As the game ended, everyone from Kirisaki Daiichi burst into cheers.
They were still the champions!
On the other side, Seijuro Akashi lowered his head helplessly.
"I still can't beat him."
At that moment, the voice of his secondary personality rang out in his mind.
"Heh, you lost too."
The primary personality gave a bitter smile and nodded.
"Yeah. I lost too."
The secondary personality was silent for a while, then, surprisingly, offered a few words of comfort.
"Try harder next time."
The primary personality smiled and nodded.
"Yeah. Next year...... we'll try again."
Reo Mibuchi and Eikichi Nebuya also found Miyamoto Tokima and offered him their congratulations.
"Congratulations, Master." x2
Miyamoto Tokima smiled and said to the two of them:
"You two played well too. Don't leave just yet. I have something to discuss with you."
The two nodded and agreed.
After that, Miyamoto Tokima walked up to Seijuro Akashi, held out his hand, and smiled.
"Good game, Seijuro."
Seijuro Akashi smiled speechlessly, then reached out and shook Miyamoto Tokima's hand.
"But I still didn't win, did I? You really are a monster, Miyamoto Tokima."
Miyamoto Tokima laughed and said:
"What can I say? I'm just that strong."
Seijuro Akashi rolled his eyes at him, then said:
"Next year, I'll come back stronger and face you again."
Miyamoto Tokima said casually:
"I'll be looking forward to it."
Off the court.
Shintaro Midorima slowly stood up, looked at Seijuro Akashi on the court, and murmured:
"So we're still going to play each other, Akashi......"
...
Since Kirisaki Daiichi had already won two matches, the championship naturally went to Kirisaki Daiichi.
That left Rakuzan High School and Shutoku High School to fight for second and third place.
After the match, Miyamoto Tokima directly handed Eikichi Nebuya and Reo Mibuchi a contract of indenture each.
And when Reo Mibuchi and Eikichi Nebuya saw those contracts, they were absolutely delighted. They signed without the slightest hesitation.
There was nothing they could do! Miyamoto Tokima was offering way too much!
Once that was done, Miyamoto Tokima went with the rest of Kirisaki Daiichi to celebrate at a victory banquet.
After sweeping both the Summer Cup and Winter Cup national championships, Kirisaki Daiichi had completely become a famous basketball school.
Countless basketball-loving teenagers wanted to enroll there and see for themselves Miyamoto Tokima, the player who had crushed so many renowned experts.
This time, Kirisaki Daiichi's applications were completely packed.
The principal of Kirisaki Daiichi was grinning so hard he could barely close his mouth.
At that moment, he felt that the smartest thing he had ever done was follow the Miyamoto Family!
As time passed, the battle for second and third place also began.
Although the champion had already been decided, everyone was still rather interested in the fight for second place.
After all, the match between Rakuzan High School and Shutoku High School was full of talking points too.
But that topic made Miyamoto Tokima feel like he could barely keep a straight face.
Because the current situation fit one line far too well.
[Are you here to fight for second place?]
On the court.
The DJ was still passionately introducing the players from both teams.
With each heated line from the DJ, the players from the two teams entered one after another.
Once the entrances were finished, it was time for the pre-game friendly ceremony.
After all of that was done, Seijuro Akashi said gently to Shintaro Midorima:
"Long time no see, Midorima."
Shintaro Midorima paused, pushed up his glasses, and said calmly:
"Yeah. Long time no see, Akashi."
Seijuro Akashi smiled and held out his hand.
"Let's play this match seriously to the end."
Shintaro Midorima held out his hand and shook his.
"Yeah!"
After that, both sides began warming up.
It had to be said that after the primary personality returned, Rakuzan High School's warm-up routine had changed as well.
They no longer warmed up in perfect uniformity. Instead, everyone warmed up freely, choosing the best routine according to their own physical condition.
Once the warm-ups were over, the match officially began.
Eikichi Nebuya and Taisuke Otsubo stood facing each other, ready for the tip-off.
The referee tossed the basketball into the air, and the two of them jumped at the same time.
In the end, Eikichi Nebuya came out slightly ahead and tipped the basketball into Seijuro Akashi's hands in the backcourt.
After catching the ball, Seijuro Akashi immediately launched a fast break.
Kazunari Takao quickly followed and began defending Seijuro Akashi.
Seeing this, Seijuro Akashi suddenly dribbled behind his back, then passed the basketball out without even a preparatory motion.
As the saying goes, amateurs watch the excitement, while experts see the technique.
As a point guard himself, Kazunari Takao knew exactly how difficult a pass like Seijuro Akashi's was.
Without talent and long hours of training, pulling that off would have been impossible.
Seijuro Akashi's pass went straight to Kotaro Hayama.
After Kotaro Hayama caught the ball, he grinned, and yellow lightning immediately began to crackle from the basketball in his hand.
At that moment, Kotaro Hayama's smile grew even brighter.
"Five Fingers!"
In an instant, Kotaro Hayama turned into a streak of yellow lightning and broke past Kiyoshi Miyaji in a flash.
Kiyoshi Miyaji's face filled with shock.
"That fast?!"
After entering the paint, Kotaro Hayama leaped straight toward the basket.
Taisuke Otsubo immediately moved in to help defend.
Kotaro Hayama was not surprised at all. In midair, he folded his body and used a reverse layup motion to slip around Taisuke Otsubo.
Taisuke Otsubo's pupils shrank sharply.
Crap!
Kotaro Hayama was all smiles and had just prepared to go for the reverse layup when Seijuro Akashi shouted:
"Hayama! Watch out!"
Kotaro Hayama's expression changed when he heard that, but he could no longer alter his movement.
The next moment!
Smack!!!
Shintaro Midorima suddenly sprang over and slapped the basketball out of Kotaro Hayama's hands.
Kazunari Takao picked up the loose ball.
"Nice defense, Shin-chan."
With that, Kazunari Takao immediately took the ball and began a fast break.
Seijuro Akashi watched Kazunari Takao rush out. His eyes narrowed, but he did not chase after him.
Chihiro Mayuzumi, however, did chase him, trying to steal the basketball from Kazunari Takao.
Just as Chihiro Mayuzumi's hand neared the ball, Kazunari Takao suddenly switched hands and laughed.
"I can see shadows, you know."
Even though Chihiro Mayuzumi's sneak attack failed, his expression did not change at all. He simply spread his arms and moved to intercept him.
The next second, Kazunari Takao smiled and flicked the basketball behind him, passing it to Shintaro Midorima.
After Shintaro Midorima caught the ball, he immediately moved into his shooting form, but in the very next second.
Smack!!!
Seijuro Akashi suddenly appeared behind Shintaro Midorima and knocked the basketball down!
Shintaro Midorima's pupils shrank slightly. He had never expected Seijuro Akashi to be behind him!
...