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Tap...tap...tap...
Ryu strode directly onto the court.
Kise Ryota did the same, walking towards the court.
Soon, the two reached their respective center lines.
"It's been a long time, Kise."
Kise Ryota responded to Ryu's words.
"Yeah! I never thought we'd be the first ones facing off. You are still the same person, carrying the same thing everywhere."
Ryu followed Kise's gaze, looking down at Karupin, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"It's my most important partner! It brings me good luck."
Kise Ryota smiled slightly.
"When did you start believing in things like Midorima does?"
"No, it's different. He believes in divination, but I believe in myself."
Ryu's words caused Kise Ryota's pupils to tremble slightly.
"You must have gotten a lot stronger this year."
Hearing this, Ryu grinned.
"You're the same, aren't you? How about it? Ready? I won't hold back, Kise."
Kise Ryota immediately became serious.
"I've been ready for a long time. I'll do my best to defeat you."
"Is that so? Then I'll be watching."
Ryu finished speaking.
The two returned to their respective rest areas.
As soon as they returned,
Kamimono Kazuo approached and asked.
"Ryu, how did it go? Is everything alright?"
Ryu smiled slightly.
"Of course, everything's fine. I'll take care of Kise. The rest of them are in your care."
Hearing his words, Kamimono Kazuo patted his chest.
"Don't worry about that. We definitely won't let anyone bother you."
"That's right. Leave the others to us; just focus on dealing with Kise."
Kugawa interjected.
Kuroki Ryuichi and Hanafuji Souji also looked determined.
"Then we'll leave it to you!"
Ryu said to everyone.
…
Kaijo rest area.
Seeing Kise Ryota return, Kasamatsu Yukio asked.
"Are you alright?"
Kise Ryota nodded.
"Yeah, no problem. I'll handle him."
"Okay, we trust you."
Kasamatsu Yukio had barely finished speaking when
the other team members spoke up one by one.
"Yeah, Kise, good luck!"
"That's right. Leave the others to us; just focus on him!"
"Let's take care of him!"
Hearing everyone's words, Kise Ryota felt a warm glow in his heart.
He felt so good to have joined Kaijo High School.
To avoid disappointing his seniors,
Kise Ryota's eyes became more determined than ever before.
Seeing him like this,
Kaijo's coach, Genta Takeuchi, nodded in satisfaction.
Beep…
Fifteen minutes later.
The referee finally blew the whistle to start the game.
Miracle against Miracle, the match between Toho Kotei Gakuen and Kaijo High School officially began.
Both sides focused on their opponents.
Ryu and Kise Ryota locked eyes, their gazes seemingly flashing like two bolts of lightning—one silver and one yellow—intertwining in mid-air.
The referee, carrying a basketball, approached the center between Kamimono Kazuo and Kobori Hiroshi, preparing to throw the ball.
"The two centers are 11cm apart; this jump ball gives Toho Kotei Gakuen a decisive advantage."
In the Seirin spectator area,
Aida Riko spoke.
Hyuga Junpei looked at Kamimono Kazuo on the sidelines and said in surprise.
"That center, number 1, has such a strong presence. he looked like a child next to him."
Kagami Taiga narrowed his eyes slightly.
Besides Ryu, he also sensed varying degrees of threat from the other members of Toho Kotei Gakuen.
He was startled.
'How could this be? Could Toho Kotei Gakuen be full of players like those from the Generation of Miracles?'
Kagami Taiga shook his head, quickly dismissing the thought.
What a joke.
This is too far-fetched.
Kuroko Tetsuya looked at Kamimono Kazuo on the sidelines and said.
"That center gives me a very familiar feeling; he must be quite extraordinary."
Izuki Shun nodded.
"Yes, Toho Kotei Gakuen is indeed extraordinary."
...
Rakuzan spectator area.
Akashi Seijuro scrutinized everyone below without blinking.
His eyes, gleaming with a crimson halo, swept over the members of Toho Kotei Gakuen.
After a long while, his brow furrowed slightly, as if he had seen something ominous.
Shutoku spectator area.
Takao Kazunari, observing the lineups of both sides, remarked.
"Both sides look quite imposing. Neither side seems simple."
Midorima Shintaro frowned slightly, looking at Kamimono Kazuo and the others beside Ryu.
"The others from Toho Kotei Gakuen shouldn't be underestimated."
Upon hearing this,
...
Too spectator area.
