KUROKO NO BASUKE IS RIGHTFULLY OWNED BY TADATOSHI FUJIMAKI.
Chapter 03
"Woah, so big~," the basketball club muttered as they entered the vicinity of Kaijou Koutougakkou, "The energy they put on the sports clubs here are on a different level after all."
"Kagami-kun, your eyes just seem worse than usual," Kuroko observed as the red-haired layer seem to have a hard time keeping his eyes open.
"S-shut up," Kagami hissed, "I was too fired up that I couldn't sleep. It's been awhile since someone defeated me."
"Are you supposed to be a grade schooler before a field trip?" Kuroko wondered.
"Hi! I'll be counting on you guys today," Kise approached the team, earning surprised acknowledgement from them. "Since this place is so big, I came to greet you," he turned to his former vice captain, "Kuroko-chi~" he cried, "Ever since you turned me down so easily... I've been crying to myself to sleep every night... Not a single girl has ever turned me down, you know?" he sighed as he guided the team to the gym.
"Will you stop saying things like that?"
"Since Kuroko-chii is willing so much to say that much about you... I'm interested," he glanced to the team behind him, "I'm not really obsessed with the name 'Generation of Miracles'," he glared at the redhead player, "If you're willing to pick a fight that much... Even someone like me is no man to let that slide. Sorry, but I have to seriously take you down," the model avowed.
"Of course!" Kagami smirked at the challenge while the turquoise haired player stayed silent.
"Oh, we're here," Kise announced. The coach glanced inside the gym.
"We're only playing half a court?" Riko skeptically asked. 'They're already practicing at the other half,' she frowned.
"Aah, you're already here," a middle aged man said as they entered the gym, "We'll be playing on this side of the court if you don't mind."
"Nice to meet you, too," Riko awkwardly replied, "Erm... What might you mean?"
"It's as you see it. Today's match is just a light warm-up for our team, but the club members that won't be playing won't see anything worth learning by just watching, so in order not to waste their time, the other members will be going to practice just like usual. But even though I say it's just a warm-up, our regulars are still playing," he stared at the opposing team
"Please don't get yourself defeated by triple score," their captain arrogantly pointed at Seirin's basketball team. The members of the said team frowned in irritation, sure the they were a new team, but that doesn't mean that they are amateurs.
'Are they trying to make fun of us?' Kagami mentally shouted as he hysterically grinned, 'In other words, we're just 'an opponent for them to train with in their spare time'.'
"Hm.. why are you putting in your uniform?" Takeuchi, Kaijo's coach pointed at the blond player, "Kise, you're not playing."
"Eh?"
"Even if our school gathers aces from all middle school, you're on a completely different level, Kise," the fat coach stated.
"Coach, stop saying things like that, seriously," Kise glanced at the opposing team and saw his former vice-captain's distinct change in his facial expression. His eyes widened in fear.
"Its already unfair for as with the other regulars playing," the coach continued, "If you play too, it won't even be a match." Turquoise eyes glared at the said older male, and unfortunately went unnoticed.
"But, they have the Vigilant, Coach!" Kise seethed, earning confused glances from each players within the gym.
"Kise, it's not good to lie,"the coach said in disbelief, "That player disappeared from the court four years ago." Kuroko approached the arguing arguing duo.
"Ryouta-kun, please don't start spreading false rumors," he stared at the fat coach, "Since Ryouta-kun won't be playing, I guess I'll stay in the bench, then." He headed back to his teammates.
"Who was that, Kise?" The coach asked the blond player as the seemingly weak opponent retreated.
"That's Kuroko-chii I was talking about!" He exclaimed, "My trainer and fukubuchou in Teikou," he informed as eyes seemingly budge out of their sockets as they heard the blond's announcement.
"WHAT?!" The players of the gym exclaimed in unison.
"What do you mean you're not going to play, Kuroko?" The glassed captain asked.
"As I said, I'm not going to play until Kise-kun played a quarter himself, unless it's the final quarter, of course," Kuroko said in a matter-of-factly way, noticing the coach paling as he made his announcement, "What's the matter coach?"
"I-I must say... We cannot afford you not being on court," her brown eyes analysed the opponents, "I'm afraid we are in disadvantage by physical strenght."
"Ano, kantoku, I'm not useless off court," Kuroko glanced at the redhead, "Kagami-kun, please go all out in the first half of the first quarter."
"I never hold back," he stared the petite player, "And who are you to order me?!" Kagami shouted.
"The do better, then, please," his eyes lingered at one of the hoops, "It seems that the gym has not been maintained regularly," he whispered to himself, "Please allow me to take control of the game."
