Chapter 140: Tradition
Miyamoto Tokima nodded, thinking to himself:
Dad really put some thought into this.
Kirisaki Daiichi had never had a coach or a captain before—but now it had both.
The coach was Satsuki Momoi, and the captain position naturally fell to Miyamoto Tokima.
...
Miyamoto Tokima waved his hand, signaling everyone to follow him.
Since Kirisaki Daiichi was the school Miyamoto Hiroshi had chosen for his son, it naturally received backing from the Miyamoto family. The basketball gym received the largest share of funding, outfitted with top-tier equipment without restraint.
It could be said that Kirisaki Daiichi had completely taken off thanks to Miyamoto Tokima’s presence.
After leading everyone into the gym and taking a quick look around, Miyamoto Tokima spoke.
“According to my tradition, everyone starts with a one-on-one.”
“As for your opponent...”
He pointed to the person beside him.
“It’ll be Nijimura-senpai.”
Shuzo Nijimura smiled at the group.
“Looking forward to it.”
The Kirisaki Daiichi players responded almost in unison.
“Likewise.”
Shuzo Nijimura asked,
“So, who’s first?”
Shogo Haizaki immediately raised his hand.
“I’ll go first.”
Oh? This kid’s eager.
Shuzo Nijimura smiled slightly.
“Alright, Haizaki, you’re up.”
Under everyone’s watchful eyes, the two stepped onto the court.
From the sidelines, Miyamoto Tokima said to Satsuki Momoi,
“Satsuki, record the data.”
Satsuki Momoi nodded and took out the notebook Mr. Hayashi had given her.
Shogo Haizaki and Shuzo Nijimura faced each other, their eyes locking.
The air filled with fighting spirit—though, truthfully, that intensity belonged only to Haizaki.
Shuzo Nijimura felt no real competitive pressure from him at all.
Nijimura handed possession to Haizaki.
Haizaki accepted without hesitation, holding the ball with both hands as he studied Nijimura’s stance.
Off the court.
Kazuya Hara chewed his bubble gum and asked,
“Hanamiya, do you think Haizaki can win?”
Makoto Hanamiya shook his head without a moment’s pause.
“No chance.”
Hiroshi Yamazaki looked shocked.
“Huh? Why? Haizaki’s the strongest among us!”
Hanamiya explained calmly,
“Nijimura was the No.1 power forward in middle school. And he’s spent two years training in the U.S. with Tokima—who knows how strong he’s gotten now?”
“He’s probably on the same level as those five.”
Pop!
Hara’s bubble gum burst.
“Hanamiya, you mean Nijimura’s on the level of the Generation of Miracles...?”
Hanamiya nodded.
“Pretty much. And I trust Tokima wouldn’t make a move without being certain.”
On the court, Haizaki knew this too. Miyamoto Tokima never fought an unprepared battle.
If Tokima dared to have Nijimura take on everyone one by one, then it meant Nijimura had the strength and stamina to defeat everyone present—
except Miyamoto Tokima himself.
Seeing Haizaki standing there in a daze, Nijimura urged him,
“Hurry up. If you don’t attack, I’m stealing it.”
Haizaki snapped back to focus and went on the offensive.
Under everyone’s gaze, he drove hard from the right side.
Nijimura instantly cut off his lane.
Haizaki’s eyes sharpened as he spun, trying to shake him off.
But it was all within Nijimura’s expectations.
The inhuman training and experiences he’d undergone with the Black Emperor Dragon Team had drastically improved his reaction speed. Haizaki’s current moves posed no threat at all.
The gap between them was simply that large.
Once again, Nijimura shut him down.
With no other option, Haizaki pulled back beyond the three-point line.
In truth, Nijimura had a chance to steal the ball—but he didn’t. He wanted to give this junior, whom he found rather likable, a bit more room to try.
Haizaki attacked again, dribbling continuously before suddenly changing direction.
Nijimura read it perfectly and blocked him once more.
Forced into a corner, Haizaki leapt into the paint.
Nijimura jumped with him without hesitation.
As Haizaki rose higher, Nijimura felt a strange sense of familiarity.
This looks familiar...
Familiar or not, a block was still a block.
Nng!
Nijimura slapped the ball away with one hand.
After landing, realization struck him.
“Haizaki, not bad! That was Reo Mibuchi’s [Heaven], wasn’t it? When did you learn that?”
He looked genuinely impressed.
No wonder it felt familiar—it really was Reo Mibuchi’s [Heaven].
Haizaki showed a trace of regret as he replied,
“I gradually figured it out at the training camp founded by Miyamoto Hiroshi.”
“It’s similar, but it’s not the real [Heaven].”
Miyamoto Tokima nodded.
“Of course it isn’t. You can’t replicate Mibuchi’s shooting touch. Any skill you use with [Pillage] gets mixed with your own rhythm.”
“A [Heaven] shaped by your rhythm naturally won’t have Mibuchi’s floating, gentle feel.”
“So this isn’t [Heaven]. You should give it another name—one that belongs to you.”
At that moment, Miyamoto Tokima realized that Haizaki’s [Pillage] wasn’t useless at all. Because the skills he [Pillage] always incorporated his own rhythm, they leaned more toward his personal style.
That made them smoother to use—sometimes even better than the original.
But the drawback was just as clear: he couldn’t [Pillage] techniques that relied on special physical abilities.
That was exactly why Haizaki couldn’t [Pillage] the skills of the Generation of Miracles.
After thinking it over seriously, Haizaki said,
“I can’t think of a name. Forget it—this is fine.”
Nijimura chuckled.
“Heh, pretty carefree. Alright, keep going.”
Possession switched.
Nijimura straightened up and raised the ball high above his head with his right hand, clearly signaling a shot.
Haizaki had no choice but to raise his center of gravity and lift his arm to contest.
A grin suddenly crept onto Nijimura’s face.
The next instant—
He dropped his stance and blew past Haizaki in a flash, cutting straight into the paint.
A simple layup. One point.
A dunk? Sorry—Nijimura had been taking it easy lately.
After scoring, he teased,
“What’s wrong? Zoning out?”
Haizaki snorted stubbornly.
“I just let my guard down.”
Nijimura shrugged.
“No afterimage, huh? Alright—your turn.”
Haizaki picked up the ball, his expression serious as he prepared to attack again.
...
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