Kuroko’s Basketball: Before Generation Miracles, I Already Crowned

83:70.

The Teiko bench erupted with renewed energy.

Towels were waving, cheers were echoing.

"Shigure!"

"He's a beast!"

"Just 13 points left, we can totally catch up!"

The bench players were all shouting excitedly, a bit chaotic but completely fired up.

Just then,

Tweet!

A whistle blew from the sideline.

Seiho Middle School had called a timeout.

Earlier, their coach had merely sensed the danger when Shigure Akihito first stepped on court.

Now, there was no "seems like" about it,

It was real.

Teiko's No.12 had shaken everyone in Seiho to their core.

"Everyone!"

"Focus, damn it!"

"We were up by 27 points at one point, but don't forget who we're facing, this is Teiko, one of the national powerhouses!"

"In just under three minutes, that lead's been cut to 13!"

"What's next? We choke a 27-point lead? Let Teiko's second-string and one guy who only came in during the fourth quarter stage a comeback!?"

"Don't forget, our goal this year is the nationals!"

The Seiho coach, fired up now, smacked his clipboard with a loud crack.

"Hirai! You find a way to shut down that No.12!"

"I've got only one demand, don't let him hit another one of those damn threes!"

"And Takahama Ryo! You getting torched by him earlier is one thing, but from now on, all of No.12's defense falls to Hirai!"

"You're our shooting guard. I'm not asking you to score like that freak, but at least find a way to get us some points!"

"And the defensive rebounds! If I see one more poster dunk on your head...!"

Grim-faced, the coach rattled off every adjustment he'd thought of during the timeout in one breath.

Meanwhile, on the Teiko bench, everyone was... just looking at each other.

Yep.

No talking, just quiet admiration and passive stares.

Coach Shirogane Kozo played the part of the wise master, keeping silent.

The bench players busied themselves, handing water, towels, whatever Shigure needed like devout attendants at the shrine of a basketball god.

And the ones who had just come off the floor?

They didn't dare say a word.

So Teiko's side was oddly quiet.

But if you looked closely, it was obvious,

Everyone's eyes kept drifting toward Shigure Akihito.

Like they were quietly waiting for him to speak.

Shigure noticed the strange mood, how everyone's eyes kept sneaking glances his way.

So, with a chuckle, he broke the silence:

"Hey~ that last pass was nice, let's keep feeding me the ball, yeah~?"

But the moment he said it, everyone responded seriously, almost like soldiers replying to a commander:

"Yes!"

"Got it!"

"You just focus on scoring, Shigure!"

"We'll handle the passing!"

Shigure: "...?"

Watching this, Coach Shirogane couldn't help but let a small smile curl on his lips.

A true ace,

Someone who could score off every pass, and never waver, no matter the pressure.

That kind of player,

Just watching their back was enough to inspire belief.

Even if Shigure's brand of calmness in tough moments felt... a little too relaxed,

he was already showing the makings of a top-tier ace.

With this setup, Nijimura as the core, Shigure as the ace,

Teiko might just complete their formation before the official All-Japan tournament even began.

Core.

Ace.

This year's All-Japan,

They would make sure every school in the country remembered their names.

With these two?

There was no doubt about it.

Timeout ended.

Seiho's possession.

Their point guard brought the ball up the court, but instead of passing to their ace, Hirai Riku,

he handed it to the shooting guard, Takahama Ryo.

That was part of the coach's new play:

Let Hirai tangle with Teiko's No.12 to tie him up,

and let Takahama try to score on the other defenders.

So what if No.12 could score?

He was still just one guy.

As long as we keep scoring too, we'll hold the lead!

On court,

Takahama moved to the weak side.

After several scoreless trips and a coach who nearly exploded,

he was desperate for a bucket.

So he opted for the highest-percentage option, a close-range shot.

Pat~ pat~

He changed direction twice, shifting the defender's center of gravity.

And sure enough,

Without that No.12 around, these other guys were much easier to handle.

The moment he created a gap and drove inside,

the frustration from being shut down earlier lifted from his face,

finally replaced with a trace of a smile.

He was going for it.

Before the help defense could collapse,

he reached the paint,

near the right side of the lane,

and went up for the layup.

Takahama was sure it would go in.

But the next second,

He heard someone shout in panic.

"Ryo!!"

"Don't shoot!!"

Then,

Came a sound, fast and violent,

like a jersey snapping in the wind on an outdoor court,

Whoosh!

Boom, !

A figure launched in from the side, and sent the shot flying with a thunderous block!

To everyone except Takahama,

the ball didn't just get blocked,

It was swatted into the stratosphere.

Thud!

The ball rocketed all the way to the second-floor bleachers of the gym!

Clap, !

One of Seiho's students, dazed, instinctively caught it.

"...?"

"Eh?"

(End of chapter)