The warm-ups were over before anyone realized it.
Without hesitation, Midorima Shintarō and Murasakibara Atsushi stepped onto the court. Behind them followed three first-years who had confidently volunteered themselves—but as they approached the court, their nerves betrayed them.
As for Murasakibara
He strolled lazily to the jump-ball circle, stretching like a bored giant.
Standing across from him was Okamura Kenichi, Yōsen's captain and center. At exactly two meters tall, his burly frame made his style obvious—a pure power-type big man.
Now he looked up slightly… at the towering Murasakibara.
"..."
He actually had to look up.
That was a first.
Still… could a player fresh out of middle school really move well at that size?
Okamura knew the trade-off better than anyone—the taller he got, the harder it became to stay agile. In the end, he had focused on strength over mobility.
But Murasakibara… though his frame was large, his muscle definition wasn't that heavy.
Then
When the ball was tossed skyward
Okamura learned, first-hand, what "athleticism" truly meant.
Screech!
The sharp squeal of shoes cutting against the floor echoed through the gym.
A terrifying pressure burst from Murasakibara's body—like a beast finally unleashed from its cage!
Okamura's eyes widened.
Before he could even react, a shadow streaked upward before him—rocketing toward the ball like a missile burning through fuel.
Smack!
The moment the ball began to fall, Murasakibara—almost waiting midair—flicked it backward to his teammate!
And even more shocking—though Murasakibara had jumped first, he landed at the same time as Okamura!
Okamura froze, staring blankly.
Meanwhile, the Yōsen rookie who caught the tip-off froze too—the forced calm on his face shattering instantly.
"???"
Could someone tell him
Was that height even humanly possible for a high schooler?
He jumped first, waited in midair for the ball to fall—just to avoid a violation?!
"So high!"
"That arm span—terrifying…"
"This is the Generation of Miracles?!"
"Monster!"
On the sidelines, Yōsen's regulars collectively swallowed hard.
"It's… starting…"
"And the first-years got possession?"
"We thought Okamura might set the tone early… but it's fine, Fuku'i's got this. His defense as point guard is top-notch. Those two from Teiko aren't even guards."
"Yeah… he'll go after the rookies."
The rookie point guard, shaken but trying to focus, instantly looked for Midorima—the team's obvious tactical core.
But before he could pass, a shadow flashed in front of him.
Fukui Kensuke—his dull-eyed expression hiding razor reflexes—was already there, pressing up tight!
The rookie froze.
"Ugh…"
That defensive pressure—too fast!
"Whoa, insane defense!"
"They're opening like this already?!"
"No wonder they're Yōsen!"
Under relentless pressure, the rookie lost control—his pass disrupted by Liu Wei, Yōsen's 203 cm foreign student, who smacked it out of the air!
The rookie's heart sank.
Then
Two figures broke into a sprint, one chasing the other. Fukui tore down the court with the loose ball—and right behind him, a flash of green.
Midorima Shintarō.
Too fast!
He's gaining?!
Fukui reached the paint, ready to attack the rim—when Midorima suddenly appeared beside him, wings unfurled in a blur of motion!
"Impossible?!"
The Yōsen regulars were stunned—how could a 195 cm player outpace Fukui, their fastest guard?
Smack!
Midorima's palm slammed the ball against the glass, pinning it before claiming the rebound cleanly.
The crowd fell silent, eyes wide.
"Fukui's fast break—stopped?! But he's the quickest on the team! And that block—he jumped from so far away!"
"Wait… Midorima's the shooter of the Generation of Miracles, right?"
"Horrifying…"
"To jump like that and pin it… ridiculous!"
Landing smoothly, Midorima turned to find Liu Wei closing in beside Fukui, ready to trap him.
Fukui frowned—so much for the plan to seize control early.
Not that he was surprised.
If it were that easy, the coach wouldn't have arranged such a brutal test on day one.
Then Liu Wei's expression changed.
"Hey!"
Fukui's dead-fish eyes sharpened instantly.
"What?!"
Midorima Shintarō?!
Was this guy serious?!
On the other end of the court
having just blocked the shot and taken possession
Midorima suddenly rose under his own basket.
That form—607° shooting posture!
He's shooting?!
From there?!
Coach Araki Masako, watching courtside, recognized that familiar form instantly. His motion hadn't changed since Teiko
only now, it looked even more precise.
Swish!
The ball soared in a perfect arc—so high it nearly vanished into the gym's ceiling lights, its path invisible against the glare
Until
It dropped straight down like a meteor.
Swoosh!
A perfect swish.
The net rippled softly, like ripples across a still lake.
Thud!
The ball bounced beneath the rim. The echo snapped everyone back to reality.
"He actually…"
"That really went in?!"
On court, Midorima adjusted his glasses, voice calm but firm:
"My shooting range… is the entire court."
From the far side, Murasakibara scratched his head.
"Eh? Greenie's starting that already~?"
He glanced at the towering Okamura beside him, mumbling lazily:
"Is Yōsen really that strong? Greenie's already using his 'Tactical Divination' or whatever~?"
Thinking of the complex coordination behind Midorima's ability, Murasakibara sighed and rubbed his temples.
"So troublesome… Guess I'll make him treat me after the match~"
"Still such a pain… Wouldn't it be faster to just give me the ball~?"
END OF CHAPTER
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