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The next day.
News of the tournament in the host prefecture swept through the entire Japanese high school basketball world like a storm.
The news of Toho Kotei Gakuen Academy's 275-0 shutout victory over Hayakawa High School gradually spread to other high schools.
Tokyo.
Seirin High School Basketball Club.
Everyone was training as usual.
Their faces were filled with undisguised determination and excitement.
They had first defeated Kaijo High School, the team with one of the Generation of Miracles, and then successfully secured their first qualifying match in the national tournament.
This was something to be happy about.
Just as everyone was sweating it out, the gym doors opened.
Walking in was Aida Riko, the Seirin basketball team coach.
"You're surprisingly late today!"
The speaker was Hyuga Junpei, the captain of the Seirin basketball team.
Hearing his words, Aida Riko remained silent.
Seeing this, Hyuga Junpei asked curiously, "What's wrong? You seem a bit listless."
The others also noticed that Aida Riko seemed a little off today.
Aida Riko took a deep breath, then looked up at everyone and said, "I'm fine, but there's something I need to tell you all."
Hearing this, everyone became curious.
What could have made the coach act like this?
Aida Riko first gathered everyone together, then spoke with a serious expression.
"I just received news that something incredible happened in the host prefecture's competition area."
Upon hearing this, everyone perked up their ears, waiting for Aida Riko to continue.
Only Kuroko Tetsuya's eyes flickered.
He knew that Ryu's school was in the host prefecture. Could this matter be related to Ryu?
Seeing that she had captured everyone's attention, Aida Riko continued.
"Yesterday, in the preliminary elimination rounds in the host city, the biggest point difference in history occurred."
"The biggest point difference? How big could it be? At most, it couldn't be more than five times! After all, this is the preliminary round of the national tournament," Koganei Shinji, who looked timid, spoke up.
Hearing him say this, Aida Riko didn't refute it. She said with some complicated feelings, "You're right. In a normal basketball game, even if there's a big difference in the strength of the two sides, the score difference won't be too outrageous. But there are always exceptions."
Kuroko Tetsuya suddenly interjected, "Coach, are you talking about that exception, Toho Kotei Gakuen Academy?"
Aida Riko looked at him with surprise. "Huh? You actually know? That's right, the cause of the incident was Toho Kotei Gakuen Academy."
Kuroko Tetsuya explained, "I was just guessing. Since that person is in that prefecture, and Coach, when you mentioned something happened there, especially something related to basketball, that's the only person I could think of."
That person?
Everyone was completely baffled by the person Kuroko mentioned.
Aida Riko pressed for an answer. "Kuroko, who are you talking about?"
Kagami Taiga, standing nearby, seemed to have realized something and spoke up. "Hey! Kuroko, the person you're talking about isn't..."
Kuroko Tetsuya nodded. "That's right, it's Ryu. His school is called Toho Kotei Gakuen."
Hyuga Junpei was completely confused and couldn't help but ask, "Hey, hey, hey! What are you guys talking about? What Ryu? What Toho Kotei Gakuen? Is that even the name of a school?"
"Hyuga, don't interrupt," Aida Riko frowned, then looked at Kuroko Tetsuya seriously and asked, "Kuroko, who is this Ryu you're talking about?"
She had a feeling that the key to Toho Kotei Gakuen Academy's 275-point shutout victory lay in the Ryu that Kuroko Tetsuya mentioned.
Hearing his coach's question, Kuroko Tetsuya didn't hide anything; after all, it was good for the team to be prepared in advance. He nodded, then spoke.
"Coach, can you tell me first what exactly happened in the match in the host city?"
Hearing Kuroko Tetsuya's question, everyone turned to look at Aida Riko. They had all been captivated by Kuroko Tetsuya's words. Now they realized that the coach's incredible statement was the real topic.
"Oh! Coach, what is it you wanted to tell us?"
Hearing the question, Aida Riko slapped her forehead and said, "I almost forgot, I was going to talk about Toho Kotei Gakuen Academy. Their total score yesterday was 275 points, while their opponent, Hayakawa High School, scored 0."
As soon as she finished speaking, the entire arena fell silent; you could hear a pin drop.
Everyone's mind was filled with only two numbers: 275 and 0.
