Outside the gymnasium, Kise Ryouta leaned over a water fountain, splashing cool water onto his face. He let out a deep sigh, the ice-cold sensation helping him clear his mind after the brutal defeat. His golden eyes flickered with frustration but also something else—excitement. Seirin had wiped the floor with Kaijou, but more than that, Naruto and Kuroko had played like monsters. And Kagamichi… The redhead had evolved so much in a single match that it was honestly terrifying.
As Kise wiped his face with a towel, a familiar voice spoke from behind him.
"Still sulking over your loss?"
Kise turned his head slightly, spotting a tall figure adjusting his glasses. Midorima Shintarou stood with his ever-serious expression, his lucky item—a small turtle plush—tucked under his arm.
"Midorimacchi!" Kise whined dramatically. "Don't just appear out of nowhere like that! You'll give me a heart attack!"
Midorima scoffed. "It's not my fault you weren't paying attention. That's why you lost today."
Kise frowned but didn't argue. He knew the truth—Seirin had simply been the better team today. Not just because of Kagami's overwhelming athleticism or Kuroko's incredible passing, but because of Naruto's sheer unpredictability. The blond was a nightmare to deal with on the court.
"Did you see Naruto-chi's movements? He wasn't just strong—he was reading the game like a book. And Kagamichi kept up with him!" Kise ran a hand through his hair, exasperated. "It's like they're evolving right in front of me, and I can't keep up."
Midorima adjusted his glasses, his expression unreadable. "Of course they are. You're not the only one who improves, Kise. Seirin isn't just relying on Kagami or Kuroko; their entire team is getting stronger as a unit. You're strong, but your weakness is that you try to shoulder everything alone."
Kise clenched his fists, staring at his reflection in the water fountain. He hated to admit it, but Midorima had a point.
Midorima continued, "You're still part of the Generation of Miracles, but don't think for a second that others can't catch up to you."
Kise smirked, turning back toward the green-haired shooter. "Heh… then I guess I'll just have to evolve faster."
Midorima gave a rare chuckle. "That's the spirit. But don't forget your lucky item tomorrow."
Kise groaned. "Not everyone believes in that stuff, Midorimacchi!"
As the Seirin team walked home, the mood was buzzing with victory energy. Riko clapped her hands, gathering everyone's attention.
"Alright, everyone! Since we completely crushed Kaijou, we should celebrate!"
"Yeah!" The team cheered—only for the enthusiasm to immediately fizzle out when they realized one critical issue.
"Wait… does anyone have money?"
Silence.
Hyuga checked his wallet. Empty.Izuki looked through his pockets. Nothing.Kagami sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "Uh… I kinda spent everything on burgers yesterday."
Kagmi turned to Naruto.
"Naruto! You always have money, right?"
But… Naruto was gone.
Like a ghost, the blond had vanished from their ranks, as if he was never even there.
"That bastard ditched us!" Hyuga groaned.
Just when it seemed like all hope was lost, Riko's sharp eyes caught something—a passing car with an advertisement painted on the side.
"FREE MEAT CHALLENGE! Finish the whole platter, and your meal is on the house!"
Her eyes sparkled with glee. "THERE! LET'S GO!"
Before anyone could object, she grabbed Kagami's wrist and dragged the entire team to the restaurant.
Inside, they were faced with an absolutely monstrous amount of meat—so much that most of the team tapped out halfway through. But Kagami, in true beast fashion, finished the entire thing.
The manager of the restaurant was so impressed that he let the whole team eat for free.
"Kagami, you're officially our MVP!" Izuki cheered.
Kagami wiped his mouth with a satisfied smirk. "Damn right."
Meanwhile, as Seirin celebrated, Kuroko had quietly disappeared. Naruto, too.
Kise, still lingering outside the gym, was surprised when Kuroko approached him. The two stood in silence for a moment before Kise spoke.
"You always disappear at the weirdest times, Kurokocchi."
Kuroko gave his usual blank stare. "And you always show up when I least expect it, Kise-kun."
Kise chuckled before his expression turned serious. "Hey… Kurokocchi, do you ever think about the future?"
"What do you mean?"
Kise leaned against a nearby wall, staring at the sky. "Even you and Kagami will eventually part ways. Your team is growing, but the Generation of Miracles… we're evolving too. The game is all about winning, and at the end of the day, we'll all be opponents again."
Kuroko stayed silent for a moment before responding, "That may be true. But I believe in my team. That's why I'll fight with them to the end."
Kise sighed. "Tch… you're really stubborn, Kurokocchi."
Before their conversation could continue, Kagami appeared—literally out of nowhere—and delivered a light punch to Kuroko's stomach.
"Oi, don't just disappear on us! We had to search for you!"
Kuroko coughed lightly. "My bad."
Naruto suddenly walked up, hands in his pockets. "Yo. What are we talking about? Existential basketball crises?"
Kise groaned. "More or less."
Before they could leave, they noticed something ahead. A group of three dudes was cornered by a larger group of five, clearly looking for trouble.
Without hesitation, Kuroko walked right between them, cutting off the aggressors.
"Violence isn't necessary." His voice was calm yet firm.
The punks sneered. "And what are you gonna do about it, little guy?"
Naruto smirked. "Oh, I like this guy. We fighting or hooping?"
Kise cracked his knuckles. "If it's basketball, you guys don't stand a chance."
Kagami grinned. "Let's settle this on the court."
And so, a spontaneous street basketball match broke out.
The results?
A warzone.
By the end, the punks were sprawled across the court, exhausted and utterly demolished.
Seirin eventually found them, and Riko immediately started scolding Kuroko and Naruto for disappearing.
She even put Kuroko in a Boston Crab hold—except Kuroko looked like he was enjoying the flexibility stretch.
Naruto raised a hand. "Oi, Riko, me next. My back's a little sore after that match."
Riko smirked. "Oh? You wanna challenge me, Naruto?"
Naruto smirked right back. "Maybe I just want you on top of me."
She turned red but still sat on his back, using the opportunity to definitely not feel up his abs.
Meanwhile, Kuroko took the chance to escape, and the rest of Seirin vanished into the sunset.
Another day, another W.