checking attendance.

As the match time approached, Shūtoku entered the court first.

The crowd erupted into cheers.

“Go, Shūtoku!”

“Come on, green-haired guy! Shoot Rakuzan to death!”

“I don’t know why, but I just want to see Rakuzan lose!”

On Shūtoku’s side.

Led by Masaaki Nakatani, the team walked steadily onto the court.

Taisuke Otsubo led at the front, his expression serious.

Shintaro Midorima held a frog plush in his left hand, his face as calm as ever.

Kazunari Takao looked around excitedly, unable to sit still.

Smack!

“Focus. Don’t embarrass us.”

Kiyoshi Miyaji smacked the back of his head and muttered.

Kazunari Takao held his head and nodded.

“Got it, Miyaji-senpai.”

After entering, the Shūtoku players began warming up.

Midway through, the crowd suddenly stirred.

Rakuzan had arrived.

“Imperial Rakuzan! Keep ruling!”

“Shūtoku doesn’t stand a chance, Rakuzan’s got this easy!”

“I heard they’ve got a first-year who became captain right away—and he was the captain of the Generation of Miracles!”

“Then he must be insanely strong! A captain has to be stronger than the rest!”

On Rakuzan’s side.

Led by Eiji Shirogane, they walked onto the court.

Behind him were three figures.

They were three of the [Uncrowned Kings]:

[Herculean Strength] Eikichi Nebuya

[Thunder Beast] Kotaro Hayama

[Yaksha] Reo Mibuchi

They played center, small forward, and shooting guard respectively.

Seeing them, Shintaro Midorima adjusted his glasses. His gaze seemed to pass right through them, focusing on what lay behind.

“Akashi... let’s have a proper match.”

But just as anticipation rose in his eyes—

He realized something.

Seijuro Akashi wasn’t there.

Midorima’s expression froze for a moment. Then, as if understanding everything, he said nothing more and turned back to continue his shooting warm-up.

In the stands, the Kirisaki Daiichi players were also momentarily stunned.

Miyamoto Tokima was the first to speak.

“He’s not playing? That really is like Seijuro Akashi.”

That was exactly how his second personality operated.

He had already warned them not to play.

If they insisted on going against him, then fine—he would let them do as they pleased for now.

He’d crush them completely in the Winter Cup instead.

That kind of arrogance, pride, and absolute self-assurance...

It fit Seijuro Akashi’s second personality perfectly.

Shuzo Nijimura let out a helpless sigh.

“I really don’t understand how Akashi ended up like this.”

..........