A new day dawned—a regular school day.
Haizaki Shogo yawned, trapped in the slow crawl of the day, and waited impatiently for the sixth-period bell to ring.
When the bell finally rang, Shogo, now fully awake, walked side by side with Shimizu Rena toward the basketball gym.
After yesterday's hard-fought victory over Nakamiya South High, Fukuda Sogo had successfully advanced to the Top 16. Both Shogo and Rena breathed a sigh of relief as they entered the basketball court, brimming with energy.
"Captain, you're here! You should've seen me dunk yesterday—all the girls were screaming!"
The speaker was Kimura Tosho, the team's cheerful power forward, exaggerating as usual. Indeed, he had made a significant impact in yesterday's match.
"Captain, don't listen to him. In the first half, he was being guarded like a mute!"
"That's impossible… I just wasn't showing my full strength."
This was Okawa Sawano, Kimura's usual sparring partner. The two often teased each other, but their on-court synergy was unmatched—one steals the ball while the other cuts to the basket—a perfect combination.
In the locker room, Shogo listened to his teammates' recounting of yesterday's match, feeling quietly pleased.
Very good. Excellent. Even without me anchoring the team, you all made it to the Top 16 on skill alone. This proves Fukuda Sogo truly has the potential to reach the summit.
Soon, after changing and stretching with his teammates, they headed out to training drills, culminating in a scrimmage.
The basketball bounced rhythmically in his hands. Watching his teammates' morale, Shogo could sense a subtle surge of renewed energy. He released a three-point shot, expressing his inner delight.
When the scrimmage ended, Coach Ichiro Kudo, stern-faced, gave his pointers. Yet beneath his cold expression, Shogo noticed the faint curve of a smile—a glimmer of satisfaction.
Five days passed in this rhythm, and tomorrow was another game day.
"Rest early tonight. Meet at the school gate tomorrow morning. We're taking down Kajiyama High and making it to the quarterfinals."
"To the quarterfinals!" "To the quarterfinals!" "To the quarterfinals!"
Amid the teammates' rallying cries, Shogo followed Rena out of the gym.
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The next day, at the city sports center.
Shogo wore a sports jacket over his jersey and sat in the rest area, watching his teammates warm up. He spoke with authority and encouragement.
"Look at their skill level—they're not as good as us overall. I want you to crush them. I'll just lie here and enjoy our place in the quarters!"
"Captain, don't worry. I'll crush them!"
As always, the first to speak was the hot-blooded Suzuran Karasu. His energy surged whenever a match was mentioned. In the previous game, he had set the pace from start to finish.
Both Shogo and Coach Kudo had high expectations for him—he was a rough gem, brimming with potential, waiting to be polished.
Beep!
The whistle blew. Suzuran Karasu jumped for the tip-off against Kajiyama High's towering player. Both touched the ball, but Suzuran's strength prevailed. The ball flew to the hands of point guard Harano Shinichi.
Harano launched a long pass to Kimura Tosho under the basket. Kimura jumped and slammed it into the hoop.
Fukuda Sogo scored first, morale soaring.
Shogo, sitting with Rena, smiled at the familiar fast-break play. This style—quick, decisive—was his teammates' favorite, boosting spirits and setting the pace. With this opening, Fukuda Sogo would have a smoother match.
Although Shogo was present, Coach Kudo had no intention of letting him play. The team needed to fight for themselves, to sharpen their skills.
Any team in the Top 16 was not weak—they excelled in at least one aspect. Facing such a team would provide Fukuda Sogo with valuable experience and strength.
Sure enough, Kajiyama High, down by one, didn't falter. Their tall center began a fierce counterattack.
"This center is huge. Our 3-1-1 formation might not work well, Coach."
"No worries. Our 3-1-1 isn't just for show. Three players inside will pressure their center, exhausting him quickly. When his stamina drops, that's when the opponent collapses."
Boom!
On the court, both teams scored back and forth. Fukuda Sogo's offense was strong, but Kajiyama's near-two-meter center made scoring look easy. The match had entered a "close-quarters" rhythm.
The first quarter ended with Kimura sinking a three-pointer. Fukuda Sogo led 28–23—a small but significant advantage.
Shogo stood, handing towels and water to teammates, encouraging them softly: "Good job."
Indeed, even without any Generation of Miracles players, their performance was impressive.
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The second quarter saw Kajiyama High maintaining a tight score, preventing Fukuda Sogo from extending the lead. Both teams were locked in a grueling struggle, expending massive amounts of energy.
Halftime arrived.
In the locker room, Rena's crisp voice rang out.
"Kajiyama High's No. 11 center is almost drained and under heavy pressure. Time to target his weaknesses. Little Crow, this is your moment."
"Understood. Mission accepted."
The speaker was Suzuran Karasu, nicknamed Little Crow. Despite his height, his pure and passionate nature earned him the affectionate moniker.
"Also, Kajiyama's No. 7 shooting guard. His scoring was high only with No. 11 supporting him. Without the center's presence, his momentum and accuracy will drop. Harano, you can strike him now too."
"Next quarter, watch me!"
Watching his confident teammates, Shogo and Coach Kudo exchanged satisfied smiles. Together, they strode out of the locker room, leading the team into the third quarter.
Beep!
The third quarter began.
Kajiyama's No. 7 took a three-point shot, but missed—just as Rena had predicted in the locker room.
The rebound went to Okawa Sawano, while Suzuran Karasu used his body to block the opposing center from jumping fully.
Sawano passed forcefully to the fast-moving Kimura, who, faced with the now-prepared defense, relayed the ball to Mochizuki Kazuhiromu.
Mochizuki launched a three-point jump shot—swish!—and scored.
Shogo and Rena smiled. Kajiyama's momentum was slipping, and Fukuda Sogo had a chance to widen the gap.
Kajiyama's No. 7 brought the ball to midcourt, but Harano's sudden interception turned the tide. The coordinated movements of Sawano and Kimura ensured the fast break.
A long pass found Kimura, who was defended, so he passed to Sawano. Sawano jumped and dunked—slam!—adding more points.
By mid-third quarter, Fukuda Sogo had stretched the lead to 15 points. Victory was clearly within reach.
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