Kaijō vs. Jinno.
On one side of the tournament, the crowd was left speechless.
On the other side
Teiko vs. Kamata West.
That arena too would soon fall into stunned silence.
Before this semifinal began, Kuroko Tetsuya had bowed deeply to Coach Sanada Naoto, his quiet voice drawing every eye in the gym.
"…Hm? You want to start?"
Sanada's gaze dropped, his tone calm but surprised.
"Yes." Kuroko's eyes burned with determination.
Others might not have understood, but Haizaki did. He knew exactly what Kuroko meant. Not far away, Ogiwara Shigehiro hadn't left after Meikō's match ended—he was sitting quietly in the corner by the reporters' seats, watching.
Sanada studied the fire in Kuroko's eyes. He didn't press him for details. Instead, his gaze flicked toward Akashi, who gave the slightest nod.
"You're fired up all of a sudden, huh, Kuroko?" Kise tilted his head in confusion.
Sanada thought for a moment, then nodded.
"…I understand. In any case, the final will be played by the third-years' starting lineup. I was already planning to save their stamina here."
"Then, for this game, Aomine and Haizaki will sit."
"Kise, Kuroko—you're starting."
As Kamata West's players took the court, Aomine frowned.
"Those guys are…"
"Last year's finals—those twin brothers," Murasakibara said lazily, glancing over. A brief flash of surprise crossed his face, then he smirked with disdain. "I remember them being a little bit troublesome."
On the court, the twins were already spouting their vows.
"This time we'll settle the score from last year!"
"We'll drag those two benchwarmers out onto the floor ourselves!"
But the more fiercely they talked, the more pitiful the actual game looked.
After all, the Generation of Miracles had only grown stronger—far stronger than they'd been at this same stage in the original story.
Kuroko scanned the court, eyes flashing. Suddenly he appeared beside a Kamata player, snatching the ball cleanly. A phantom dribble, invisible in motion, slipped him past the defense. He fed the ball forward to Kise.
Kise grinned. Without breaking stride, he drove straight to the basket, weaving past two defenders before soaring up to lay the ball in. The move was so fluid, so natural, even he had to praise himself.
Kise's offense was unstoppable, and Kuroko's steals and disappearing dribble made Kamata West utterly helpless.
"W-whoa, it went in!"
"What just happened?! He came out of nowhere!"
"Kise Ryōta's incredible too!"
"The gap's insane… and this isn't even Teiko's full lineup!"
"Even like this, they're miles ahead!"
"So strong!"
Teiko's display of individual power only escalated. When Midorima began draining three-pointers from absurd range—even pulling off a full-court shot—the arena's energy exploded to its peak.
Watching from the stands, Ogiwara Shigehiro's eyes widened in shock.
But his focus never left Kuroko.
Kuroko… you…
You've become this strong already?!
And more than that—there was something different about him. That sharpness in his gaze, that fierce aura…
Amazing.
End of the third quarter.
The score: 125–29.
And against Teiko, that kind of margin… was considered merciful.
"Substitution!"
"Akashi, Murasakibara, and Midorima are coming out too!"
"No way! So in the end, Aomine and Haizaki never even set foot on the court?!"
From the bench, Kise puffed his cheeks at the sight of Aomine and Haizaki lounging casually.
"Hey, you two are way too relaxed!"
Aomine shrugged. "What's the big deal? If I'd played, you wouldn't have gotten nearly as many chances."
Haizaki shot him a look. "Exactly. You should be grateful we weren't out there, Kise Ryōta."
The lighthearted atmosphere around Teiko was a cruel contrast to Kamata West's crushing despair.
The twins finally cracked.
"Damn it!!"
Why?!
We trained until our lungs bled this year!
So why can't we beat them?!
Damn it! Damn it!!
Their faces twisted with fury. Twin No. 8 raised his elbow, eyes locked on the infuriatingly small shadow before him—Kuroko Tetsuya.
"Raaah!!"
With a guttural roar, his elbow came crashing down on Kuroko's forehead. The crack of impact echoed. The fragile boy collapsed instantly.
"Tetsuya!"
"Kuroko!!"
Haizaki's eyes widened, rage exploding. Without a second thought, he lunged at the culprit. Aomine too surged forward, but Akashi's arm shot out, stopping him cold.
Haizaki, though, was already on the court, fist cocked back.
Midorima reacted just as quickly.
Akashi restrained Aomine, Midorima restrained Haizaki. Captain and vice-captain—two hands pinning Haizaki's arms. Yet even with both of them bracing, his wild strength dragged them stumbling several steps forward.
Damn it, Haizaki!
That wildness—this isn't where you're supposed to use it!
"Do you want to get suspended?!"
"Haizaki!"
"I don't give a damn!!"
In the gym's infirmary, Momoi Satsuki pushed open the door.
"Excuse me, is Kuroko in here?"
She looked up, startled. Standing outside was Ogiwara Shigehiro of Meikō, someone she'd already researched.
"He's here… but he hasn't woken yet," she said softly.
Ogiwara's eyes lingered on the infirmary door. "I see… thanks." He turned to go.
"Wait—Ogiwara, right? You're Tetsuya's friend, aren't you?" Momoi smiled politely. But before she could say more, her expression froze.
At some point, Akashi had appeared.
"You came to visit Kuroko, Ogiwara?"
Even though Akashi's smile was warm, his aura was suffocating. Ogiwara swallowed hard, voice shaky. "Y-you… you know who I am?"
Akashi nodded.
"Yes. The finals opponent, Meikō. But more than that…"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Kuroko's friend—that draws far more of our attention."
Ogiwara blinked, confused.
Akashi's expression grew solemn.
"Unfortunately, Kuroko won't be able to play in the final. But as his friend… I hope you, or at least your team, fight with everything you have."
If not for the earnest weight behind his words, Ogiwara might have thought it was mockery. Especially after Akashi had said Kuroko's friend was what truly interested them.
Still, he met Akashi's eyes.
"I don't understand what you mean by that… but of course. Meikō will fight to the end."
Akashi nodded lightly.
"Good. I hope you keep your word."
He turned to leave. But after a step, he stopped, speaking once more.
"Kuroko's resolve is strong. But with you—this unexpected factor—I worry. I worry that your defeat, your despair, your negative emotions might weigh on him, because of your shared bond."
His gaze sharpened.
"I hope you understand this, Ogiwara. Basketball is cruel. I'm sorry."
END OF CHAPTER
CROWN BEFORE THE MIRACLES
🔥 Rookie Recruit – Read 15 chapters ahead
🔥 Starting Five – Jump 35 chapters ahead + 6 bonus chapters!
Huge thanks to everyone already on Patreon—you're the real MVPs! 🙌Bonus chapters, early access, and all the good stuff are live. 👀✨
And for the rest—it's not too late to be part of the team. 🚀
👉 patreon.com/MrBehringer