Momoi Satsuki took out a small notebook and looked at the information recorded inside.
"Kamimono Kazuo, captain of the Toho Kotei Gakuen basketball team, second-year student, center, 203cm tall, 97kg. He possesses considerable strength, ranking among the top three in the nation, and his reflexes and agility are much stronger than the average player."
Listening to Momoi Satsuki's report, Aomine Daiki raised an eyebrow.
"This guy... he's practically on par with Murasakibara!"
Momoi Satsuki nodded.
"Yes, that's right. He's very similar to Murasakibara. As for his strength..."
She paused, then continued.
"Judging from past matches, his strength is inferior to Murasakibara's, but that doesn't mean he use his true strength."
After listening to Momoi Satsuki's words, Imayoshi Shoichi spoke up.
"Toho Kotei Gakuen is truly terrifying! What about the other players' information?"
Momoi Satsuki continued her report, looking at her notebook.
"Kuroki Ryuichi, a second-year student, plays power forward. He's 190cm tall and weighs 74kg. His playing style is quite ordinary, no different from most players, but his rhythm control is exceptional. Several times, his sudden changes in pace have caught opponents off guard, leading to their defeats."
"Kugawa, a second-year student, plays shooting guard. He's 191cm tall and weighs 80kg. So far, he hasn't missed a three-pointer. Whether he's hiding something remains to be seen; further investigation is needed."
"Hanafuji Souji, a second-year student, plays point guard. He's 188cm tall and weighs 73kg. He possesses excellent court vision and overall game awareness, making him a strategic player, somewhat similar to their captain. He frequently delivers brilliant passes, making him one of the best point guards."
After Momoi Satsuki finished introducing the information of everyone from Toho Kotei Gakuen,
the Too students fell silent.
These profiles were a bit too exaggerated!
Everyone felt their strength was not to be underestimated!
Imayoshi Shoichi also had a serious expression.
Just thinking about this team sent chills down your spine.
...
Whistle...
Just as everyone was discussing the players, the referee blew his whistle.
The basketball was tossed high into the air by the referee.
Kamimono Kazuo and Kobori Hiroshi crouched low, heads tilted back, eyes fixed intently on the ball.
As the ball reached its highest point,
the two simultaneously leaped into the air.
Whoosh...
Whoosh...
Two figures, one in black and one in white, shot high into the air.
Two long, slender arms moved rapidly towards the basketball.
However, the 11cm distance was still quite a gap.
In mid-air,
Kamimono Kazuo's arm touched the basketball first. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he slapped the ball towards Kuroki Ryuichi.
"Tch..."
Kobori Hiroshi scoffed, then strode closer to Kamimono Kazuo.
Kamimono Kazuo, seeing his opponent close in, praised,
"Truly worthy of a top basketball school. You're really serious!"
Kobori Hiroshi ignored Kamimono Kazuo's teasing and said,
"I know you guys are strong, but I won't let my guard down."
On the other side,
Kuroki Ryuichi received the ball and was immediately intercepted by Hayakawa Mitsuhiro.
Looking at his opponent, who was so hot-blooded, Kuroki Ryuichi's eyelid twitched.
'Why is this guy so hot-blooded?'
Bang bang bang...
He dribbled the basketball repeatedly. Then, suddenly, his movements changed, quickening his pace.
Hayakawa Mitsuhiro's eyes widened, and his body moved accordingly.
'Hmm?'
No breakthrough, which caught Kuroki Ryuichi slightly taken aback.
It seemed his previous opponents had been too weak, making him somewhat complacent.
A slight smirk played on Kuroki Ryuichi's lips. He then switched hands twice in quick succession, his footwork accelerating even further.
Seeing his opponent speed up, Hayakawa Mitsuhiro wasn't about to be outdone, sticking close behind.
Kuroki Ryuichi suddenly made a turning motion.
At the same time,
Hayakawa Mitsuhiro's eyes followed the basketball for a fleeting moment, his body instinctively trembling slightly.
Just then,
Kuroki Ryuichi's rhythm suddenly changed, quickly switching hands and breaking past Hayakawa Mitsuhiro.
'Damn it.'
Seeing this,
the Kaijo players all knew something was wrong and turned to run towards their own basket.
Sensing the movement behind him, Kuroki Ryuichi didn't slow down, stepping directly into Kaijo's three-point line.
He dribbled to the free-throw line, raised the basketball, aimed, and shot.