They wondered if they had misheard.
Hyuga Junpei took a long time to react, asking incredulously, "Are you sure this information is accurate? It can't be just some fabricated story, right? 275 to 0 is outrageous!"
Izuki Shun, also a player on the Seirin basketball team, spoke up. "Outrageous to the core, utterly outrageous!"
Koganei Shinji said helplessly, "Please, stop with your lame jokes."
Kagami Taiga had been in a daze the whole time. He couldn't imagine what a 275 to 0 score could look like, or what kind of game could possibly produce such a result. His subconscious didn't believe it either. However, his rational mind told him that Aida Riko wouldn't lie. This was very likely true.
Therefore, the shock he felt was overwhelming, wave after wave.
Soon, Kagami Taiga noticed Kuroko Tetsuya standing silently to the side, head down, seemingly deep in thought. He asked Kuroko Tetsuya with a puzzled look, "Kuroko, what do you think about this?"
Kagami Taiga's words also jolted everyone present. They all looked at Kuroko Tetsuya. They had all heard what Kuroko Tetsuya had just said. It seemed Kuroko Tetsuya knew about this Toho Kotei Gakuen Academy, and it seemed there were people he knew inside.
Aida Riko's gaze returned to Kuroko Tetsuya. "Kuroko, do you know something?"
Kuroko Tetsuya snapped out of his reverie. He looked up at everyone and began to speak.
"Well, actually, the 'Generation of Miracles' that you all know isn't the whole story."
"Not the whole story? What do you mean?" Hyuga Junpei asked, puzzled.
Koganei Shinji continued, "Is there something we don't know?"
Aida Riko frowned, pondering Kuroko Tetsuya's words.
Kuroko Tetsuya continued, "Actually, the 'Generation of Miracles' didn't start with five people, but with six."
"Six people?" everyone except Kagami Taiga exclaimed in unison.
Aida Riko, as if she had grasped something, quickly said, "Could it be that this person is the Ryu you just mentioned?"
Kuroko Tetsuya nodded. "Yes, Ryu was also one of the 'Generation of Miracles,' and back then, Kise Ryota was just his substitute."
Boom...
These words were like a bombshell dropped on the Seirin basketball team.
Ryota Kise, now a member of the "Generation of Miracles," was once just that person's substitute.
Who would believe that if they heard it? But since it was Tetsuya Kuroko who said it, they had no choice but to believe it.
"Kuroko, who exactly is this Ryu?" Hyuga Junpei couldn't help but ask.
Tetsuya Kuroko replied with a hint of reminiscence, "His full name is Shirogane Ryu. Even before I joined the first team, he was already an indispensable member of the starting lineup. everyone on the team unanimously believed that Ryu was the strongest player among Teiko's players."
Hearing this, a substitute player on the team, couldn't help but interject, "Teiko's strongest? Then, does that mean that Shirogane Ryu you mentioned is the strongest among the 'Generation of Miracles'?"
Tetsuya Kuroko paused for a moment, then replied, "This rumor existed before I joined the first team, so I'm not entirely sure. At that time, Teiko's head coach issued an order forbidding the Generation of Miracles from going all out, so I never saw them fight each other. I can't give you a definitive answer as to who is the strongest."
"In that case, Kuroko, you said this person shouldn't be unknown, but why have I never heard of him?"
A hint of melancholy flashed in Kuroko's eyes. "Because of certain events, Ryu retired from the team after winning their second consecutive championship. So, in their third year of middle school, Kise replaced Ryu as the team's starting player. Therefore, there's no information about Ryu in the recent reports. If you want to look, you might be able to find it in newspapers from two years ago."
He briefly recounted the past.
Kuroko Tetsuya let out a long sigh, then looked at everyone and reminded them, "In short, Ryu possesses strength comparable to, or even greater than, the 'Generation of Miracles.' As a teammate, he's incredibly reliable, but now we're destined to be rivals. I don't even know how strong he is now; the only word that comes to mind is 'invincible.'"
"My god! Just how strong was your former Teiko?!" Hyuga Junpei couldn't help but exclaim. Just thinking about it terrified him.
Kagami Taiga, on the other hand, was filled with excitement. He couldn't wait to face Ryu right now.
