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Two days later.
Today is the most active day for all high school basketball teams.
It's also the most exciting day for all basketball fans.
And the busiest day for major sports newspapers and media outlets.
Toho Kotei Gakuen vs. Rakuzan High School.
The strongest dark horse vs. the strongest high school team.
The ace of the Generation of Miracles vs. the captain of the Generation of Miracles.
Each of these is a hot topic of discussion.
Today is destined to be an extraordinary day.
The game is scheduled for the afternoon.
Therefore, news about Toho Kotei Gakuen vs. Rakuzan High School hasn't stopped for the past two days.
Some people interested in this game have already begun their journey to Tokyo, ready to witness this highly anticipated epic battle.
Many professional players have also become interested.
They also want to see the strength of these younger players.
Time flies.
It's afternoon soon.
The plaza in front of the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium is bustling with people.
Most of them have only one goal: the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
Basketball teams from various universities arrived early to secure their seats.
They were the ones most concerned about the competition.
Seirin, Kaijo, Shutoku, Too, and Yosen.
Their expressions were serious and expectant.
They all possessed the strength to rival Toho Kotei Gakuen and Rakuzan High School, and naturally wouldn't miss the championship battle.
Both Toho Kotei Gakuen and Rakuzan High School.
These two schools were undoubtedly formidable obstacles to their teams' path to the championship.
The stands were packed.
Coincidentally, several members of the Generation of Miracles were gathered together.
Adding Kuroko, five schools were fatefully converged in one place.
Kise asked curiously.
"Hey! Who do you think will win this time?"
No one answered his question.
This was also what everyone else was thinking.
For a moment, the area became much quieter.
Crunch... Crunch...
Murasakibara said after taking a bite of his snack.
"What about you, Ki-chin? What are you thinking?"
Hearing this, Kise's lips twitched, then he said.
"That's why I asked you guys! Both Ryucchi and Akashicchi are insanely strong, and the strength of both teams is about the same."
Midorima adjusted his glasses and said.
"Besides Akashi, Rakuzan has three of the 'Uncrowned Generals,' and as for the third one, given Akashi's personality, I don't think he'd keep someone useless on the team. As for Toho Kotei Gakuen..."
He paused, then continued.
"As you all probably know, the others from Toho Kotei Gakuen, besides Ryu, also possess strength comparable to the 'Uncrowned Generals.' The two sides are practically evenly matched."
Hearing Midorima's analysis, some people finally understood why so many were looking forward to this match.
Satsuki, sitting next to Aomine, asked curiously.
"Aomine, do you think Ryu will defeat Akashi?"
Aomine fell silent, his mind racing between thoughts of Ryu and Akashi.
To be honest, he really wasn't sure who would emerge victorious.
He shook his head before speaking.
"I don't know."
Huh?
After waiting for ages, Satsuki still hadn't heard anything more from the other person.
She said, exasperated.
"What?! That's it?"
Meanwhile,
The entire Seirin team was present.
They were determined to defeat the Generation of Miracles and win the Winter Cup.
Having heard Midorima and the others' analysis, Kagami Taiga asked Kuroko.
"Kuroko, what do you think?"
Kuroko shook his head.
"I'm not sure. The two sides are almost evenly matched. I think the key to winning this match lies with Ryu and Akashi. They've never lost before, and they're unique in their teams."
"I think Akashi is a bit stronger! After all, he's the captain of the Generation of Miracles."
Hearing Koganei Shinji's words, Kuroko shook his head.
"No, this has nothing to do with whether he's the captain of the Generation of Miracles. Although Akashi is the captain, there was a rumor back in Teiko that the captaincy was initially intended for Ryu, but for some reason, it was changed to Akashi."
Kuroko's words caused an uproar among the Seirin players.
Hyuga Junpei retorted.
"Seriously, how many rumors have you guys had before?!"
While everyone was discussing the match...
On the other side.
Toho Kotei Gakuen's locker room.
Everyone had changed into their jerseys and sat there adjusting their mindset.
Ryu, as usual, stroked Karubin repeatedly.
Today's match held a different meaning for him.
"I'm very clear-headed now. The team doesn't need integration anymore. Everyone has a ceiling. Some players, no matter how hard they try, can't reach our level."
