Saturday. Game day.
For a packed Tokyo, the free match had already filled the gym's stands with spectators.
Four special individuals had come together to watch, sitting side by side: Kise Ryouta and Yukio Kasamatsu from Kaijo High, and Shintaro Midorima and Kazunari Takao from Shutoku High.
"Midorima, which team are you rooting for?"
"Fukuda Sogo!"
"Hey, hey! Seirin has little Kagami and little Kuroko, and you're picking Fukuda Sogo?"
"Did you forget the junior high match?"
"I…"
Midorima's remark left Kise speechless. Facts spoke louder than words; no amount of rhetoric could argue against it.
Kasamatsu, Kaijo's captain, glanced at Kise and asked:
"What happened in that middle school match, Ryouta?"
"Ahh!! That was a game I really don't want to remember."
"Was the opponent stronger? Stronger than Teiko?"
"Not stronger than Teiko, but… stronger than us, right, Midorima?"
Midorima didn't answer immediately, instead watching the players entering the court, shedding their jackets, and warming up.
After a while, he finally spoke the "secret" Kasamatsu and Takao wanted to know:
"Back in middle school, Haizaki Shogo of Fukuda Sogo led a group of weaklings to pressure me, Kise, Aomine, and Kuroko in a match. Teiko won, yes, but every single one of us lost individually."
"Yeah… that's an unpleasant memory," Kise added.
Kasamatsu and Takao's faces were first full of shock, then morphed into expressions of disbelief, like 'Are you kidding us? Do we look like kids to you?'
Ignoring their reactions, Midorima and Kise both focused on the court.
Outside the gym, two figures strolled in unhurriedly.
"Daiki, don't you want to watch Shogo-kun and Kuroko's game?"
"No suspense. What's the point?"
"Daiki… come on, I want to watch. I need to gather data."
Saying this, the beautiful girl, Satsuki Momoi, gently nudged the tall boy, pushing his hands clasped behind his head.
"Hey, Momoi, the gym's right in front of us. No need to rush for a few minutes."
"You're not in a hurry. I am."
Finally, the lazy Aomine Daiki dropped his hands, resumed his normal pace, and walked into the crowded gym alongside Momoi.
"Whoa, so many people before the match even starts?"
"Of course! Fukuda Sogo has been stealing the spotlight in every game, with slam dunks and flashy scoring. Seirin's Kagami is also a dunk master—many people want to see this matchup."
"Hmph… paper tigers."
"Daiki… which side are you rooting for?"
"Do I have to say? Haven't you seen Shogo play?"
"…But Kuroko and Kagami are really strong too!"
"Their light isn't bright enough. I can't see any reason Shogo would lose."
Meanwhile, the crowd roared, and on the court, Fukuda Sogo and Seirin High players seriously began their pre-match warmups.
At Seirin High's bench, coach Aida Riko stared at the jacketless Haizaki Shogo, her eyes scanning him as if numbers flashed before her. Her face tensed.
"How is this possible? All stats at peak? Every physical attribute exceeds my calculations? Impossible!"
At that moment, Kuroko Tetsuya appeared beside her like a shadow, speaking softly:
"Um… Coach Aida, I may not be able to contribute much in this match."
"What? Say that again?"
"I… I may not be able to contribute much in this match."
"Why, Kuroko?"
"Coach, Fukuda Sogo has a player similar to me—number 9, Sasaki."
"Similar to you? Similar to you? Similar to you?"
Not only did Aida hear this, but several long-bench players nearby perked up.
"Kuroko, clarify. Similar? You mean a phantom sixth man?"
"No, Coach. Not a phantom sixth man like me. A player who has devoted himself entirely to defense."
"Entirely devoted to defense?"
"Yes."
Aida tugged at her hair, exasperated, almost wanting to smack Kuroko for giving half-answers: Can't you just say everything at once?!
"Kuroko, explain clearly. I don't get it."
"Fukuda Sogo's number 9, Sasaki, can guard me. My Vision Inducement doesn't work on him."
"What? How is that possible?"
At this, Aida grasped Kuroko's collar, her small fist raised toward his head.
"Why didn't you say this earlier?"
"You didn't ask. I just noticed Sasaki myself."
"It's too late now. You're in the starting lineup. The roster is submitted. Play the first quarter, Kuroko."
"Understood, Coach."
Watching Kuroko warm up, Aida felt her heart sink. This was a clear case of inadequate pre-match preparation.
After defeating Kaijo in practice, defeating Teiko head-on, and then other ordinary teams, Aida realized her Seirin team was becoming slightly complacent—including herself.
In the stands, Kise watched the warmups.
"Midorima, I know Haizaki's ability, but Kagami still has a chance. His growth rate is ridiculous too."
"Really? Then you haven't reached that level yourself. Otherwise, you wouldn't say that."
"That level?"
Midorima didn't answer. A faint unease lingered inside him. After the middle school match, he had already begun to sense something.
Watching the last practice match between Teiko and Fukuda, although the two didn't go all out, he had glimpsed their potential.
Gripping his plush toy, Midorima mentally warned himself: You can go further. You can climb higher.
Quiet all this time, Takao noticed Midorima's unusual expression. His eyes were unusually bright.
With teammates this dedicated, he couldn't afford to hold the team back!