NOVEL NEXT Chapter 117: Reaction
Finally, it's over!" The players of Shuchi Academy collectively sighed in relief. The 133-point gap had made the entire game feel like pure torture for them.
Even though Shiro didn't play in the second half, Fukui still crushed Shuchi with the efforts of Nijimura and Kawamura.
By the next day, the news of Fukui High's 164:31 victory over Shuchi Academy had swept across Japan.
High schools everywhere began to take Fukui High more seriously. Reports soon emerged that Shiro, the ace of the Generation of Miracles from Teiko, had joined Fukui High.
With that revelation, people were less surprised by the staggering scoreline. After all, Shiro had been the number one middle school player in the country. Leading his team to such a dominant win, while extraordinary, was something they could now comprehend.
...
At Seirin High
Inside Seirin's basketball gym, Riko walked in with a heavy expression.
"Coach, is something wrong? You seem a bit off today" Hyuga asked, noticing the serious look on her face.
Hearing this, everyone stopped their drills and turned to Riko with puzzled expressions.
"I have bad news to share" Riko began. "Yesterday, Fukui High demolished Shuchi Academy with a score of 164:31."
Her words left everyone speechless.
"W-Wha—" Hyuga stammered, too stunned to form a complete sentence. He had never heard of such a massive point difference in high school basketball.
"No way. That's absurd! It has to be fake!" Izuki exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelief. "A 133-point gap? Even if we played a whole game, Seirin might not score that many points!"
"Hey, Kuroko" Kagami called, turning to him, "That's Shiro's school, isn't it?"
"Yes" Kuroko replied, looking equally astonished. Even he hadn't realized Shiro had become this formidable.
"So" Riko interjected, "he's the Generation of Miracles' ace, right?"
"That's correc," Kuroko confirmed. "He's the silver-haired boy we ran into a while ago."
"All right, that's enough!" Riko clapped her hands. "Let's focus on our training. First, we need to secure a spot in the national tournament. Only then will we have a chance to face them!"
Hearing this, the team nodded in agreement. It didn't matter how strong Shiro was; their current priority was earning their place in the Interhigh.
...
At Shūtoku High
Midorima was tirelessly shooting three-pointers from beyond the arc, his expression cold and indifferent. Yet, his mind drifted back to half an hour earlier.
"164 to 31? That's insane!" Takao had exclaimed, shoving his phone in Midorima's face.
Midorima glanced at the screen, which displayed an article about the shocking scoreline. For a brief moment, his stoic demeanor cracked with a flicker of surprise, but he quickly resumed his usual expression.
Returning his focus to his shots, Midorima couldn't completely hide the shock in his eyes.
He knew this was Shiro's doing. Given the right conditions, he believed he could achieve something similar. But since Shiro only played the first half, it was clear Fukui High wasn't as simple as it seemed.
....
At Tōō Academy
"Aomine, I've got some news you'll want to hear" Imayoshi said with a smirk, addressing Aomine during his training.
"Oh? What's that?" Aomine asked, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
"Yesterday, Fukui High destroyed Shuchi Academy in their first prelim game, 164 to 31" Imayoshi revealed, still looking astonished. Then he added, "And Fukui's roster includes one of your old Teiko teammates—Shiro"
At this, Aomine wasn't too surprised. A high school player capable of such dominance could only be one of the Generation of Miracles.
"Fukui High must be strong because Shiro's there" Aomine remarked casually.
"But wait, there's another player you'd be interested in" Imayoshi teased, leaving Aomine intrigued.
"Who?"
"Formerly Teiko's number one power forward — Nijimura!"
Aomine froze. He hadn't heard anything about Nijimura for over a year. The idea that Nijimura and Shiro were on the same team was fascinating.
"Interesting" Aomine muttered with a grin. "But the only one who can beat me is me!"
With that, he returned to his training, a smile lingering on his face.
...
At Yosen High
A striking woman, dressed in a sharp black business suit with long black hair and piercing eyes, walked toward the team. Holding a kendo stick, she commanded authority with every step.
"164 to 31. You've all heard it, haven't you? Stop slacking off and train harder!" Masako Araki shouted, slamming the kendo stick onto the ground.
The loud crack sent chills down everyone's spines, including Murasakibara, who reluctantly stood up, leaving behind his snacks to begin training.
Araki was no ordinary woman. A former national basketball player with a commanding presence and rumored connections to the underworld, her reputation demanded respect from even the most rebellious players.
...
At Kaijo High
Kise stood deep in thought after hearing about Shiro's performance. He hadn't expected Shiro to have improved so much in just a few months.
But determination flared in Kise's eyes. "I have to train harder. I have to defeat Shiro!"
He told himself that even if he wasn't on Shiro's level yet, relentless practice would help him surpass him someday. Taking a deep breath, Kise picked up a basketball and headed to the court, each step heavy with purpose.
...
At Rakuzan High
Akashi and Mibuchi sat across from each other, playing a game of shogi. Mibuchi, clearly outmatched, was cornered by Akashi's calculated moves.
"Akashi, what's your take on Fukui High crushing Shuchi Academy 164 to 31?" Mibuchi asked, his tone curious.
Akashi smiled calmly, exuding confidence. "It's no surprise. After all, that's Shiro —the only person who's never lost to me in shogi."
Mibuchi smiled faintly, recalling Shiro's skills during their junior high years. Shiro's extraordinary talent was no surprise to anyone who had faced him before.