Kuroko’s Basketball: Before Generation Miracles, I Already Crowned Chapter 29 - 029: You're Seriously Fair and Impartial, Aren’

After hearing Fukaya Reiji's explanation, a faint smile crept across Shigure Akihito's face. Then, as if probing deeper, he followed up with a question:

"So, what do you think?"

"Between and Nijimura, who's stronger?"

Fukaya fell into brief thought before responding hesitantly:

"Shigure-san, your talent is exceptional. And it's not just your physical gifts, your three-point shooting, your drives, steals, blocks... when it cos to skills that require polish, you're on another level among our year."

"As for Nijimura-san…"

"One thing's certain: in terms of raw physical attributes, what he's shown so far doesn't quite compare to you."

"But technique-wise, Nijimura-san is still stronger. And when he's on the court, I think you've noticed it more than anyone, whether it's offense or defense, everything just feels easier."

"Nijimura is truly incredible. It's a whole different side of him than we usually see, on the court, he chases victory with a kind of feverish focus."

"Once he identifies the path to victory, he's willing to do whatever it takes, even, like today, when you two were racking up points. He could've gone on the offensive too, but instead, he made himself the decoy and created scoring chances for you, who he thought had the better odds."

Shigure Akihito: "..."

Hah?

Made himself the decoy?

You're kidding , right…?

"I've been completely played, haven't I…"

Fukaya blinked, confused. "Shigure-san, what do you an by that…?"

"Ha~"

Shigure couldn't help but laugh.

"That lofty, detached attitude of his, passing the ball like he's commanding everything from on high, how does that look like soone using himself as a decoy?"

"That bastard…"

"He was drawing the bow and using as the arrow!"

Back at the beginning, Nijimura had tried using Shinji too, but the mont Shinji made a single mistake, Nijimura lost all patience and just dropped him altogether.

In fact…

After Shinji fumbled a pass and ruined an assist, Nijimura didn't just abandon him, he essentially tossed the entire second-string lineup into the sewer.

Of course,

That part, Shigure left unsaid.

After all, saying that out loud would just sound like he was gossiping behind soone's back.

Still,

Even though Shigure didn't spell it out, Fukaya seed to pick up on the undercurrent in his words, the quiet frustration Shigure felt on behalf of Kuro Shinji. Fukaya simply smiled, not taking it too seriously.

"I understand what you an, Shigure-san. I think Kuro does too."

"After the match, even soone as cheerful as him seed genuinely bothered."

"Because the gap was undeniable…"

Kuro was only just now beginning to see it clearly.

As for Fukaya himself,

He had known for a long ti.

From the very mont he stepped onto the sa court as Shigure Akihito, that short distance between them had felt like an uncrossable chasm. It was like a chance encounter with a monster.

Everyone not nad Nijimura Shuzo was just a mortal who'd accidentally stumbled into a banquet for beasts.

And in that mont,

Shigure caught the subtle shift in Fukaya's expression.

With everything the boy had said earlier, it wasn't hard to guess the source of that emotion.

Junior high students…

Man, they really are sensitive.

If just by being himself, he was breaking another young player's confidence, that'd practically make him a villain. Damn it… when had he started walking the sa path as those "Generation of Miracles" freaks?

Shigure was never good at comforting people.

Even earlier, when he helped cheer up a friend, his solution had been a 1v1 beatdown, clean and brutal.

Of course, that only worked because he really knew that person.

With soone like Fukaya, whom he didn't know well, pulling that kind of stunt might just break him for good.

But…

Now it all made sense.

Fukaya's earlier conversation with Nijimura probably had the sa purpose as Shigure's own 1v1 with Kuro.

Shigure Akihito: "..."

He didn't know why,

But Nijimura, that guy… he's surprisingly kind, huh? Patient enough to sit down and talk seriously with Fukaya Reiji?

At this point, Nijimura's character was veering so far from his manga debut that even Shigure was losing track of who he really was.

Just then,

Shigure, completely inept at comforting people, chose the most natural response: changing the subject.

"Stuff like distance… it's way too early for us to worry about that, isn't it?"

"Don't get hung up on what's right in front of you…"

"This world, there's no one who hasn't failed or chased after sothing. As long as you keep moving forward, that's enough~"

"Besides… who's to say today's loser won't beco tomorrow's rising star?"

"You've gotta believe in yourself. Only then will the future hold endless possibilities~"

He claid he didn't know how to console people,

Yet here he was, saying far more than he intended.

And in the end,

After running out of things to say,

He awkwardly circled back to his original question.

"Welp~ Anyway, between and Nijimura, who's stronger? Pick one, Reiji~"

Fukaya looked up, eyes burning with sincerity as he t Shigure's gaze.

After a long pause, he answered,

"As things stand now, Shigure-san is the best scorer we have. But if I had to choose the team's ace…"

"I'd choose Nijimura-san."

Shigure Akihito: "..."

All that comforting, wasted!

You really are the picture of fairness and objectivity, huh?

Fukaya-kun!