Clap clap clap…
Aida Riko clapped her hands, interrupting the conversation. "Alright, regardless of what Ryu is like, we need to take care of our own affairs first. If we want to compete against Toho Kotei Gakuen Academy, we at least need to get a ticket to the National Tournament first."
"Yes!"
...
Too Academy.
On the rooftop of the school building.
"Ah... you're sleeping here again. You haven't been to the basketball club in ages."
Momoi Satsuki, with long pink hair, wearing a green hoodie and a JK-style skirt, spoke with displeasure to Aomine Daiki, who was lying on the floor.
"Ah, why are you here again, Satsuki? Didn't I tell you, it doesn't matter whether I go to the basketball club or not?" Aomine Daiki replied lazily.
Momoi Satsuki walked to Aomine Daiki's side, hands on her hips, and said, "That's exactly why it's no good! You'll be surpassed by Ryu if you keep going like this. I brought you information about Ryu!"
Hearing this, Aomine Daiki's slightly closed eyes suddenly opened. "Hmm? Information about Ryu? What happened to him?"
Momoi Satsuki's lips curled up slightly. "This time, Ryu's gotten himself into quite a mess! Guess how many points he got in his first match?"
Hearing Momoi Satsuki deliberately tease him, Aomine Daiki closed his eyes again. "I don't care to guess. I'm going to sleep, don't bother me."
"Aomine..." Momoi Satsuki immediately pouted, clearly annoyed. "Ugh... you're so annoying! Ryu and the others beat their opponents 275-0! Their individual scores are way higher than yours, Daiki!"
She then looked at Aomine Daiki with smug satisfaction.
But after waiting for a while, Aomine Daiki remained with his eyes closed, seemingly oblivious or indifferent. This infuriated Momoi Satsuki, who stomped her foot in frustration.
Just then, Momoi Satsuki's phone rang. She picked it up and saw it was from Too's captain, Imayoshi Shoichi.
She answered the phone. "Captain... Ah, okay, I understand, I'll be right back."
Hanging up, Momoi Satsuki said irritably to Aomine Daiki, "Hmph, I don't care about you anymore, you can sleep here until you drop! The captain wants me to talk about Ryu. If you want to hear it, come to the basketball court!"
With that, Momoi Satsuki climbed down the ladder and left.
After Momoi Satsuki left, Aomine Daiki, who had been lying on the ground with his eyes closed, finally opened them.
'Ryu...'
A faint arc of blue electricity flickered in his dark eyes, and a slight smile curved his lips.
...
Shutoku High School Basketball Club.
Everyone was training according to their usual routine.
Midorima Shintaro was no different from usual, repeating shot after shot like a robot, as if he were tireless and oblivious to boredom.
Takao Kazunari was practicing with him. The two practiced in different directions, but with equal effort.
Just then, a figure walked in from outside the gym. The man appeared to be in his thirties, wearing a white shirt and a black tie, his expression always serious. This man was none other than Nakatani Hitoshi, the coach of the Shutoku High School basketball club.
His serious expression now held a hint of gravity and confusion. The gravity stemmed from the unbelievable news he had received. A super dark horse had emerged from the host city, and this dark horse had shocked everyone from the very beginning.
275 to 0. Just thinking about it made him feel incredulous.
What puzzled him was that he had never heard of this school before; it was as if it had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. More importantly, according to his preliminary investigation, every player at this Toho Kotei Gakuen Academy possessed considerable skill. Yet, he had never heard of them either, even though the school's basketball club was only established last year.
However, the players' skills couldn't be faked; they shouldn't be so unknown.
"Gather..."
...
Kanagawa Prefecture.
Kaijo High School Basketball Club.
"No way? Really?"
"It's a joke, right?"
"How is this possible?"
"This joke is too much."
The Kaijo players stared wide-eyed at the chubby man before them. This man was none other than Kaijo's coach, Takeuchi Genta.
A series of gasps erupted in the stadium just now because Takeuchi Genta had informed everyone of the astonishing achievement of Toho Kotei Gakuen Academy.
The Kaijo players were now wondering if they had hallucinated. Could this coach in front of them have been replaced? Why was he talking nonsense in broad daylight?
