After everything was arranged, the members of Kirisaki Daiichi returned to Japan with Miyamoto.
Miyamoto's parents also came back with them.
After that, things returned to normal training.
Japan.
Miyamoto's home.
Ring, ring, ring.
The phone rang.
Miyamoto picked it up, and a voice came from the other end.
"Hello, is this Miyamoto?"
"Yes, speaking. What can I help you with?"
The person on the other end quickly replied,
"Hello, hello! I'm the coach of Tōō Academy, Katsunori Harasawa."
"On behalf of Tōō Academy, I'd like to invite you and the players of Kirisaki Daiichi to participate in a joint training camp."
"If it's inconvenient, I won't disturb you any further."
Miyamoto thought about it for a moment.
A training camp?
It seemed… unnecessary.
So Miyamoto decisively declined and left the team's training schedule to the professional coaching staff at Kirisaki Daiichi.
As for Miyamoto himself, he took Satsuki Momoi and started traveling around the world.
A proper vacation trip.
Meanwhile...
After being rejected, Katsunori Harasawa didn't feel resentful. Instead, he sighed with emotion.
"I suppose I was being intrusive. Players at that level must already have specialized training methods."
Thinking back to the terrifying strength of Miyamoto and Kirisaki Daiichi, Harasawa sighed again.
"This is what talent combined with hard work looks like."
"I bet Miyamoto is still training right now."
In reality, Miyamoto had already boarded a plane and was flying off to another country for vacation.
.......
Kirisaki Daiichi Gymnasium.
Atsushi Murasakibara was practicing post techniques under the coach's guidance.
Ever since being completely dominated by Jason Silver on both offense and defense, Murasakibara had begun focusing heavily on strength training and interior skills.
He didn't want to lose again.
While he was training, Murasakibara's bag suddenly started ringing.
Makoto Hanamiya happened to be drinking water nearby and reminded him,
"Hey, Murasakibara, someone's calling."
Murasakibara stopped his training, ran over, picked up the phone, and answered.
As soon as the call connected, a voice came through.
"Atsushi."
The moment he heard the voice, Murasakibara's expression stiffened.
"Akashi, what's up?"
Murasakibara had no idea why Seijuro Akashi was calling him.
Akashi explained directly.
"I hope your team won't participate in the Summer Cup."
Murasakibara's expression changed.
"Akashi, that's not something I can decide."
There was a brief silence on the other end.
After a few seconds, Akashi said,
"I understand."
Then he hung up.
Soon after, Miyamoto received a call from Seijuro Akashi.
"Miyamoto, I hope your team won't participate in the Summer Cup."
"Reason."
There was silence on the other end.
Miyamoto didn't have much fondness for Akashi's current arrogant personality, so he replied casually,
"I'll be playing in the Summer Cup."
"As for whether you participate or not, that's your business."
After saying that, Miyamoto hung up.
A moment later.
The phone rang again.
Miyamoto answered impatiently.
"How many times do I have to say it? I'm playing!"
"Really, Miyamoto? Looks like we're thinking the same thing!"
Miyamoto paused, realizing the person on the other end was Daiki Aomine.
Aomine continued talking excitedly.
"Miyamoto, listen—Akashi just called me too and told me not to play."
"Honestly, I really want to compete."
"So I didn't agree or refuse. I just called you to ask."
"But now it looks like you and I are thinking the same thing."
When it came to Aomine, Miyamoto naturally didn't stay annoyed.
After all, that was Aomine.
After chatting briefly with him, Miyamoto hung up the phone.
'Looks like the world's will is still strong. Even after everything, Akashi still wants us to stay out of the Summer Cup.'
Miyamoto looked up at the sky and muttered,
"Is Taiga Kagami actually your biological son or what?"
Miyamoto had a feeling.
Taiga Kagami… might be about to get some kind of power-up.
But even if he did…
It definitely wouldn't surpass me!
Time passed in the blink of an eye.
The first match of the Summer Cup began as scheduled.
This match had everyone's attention.
Shūtoku vs. Kaijō.
Miyamoto brought the entire Kirisaki Daiichi team to the arena to watch the opening match.
As soon as they arrived at the stands, they saw that both Shūtoku and Kaijō had already started warming up.
On Shūtoku's side.
Kazunari Takao ran over with a mischievous grin and nudged Shintaro Midorima with his elbow.
"Shin-chan, you're playing against your former teammate again. Nervous?"
Shintaro Midorima remained expressionless and casually shot the basketball in his hand.
"Kise's strength isn't enough to make me wary."
"His defeat is already destined."
Only after Midorima finished speaking did the ball he had thrown cleanly swish through the net.
On Kaijō's side.
Ryota Kise clearly seemed distracted, constantly zoning out even while warming up.
Yukio Kasamatsu noticed something was wrong and walked over before kicking Kise in the butt.
"Get your head in the game, idiot!"
Kise rubbed his butt and complained,
"Kasamatsu-senpai, can you stop kicking my butt all the time?"
Kasamatsu clenched his fist, veins popping on his forehead.
"That's the best way to wake you up!"
Then his expression turned serious.
"Kise, don't lose confidence over a single game."
Kise thought Kasamatsu was about to give some inspiring speech.
But instead...
"After all, they're not Kirisaki Daiichi!"
Kise froze for a moment before bursting into laughter.
"Hahaha! I thought Kasamatsu-senpai was going to say something inspirational!"
Kasamatsu's face darkened as he kicked him again.
"Ah!"
Yoshitaka Moriyama watched the scene with a smile before turning his gaze toward Shūtoku.
In his heart, he murmured,
"This match… I don't want to lose."
After the warm-ups ended, the game officially began.
The jump ball was contested by Shūtoku captain Taisuke Otsubo and Kaijō power forward Mitsuhiro Hayakawa.
Kaijō planned to rely on Hayakawa's explosive jumping ability to fight for the tip-off.
The referee walked between them and tossed the ball into the air.
Otsubo and Hayakawa jumped at the same time.
But once they were in the air, Otsubo realized something.
Hayakawa had jumped higher than him!
…No.
Not higher.
Faster!
While Otsubo was still rising, Hayakawa had already reached the peak of his jump.
'What kind of jump speed is this?'
However, Hayakawa was too eager to win the tip-off and had jumped too early.
By the time he reached the highest point, he realized he couldn't reach the ball.
And he had already begun...
Falling.
'Crap.'