"Compared to the other teams, Tōō Academy didn't get much extra training time, since, like us, they also participated in the Interhigh."
"However… according to the latest intelligence, Tōō Academy's ace, Aomine Daiki, never used to join team training. But ever since they lost to us at the nationals, he's been practically living on the street courts."
"I'm sure even if you forget everyone else, you wouldn't forget this former ace scorer of the 'Generation of Miracles,' right?"
Akashi Asuka scanned the room, and every player his gaze fell upon instinctively lowering their heads.
By now, many had begun to vaguely sense Akashi's purpose.
============
Without pausing long, he continued.
"Tōō Academy has always been a team with extremely strong individual styles, and its core is precisely Aomine Daiki."
"So even if he's the only one evolving over the summer, it's still a massive boost for the entire team. Adding four lead blocks for Tōō Academy isn't a problem."
"Next, we have Yosen, Kaijo, and Rakuzan, three other teams with 'Generation of Miracles' players."
"Yosen this summer gained a transfer student from abroad, just like Kagami. From what I've gathered, this transfer student's skill level is almost on par with the 'Generation of Miracles.'"
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"Eh…?"
"No way! Seriously?"
"Akashi, aren't you exaggerating? Monsters like the 'Generation of Miracles' don't just appear casually!"
Once spoken, not only the freshmen but also Tsutomu Iwamura and Kasuga Ryuhei shot skeptical glances at Akashi.
They trusted Akashi's intelligence, this had already been validated during the Nationals.
They also believed Yosen had recruited a strong player.
But whether this recruit's skill truly matched the 'Generation of Miracles'? That remained a question mark.
After all, monsters like the 'Generation of Miracles' don't just appear randomly.
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Faced with their doubt, Akashi sighed and shook his head.
"Unfortunately, I wish I could tell you it's false, but the facts are undeniable."
"Three days ago, a streetball tournament was held in Sanmeicho, did you know that?"
"I knew. I even considered participating, but the seniors weren't interested, so I didn't go," Tsugawa Tomoki replied. He had invited Akashi, but was refused.
"That Yosen transfer student participated, and single-handedly crushed an entire Seirin team in that match."
The court went silent.
Undoubtedly.
Compared to the 'Generation of Miracles,' most Seirin players had a deeper understanding of Seirin and Shutoku, two traditional Tokyo powerhouses.
Before the Generation of Miracles entered high school, Tokyo's three kings had dominated the Nationals slots for over a decade.
"One person… how is that possible?" Even Omuro Yoshikasu, a third-year starter, swallowed nervously.
"There's nothing impossible about it. Many people witnessed it firsthand, if you dig around, you can find the information."
This incident was inevitably connected to Akashi Asuka.
Originally, in the source timeline, Seirin players faced Yosen's transfer student, Himuro Tatsuya, in a streetball game. The opponent alone had crushed the whole Seirin team.
But because of Akashi's actions, Seirin advanced to the nationals and won the championship, leaving no time to participate in the streetball tournament.
Seirin became a sort of 'pawn' in that event, while Himuro showed his strength elsewhere.
Moreover, spurred by Akashi, the semifinals and finals of the Nationals saw players like Akashi Seijuro, Aomine Daiki, and Murasakibara Atsushi personally playing.
Kagami Taiga, seeing the real strength of the 'Generation of Miracles,' returned from the U.S. much faster than in the original timeline.
Thus, the streetball tournament meant to pit Kagami and Himuro against each other became insignificant.
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"Kaijo's Kise Ryouta, after facing Tōō Academy, has undergone a complete evolution. He can now replicate even the techniques of the 'Generation of Miracles.'"
"Rakuzan is the only school that continues a specialized summer training program. From the very day after nationals, they were already training intensely."
"And these players' target? Our trophy!"
With each lead block dropped into the trophy, it grew heavier, even Akashi struggled to lift it.
Dragging the wobbling championship trophy, Akashi looked around and slowly said,
"Now, do you still think this trophy is easy to take?"
Everyone: "…."
The answer was obvious.
Facing a group of players who had regained their 'will to win' after defeat…
No.
Calling these monsters merely "people" no longer sufficed.
Now, the 'Generation of Miracles' members had transformed into beasts, hungry, ruthless, and insatiable.
Normal "food" could no longer satisfy them. The only way to satiate these beasts was to defeat Seirin and every other opponent, and claim ultimate victory.
After Akashi's explanation, Seirin's players instantly felt a surge of urgency.
For a long moment, Tsugawa Tomoki's smile vanished, and he simply asked,
"Then… what should we do next?"
Akashi's tense expression slowly twisted into a curious smile.
"It's simple. Last night, the coach and I stayed up late devising a special training plan."
He pulled out a new document and explained,
"From today, Yuzuki will gather the latest intelligence on the other teams daily. Based on that, the coach, I, and Iwamura-senpai will create training plans similar to the other teams' routines."
"Our summer training plan will be updated weekly."
"After each session, if we fail to complete the plan, a lead block goes into the trophy. If we complete it on time, nothing changes. And if we exceed the plan, we can remove a lead block from the trophy…"
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Completed version available on Patreon.com/Veltoria