Kuroko’s Basketball: Before Generation Miracles, I Already Crowned

In the blink of an eye

The entire gymnasium fell silent.

Everyone's eyes were fixed in shock on Teiko's No. 7 on the court, only for the silence to erupt into a storm of cheers!

"Did I just see double? Was there a moment where there were two No. 7s on the court? Was it just that fast?"

"Uh…"

"You're not seeing things, I saw it too!"

"Maybe it's some kind of special technique? That pass just now… it was like my eyes were tricked. I was completely drawn in by his motion!"

"What kind of basketball move is that?! I've never even heard of such a thing!"

"My understanding of basketball feels like it's being rewritten by this match…"

On the stands, the crowd was abuzz with disbelief.

Even those two spectators from Tokyo and Fukuoka, who had been arguing earlier, had now become united in admiration, showering praises like a rainbow-colored storm.

The chubby guy from Tokyo looked like his eyeballs were about to pop out as he kept babbling nonstop, while the taller guy from Fukuoka just shook his head in disbelief. They didn't bother responding to each other anymore, just talked over one another. But one thing was clear: Shigure Akihito's relentless barrage had completely won over the Fukuoka fan.

It wasn't just the threes, now even his fakes and drives were shattering conventional expectations.

And being more knowledgeable than the Tokyo guy, the Fukuoka fan noticed something crucial: although he didn't fully understand the mechanics, he could tell that the illusion-like afterimage had everything to do with the extraordinarily sharp fake Shigure had just used.

A fake…

What kind of fake could deceive someone to this extent?

Monster.

The word flashed through his mind.

At the same time, it felt like a new door had just opened up in the world of basketball.

On the court,

Teiko third-years Utsumi Masahiko and Ebana Masatoshi came running over, ruffling Shigure's hair with excitement. This junior who never failed to surprise them, he'd done it again!

Just like in the qualifiers.

Back then, he suddenly unveiled that ultra-deep three-point range.

And now, in their first game at Nationals...

He's pulled out this monster-level breakthrough fake!

As upperclassmen, envy aside, they were genuinely thrilled by Shigure's rapid growth. It made their championship hopes feel even more realistic.

And so came this scene, two seniors celebrating at his side like they were the ones who had scored. Even the 17 Teiko bench players were up, waving their towels with wild enthusiasm.

But on the sideline, Coach Shiramine Kozo looked on, eyes flashing with emotion, momentarily dazed as he stared at Shigure Akihito.

Shiramine Kozo: "…"

He hadn't expected this.

He never thought he'd misjudge someone like this.

Ever since Shigure joined the Teiko basketball club, almost like a gift from the heavens, he had been full of surprises.

But this rate of growth…

Might actually be… troubling.

The skills that others gained through years of training, Shigure seemed to acquire with almost disturbing ease.

Maybe…

Maybe he feared this more than he had admitted to himself.

In his long career as both a player and a coach, Shiramine had encountered his share of prodigies.

For those players, there was still a guiding principle to follow, "As long as you keep getting stronger, greater opponents will appear to challenge you."

But for Shigure Akihito… would someone even stronger really ever appear?

At least among his peers, probably not...

And yet,

Just as Shiramine was caught in the throes of doubt, struggling to figure out how to guide Shigure in the future,

His eyes suddenly locked onto another figure.

On the court, retreating into defense, was Nijimura Shuzo.

His gaze had never once left Shigure.

And around him, there seemed to rise a visceral pressure, one that ignited a wild, beastlike energy in his eyes…

So intense, it felt like it burned straight through Shiramine's pupils!

Stunned, Shiramine's jaw fell slightly open. Then, after a long pause, his solemn expression gradually faded.

"…Was I wrong again?"

The future he had envisioned for Nijimura, based on his personality, playstyle, and talent, might have been a misread too.

On the other side,

Nijimura Shuzo, the very one Shiramine was observing, suddenly disrupted Teiko's defensive formation.

In a move bordering on a foul, he exploded to the side of Yamanoshima's point guard, and cleanly stole the ball!

"?"

"Nijimura?"

Ebana Masatoshi called out in confusion, but Nijimura didn't respond.

He gripped the ball.

Tore down the court.

Accelerated!

But strangely, despite his body moving instinctively, Nijimura's mind remained as sharp and composed as ever.

Except now…

Instead of analyzing weaknesses in the opponent's formation or processing relevant in-game data,

All his thoughts were focused on one thing.

Shigure Akihito.

Things that should've been irrelevant… and yet now consumed his every thought.

Before joining Teiko, Nijimura had always believed, no, knew, that he would win in basketball. Not in some petty 1v1 sense, but by leading an entire team to victory through his own efforts.

He couldn't imagine anyone his age, at the same stage of development, ever surpassing him.

That belief had begun to waver during his time with Teiko. And now, for the first time, he felt a clear, sharp desire,

To completely defeat someone.

He wanted to challenge Shigure head-on.

Nijimura had never imagined he would harbor such a raw, simple urge. After all, basketball was a five-player game.

BOOM, !

Nijimura was sprinting at full throttle!

The only one on Teiko able to keep up, besides a few retreating defenders from Yamanoshima, was Shigure himself, and even he had to activate "Goda Tomokazu: Full Acceleration" to do it!

Shigure Akihito: "…"

What the hell…

He's fast!

Has Nijimura just… snapped?

Why?

No, doesn't matter.

What matters is, he's insanely fast!

"Charging all by yourself?! Don't get cocky!"

"Stop him!"

"Body him! Disrupt his rhythm! Slow him down!"

Yamanoshima's power forward braced himself, clearly prepared to risk a foul to stop Teiko's No. 8 with force, but just as he reached Nijimura's path…

He met his eyes.

Gone was the usual calm, composed look.

In its place,

A savage glare, like that of a beast ready to devour its prey!

THUD, !

With a bone-rattling thump, Nijimura didn't even alter his route. He just shifted slightly to squeeze into the lane, initiating full-body contact while growling:

"Out of the way."

"Trash."

Yamanoshima's power forward: "!?"

Huh?

Before he could even process what happened, the impact and Nijimura's raw presence knocked him back, and in his mind, he thought he saw a phantom behind the charging Teiko No. 8,

A lion.

Fangs bared.

Drool dripping.

Yamanoshima scrambled to shout: "Defense! He's alone, watch his pass! And… don't let him reach the paint!"

…

Nijimura Shuzo: "…"

What am I doing…?

I should be calm.

This reckless, full-court charge, this isn't me.

I've always known…

Basketball can't be won by one person alone.

Even if I want to dominate…

I'm supposed to use my own abilities to command the whole court.

And yet…

Why does my blood feel like it's on fire?

Damn it…

Shigure Akihito…

That guy who's exactly like the old me!

The one who believed basketball was just a game about scoring, who thought that as long as he could rack up enough points, he could carry the whole team, who entrusted everything to offense!

What am I afraid of?

That I can't win by scoring alone?

That maybe I'm more talented in other areas of basketball besides scoring?

What does that even matter…?

No,

None of it should matter.

The only thing that matters now,

Is this burning desire to not lose in anything on this court!

Enough thinking.

I'll just follow what my body wants.

Screw logic.

Just this once, I'll be selfish.

Let's go!

Watch closely,

Shigure Akihito!

When it comes to scoring…

The strongest is me, Nijimura Shuzo!

End of chapter...

To be continued...

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