"Hm… this isn't going to be easy. Senshinkan's players are all grown gorillas—steady, disciplined, and united."
Listening to Shimizu Rena's slightly wistful voice, Haizaki Shogo reached out and gently patted her shoulder, his tone encouraging.
"No matter how united a team is, they all have moments of doubt. That's when you, Shimizu-chan, unleash your inner tigress. Nobody's perfect. Their resolve will crumble sooner or later."
Even Shogo had to admit inwardly: kings are kings. They moved steadily, and even a former king couldn't be underestimated.
This was exactly why Coach Ichiro Kudo used the reigning champions to train his team—a bold, almost audacious strategy.
"Ugh, you're awful, Shogo-kun!"
Shimizu's teasing voice reached him, and Shogo immediately realized that this clever, observant girl had caught on to his little secret: calling her a tigress in private.
"Hahaha—Shimizu-chan, you're smart, graceful, beautiful, and charming beyond words…"
Shimizu rolled her eyes at him, then returned to her notes, monitoring the players' performance and morale on the court.
Even without Shogo on the floor, Fukuda Sogo dominated Senshinkan, their scoring undiminished and defense stronger than ever.
When the defensive specialist, Okawa entered the game, Fukuda's 3-1-1 formation reestablished itself. Their interior defense was so solid that Senshinkan's players began to despair.
Before long, the second quarter ended with Fukuda's flashy plays racking up points. Suzuran Karasu had 12 points; Mochizuki Kazuhiro added another 12 from the perimeter.
Fukuda led 60–44, leaving the spectators in awe.
Had the once-mighty Three Kings already fallen? Many wondered silently, marveling at this new dark horse, Fukuda Sogo.
"Ishida, Sasaki—you're in. Replace Karasu and Kimura. Play well!"
"Yes, coach!"
With Fukuda leading comfortably, Coach Kudo began to rotate his lineup boldly in the third quarter, continually sharpening his players' skills.
Over in Senshinkan's bench, the silver-haired coach watched the substitutions. He understood—they were training their players through the match.
When did we, the kings, become someone else's sharpening stone?
Had excellence and glory truly faded unless new talent was imported? Was ordinary basketball doomed to lose?
The old coach sat quietly, watching. His team played as expected, some exceeding expectations, but still—Fukuda's superior roster left them far behind.
Is there truly no path for ordinary players?
Before him was the brutal reality, painfully honest, undeniable. A lesson verified on the court: ordinary basketball cannot survive at this level.
In the final stretch of his career, the veteran coach saw the truth of his lifelong pursuit.
Ordinary basketball… can't go far.
A harsh, painful conclusion.
Even in the fourth quarter, Senshinkan maintained a steady performance but were utterly dismantled by Fukuda's talent-laden team.
Amid his teammates' cheers and Shimizu Rena's wide-eyed anticipation, Shogo scooped up the girl in front of him, spun her around a few times, then joined the celebration.
Having defeated the King of the West, Fukuda advanced to the next round. Their next opponent? Ordinary high schools—teams that wouldn't even require Shogo on the floor or Kudo's flexible 3-1-1 formation. Simply honing the teammates would be enough to secure victory.
So, after the morning match, Shogo and Shimizu left the bench and moved to the spectator stands.
Patting the shoulder of a beautiful girl with pink hair, he entered her line of sight, alongside Shimizu, to the astonishment of Satsuki Momoi.
"Long time no see, Satsuki-chan! Aomine-kun!"
"Yo! You actually have time to watch the games? Satsuki-chan, Aomine!"
From afar, Shogo and Shimizu had spotted the familiar pink hair approaching.
"Shimizu-chan, Shogo-kun! You're here! Finished your game already?"
"Satsuki, with our two schools' strength, there's no need for me or Shogo to be on the floor right now."
Their greetings were met with smiles and responses from Satsuki Momoi and Aomine Daiki.
The four of them sat together, Shimizu and Momoi flanked by Shogo and Aomine.
"Has the game started?"
"Not yet, Shogo-kun!"
They were there to watch the highly anticipated Seiho High vs. Seirin High match.
Unexpectedly, they ran into Aomine, who Momoi had dragged along. Shogo guessed she had forced him to come, hoping Kuroko Tetsuya and Kagami Taiga's cooperation would motivate him.
Watching the two girls seriously taking notes, Shogo felt a surreal sense of how enviable and peaceful this little life was.
"I wonder how Midorima's game went?"
"Midorima?"
"Yeah, Midorima Shintaro."
Shogo answered Shimizu's question for Momoi.
"Shintaro's morning match was against weak teams—he didn't even need to make a move. The afternoon opponent… might be a little tricky, but it should be fine."
Aomine's lazy voice added assurance, both to Momoi and as praise for Midorima.
"Tricky opponent?"
Shogo raised an eyebrow—if Aomine called them tricky, they must be formidable.
"Kirisaki Daiichi High… Hanamiya Makoto and his teammates."
Ah, now it made sense. With that massive skill gap, Midorima will crush them. Small tricks would just make him look ridiculous.
"I agree! Finally, Shogo says something sensible!"
"I…"
Ending the awkward conversation with Aomine, Shimizu and Momoi covered their mouths to stifle laughter, then broke into giggles.
Bored, Shogo changed the topic.
"By the way… how did Tokyo become the death Zone this year? So many strong teams."
"How would I know?"
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