37

Seirin calls for a timeout.

"So this is Midorima… Damn, he's terrifyingly strong."

Kagami, after hearing Midorima's taunts, didn't get angry. Instead, he couldn't help but laugh.

Kuroko blinked at Kagami.

"What's wrong, Kuroko?"

"Nothing… I was just wondering if you're already crushed mentally."

"Hah?! Are you kidding me? No way I'd be down that easy!"

Kagami grumbled as he ruffled Kuroko's hair.

"But seriously, what about you? Are you planning to just keep getting stomped like this?"

"Honestly... it's giving me a headache."

Kuroko's tone stayed flat, as if it wasn't him getting shut down, but someone else entirely.

Riko twitched at Kuroko's response.

"Wait, what?! You mean you didn't have a plan this whole time?! Then why the heck did you nod at me earlier?!"

Kuroko's tone didn't change, but somehow it carried the subtle weight of resignation."My nod… was actually meant to say, 'Call a timeout.'"

"...HUH?!"

Riko angrily pinched Kuroko's cheeks while panicking inside.

"Crap. Kagami can't stop Midorima, and now Kuroko's getting shut down too…"

"Coach! Let's just keep going like this. I'll figure something out. Kuroko too."

Kagami said firmly, while Kuroko shot him a sideways look like, Why are you dragging me into your nonsense?

Riko sighed, releasing Kuroko and rubbing her forehead.

"There's no other choice… If Kagami can't stop Midorima, then no one else in Seirin can either."

Meanwhile, at Shutoku's bench…

"Haha, they're probably freaking out trying to figure out what to do now!"

Takao wiped the sweat from his face, grinning.

"Without that disappearing trick, that guy's basically useless. Looks like Seirin's about to give up."

Midorima glanced at Takao and said coolly,

"Takao... do you know why I care about Kuroko?"

"Huh? 'Cause you respect him, right? No crazy athleticism, but he still earned the right to wear Teiko's jersey with the rest of us. He's strong in his own way."

Midorima nodded slightly.

"But now, the guy I respect chose such a weak team… willing to let himself fade into obscurity. Seirin can't possibly bring out Kuroko's full potential."

Takao's smile faded. He caught the real meaning behind Midorima's words.

Shutoku's coach stepped in to ease the tension.

"Well, the pace is in our hands. Let's just keep playing our game."

BEEP—

Timeout over.

"Kagami-kun."

Just as Kagami was heading back onto the court, he heard Kuroko behind him. Turning around, he saw Kuroko's usual deadpan face.

"I'll take care of Takao. The rest is up to you."

Kuroko's face didn't change, but Kagami could tell there was some real determination behind it.

"Hah, I knew it! I knew you had something up your sleeve, you sneaky ghost."

Kagami slapped Kuroko on the shoulder with a big grin.

"Don't worry. Leave it to me."

The game resumed with Shutoku holding possession. As usual, Takao passed the ball to Midorima. Midorima caught it, ready to shoot—

—only to realize that Kagami wasn't marking him. It was… Kuroko?

"Huh? Changing matchups won't help. If it's you, Kuroko, I'll just dribble right past you."

True to his word, Midorima immediately dribbled and blew past Kuroko.

From the stands, Kise's eyes lit up.

"Oh! This move again! The delay-and-steal combo from Kagami and Kuroko! Hahaha, finally, I'm not the only one who fell for this trick!"

...Except things didn't go the way Kise expected.

Midorima got past Kuroko. Kagami was indeed there to delay… but—

When Kuroko tried to circle around for the signature back-steal—

—Takao stepped in his way.

"Whoa there, back-stealing's kinda shady, isn't it? Maybe cool it with that."

Takao grinned smugly. Thanks to his Hawk Eye, Kuroko's every move was crystal clear.

With no Kuroko coming for the steal, Midorima glanced at Kagami's position, then smoothly pulled up for a three-pointer.

Kagami clenched his teeth and leaped with all his strength—

—but still couldn't stop Midorima's shot.

Shutoku — 3 points.

Kota watched from the stands as Kise's grin vanished instantly. Kota chuckled.

"Yep… Smiles don't disappear; they just transfer."

"Damn it! If this keeps up, I really am the only guy who's fallen for that back-steal trick!"

Kise grumbled, swinging his fist in frustration—

—and accidentally knocked over the radio beside him. His hand must've hit a button, because it suddenly started blasting:

"Aquarius, it's best you stay low-key today! Cancer, everything's going your way—unless you hang around a Leo. Cancers and Leos don't mix. Trouble ahead if you do!"

BEEP—

End of the first quarter.

30–14.

Riko chewed her nails, her brain spinning at full speed.

In just the last two minutes, the Kagami-Kuroko combo got shut down again by Takao.

"Is it really hopeless as long as Takao's on the court…?"

Just as her brain was about to short-circuit—

"...It's about time. Takao, I figured it out."

"Huh?! For real, Kuroko?!"

"Mhm. But to turn the tide, we'll still need Kagami-kun."

Shutoku's bench...

"What the heck is this thing?!"

Shutoku's captain flopped onto the bench without looking—straight onto tanuki, Midorima's good luck charm.

"Why is this thing just sitting here like it owns the place?!"

The captain grumbled, glaring at the plush toy.

Midorima pushed up his glasses with that classic look of disdain.

"This is Cancer's lucky item for today. With him by my side, I cannot lose."

"...Fine, whatever. You keep shooting like that, I guess you get to be as weird as you want."

Midorima didn't reply. Instead, he turned his gaze toward Seirin. His thoughts were swirling.

"They still have that fire in their eyes... especially that Kagami. Says he's giving up, but it sure doesn't look like it. And Kuroko... really? You've got nothing against Takao?"

"Alright, LET'S GO! 15 points ain't squat! Get your heads in the game!"

Riko watched her players walk onto the court, feeling a little more relieved.

Someone nearby asked nervously,

"Are you sure we're okay? Kagami and Kuroko got completely shut down in the first quarter..."

Riko answered confidently,

"It's fine. The comeback isn't just on those two."

Out on the court, Hyuga muttered under his breath,

"Two matches against powerhouse teams in one day... This is insane. And that green-haired four-eyed dude... What the heck is wrong with him?! Monsters like that shouldn't exist. Seriously—DROP DEAD ALREADY!"

Izuki, standing nearby, wiped his forehead.

"Uh… Hyuga? You said that out loud again…"

Hyuga — the clutch shooter with a foul mouth. Whenever his real thoughts slip out, his clutch shots never miss.

And sure enough, Hyuga didn't disappoint. Over the next few plays, he nailed several quick pull-up threes right in the face of Shutoku's defenders, dragging Seirin's score back up.

Hyuga glanced at the scoreboard.

24–33.

Turning toward Kagami and Kuroko, he yelled,

"Alright, we're back in this! Now get your act together, you two idiots! If we lose, I'm personally coming for your heads!"

Kuroko didn't reply—just nodded silently.

He turned toward Takao, still glued to him, and asked with a straight face,

"Hey… are you sure you're not paying too much attention to me?"

Takao blinked.

"Huh? What kind of—"

Then his pupils shrank.

"...Wait. What's going on? Why... why can I only see Kuroko? My vision... it's getting narrower...?!"