Whoosh…
The basketball flew towards Kaijo's basket.
However, a large hand suddenly appeared, blocking the basketball's path.
"Kise..."
The Kaijo players shouted excitedly.
Kuroki Ryuichi's eyes widened as well.
The basketball struck Kise Ryota's hand directly.
Thud...
Kise Ryota casually batted the ball to his captain, Kasamatsu Yukio.
Receiving Kise's pass, Kasamatsu Yukio immediately felt the pressure from the opposing team.
The look in Hanafuji Souji's eyes behind his glasses made Kasamatsu Yukio feel extremely uncomfortable.
He gritted his teeth, adopted a triple threat stance, and slowly moved towards Toho Kotei Gakuen's half of the court while dribbling the ball.
A quick glance revealed his team's shooting guard had crossed the center line and was waving at him for the ball.
Without hesitation, Kasamatsu Yukio flicked his wrist and tossed the basketball to Moriyama Yoshitaka.
Receiving the basketball, Moriyama went straight to the three-point line of Toho Kotei Gakuen, preparing his shooting stance.
Seeing this, Kugawa quickened his pace, blocking his path the instant the opponent shot.
Moriyama Yoshitaka retracted his shooting stance.
He had already missed his chance; shooting now would be too risky.
Looking around, he realized that all his teammates were tightly guarded by the opposing team.
For a moment, he didn't know what to do.
Desperate,
he could only force a shot.
He raised the basketball again, jumped, and then released it right in front of Kugawa.
Because of his decisiveness, Kugawa missed the block and could only watch as it flew towards his own basket.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the basketball.
With a less-than-graceful arc, the basketball struck the backboard and bounced to the edge of the rim.
The basketball spun around the rim four or five times before reluctantly falling into the basket.
Swish…
0-3.
Kaijo scored first.
Everyone in the stadium was astonished by the result.
No one expected the ball to go in.
Kaijo's luck was truly incredible.
Moriyama Yoshitaka smiled and turned to celebrate with his teammates.
Ryu could only sigh helplessly.
Kamimono Kazuo encouraged them.
"Cheer up! They're not the pushovers we've faced before. Give it your all and let's get one back!"
"Oh..."
Everyone responded in unison.
The game transitioned from offense to defense.
Toho Kotei Gakuen served.
The ball was passed to Kuroki Ryuichi once again.
Facing Hayakawa Mitsuhiro's defense, he increased his pace again.
He quickly switched hands with the basketball, then his footwork suddenly accelerated.
Kuroki Ryuichi broke through Hayakawa Mitsuhiro's defense once more.
'Damn it...'
Hayakawa Mitsuhiro quickly turned to help defend.
But Kuroki Ryuichi was fast, keeping him behind.
'So fast.'
The Kaijo team was completely surprised.
Because their attention had been entirely focused on Ryu, they had subconsciously overlooked the performance of the others.
They hadn't expected Toho Kotei Gakuen's power forward to possess such speed.
Kise Ryota was also taken aback.
He hadn't expected Toho Kotei Gakuen to have such a talent besides Ryu.
His dribbling speed alone was already among the best in the nation.
Kuroki Ryuichi dribbled the ball across half-court, stepping into Kaijo's three-point line, directly threatening their basket.
Seeing this,
the Kaijo players were anxious, wanting to stop him, but the distance was too great.
Just then,
A yellow figure suddenly appeared, blocking Kuroki Ryuichi's path.
Seeing Kise Ryota suddenly appear, Kuroki Ryuichi's heart leaped.
'Such speed... no wonder he's a member of the Generation of Miracles.'
However, Kuroki Ryuichi didn't back down.
Facing Kise Ryota, he remained calm.
His dribbling speed gradually slowed.
Kuroki Ryuichi changed his movement, attacking towards Kise Ryota's side.
Kise Ryota simply shifted his feet slightly, successfully intercepting Kuroki Ryuichi's attack.
He frowned slightly.
'Is this your skill level? It doesn't look that impressive!'
Kuroki Ryuichi wasn't surprised to be blocked.
He simply switched hands and made another change of direction.
"You can't get past me, let Ryucchi handle this!"
Kuroki Ryuichi ignored his opponent's words.
His breakthrough motion suddenly quickened, and his ball-handling speed increased as well.
The sudden change caught Kise Ryota off guard.
However, thanks to his superhuman physical abilities and the match experience he gained at Teiko, he wasn't fooled by Kuroki Ryuichi's sudden move.
