Kuroko’s Basketball: Before Generation Miracles, I Already Crowned

The gap had been cut to just 7 points, all by Teiko's No. 12.

Yet with nearly half a quarter still left on the clock, the Seiho coach felt every hair on his body stand on end. The shock in his eyes was impossible to hide.

Damn it!

That was a full 1v5!

Their entire team couldn't stop one player?!

Where in the world did Teiko dig up this monster?

Last year, Teiko had fought tooth and nail for the national championship, only to lose to Okayama in the end. Back then, there definitely wasn't a No. 12 on Teiko's bench!

And in all their regular training matches, he never showed up.

So then...

Where did this monster even come from?

Don't tell me... he's a first-year?!

The Seiho coach stared at the scoreboard, eyes lingering on the single timeout they had left. He knew it had to be saved for the most critical moment, he had no choice but to hold out for now.

At this point...

All he could do was pray his team could hang on to the lead.

Seven points...

Even if it ends with just one point left, that would be enough!

But could they last?

The coach's confidence was already shaking, and it wasn't just him. He could feel it. His players had already lost their grip. Their body language made it plain, they were rattled.

And the one who'd turned the entire game upside down,

Was none other than Teiko's No. 12.

A 27-point lead had made everyone, including the coach himself, believe the game was sealed. But everything changed the moment No. 12 stepped on the court.

Leading Teiko's second string, he launched a furious counterattack. The level of skill he displayed was leagues above anyone else on the floor. For a moment, the coach even thought of Okayama Middle School, who had dominated last year's championship.

This player, he belonged in that tier.

Not here.

That thought alone brought an overwhelming sense of frustration to the coach's heart.

"Stretch the possession! Don't let them get easy transition chances! Force them into half-court play!"

The coach screamed at the top of his lungs from the sideline, trying to rally his team and slow the tide.

On the court, Herai Riku, Takahama Ryo, and the others were only just snapping out of their daze, but fear had already taken root on their faces.

Three-pointers.

Steals.

Blocks.

Put-back slams.

And now, a coast-to-coast poster dunk.

No one knew what that nameless No. 12 from Teiko would pull out next, or what kind of jaw-dropping feat he'd deliver.

Fear of the unknown...

That's the scariest kind.

But regardless, the game had to go on.

Seiho had the ball, but faced with Teiko's relentless full-court press, their offense was sluggish and stagnant.

The collapse in their mental state and the loss of rhythm affected their play far more than anyone expected. On the Teiko bench, the player who had been subbed out for Shigure Akihito watched the scene unfold and suddenly remembered how things had looked in the third quarter.

Back then, it was Teiko staring at an ever-widening deficit. No matter how hard they tried, the score just wouldn't close. Their body language, their eyes, their energy, it all looked exactly like Seiho now.

The gap hadn't been that scary at first.

But once they started unraveling in the third quarter, everything collapsed at once.

And now...

It was Seiho's turn.

On the court,

Whoosh!

Shooting guard Takahama Ryo launched another jumper, but it was heavily contested by Teiko's defenders.

Teiko's second-string center crashed the boards with ferocity in his eyes, grabbing the rebound like his life depended on it. The moment he landed, his eyes swept across the crowd, looking for one person,

Shigure Akihito.

Across the court, every Seiho player did the same.

Just like the center, they were all desperately trying to locate Teiko's No. 12.

At this moment, Shigure Akihito was like a ticking time bomb hovering over Seiho's heads. The ball was the fuse, and he could detonate at any second.

But trying to prevent one player from receiving the ball?

Easier said than done.

Whether it was off a screen or a handoff, there were always ways to get the ball into his hands, cleanly or by force.

Especially someone like Shigure Akihito, with his speed, he could burn past defenders even off the ball.

Just like now.

Smack!

Shook his defender.

Caught the ball.

And immediately charged toward the front court!

The approach looked a little different than before, but the result was practically the same.

Blazing past defenders, even escaping a trap, Shigure crossed half-court and pulled up beyond the arc.

He had scored back-to-back 2-pointers already. This time, he aimed for a three, hoping to vary his offense and apply even more pressure.

However,

This one had just a little too much arc.

Clang~!

It bounced off the rim.

Everyone from Seiho finally exhaled.

Watching this monster take a shot from three was nerve-wracking beyond belief. It felt like every ball he touched could score.

Way too intense.

But they hadn't forgotten his earlier put-back dunk either.

So the moment the shot went up, every Seiho player collapsed into the paint, sealing off any path for No. 12 to crash for the rebound.

With two defenders in his way, Shigure frowned slightly.

But a second later,

His expression relaxed again.

Because all around him, the moment that shot missed, his teammates surged in like hungry wolves.

Despite the double team on Shigure, Teiko had the numbers advantage near the rim.

They boxed out,

They banged in the paint,

They fought tooth and nail for that board,

Everyone did their job.

And finally,

It was Teiko's second-string center, once again,

Just a flick of his finger!

Tap~!

Out of nowhere, he tipped it in!

83:78!

To be continued...

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