After exchanging friendly words with Hagioka Kasayuki, both sides officially began their warm-ups. Yet even in warm-ups alone, the gymnasium buzzed with excited chatter.
Whether it was the duel of aces—Shigure Akihito and Hagioka Kasayuki—their guard-like handling despite their size, or the thunderous dunks that felt like a contest from afar…
Or Rakuzan's Five Generals
Dribbling.
Threes.
Push-ups with two people sitting on their backs.
And Kaijō's side
Nijimura Shuzo's precise distribution of the ball like a dealer fanning cards, Fukasaya Reiji's flashy, ever-changing receptions, and Kurokami Shinji's nimble footwork.
The performances from both sides left the crowd gaping in awe.
"These two teams are insane!"
"This is…"
"Just warm-up?!"
"This is ridiculous…"
"It's the first time I've gotten chills just watching warm-ups…"
On Rakuzan's side of the court
After finishing a set of push-ups with two seniors balanced on his back, Nebuya Eikichi let out a burp so long it startled everyone. Mibuchi Reo couldn't help but complain:
"How much did you even eat today?! That was way too long—might be your record!"
"Ha! Today I went for the Max combo meal! After all, I'm the one in charge of that skinny twig!"
"Ah!" Nebuya swung his thick arms with excitement. "Just thinking of that bastard… even my muscles start pumping up!!"
Hayama Kotarō glanced at him wordlessly, then turned to Reo. "What about you, Reo-nee?"
Reo launched a three-pointer before replying:
"My old rival, Fukasaya Reiji."
"Oh…"
"The guy who beat you back in middle school, you know~"
Mibuchi froze. "!"
He exhaled deeply but didn't argue.
"Even if that guy's rustic and nowhere near my type…" Reo's lips curled into a smile.
"Still…"
"Out of respect for his strength, this time I'll make sure to shower him with love!"
Over on the other half of the court, Fukasaya Reiji suddenly shivered without knowing why.
Reo continued, "But honestly, I'm more worried about you. You're the one matched up against Nijimura Shuzo~"
"Yeah!"
"What a nightmare."
Hayama grinned brightly, looking utterly carefree despite his words. His voice sounded almost lazy, but his dribble only grew sharper, the ball pounding louder and louder. "Still, there's always a way. Right, Kurumiya-senpai?"
Kurumiya Tosei shot him a glare. "Bench brats should keep quiet."
Tondo Kaoru chuckled. "Still holding a grudge about that? For the sake of victory, letting the juniors go out first to wear down the opponents isn't such a bad plan…"
"I don't mind it."
"After all…"
"This time's opponents aren't like your average high schoolers. Don't forget, we lost completely to them back in junior high."
"I know!" Kurumiya squeezed the ball hard, his voice sharp. "The point is to beat Shigure Akihito and Nijimura Shuzo!"
"…Good. As long as you know."
"A Kaijō built on Teiko's core is strong. We can't afford to take them lightly."
"But don't get too stiff either…"
"Remember, Hagioka is the strongest."
"In middle school, we all believed in that. The reason we lost was because we didn't give him enough support. But this time, it's not just us—he's got the Five Generals' successors as well."
"We just need to play our part."
Tajika Makoto: "Yeah!"
Hino Shinya: "Leave it to me, I'll run him to death!"
Tondo Kaoru: "Don't waste stamina. Focus on syncing with Hagioka's game."
Kurumiya Tosei: "Got it!"
At the center of it all, Hagioka Kasayuki stood ready. His eyes shone with a burning tide that spread to everyone around him.
"Let's go! The victors will be Rakuzan! Our Rakuzan basketball will prevail!"
"Yeah!!"
"Ou-ou-ou!!"
…
On Kaijō's bench—
"It's time. Let's go…!!"
Nijimura Shuzo rose from the bench, just like in their middle school days, gathering everyone into a circle before roaring:
"We're going to win!!"
"Champions…!"
"Kaijō!"
"Ou-ou!!"
Because this was the IH finals, the organizers added an introduction ceremony for the teams.
First up, wearing blue—Kaijō High!
The announcement made Shigure pause for a moment. From middle school until now, this was a first.
Coach: Takeuchi Genta!
Next, the starting lineup
No. 9, Kasamatsu Yukio!
"He's here!"
"Kasamatsu's first out!"
"Go for it, Kasamatsu!!"
In the stands, Midorima Shintarō fixed his gaze on Kasamatsu. "The pressure on him today must be enormous… On court, his teammates are Teiko seniors. His opponents are Hagioka and the Five Generals, with the remaining Rakuzan slot also being a former Okayama player."
"As the point guard, the team's linchpin, he might even be Kaijō's sole weak point."
No. 8, Fukasaya Reiji!!
"That guy looks gloomy…"
"Kaijō's Fukasaya Reiji, Teiko-born. But don't be fooled by his appearance—on the court, he's like a venomous snake lurking on the perimeter! His outrageous receiving ability fuses seamlessly with the ball at the moment of catch. And his arsenal—threes, bursts of speed, fakes—makes him deadly."
"Up to now, his scoring average is nearly on par with Nijimura Shuzo!"
Standing on the court, Fukasaya drew a long breath
Exhale…
Inhale…
Another final. A monster's feast. I won't be the one to fall behind.
No. 7, Kurokami Shinji!
"A big man with flexible footwork and a sharp midrange jumper. For someone over two meters tall, he moves nothing like a typical center. Another Teiko alumnus…"
"What? Teiko again?"
No. 5, Nijimura Shuzo!
His appearance drew a wave of cheers from the crowd.
"He's here!"
"If not for being on the same team as Shigure Akihito, Nijimura would be an absolute ace in his own right—possibly even among the strongest nationwide!"
"All-around. Overpowering."
"Teiko's captain during their three-peat era!"
In the stands, many high school players who'd been crushed by him before now looked on with fear and envy.
"If you take Shigure out of the picture, Nijimura is Kaijō's strongest."
"No need to even mention his strength…"
"Just like at Teiko, aside from that No. 4 captain Tomokawa Masaei—who's likely kept the title out of respect—Nijimura is the de facto leader of the first-years."
"And on top of that… he's got a face the girls adore…"
Then the broadcast voice boomed again, greeted by a tidal wave of cheers
No. 6, Shigure Akihito!!
"Woooahhh!! The super ace, Shigure Akihito!!!"
"The tournament's highest scorer so far—even higher than Hagioka Kasayuki! He thrives on outrageous, unconventional skills, and—when it comes to demolishing rims—he's unmatched!"
"So tall… yet so agile."
"It's hard to imagine another big man who can match Hagioka stride for stride in agility!"
In the stands, countless teams watched the cheers wash over the arena, their faces showing envy. For Teiko's players, that roar paired with the sight of their senior Shigure…
It overlapped perfectly with memory.
It couldn't be more fitting.
At that moment, Shigure Akihito stepped onto the court. Facing the wall of cheers, he drew in a deep breath.
"It begins."
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