In the stands, Midorima Shintaro watched the outcome he had anticipated and stood up, ready to leave.
"Hey, hey, hey! Midorima, aren't we going to say hello?"
"For an unfinished game? There's no need."
"True… even if we went, what would we say?"
With that, Kise Ryouta got up and followed Midorima out of the gym. Behind them, Takao Kazunari lingered a bit, dumbfounded, glancing between the court and the two prodigies before muttering to himself: The Generation of Miracles… they're all monsters. Shots I can't even begin to understand.
The game ended. Haizaki Shogo and the rest of the Fukuda Sogo players shook hands with their opponents. Finally, they approached Aomine Daiki and Satsuki Momoi, who were standing together. Shogo grinned.
"Next week's the national tournament. We'll battle again then!"
"Definitely! I'll give it my all!"
"Me too!"
Satsuki Momoi watched Shogo and Aomine walk away. She could tell both of the big boys had enjoyed today's match and were satisfied.
"Bye, Shogo-kun, Shimizu-chan!"
"Bye, Satsuki-chan, Aomine-kun!"
Fukuda's team began packing up. Shogo and Shimizu Rena stayed side by side, walking with the group as they exited the gym.
"Fukuda Sogo is strong, huh, Aomine!"
"Yeah! Pretty strong. Satsuki, start training me tomorrow!"
"Alright… got it, Aomine!"
Everyone from Fukuda returned to their bus, which soon departed Tōō Academy.
Watching his players rest quietly, Coach Ichiro Kudo stood up, holding his notebook.
"I'm pleased with everyone's performance today, but it wasn't perfect. There's still much to refine. Over the next week, no one slacks off. Understood?"
"Yes, Coach!"
"Good. Let's go through each player's performance. Our ace—you've seen him yourself, the captain—so work hard and don't hold the team back."
"Suzuran Karasu, excellent. You locked down Tōō's rebounds. Keep it up."
"Kimura Touma, good job seizing opportunities. You also experienced firsthand the terror of Generation of Miracles ace Aomine Daiki. Keep working hard—I have faith in you."
"Harano Shinichi, average performance. Made a few mistakes… Keep going, you can get stronger."
Coach Kudo gave a careful evaluation for every player, mixing praise with encouragement, hoping they would continue to improve.
At noon, Haizaki Shogo and Shimizu Rena stepped into a convenience store together.
Soon, a table full of food appeared. Shimizu ate delicately, while Shogo devoured his food like a wolf.
Between bites, Shogo asked, "How was Tōō today, Shimizu-chan?"
"Very strong, Shogo-kun. Led by Aomine-kun, Tōō was incredible. I didn't see a single discouraged player. Everyone was full of confidence."
"Of course! With Aomine laying the foundation, how could they not be confident? And Fukuda Sogo?"
"We did fine too. Harano-san made some mistakes, but he adjusted quickly. Fukuda isn't inferior to Tōō. Right, Shogo-kun?"
Shogo wiped his mouth while swallowing a hamburger. "And the stats? Are they ready?"
"All collected!"
"Good job!"
"I finished mine, and Satsuki-chan surely finished hers too."
"That's right. Satsuki's amazing. You all are amazing!"
After finishing their meal, they left the convenience store and took the train to their next destination: the fencing hall in the city center.
Since they had only played two quarters, Shogo's stamina was still high. Learning that Shimizu had a session with the strikingly beautiful Miyazaki-sensei, he stubbornly tagged along.
At the fencing hall, Shogo changed quickly and stepped out of the locker room. Outside, Miyazaki-sensei, with her long black hair and commanding presence, waited. Mischievous thoughts immediately surged through Shogo's mind.
Just as he prepared to tease her, he noticed her right hand poised, ready to strike. Startled, Shogo froze mid-step and awkwardly greeted her.
"Miyazaki-san! Long time no see—you look even more gorgeous!"
"Go away!"
Miyazaki-sensei had anticipated Shogo's playful intentions, her sword dancing in her hand as she fixed her gaze on him.
"Uh… Miyazaki-san, you do your thing. I'll train first."
Unable to gain any advantage, Shogo retreated to the arena and saluted the head coach waiting for him.
Watching him leave, Miyazaki-sensei felt a slight emptiness, though Shimizu's arrival soon lifted her spirits.
"Head Coach, be careful—your sword is mine!"
CLASH!
The sword flashed, icy energy emanating. Shogo's deadly precision demanded the head coach's full attention, who defended against every strike.
Three rounds of intense combat followed, nine minutes per round. Shogo triumphed over the head coach in twenty-seven minutes.
Removing his mask, he gulped in air. His chest heaved violently from the continuous high-intensity fight.
Across from him, the head coach, normally tall and sturdy, struggled to recover, panting with exhaustion from the relentless combat.
"Not bad, Coach. Still sharp after all these years, able to go three rounds with me."
"I'm old! My reflexes can't keep up with you young ones, and my stamina is maxed!"
"Hahaha, I think you could still go a few more rounds."
"By the way, have you ever considered joining the national team? At your current level, you could win many awards. Right now is the best timing, the best age."
"Forget it, Coach. I want beauties. What is the use of a sword?"
"I… go… get lost!"
Amid the coach's angry shouts, Shogo jumped off the arena, heading toward two women still sparring.
From above, he watched the duel—a different kind of beauty, overwhelming in its allure.
Soon, the sparring stopped, both catching their breath. Shogo's eyes lit up at the sight.
Miyazaki-sensei noticed his lecherous gaze and kicked toward him.
Sensing danger, Shogo sidestepped with heightened reflexes, laughing mischievously, his gaze teasing Miyazaki-sensei, scanning her form in a way that made her grind her teeth.
After showering and changing at the fencing hall, it was already afternoon. The three of them went to their usual café for coffee. Afterwards, Miyazaki-sensei treated Shogo to a feast at a seafood restaurant.