Kuroko’s Basketball: Before Generation Miracles, I Already Crowned Chapter 368: At a Spot Skirting the Three-Point Line, the “B

The court.

The figure that surged toward Kurokami Shinji wasn't Atsushi Murasakibara, whom Shigure Akihito had pinned down.

It was—unexpectedly—Midorima Shintarō, who suddenly shot into the paint.

Right now

Behind Midorima's lenses, countless intersecting lines flashed.

Horizontal, vertical, and spatial Z-axis coordinates—height, wingspan, jump reach, apex, lateral speed—every parater of Kurokami Shinji was being converted into concrete equations…

And finally

Those cutting lines rged onto the hand Kurokami extended toward the rim for the layup!

But then…

75%.

That number

It startled Midorima; his pupils trembled for a brief mont!

And in front of the incoming Midorima, Kurokami Shinji saw it—countless cascading fragnts of data unfurling before him!

That torrent

It was locking onto the route extending from his layup arm!

However…

Kurokami's stride from the edge of the paint toward the hoop

The very next instant

He seized the ball with one hand!

Pulled down!

Lifted his knee, tightened his core!

Then a one-arm motion—like scooping the moon from the sea—dragged the ball from the right side of the hoop, and with his height and wingspan, forced the finish to the left!

Just barely brushing Midorima's fingertips, Kurokami scored within the 25% the calculation couldn't predict.

Swoosh!

Kaijō vs Yōsen.

2–0!

From powerful back-downs, agile ball manipulation, to a rim-reverse layup that didn't resemble a center in the slightest, Kurokami Shinji's opening bucket for Kaijō hit like a shockwave!

"Ah?!"

"..."

"Kurokami Shinji…"

"He…"

"So he's actually this strong?!"

From the stands ca bursts of sharp, stunned exclamations, while at Yōsen's bench, Araki's eyes flickered with shock again and again.

How…?!

In her understanding, Kurokami Shinji had always been the fourth-ranked mber of Kaijō's forr Teiko Quartet.

She'd never once imagined that his strength had reached this level.

From the jump ball onward, Kaijō's first possession completely escaped her control, shaking even soone as calm as Araki into repeated disbelief.

But for Midorima and Murasakibara, this was expected.

To walk beside seniors like Shigure Akihito and Nijimura Shuzo until now

To cut down the Five Generals

To fight all the way through Rakuzan

Anyone molded in that fire could never be ordinary.

As forr Teiko mbers, as the Generation of Miracles, they understood this better than anyone.

Very soon

Yōsen adjusted their ntality and inbounded from the baseline.

Fukui Kensuke advanced the ball.

With Midorima's signal, and Kaijō's unmistakably obvious defensive formation, he imdiately passed to Murasakibara, who was aggressively sealing for position near the paint.

And in his heart, he couldn't help thinking—

If the opponent is this strong, there's at least one good thing:

Murasakibara's offensive intent today was surprisingly high!

The mont Murasakibara caught the ball, the arena buzzed.

Through the IH tournant so far, it was obvious from the scores that Yōsen had been hiding their hand.

This was the first ti the crowd truly saw Murasakibara participating offensively.

"He's coming!"

"Whoa—no way! That giant is actually attacking! He never joined offense before!"

"You serious?!"

"Of course! How do you think Yōsen won 9–0 gas? Murasakibara just sat back and locked down defense!"

"..."

"Murasakibara vs Kurokami Shinji! A center civil war between two Teiko-era mainstays!

But damn—Murasakibara's even bigger than Kurokami!

Standing next to him makes Kurokami look small… that's ridiculous!"

"He may be the championship center, but can he stop that?!"

On the other side

Players who had faced the Miracles during middle school froze as old nightmares resurfaced.

anwhile

So clueless teammates innocently asked whether Murasakibara was a defense-specialist since he hadn't attacked all tournant.

Those who'd been traumatized by the Miracles' brutality nearly choked.

"Don't joke. On court, he's nothing like his off-court laziness. Even among the Miracles, he's aggressively offensive."

"Compared to defense…"

"He's far better at offense."

"No joke—during our third year, our school scrimmaged Teiko.

Murasakibara led the second unit alone… and he scored 100 points."

Instantly, everyone's eyes bulged.

Huh?!

One hundred

100 points?!

On court

Murasakibara's expression sharpened as he backed down Kurokami.

Kaijō's defense intentionally opened space, creating a 1-on-1 in the paint.

"Senpai~!"

"I'll crush you~!"

Boom!

Body-to-body collision—raw strength.

Kurokami felt it imdiately.

In that instant, it was like a massive truck gunning its engine to full throttle and ramming straight into him, pushing him deeper in without resistance!

Tch

This…

This is a freak!

A freak anyone would envy!

But using the beat created by Murasakibara's bump, Kurokami lowered his center of gravity and counter-pushed!

Boom!

Murasakibara felt the resistance increase slightly.

But only slightly.

The next instant

A sudden step and pivot, stirring wind pressure!

