Kuroko: Mahoraga - Chapter 89: Don't Let Basketball Become a Burden! (Patreon)

Once the draw ceremony was over, the National Tournament got underway in earnest.

Kawari and Teikō had landed in different groups, but both displayed the same overwhelming dominance. Like two unstoppable giants, they brushed aside every team in their path. It was almost as though they were competing from opposite sides of the tournament bracket, each victory more brutal than the last.

Their opponents paid the price. Every team that faced either powerhouse left the court looking utterly defeated, as if the players had had the life drained out of them.

With average winning margins exceeding a hundred points, Kawari and Teikō were making their superiority impossible to ignore.

Masato's numbers had become even more outrageous since the qualifiers. His averages had climbed from 50+30 in the qualifiers to 60+35 per game.

The outside world hadn't seen that coming. Against stronger opposition at Nationals, simply maintaining his previous production would have been remarkable. Instead, he'd improved on it.

It was further proof that statistics alone couldn't begin to capture everything a player like Masato was capable of.

His performances also reminded the media of the previous year's tournament, when he'd seemed like a god descending onto the court during Kawari's clash with Teikō.

That memory only heightened the anticipation surrounding their next meeting. Everyone wanted to know what Masato would do against Teikō's Generation of Miracles this time.

Previews, predictions, and promotional articles flooded the news. And amid all the excitement, the winners of the two groups were finally decided.

There were no surprises. Teikō Middle School had won Group A, while Masato had led Kawari through Group B.

This time, the two dominant teams hadn't crossed paths before the end of the tournament. Their final confrontation would take place on the biggest stage of all.

The national championship game!

...

...

Kawari's Basketball Club didn't take a break while waiting for the final. The players still reported to the gym every day, although their workouts were considerably lighter than usual.

With such an important game approaching, the priority was to stay sharp and avoid injuries.

Their run through the tournament had changed the team. In particular, reaching the final sixteen and surpassing the school's previous best result had lifted everyone's confidence to another level.

To outsiders, Kawari was beginning to look invincible.

Yet that was precisely what made so many spectators sigh in regret. After all, everyone knew Teikō was the strongest team in junior high basketball. Anyone who stood in its way was crushed without mercy.

Plenty of people expected Kawari to suffer the same fate it had the previous year.

For countless fans, it seemed a cruel twist of fate that two such brilliant teams had to share the same era.

But that was also what made this collision between two extraordinary teams so compelling.

...

The Kawari players paid little attention to the opinions circulating outside the school. They simply kept to their own routine.

On this particular day, tension hung over the gym as everyone practiced with the final drawing closer.

That was only natural. Their confidence had grown throughout the tournament, but the next game would decide whether they could claim the greatest honor in junior high basketball. And their opponent was still Teikō, the school that had shone at the top for so long.

This wasn't just another game.

Masato noticed the tension but made no attempt to soothe his teammates. As far as he was concerned, nervousness and other unpleasant emotions were fine so long as they didn't interfere with anyone's movements.

They could bring those feelings onto the court. He was confident he could turn every last bit of that negative energy into strength and throw it right back at Teikō.

Practice eventually came to an end, and most of the players headed home. Six or seven stayed behind for extra training.

They were the same teammates who had trained alongside Masato throughout the school break, and they'd kept up the habit ever since.

One by one, they finished their individual routines and left too. Before long, only three people remained in the gym: Masato, Ishida, and Kenji.

Masato could tell their feelings went beyond the ordinary nerves troubling the rest of the team. These two were carrying an additional burden.

And he knew exactly where it came from. After last year's National Tournament, both had made a promise out loud.

He glanced at them and shook his head, unsure what to say. In the end, he decided not to say anything just yet.

Masato went to the changing rooms, showered, and changed his clothes. More than ten minutes had passed by the time he returned to the court.

Ishida and Kenji were still shooting.

Neither noticed him approaching.

"That's enough for today. Don't go getting yourselves injured before the game."

His sudden voice startled them. They hadn't realized he was back.

Ishida recovered first, smiling and waving off the concern. "We're fine, Masa. The game's almost here. If we don't practice now, when will we?"

"We haven't finished today's training plan," Kenji added with a nod. "Don't worry, Masa. We'll look after ourselves."

Neither showed any intention of stopping. Masato felt a little emotional watching them.

They'd changed so much over the past several months, and he'd witnessed almost all of that growth himself. They clearly knew what they wanted to do, and he wasn't the sort of person who liked talking others out of their decisions.

He gave them a small smile, his voice as steady as ever.

"All right, then. Do you remember what you said after we lost to Teikō last time?"

The abrupt change of subject caught them both off guard.

Ishida, however, didn't need even a moment to search his memory. He nodded firmly, his expression turning serious.

"Of course. I promised I wouldn't hold the team back on the court this time!"

"Same here," Kenji said. "In three days, I'm giving everything I've got to defending Shintaro Midorima. I'm not letting him take those three-pointers comfortably!"

Their voices rang through the empty gym.

Seeing how seriously they took those vows, Masato's own expression grew solemn.

"Good. Just like you two, I made the team a promise after that loss."

He fell quiet. The three exchanged glances, and silence settled over the court.

Several seconds passed before Masato spoke again. This time, his confidence was unmistakable.

"I'm going to lead you to victory."

He looked each of them in the eye, then let his usual faint smile return.

"So don't let basketball become a burden. Put all that pressure aside."

"Let's go face our final showdown together."

With that, Masato turned and left.

...

...

Three days later, the national championship game was finally here.

It was the day everyone had been waiting for.

This time, the Kawari players didn't have to arrange their own trip to Tokyo. The school had taken care of everything, providing transportation for the entire team and its cheerleading squad to the Tokyo Dome.

Even before they reached the venue, the sheer volume of traffic around the Dome gave them a sense of just how much attention the game had attracted.

Once they arrived, the players changed into their jerseys and made their way through the tunnel onto the court.

Then they looked up at the stands and stopped in amazement.

Tens of thousands of spectators filled the venue. Seeing that enormous crowd made the importance of the game feel real to every member of the team.

The spectators reacted the moment Kawari emerged from the tunnel.

"Look! Kawari's coming out!"

"Where's Masato Kumoi? Where is he?"

"At the very back! Look, there he is!"

"Whoa, he's so handsome!"

"Masato-kun looks like he's stepped straight out of a different show!"

"Right? And you can tell just by looking at him how ridiculously strong he is. I can't wait to see him play Teikō again!"

"..."