Ryota Kise's question left Daiki Aomine speechless.
After thinking about it for a while, Daiki Aomine finally answered, though he did not sound very confident.
"Miyamoto probably won't join them. He probably won't... Whatever. Even if he does, we're not afraid!"
Taiga Kagami immediately shouted with enthusiasm.
"That's right! The stronger they are, the better!"
Everyone burst into laughter at his declaration.
The atmosphere relaxed slightly.
...
The members of [The Generation of Miracles] continued their training in an orderly fashion.
Meanwhile, Miyamoto Tokima had flown back to Japan from China and met with the members of the Black Dragon Team.
A small teahouse stood in an area surrounded by cherry trees. The members of the Black Dragon Team were sitting inside, leisurely drinking tea.
Miyamoto Tokima and Satsuki Momoi were there as well.
Miyamoto Tokima looked around the teahouse, took a sip of his tea, and smiled.
"I didn't expect you guys to find a place like this."
Nash Gold also took a sip.
"I heard a Chinese teahouse had opened here, so I decided to check it out. It's pretty nice."
"It's quiet and peaceful. Easy to relax in."
Jason Silver slapped his thigh and spoke boisterously.
"Yeah! It's completely different from a bar!"
"We've got a routine now. Tea during the day, bars at night. A perfectly balanced lifestyle!"
Jason Silver proudly began describing their daily routine to Miyamoto Tokima.
Miyamoto Tokima was left utterly speechless.
As Jason Silver's story grew increasingly exaggerated, Miyamoto Tokima finally waved a hand and cut him off.
"All right, all right. I get it."
Jason Silver obediently closed his mouth.
Zack then asked.
"So, Tokima-san, are you playing in the match in a few days?"
Miyamoto Tokima took another sip of tea.
"Yeah, I am."
Zack paused before asking.
"What about Nijimura?"
"Nijimura-senpai isn't playing. He said he wanted to take his father to China for a visit, so they're probably still on the plane."
"But Haizaki and Hanamiya will be playing."
The members of the Black Dragon Team looked surprised.
Allen asked.
"Are they angry about that organizer's decisions too? Are they joining us so they can crush the players he chose?"
Miyamoto Tokima shook his head with a smile.
"No. They'll be on the opposing team."
Allen stared at him blankly.
"Huh?"
Miyamoto Tokima explained the situation to them.
Only then did they realize they had falsely accused Kagetora Aida.
He had not used his authority to remove Atsushi Murasakibara and the others from the lineup. They had not even been in Japan at the time.
After learning the truth, Nash Gold and the others had nothing more to say.
They would have to explain the misunderstanding after the match.
Of course, the five-hundred-thousand-dollar fee still had to be paid. Rules were rules.
...
The night before the match, Miyamoto Tokima and Satsuki Momoi decided to have a quiet date at home.
The members of the Black Dragon Team, meanwhile, went out drinking as usual.
For them, traveling for games was one of the few times they could relax. Back in the United States, they barely had any free time.
Victor's training was simply too brutal.
Meanwhile, [The Generation of Miracles] and the others were still practicing.
Tetsuya Kuroko struck the basketball high into the air, and Taiga Kagami leaped up to slam it through the hoop.
Kagetora Aida called out when he saw the play.
"All right, that's enough for today! Tomorrow is the final showdown!"
As Kagetora Aida's daughter, and with five hundred thousand dollars at stake, Riko Aida could not help taking the match seriously.
She brought over a stack of towels and handed them to the players who had just finished training.
When she handed one to Junpei Hyuga, she smiled.
"Good work."
Junpei Hyuga accepted the towel and began wiping away his sweat.
"Thanks, Riko."
Riko Aida smiled.
"How are you feeling?"
Junpei Hyuga answered with complete confidence.
"You can see it too, can't you? This team is incredibly strong!"
Kagetora Aida draped a towel over his shoulder and walked toward the door.
"I'm heading out for a while."
Riko Aida looked at him in confusion.
"Dad, where are you going this late?"
"Roppongi. Those brats from the Black Dragon Team are still out enjoying themselves."
Tetsuya Kuroko raised his head and looked thoughtfully at Kagetora Aida.
Junpei Hyuga knew that Kagetora Aida was paying all the Black Dragon Team's expenses that week, so he did not say anything.
Kagetora Aida opened the door and left the gym.
Ryota Kise turned to Taiga Kagami.
"Kagamicchi, want to play another one-on-one?"
Taiga Kagami nodded with a smile.
"Sure!"
Riko Aida immediately shouted.
"Don't overdo it! The match is tomorrow!"
Taiga Kagami and Ryota Kise scratched their heads sheepishly.
"Don't worry. We won't go too hard."
Riko Aida shook her head helplessly and placed her hands on her hips.
"Honestly, you two... What I'm really worried about is whether Miyamoto Tokima will join the Black Dragon Team and play against us."
Ryota Kise paused to think.
"Probably not. Maybe Miyamoto is still in China? We haven't been able to contact him, after all."
He turned toward Atsushi Murasakibara.
"Hey, Murasakibaracchi. Do you think Miyamoto will join them?"
Atsushi Murasakibara opened a Delicious Stick and bit into it with a crunch.
"I don't know. Tokima didn't tell me."
"But you're wrong about him still being in China. I came back with him."
Ryota Kise immediately turned toward Makoto Hanamiya and Shogo Haizaki.
Shogo Haizaki shrugged indifferently.
"I have no idea what Tokima-san is thinking."
Makoto Hanamiya wiped away his sweat.
"Neither do I."
Riko Aida grew even more worried.
Junpei Hyuga gave her shoulder a reassuring pat.
"Don't worry, Riko. Even if Miyamoto Tokima joins the Black Dragon Team, our current lineup is no pushover."
"We don't just have Murasakibara. Haizaki and Hanamiya are here too."
Riko Aida felt slightly reassured.
"I hope so..."
Suddenly, Daiki Aomine's confused voice rang out.
"Hey, does anyone know where Tetsuya went?"
...
...
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