The audience had taken their seats. The game was about to begin.
This match had no admission fee—all fans could enter and watch for free.
"After suffering an unprecedented insult from Jabberwock, a high school dream team was born within a week—Team Yu has arrived!"
The arena DJ roared with passionate fury.
The jumbotron above immediately projected the team roster.
"It's the Generation of Miracles!"
"Akashi!"
"Aomine!"
"Kise!"
The crowd erupted instantly. These prodigies had become household names, hailed as the future of Japanese basketball—the most promising generation the nation had ever seen.
"I knew it! The only ones who could beat those dragons are those geniuses!"
"Look, it's Yuuto! He came back too!"
"Who?"
"Yuuto! The Lion King who dominated Japanese high school basketball a year ago—the one who won the Grand Slam!"
"That guy? I heard he went to America. He actually came back?"
"With Yuuto here, this game is in the bag!"
"Is he really that strong?"
"Strong? That word doesn't even begin to describe him. He's the monster who ended the Generation of Miracles' reign of terror."
"Plus, I saw the news—he's playing ball in Indiana now, the state they call the heart of American basketball. His school Covanord won the championship this year, and he was named MVP!"
Yuuto's return was a massive surprise for the fans.
The arena DJ made his allegiance clear, hyping the crowd.
The players took their positions. The arena lights dimmed, then spotlights blazed to life, illuminating both starting lineups.
"The moment of revenge has arrived! Let's welcome Team Yu with the loudest applause!"
Yu?
As in Yuuto?
Himuro Tatsuya had also come to watch. When he heard the team name, he found himself momentarily speechless.
The starting lineups for both teams:
Team Yu: Akashi, Midorima, Kise, Aomine, Murasakibara.
Jabberwock: Nash, Nick, Allen, Zack, Jason Silver.
Aida Kagetora had deployed the Generation of Miracles as his starting five.
They'd played together at Teikō for three years—their chemistry was already there, saving precious adjustment time.
"Not starting you—you're not upset, are you?" Kagetora asked, carefully gauging Yuuto's reaction.
After all, this was the team's biggest asset.
He'd specifically asked Yuuto to return, yet wasn't giving him a starting spot. He had to handle this delicately.
If Yuuto objected, he'd swap someone out immediately.
"It's fine. We already discussed this, didn't we?"
This wasn't some crucial game. To Yuuto, it was barely different from an exhibition match.
No need to insist on starting. This wasn't Covanord.
If Luke Young tried to bench him, Yuuto wouldn't even bother arguing—he'd just transfer.
Kagetora finally relaxed.
...
Meanwhile, the referee brought the ball onto the court. Tip-off was moments away.
Jabberwock's players wore their usual expressions.
Nash didn't even spare Akashi and the others a proper glance. Just a bunch of high schoolers. Why should I care?
He had once stood at the apex—the greatest point guard not just in America, but in the entire world.
For the jump ball, Murasakibara won against Jason Silver.
Akashi dribbled past half-court, drew the double team, then spun and whipped a beautiful pass to the weak side.
Aomine had already cut in. He sliced through the open lane, soared into the air, threw the ball behind his back, circled it around his body twice, and only at the last moment raised his right arm to slam it through.
"Sorry, I don't speak English."
"But you bastards probably don't speak Japanese either, so let's talk with basketball!"
He was in exceptional form today.
Whenever he faced strong opponents, Aomine's state became extraordinary. He was the type who grew stronger with adversity.
On Jabberwock's possession, shooting guard Nick did what he always did—caught and immediately fired, not giving his defender a second thought.
But today, they'd run into a tough customer. Kise's defense was textbook perfect, meeting Nick head-on with a clean block.
Team Yu's fast break.
Aomine charged ahead at full speed. No elaborate communication needed—Akashi hurled a pass that went one direction while pointing another, the ball landing perfectly in Aomine's hands.
Allen stepped up to defend, but Aomine blew past him instantly.
That fast?
Is this guy even Asian? His skin's so dark—maybe he's mixed?
He couldn't believe it. The athleticism Aomine displayed was on a completely different level from the Japanese players they'd faced a week ago.
"You're not the only ones who grew up playing street ball." After a flashy crossover, Aomine rose and threw down a reverse slam.
...
4-0!
"Not bad. Flawless opening."
Kagetora was especially nervous today—his neck was on the line, after all.
But watching now, starting the Generation of Miracles had been the right call.
These prodigies had been separated for two years, but the chemistry etched into their bones remained.
They truly deserved their reputation as the team that nearly achieved three consecutive national championships.
Walker sat right beside Yuuto. Despite practicing together for a while, he was still stunned by the Generation of Miracles.
Their level was already incredibly high.
Especially Midorima—when he sank a three-pointer from beyond full-court range, Walker couldn't help blurting out, "What the fuck?"
He knew Asian players generally had soft shooting touches, but draining a three from the opposite end of the court? Even NBA players couldn't do that.
"Jesus Christ, Yu—I feel like this game doesn't even need us," Walker said dramatically.
Whether it was a cultural thing or just his personality, Walker loved to perform, his body language always exaggerated.
"It's not that simple," Kagetora said, staying calm.
Midorima's shooting was accurate enough, but he had one flaw.
His physical strength was too weak.
Forget the NBA—even in European leagues with their high-intensity physicality, Midorima's shooting percentage would definitely drop.
"Nick, guard your man."
Sure enough, Nash quickly made adjustments, putting Nick on Midorima and denying him any space.
The results were immediate.
Nick shadowed him everywhere, refusing to give Midorima even a sliver of shooting room.
Midorima's full-court threes had another weakness—he was too obsessed with accuracy. If he wasn't confident, he wouldn't shoot.
TeamYu's three-point attack was quickly shut down.
But Akashi, Kise, and Murasakibara stepped up one after another.
The situation looked favorable.
Yet Aida Riko noticed that Jabberwock didn't seem worried at all.
"What is it, Riko?" Hyūga Junpei saw the serious expression on his crush's face.
"Just like that exhibition game a week ago—Nash and the others still aren't taking this seriously." Riko bit her lip.
This meant Jabberwock was still holding back, merely testing the waters.
...
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