Basketball club practice ended.
Today, it was Tendou and a few others—like Murasakibara—who stayed behind to clean up.
Once everything was done, he changed back into his clothes, threw on his beloved sunglasses, and was ready to leave.
Tendou turned around and saw it was Coach Shirogane Kōzō calling out to him.
He exchanged a glance with Murasakibara, then stayed behind while the others headed out first.
One old man and one teenager—two of Teikō's most important people—stood together by a vending machine.
"I'll just have water."
Tendou sat down casually, slouched like he wasn't about to have a serious conversation with an elder at all.
Shirogane didn't mind.
This was the Tendou he knew—brazen, untamed Tendou.
"So? What's this about?"
"Be the pillar of Teikō, Tendou."
That line… felt like it was from the wrong show.
"Coach, this is basketball, not Prince of Tennis. Don't mix up your lines."
Shirogane coughed awkwardly.
Didn't he once say when Riko was reborn that he didn't watch anime?
Now he's exposing himself with just one line.
『As expected of you, Tendou. You always say what I want to say.』
『Wrong show, bro! LMAO.』
『Still acting like he's unaffected. Must be bottling it all up.』
A week had passed—enough time for fans to cool off.
The emotional aftershocks still lingered, but everyone could see something was brewing.
At the end of last episode, Tendou's eyes were dazzling—like constellations. Clearly OP.
"Wouldn't Akashi or Midorima be a better fit?"
Tendou took a sip of water.
Nijimura Shūzō was graduating soon, and because of his family situation, they were moving to the States for better treatment options.
"Normally, yeah. Akashi and Midorima are solid choices."
"They're more composed, more mature, more level-headed—"
"Hey, hey, hey—are you saying I'm less mature than those two kids?!"
"Chill. Let me finish."
Shirogane chuckled and continued:
"But what you have, they don't—fire."
"Teikō doesn't need a cookie-cutter captain. We need someone who can rally everyone together. Someone with charisma. That's you, Tendou."
"So you insult me first, then compliment me? What am I, a toddler? And I literally just lost my wife!"
If the Generation of Miracles were all goody-two-shoes, where would the drama come from?
Where would the ratings come from?
He needed to rival them, not babysit them.
"Pain is a catalyst for growth. I might not be around much longer, either. Fujimura can't run the club alone. He'll need your help."
Tendou looked at him.
Shirogane didn't beat around the bush.
"Years of coaching have worn me out. I'm planning to retire."
Just like in the canon plot, he had reached the end of his road this year.
Had it not been for Riko's condition, Tendou would've already been promoted to captain.
Shirogane had waited just for him.
"I'm not in the mood for heavy talks right now."
"You're a man. Sooner or later, you'll have to bear the heavy stuff."
"Fine. If we're done, I'm heading out."
"Then I'll take that as a yes."
Tendou waved with his water bottle in hand and started walking away.
He could flaunt that title later:
"The Generation of Miracles? I led them to victory."
"You sure talk a lot today, old man. Can you just get to the point already?"
"Just one last thing." Shirogane smiled.
"Come visit this old man sometimes."
"Leave that to your actual kids, gramps. I'm out."
Tendou didn't look back.
Shirogane watched him leave, eyes filled with something like pride, or maybe sorrow.
Soon, he would be leaving the club he had devoted his life to.
Tendou—he was the one Shirogane had always favored.
... The source of this content ɪs novel✶fire.net
National Semifinals – Final Four
Tendou—now wearing the captain's armband handed down from Nijimura—led the team onto the court.
After warmups, the players naturally gathered in a huddle.
Normally, this was when Shirogane would give a speech or shout a slogan.
But now, with Fujimura taking over, he felt immense pressure.
He wasn't as seasoned as the previous coach.
The players waited… and waited… and nothing came out of his mouth.
Tendou had to step up.
He reached out and pulled Kise and Midorima into a shoulder hug.
Seeing this, the others followed, throwing arms around each other, forming a circle around their new captain.
Waiting for Tendou's first captain's speech.
"Some say, 'Certain people are destined to fail, while others are destined to succeed.'"
"Well, I say—they're absolutely right."
"We're just the kind of bastards who were born to win."
『He's right and I hate it!』
『Some are born in Rome, others born to carry it…』
『First he stabs us with feels, now he slaps us with arrogance??』
Fans thought he'd deliver some deep, emotional speech…
Instead, they got this cocky nonsense.
And yet, somehow—it felt real.
Not overly dramatic. Not anime-staged. Just genuinely Teikō.
Finally, Tendou shouted:
Pulling his arm sleeve up to the elbow, Tendou turned—
Flanked by the four strongest players in the series—
And marched onto the court to face their trembling opponents.