Darkness. That was the last thing Souta Fujimura remembered before everything faded away. One moment, he was just another university student, cramming for exams and surviving on instant ramen. The next, he was crossing the street when the world spun—screeching tires, a blinding light, and then... nothing.
Yet, instead of the endless void of death, Souta felt something. A soft breeze. The sound of bouncing basketballs. The scent of freshly waxed wooden floors. His eyes fluttered open, revealing an unfamiliar ceiling.
"What... the hell?"
A flood of foreign yet strangely familiar memories rushed into his mind. Moments of childhood games, laughter with a certain blue-haired boy, the pressure of gripping a basketball, the overwhelming presence of them—the Generation of Miracles.
Then, a robotic voice echoed in his mind.
[Congratulations! You have been reborn into the world of Kuroko no Basket.]
[Initializing Basketball System…]
Souta's heart pounded. System? Reincarnation?
He sat up, his body smaller than he remembered. A nearby mirror confirmed his suspicions—he was a middle schooler now, probably no older than 13. His reflection showed a boy with silver-white hair, sharp golden eyes, and an athletic build.
Before he could fully process his situation, the System's voice returned.
[Welcome, Souta Fujimura. You have been granted the Basketball System to aid your journey in this world.]
[Tutorial Quest: Make 100 successful shots to unlock your first skill.]
[Reward: Beginner Skill – Phantom Step]
"This has to be a dream." Souta muttered, but the sound of sneakers squeaking against the gym floor snapped him back to reality. He turned his head toward the court, and his breath caught in his throat.
Standing there, dribbling a basketball with eerie silence, was a young Tetsuya Kuroko.
"No way..."
His reincarnation wasn't a mistake. He was in Teikou Middle School, the very place where the legendary Generation of Miracles was about to rise.
And he was now a part of their story.
Souta took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing thoughts. It wasn't every day you woke up in the world of an anime, let alone a sports series. His body felt light, yet there was an unfamiliar energy coursing through him.
"Oi, Souta! What are you standing around for?"
A voice snapped him out of his daze. Turning to the source, Souta recognized another boy his age, wearing Teikou's signature blue-and-white practice jersey. His memories quickly filled in the blanks—this was one of his teammates, Daichi Hoshino, a second-string player.
"Coach said to start warming up!"
Still disoriented, Souta instinctively walked towards the court. His body seemed to know where to go, even if his mind was still struggling to process the situation. As he moved, another familiar voice spoke up behind him.
"Souta, you okay? You spaced out for a moment."
Tetsuya Kuroko stood beside him, his usual emotionless expression giving nothing away. Souta blinked, staring at the boy who would one day become the Phantom Sixth Man of Seirin.
Act natural. Don't freak out.
"Yeah," Souta finally said, forcing a small smile. "Just thinking about practice."
Kuroko nodded in understanding before dribbling his ball again. As Souta watched him, a strange sense of nostalgia hit. According to his new memories, Kuroko and he had known each other since childhood. They often practiced together after school, which explained why he felt so familiar with the boy.
But even with those memories, he knew the truth.
He wasn't the original Souta Fujimura. He was a reincarnated soul.
As warm-ups began, Souta glanced at the system interface in his mind.
[Tutorial Quest: Make 100 successful shots to unlock your first skill.]
He had no clue what Phantom Step was, but if it was anything like Kuroko's misdirection, it would be a huge advantage.
"Alright, let's see how much of my basketball skills carried over."
Grabbing a ball, he moved to an open hoop and took a deep breath. Muscle memory kicked in as he dribbled, lining up his first shot. He jumped and released—
Swish!
A clean shot.
A small notification appeared in his mind:
[Shot Made: 1/100]
His lips twitched into a smirk. "This might be easier than I thought."
He continued, sinking another shot, then another. His form was solid, and while he wasn't at the level of the Generation of Miracles, his body felt well-trained. After about 50 shots, fatigue began creeping in, but he pushed forward.
"Souta, you're working hard today."
A new voice called out, and Souta turned to see Momoi Satsuki, the future strategist of the Generation of Miracles. With her pink hair tied in a ponytail, she had a clipboard in hand, observing the players.
"Gotta keep up, right?" Souta replied casually. "Coach expects results."
Momoi giggled. "That's true, but don't overdo it. You'll burn out."
He nodded, but inside, he was thinking about his System. If he completed this quest, he'd unlock his first skill—a necessary step if he wanted to survive in a world where monsters like Aomine, Akashi, and Kise existed.
By the time he reached 99 shots, his arms felt like lead, but he wasn't stopping now. With a deep breath, he lined up his final attempt.
The gym suddenly felt silent as he released the ball.
The orange sphere soared through the air, spinning gracefully before sinking into the hoop with a crisp swish.
[Quest Complete! Phantom Step Unlocked.]
A surge of warmth flooded through Souta's body. Information about the Phantom Step ability filled his mind—a footwork technique that allowed him to vanish from his opponent's vision momentarily.
He clenched his fists. This was his first real step toward competing with the monsters in this world.
But the real challenge was still ahead.
Teikou Middle School was a battlefield, and the Generation of Miracles were destined to dominate.
If Souta wanted to carve his own path, he had to become even stronger.
And so, his journey began.