"This world is based on strength. The weak rely on the strong for victory. I never expected to hear such naive words as 'for the team.' I thought we were the same kind of people."
"I respect you because your strength deserves my respect, but that's absolutely not a reason for you to disobey me, I am the absolute authority."
"Once a plate is cracked, it can't be restored to its original state. But if it's still usable, maintaining the status quo is enough. Don't forget, I'm the captain of Teiko. If you don't like my style, you can leave the team. I won't stop you."
Memories flashed through his mind.
'Things from back then are still so vivid! Akashi, we're finally going to meet! I'll show you how ridiculous your decision was.'
Meanwhile.
Rakuzan's locker room.
All the team members were doing their tasks methodically.
Most of these people were discussing their opponents today.
"Finally, it's the finals! Our opponent is that Ryu, aren't you guys nervous?"
Hayama Kotaro's excitement was mixed with a hint of trepidation.
He couldn't forget the scene of being brutally defeated by Ryu.
Hearing his words,
Mibuchi Reo said disdainfully.
"Are you scared?"
Hayama Kotaro was a little embarrassed, but still said firmly.
"Scared? How could I be scared?"
Nebuya Eikichi said disdainfully.
"You don't need to defend him today. Akashi said he'd handle Ryu."
"Ha, that's right!"
Hayama Kotaro secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Mibuchi Reo reminded him.
"Although your opponent isn't Ryu, you can't be careless. You should know his strength; he's about equal to us."
"Relax! Relax! Don't worry! I won't be careless."
Hayama Kotaro and the other two chatted here.
Akashi, on the other hand, sat on a bench in the corner with his eyes closed, seemingly oblivious to the surrounding noise.
"You're the captain of Teiko! Your job is to unite the team, train the players, and improve everyone's skills. Wake up!"
"I don't deny that talent is important, but basketball is a five-person sport, meaning it's a team sport. If you rely solely on individuals, you won't even qualify for the competition. It's precisely because there are strong and weak players in the team that the strong are always wary of the weak catching up, and the weak constantly train hard, aiming to become the strong."
"I'm not like you, and I don't agree with what you're saying. This goes against the original purpose of team building."
"Disobedience, huh... It seems Akashi, you've made up your mind. Do you really think you're absolute? No one is absolute. If you insist on this, I can only vote against it."
"A broken plate can be broken, melted down, and rebuilt. But that broken plate should be you, Akashi."
Suddenly, Akashi's eyes snapped open, his crimson pupils radiating a chilling coldness.
'Ryu, no one can defy me, not even my parents. I'll show you that I am absolute.'
Squeak…
The door to the lounge opened.
Rakuzan's coach, with his slicked-back hair, walked in.
'Time's almost up. Let's begin!'
…
The door to Toho Kotei Gakuen's lounge slowly opened.
Ryu and the others emerged from the lounge.
They walked step by step to the end of the corridor.
The door ahead slowly opened.
Bright, dazzling light shone from within.
A deafening roar followed.
Kamimono, looking at the familiar scene inside, spoke loudly.
"This is the last match, the championship belongs to us!"
"Oh..."
The Toho Kotei Gakuen team responded in unison.
The moment the two teams emerged from the passageway,
the entire arena erupted in cheers.
"Look, they're coming out!"
"It's Rakuzan, the strongest high school team!"
"The captain of the Generation of Miracles, Akashi Seijuro!"
"The Toho Kotei Gakuen team is out too!"
"This year's strongest dark horse, I wonder how they'll fare against Rakuzan."
"A team that can hold its own against Rakuzan, this is going to be a good show."
...
The audience was incredibly excited.
Toho Kotei Gakuen and Rakuzan, however, remained surprisingly calm.
The players from both teams stood motionless after emerging from the passageway.
They seemed to have a telepathic connection, glancing sideways at each other.
The two teams stared at each other, the air seeming to thicken.
Ryu and Akashi locked eyes.
There was no nostalgia like old friends meeting again, nor any of the unpleasantness of the past.
Their faces were simply expressionless, as if they were meeting for the first time.
Neither spoke, yet they gave the impression of an unspoken conversation.
After a long while, they each looked away and led their teams towards their respective rest areas.
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