"I'll let you take ONE quarter only and only the first quarter," Riko said, curious about the bluenette's experience in coaching.
"Hai."
"Commencement of the practice match between Seirin High and Kaijou High!" The ball tossed between the two teams only to be caught by the red tiger.
'Who is he to order me around?'he seethed as he ran to the hoop the phantom was staring awhile ago, earning Seirin two points with a dunk. Everyone paled as the the hoop was teared out of the board, "Huh?" he looked at the destroyed goal, "A bolt was completely rusted," he observed.
"That still isn't normal!"
"Now what?"
"I'm afraid we might have to pay for that, Kagami-kun," Kuroko appeared beside the oblivious tiger, "But seeing that the goal was due for maintenance, probably a few months ago, we shouldn't be forced to do so." Takeuchii flared in anger at the aloof player.
"Kise."
"It looks like the Kiseki no Sedai clash is about to begin," Kuroko muttered as the blond player entered the court. He glanced at his coach whose eyes widened at the intimidating data she is seeing. "Coach, no matter how high their data are, there is no such thing as an undefeatable player," he said as he took out a notebook from his bag.
"What's that?" Riko asked in curiosity, seeing the same book where ever the teal boy went.
"Ah, some data. I'm hoping to be a trainer as well, considering I don't really do as well on court."
"Kise-kun~!" a group of girls suddenly appeared at the sidelines of the court.
"What the hell?" the captain of Seirin scanned the gym in bewilderment.
"Ah, this always happen whenever Kise plays," his fellow captain informed. " Actually," he ran to the waving teen, "HOW LONG ARE YOU GONNA KEEP WAVING AT THEM?!" he kicked the blond, earning a cry of apology, "I'll hit you!"
"You already did!" the blond whined.
"It's rude if you don't return the favour," the stern point guard said.
Tip off. Seirin was primarily in possession of the ball, but Kasamatsu stole the ball from his fellow point guard and passed it to Kise who ran towards the hoop and dunk the ball with great power. THe redhead noticed the familiar form, the exact copy the blond performed, but more fluid and powerful.
"In basketball," Kise pointed, "I never forget to return the favour."
Seirin was in offence once again and the point guard passed the ball to the redhead, who ran to the hoop at the other side of the court and dunked with vigour. seconds passed with the two aces of each team exchanging blows, taking a toll on the other players of the court. They all sweated profusely in which eve the substitute players cannot relax themselves, instinctively tensing their muscle at the heat of the game, sans the phantom player. He sat there undeterred by the fast pace of the game, where they were stuck in equilibrium. He calmly noted the data he observed until he noted that three minutes had passed and called for a timeout.
"Please keep the pace down during the rest of the quarter," the teal haired said, "The pace of the game is faster than expected. If you continue this pace, you would all be out by the second quarter," he took a whiteboard from the coach and started to move the counters, "The problem is Kise-kun. Like any team, their ace can be the weakness," he started to discuss his observations from the previous three minutes. "Though Kise may be able to copy supposedly normal moves, there's a limit to what he can copy. However, it is currently limited to moves of the Kiseki no Sedai or others that are currently beyond his ability, so we have to wait until the second quarter," he explained. "As for the other members..."
"Shit," Kise muttered as he glanced at the opposing team.
"What?" Yukio Kasamatsu, his captain, asked in confusion as to what was worrying their small forward.
"It seems that we are going to be having some trouble after this timeout," he carefully said, rubbing his nape.
"Why's that? They're obviously not on the same level as us, they're relying too much on that number ten," he glanced at the anonymous player.
"That may be so, but Kuroko-chii off-court is not good," Kise emphasised on the 'not', earning a curious glance from the team, particularly from the coach.
"And who is this 'Kuroko-chii'?"
"Kuroko Tetsuya-chii, my teammate from Teiko!" Kise brightened at the name of his personal instructor. "He's known as the 'Phantom Player', the vice-captain of Teiko and my personal coach, as said awhile ago," he bragged earning paling expressions from his current teammates. 'It seems Kuroko-chii earned an ability to fade further not just in court, but also in people's mind,' Kise thought.
"Why would be a phantom player be more dangerous off-court?" Takeuchi arrogantly asked.
"I think the name 'Kuroko Ryuunosuke' will trigger something,"Kise said, earning startled looks from his teammates.
"So this 'Kuroko Tetsuya' is, as you're implying, related to Ryuunosuke Kuroko," Takeuchi said, whilst the blond nodded frantically.
"Time out has ended, please resume the match."