Only Kise Ryota clenched his fists, his eyes filled with boundless fighting spirit.
Ryu was the most special person to him. Whenever the "Generation of Miracles" was mentioned, he knew in his heart that he was merely a substitute for someone else. Of all the people he most wanted to defeat, besides Aomine Daiki, there was only Ryu.
Kasamatsu Yukio, as the captain of the Kaijo team, was constantly observing his teammates' condition. He quickly noticed that Kise Ryota's mood was a bit off.
He asked, "Kise, what's wrong?"
His voice drew the attention of the other teammates.
"Ah... I'm fine." Kise Ryota quickly recovered from his earlier daze. He smiled slightly at everyone.
Looking at him, Kasamatsu Yukio scrutinized him from head to toe. "Are you really alright? You'd better not lie to me."
Kise Ryota scratched his head, then laughed. "It's really nothing!."
...
Akita Prefecture.
Yosen High School Basketball Club.
They also received news about Toho Kotei Gakuen Academy immediately.
Thud...
A woman with a capable and dignified appearance, and excellent looks, raised the bamboo sword in her hand and slammed it heavily on the table in the rest area.
All the players trembled at the sight. Although they were all tall and strong, they still couldn't help but tremble in front of this woman.
This woman was named Araki Masako, the coach of the Yosen High School basketball team, and a former player on the national professional women's basketball team. Rumors circulated that she was once a yakuza boss, and still had admirers all over the country.
"Where did this Toho Kotei Gakuen Academy come from?" Araki Masako asked.
The surrounding players all fell silent.
Crunch... Crunch...
Just then, after quickly devouring a snack, Murasakibara Atsushi said, "Huh? Toho Kotei Gakuen Academy? Isn't that the school Yu-chin attends?"
Hearing this, Himuro Tatsuya chimed in, "Is that the former teammate you mentioned last time?"
"Yeah, that's right! With Yu-chin on the team, it's no wonder Toho Kotei Gakuen Academy won by so many points."
Hearing Murasakibara Atsushi's words, everyone looked at him with puzzled expressions. Araki Masako even stepped in front of him and asked, "Hurry up, tell me about this Yu-chin you're talking about, or you know what will happen."
As she spoke, she brandished her bamboo sword in front of Murasakibara Atsushi's eyes.
Murasakibara Atsushi blinked, realizing he might not be able to withstand the coach's barrage of attacks, so he began to explain about Ryu.
...
Rakuzan High School.
Inside the gym.
On a treadmill, Akashi Seijuro had been working out for an hour. His body was drenched in sweat.
Beside him, Mibuchi Reo, Hayama Kotaro, and Nebuya Eikichi were also exercising and chatting.
Ring ring ring…
Suddenly, a cell phone rang, catching their attention.
"Akashi, it's a call for you," Mibuchi Reo picked up Akashi Seijuro's phone and said. After seeing the caller ID, he added, "It's the team manager calling."
Akashi Seijuro, still running on the treadmill, replied without turning his head, "You answer it for me."
Mibuchi Reo answered immediately. However, his expression quickly changed.
"What? You mean it? How is that possible?" He paused, then continued, "Okay, I understand. I'll pass it on to Akashi."
He hung up. Mibuchi Reo hesitated for a moment, then said, "Akashi, I have some shocking news."
He then told everyone about the Toho Kotei Gakuen Academy incident from the phone call.
…
In an instant, all the schools began investigating the suddenly infamous Toho Kotei Gakuen Academy.
Meanwhile, information on five players—Ryu, Kamimono Kazuo, Kugawa, Ryuichi Kuroki, and Hanafuji Souji—also appeared in the hands of many people.
The sports media, like sharks smelling blood, focused all their attention on Toho Kotei Gakuen Academy, a school whose basketball team had only been established for a year.
However, some reporters who had previously interviewed Teiko quickly noticed the name Ryu. Upon investigation, they realized what they had missed.
Shirogane Ryu was actually Teiko's former ace player. He was in no way inferior to the current "Generation of Miracles."
Thus, Ryu re-entered the public eye. The names of Shirogane Ryu and Toho Kotei Gakuen resounded throughout the entire high school basketball world.
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