In Kurokami's mind

The Murasakibara who once needed full power to deliver destructive impacts…

Now achieved it with a simple turn.

Kurokami: "..."

Here it cos!

That montum just keeps getting more ridiculous!

Murasakibara spun violently, storm wind curling behind him toward Kurokami.

Even Yōsen's players were stunned.

They knew Murasakibara was unusually aggressive today, but they didn't expect him to unleash this imdiately.

No one ever escaped that force.

Even Okamura, the heaviest player on the team, always got blown over.

But

Before they could even finish being shocked

As they assud Murasakibara had secured the basket

Suddenly!

Synchronizing with Murasakibara's monstrous spin, Kurokami struck!

Crack!

Arms and legs moving in perfect sync!

Right elbow jamd Murasakibara's waistline, left arm stabbed toward the ball, his foot cutting across to block the pivot point

Stopping Murasakibara's spin awkwardly against Kurokami's thigh!

And yet

The defensive precision didn't stop there!

Sssk!

Sssk!

A black serpent's phantom flickered behind Kurokami

Its eyes held the sa razor-focus as Kurokami's own!

At Kaijō's bench, they were stunned by Kurokami's ferocity.

Like Yōsen earlier, they thought Kurokami had locked Murasakibara down.

But then

Montum twisted again!

Pa!

Against Kurokami's precise containnt,

Murasakibara dropped the ball to the side

And suddenly, lateral hop!

Kurokami: "!"

Shigure's…

Monkey step?!

Boom!

As he landed, Murasakibara rose—

The follow-through was unmistakably Shigure-like—a hook shot!

Except Murasakibara's form was even more textbook.

And his off-arm perfectly shielded Kurokami!

Swish!

Score!

Kaijō vs Yōsen!

2–2!

Standing before Murasakibara, Kurokami lowered his eyes

And together with the phantom black serpent behind him, he smiled quietly.

Ha…

This is bad

The talented Murasakibara…

Had beco even more hardworking.

Compared to the younger Murasakibara, Kurokami wasn't a prodigy.

But in that mont

From overwhelming force to effortless finish

He wanted to know:

Could he be the best center to co out of Teiko?

Slap—slap.

He lightly tapped his cheeks.

No room for embarrassnt.

As soone who had always been a victor

As the teammate of Shigure, Nijimura, and Fukaya—

He needed this resolve.

Soon

It was Kaijō's turn.

Kasamatsu Yukio advanced the ball.

Crossing halfcourt

Since Murasakibara had opened with solo offense, Nijimura signaled the play

Kasamatsu passed to Kurokami.

At the three-point line.

Yōsen's vice-captain Fukui Kensuke saw Kurokami holding the ball at the arc and flinched.

"Murasakibara, don't get misled by his height! Rember, he can shoot the long two! He's a stretch-type center!"

Indeed.

All along

Kurokami's biggest tag had been his refined shooting compared to other centers, and his flexible finesse.

But Fukui's warning was unnecessary.

After two years as teammates, Murasakibara knew better than him.

He was even guarding the possibility of a three due to Kurokami's growth.

At the sa ti

Facing Murasakibara's defensive posture,

Kurokami had one clear thought:

Those naturally hanging arms… are insanely long.

And the legs?

Ridiculous.

Plus

With reflexes like Aomine,

Murasakibara could react beyond normal human limits.

Put together, from paint to periter

He could close distance in a single stride.

Speed ant little against him.

At Yōsen's bench

Coach Araki was extrely confident.

Last possession, Midorima struck first and Shigure's presence disrupted spacing

otherwise Murasakibara would've shut Kaijō down.

So in a pure 1-on-1 center duel

Even if Kurokami sohow launched offense from the arc

She firmly believed there was no escaping Murasakibara.

Inside the three-point arc was entirely within Murasakibara's defensive coverage.

Only a handful in all of high school basketball—Shigure Akihito and Hagioka Kasayuki included—could do sothing similar.

Whereas Murasakibara did it normally.

Now

Kurokami elevated the ball from triple-threat.

If it were anyone else, Murasakibara wouldn't bother.

But if the opponent was Kurokami

He took one step forward.

Pa!

Fukui Kensuke: "…!"

So fast!

Like a serpent's tongue

The fake shot, burst drive was lightning quick!

Among players above two ters

Only Hagioka had such coordination.

Now Kurokami too.

Boom!

Predictably, Kurokami collided into Murasakibara.

Strength ant nothing against him.

But like a coiled serpent

Ssk!

Kurokami slamd a short sudden stop!

Between the legs!

From motion to avoidance

He slipped past the clash, half-turned to Murasakibara's side

And then

At a spot skirting the three-point line

The coiled black serpent UNCOILED!

Ssk—snap!

Sssk!

Kurokami gathered the ball, and in that instant while sidestepping contact, he seized the fleeting gap

Striding powerfully toward the rim!

Left-right flashes

The timing on the gather

It was like he'd taken an extra step beyond normal layup rhythm!

Before Murasakibara

Like a serpent

He weaved left and right!