"Geez, this is boring," Kasamatsu muttered as he noticed the majority of the Seirin starting members were within the three point line, 'They're just strengthening the centre.' He suddenly jumped backwards attempting to shoot, until the eight centimetre taller Mitobe appeared in the middle of him and the goal. 'What?'
'Kasamatsu Yukio, point guard. He's specialised in drives and outside shots. His abilities are nearly perfect, except for his lack of special abilities that the Generation of Miracles and Uncrowned Generals have, thus will probably be on the top, if not for the said players. His play is traditional. strengthen the centre, but leave Mitobe-senpai on the border. He will, if his style is orthodox enough, he will pass. And probably to..."
"Moriyama!" Kasamatsu passed the ball to their shooting guard who was being guarded by Izuki. He jumped back forming an odd form, and shot with little rotation.
'Tsuchida-senpai, will be in charge of the rebound. Such thing will happen as they will expect Kasamatsu-san to successfully score a goal. With the lack of spin in the ball, there will be delay so please jump a second later."
As to Kuroko's prediction, Tsuchida jumped as the ball rebounded. And instantly passed it to Izuki Shun who instantly ran across the court with the rest of the second years, instantaneously passing to each other, increasing the pace once again, thus catching the opposing team off guard.
".. and Run and Gun," Kuroko said, earning startled glances from the second year student. "I did some research of Seirin before enrolling, of course. Kagami-kun, please pass the ball during this phase."
The ball went into the possession of the shooting guard of Seirin immediately earned three points.
"It seems that the reason why Akashi-chii chose Kuroko-chii is showing itself," Kise muttered under his breath. 'And if he didn't lock his true potential, it will be much worse later on,' he reminisce on his childhood and suddenly slapped himself on the cheeks, 'Iie, Kaijo will win. As long as Kuroko-chii sealed that style away, he has no chance of winning.'
"Ora!" Kasamatsu shouted, "That's just one goal, they can't keep up this pace against us, Kaijo," he glared at his teammates, particularly on a certain blond.
'We have to score as much as possible before Kuroko-chii entered the court,' Kise encouraged himself as the ball was passed to him. He shooted a three pointer with the same movement of the opposing team, but quicker and, if anyone's observant enough, more accurate. The ball barely touched the net until the last second the ball passed through it, unlike Hyuuga's whose ball did not touch the hoop, but made contact with the net as soon as it passed through it.
"You know," Kise addressed Seirin, "You don't know of Kuroko-chii's full potential off court. You can't use it." He glared at the white team, "None of you know of Kuroko-chii's true talent."
'Then, again, not even the whole Teiko knows of it,' Kuroko seethed as Kise can't seem to keep his mouth shut.
"Out of bound! Ball for white team," the referee announced as ise started to fully overpower Seirin's power forward.
"You should realise it by now," Kise's facade fell, "You're ten years too early to challenge the Generation of Miracles. As you are now, against us, the Kiseki no Sedai, with the current point difference, though little, you won't be able to catch up. More than team formation or strategy, basketball is primarily about 'size'. If you compare your five players against ours, the difference is too big. The only one who is able to face us is you, and Kuroko-chii's strategies. I already saw the extent of your power. As for fukubuchou, his strategies won't work as effective as it should be with the lack of manpower," Kise's eyes visibly reflected Kagami's figure, "I acknowledge your potential. However, no matter what technique you use, as long as I see it, it's futile to attempt hoping to defeat me. I'll just pay you twice as hard. Well..." Kise retreated back to his teammates, "Just remember that reality is not a sweet thing."
Broad shoulders shook in seeming defeat, though a laugh soon followed, earning bewildered glances from players within the court, "Gomen, gomen,"Kagami apologised, "It's been awhile since I met a guy who said something like that. Infact, I had not heard such thing since I entered Japan. People saying something similar is quite common in America," he earned an exclamation from the blond, "I jumped to conclusion that Japanese basketball is boring compared to American basketball and started to distance myself from it. I regret that decision now," a grin plastered in his face, "Life is about challenges after all. Without strong opponents, life's boring. It's perfect I can't win all the time. I guess coming to Japan is worth it, then."
"Kuroko, no matter how useful you are off court, you are need on court as well," Riko said, as her player rested for the second quarter.
"No worry, coach," Kuroko stretched a little, "I have observed enough, I got all the data I need to get my play right." He readjusted his wrist band as he stares at his former student.
"Second quarter, begin!" the referee announced
And cut. Sorry for the late update. I really wish this chapter can cover the whole Kaijou vs Seirin game. Though I can't seem to get past the first quarter. I'll try to update as soon as I can, but it's exam season, so I can't really update regularly.
Stay tune!