Seeing that he hadn't shaken off Kise Ryota, Kuroki Ryuichi raised an eyebrow.
He quickly made two more changes of direction, then suddenly slowed down.
Kise Ryota had been sticking close to him.
But these two sudden changes in pace made him feel extremely uncomfortable.
As he forcibly slowed his pace, preparing to block his opponent again,
Kuroki Ryuichi's previously slowed pace suddenly quickened again.
Everyone clearly saw it.
Kuroki Ryuichi successfully broke past Kise Ryota.
'What?!'
The Kaijo team members were all stunned.
They never expected Kise Ryota to fail.
This was too unbelievable.
That was a member of the "Generation of Miracles"!
Caught completely off guard...
Kuroki Ryuichi went straight to Kaijo's basket, jumped, and made a simple layup.
2-3, Toho Kotei Gakuen pulled back two points.
Seirin spectator area.
"No way! He actually broke through."
Kagami Taiga exclaimed in surprise.
He knew Kise Ryota's strength very well.
He never expected that Toho Kotei Gakuen would have someone with such strength.
Koganei Shinji also said incredulously.
"That number 11 looks very ordinary, so why did he break through Kise's defense?"
Aida Riko explained.
"His playing style is ordinary, but his rhythm control is very precise. When someone is used to a certain rhythm, if that rhythm suddenly changes, it will subconsciously make them feel uncomfortable. I think that's why Kise was broken through just now."
Hyuga Junpei's lips twitched.
"The strength of this Toho Kotei Gakuen is truly formidable! That Ryu hasn't even made a move yet, but Kaijo is probably in danger this time."
"Things aren't that simple."
Kuroko suddenly spoke up.
"If it's not a miracle-level technique, Kise can easily imitate it. This means that Toho Kotei Gakuen's number 11 can no longer use the same technique against Kise. On the contrary, Kise can use the same technique to counterattack."
...
Too spectator area.
"I think Kise has already imitated the opponent's technique."
Momoi Satsuki explained to the Too team.
"Really? Just one glance, and he can immediately use it?"
Too's center, Wakamatsu Kosuke, said in surprise.
Aomine Daiki sneered.
"Not everyone is an idiot like you who only knows how to shout."
"What did you say, you despicable guy?!"
Wakamatsu Kosuke glared at Aomine Daiki and roared.
Imayoshi Shoichi waved his hand.
"Alright, if you keep yelling like that, security will kick you out. Just shut up and watch the game!"
With the captain saying this, Wakamatsu Kosuke glared at Aomine Daiki, then shut his mouth.
...
Kaijo gets the ball.
The basketball is passed to Kasamatsu Yukio.
He dribbles to the center line and is blocked by Hanafuji Souji.
Faced with a tight defense, Kasamatsu Yukio adopts a triple threat stance to prevent the opponent from stealing the ball.
Hanafuji Souji smiles slightly upon seeing this.
"You're really careful!"
Kasamatsu Yukio said seriously.
"I've watched your game tapes. We at Kaijo won't be careless against such a strong opponent."
"If you don't want to be careless, just pass the ball to your ace. But judging from your expressions, you don't seem inclined to do that!"
Hearing Hanafuji Souji's words, Kasamatsu Yukio's expression remained unchanged, but he felt a bit of pressure.
He glanced casually in Kise Ryota's direction.
He was considering whether to have Kise face off against Ryu right now.
Kise himself had said he wasn't confident against that guy.
If their ace was suppressed, it would be a disaster for Kaijo.
As Kaijo's captain, every decision he made was crucial.
Kasamatsu Yukio dribbled the ball, attacking from both sides, but his opponent seemed to be able to read his movements, making it impossible to break through.
'These guys aren't weak individually either.'
He hesitated for a moment, then regained his composure and made his decision.
"Kise..."
He shouted, then passed the basketball directly to Kise Ryota.
Thud...
Kise Ryota firmly controlled the ball his captain had passed him.
Seeing this, Ryu smiled.
"Oh, I thought they'd let you observe for a little longer!"
Kise Ryota looked at Ryu, his expression incredibly serious.
"My senior are too concerned about me, but that would only limit me. Observing others would just be a waste of time."
Ryu said calmly.
"Then come on. Let me see just how much your skills have improved."
Kise Ryota took a deep breath, then his gaze gradually sharpened.
"Then you'd better watch out."
With that, Kise Ryota began to move.
----
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