Kuroko - Chapter 505: Youth and the Future (Patreon)

At the edge of the land, where sea and sky embraced, an endless, dreamlike panorama stretched into the distance. Every moment carried its own unique beauty, captivating enough to make it feel as though time itself had stopped.

Standing along that beautiful coastline were twelve boys and one girl.

The boys gazed out at the sea, bright smiles on their faces.

“In the end, we still couldn’t beat Miyamoto,” Ryota Kise said with a smile.

“Yeah.” Daiki Aomine rested both hands behind his head, sounding a little helpless. “Miyamoto’s just too strong.”

“We were simply outmatched. That’s all there is to it,” Shintaro Midorima said expressionlessly, holding a cactus in his left hand.

“It still stings a little,” Taiga Kagami said with a sigh. “We worked so hard for so long, and we still lost in the end.”

That was right.

In the final showdown, they had lost after all, defeated by Miyamoto Tokima’s overwhelming strength.

“There’s no need to sell yourselves short,” Seijuro Akashi said with a smile. “We still have a long road ahead of us. There’s no reason to keep regretting one temporary defeat.”

“Akashi-kun is right,” Tetsuya Kuroko said. “We should appreciate the present and look forward to whatever the future brings.”

“Speaking of the future,” Shogo Haizaki asked, “have you guys figured out what you want to do?”

“I have.” Atsushi Murasakibara casually munched on potato chips as he spoke. “I’m going to follow Miyamoto and enter the NBA.”

Daiki Aomine, Taiga Kagami, Ryota Kise, and Shintaro Midorima all nodded at the same time.

They had all chosen to pursue the NBA!

And with their talent and ability, they were more than qualified!

“Ha!” Shogo Haizaki grinned. “Looks like you guys had the same idea as me! I’m heading for the NBA too!”

“Looks like all of you have already decided what path you want to take,” Miyamoto Tokima said with a smile. “That means I won’t have to worry about you so much anymore.”

“You say that like you’re the only one who’s been worrying!” Satsuki Momoi pouted. “I’m the one who’s been working the hardest, okay?!”

Everyone froze for a moment before bursting into laughter.

Once the laughter died down, Shogo Haizaki turned to Shuzo Nijimura and Makoto Hanamiya.

“Senpai Nijimura, Hanamiya, once we get to the NBA, I’m definitely going to crush you guys!”

“Crush me?” Shuzo Nijimura approached Shogo Haizaki with a half-smile. “I can crush you right now. And I mean in a fight.”

“Wait!” Shogo Haizaki knew exactly how dangerous Shuzo Nijimura was in a fight and immediately raised his hands. “Senpai Nijimura, we’re basketball players! We can’t resort to violence!”

It was hard to imagine those words coming out of Shogo Haizaki’s mouth.

“You basketball players can’t use violence. What does that have to do with me, a boxer?” Shuzo Nijimura said with a laugh.

Then he lunged forward, tackled Shogo Haizaki to the ground, and a miserable scream immediately rang out.

“Ahhh!!! Help!!!”

Everyone burst into laughter.

Those two really were hopeless.

After they finished messing around, Seijuro Akashi finally asked,

“Senpai Nijimura, from what you just said, are you planning to... become a boxer?”

“Yes.” Shuzo Nijimura nodded. “My talent for basketball is limited. Even if I entered the NBA, I probably wouldn’t accomplish much.”

“But I’m pretty talented at boxing.”

“I’m confident that one day, I’ll become a boxing champion!”

Shogo Haizaki covered his face, looking like he wanted to cry.

I don’t know whether you’ll become a boxing champion, but I do know I’m about to become boxing casualty number one!

“So does that mean I’ll be able to brag that my senior is a boxing champion someday?” Ryota Kise asked with a grin.

Shuzo Nijimura smiled faintly and nodded.

“I’ll allow it.”

“Awesome!” Ryota Kise laughed.

At that moment, Seijuro Akashi turned toward Makoto Hanamiya.

“Hanamiya, what about you?”

Makoto Hanamiya smiled slightly.

“Me? I’ll be helping Miyamoto in the future.”

“What do you mean?” Seijuro Akashi asked.

“Management,” Miyamoto Tokima explained. “Hanamiya is extremely intelligent, and he’s good at managing people and organizations. I’m planning to have him study more so that in the future... well, you get the idea.”

“Hiss...” Taiga Kagami sucked in a breath. “So in the end, Hanamiya’s the one who’s going to have it best?”

Being on the capital side was much better than working for someone else!

“What about you, big bro?” Taiga Kagami asked.

Tatsuya Himuro smiled gently.

“I’m going to study more and become Miyamoto’s agent in the future.”

“Well...” Taiga Kagami didn’t know what to say. He wanted his big brother to make it to the NBA too, but he knew Tatsuya Himuro’s talent had its limits.

“Don’t worry, Taiga,” Tatsuya Himuro said, understanding what he was worried about. “We can still keep training. Hanamiya and I may be working behind the scenes, but that doesn’t mean we have to give up basketball.”

“Miyamoto has already put together a professional team of his own. He plans to have people like us keep playing there.”

“That’s great!” Taiga Kagami said happily.

“Wait, what about Kuroko?” Ryota Kise asked, turning toward him.

“I’ve already joined Miyamoto’s team,” Tetsuya Kuroko said.

He was already in!

Everyone smiled, genuinely happy for Tetsuya Kuroko.

“Everyone!”

At that moment, Miyamoto Tokima extended his fist into the center of the group.

Seeing this, everyone smiled and brought their fists together with his.

Satsuki Momoi was no exception.

“Everyone, we’ll meet again in the future!”

“See you in the future!”

At that moment, they were like the rising sun at dawn, carrying the passion of youth as they broke through the clouds and cast their light across the road ahead.

The future was theirs to look forward to.

May the road ahead be bright.

(The End)