Kuroko's Basketball: I'm not the boss?

[If they're eliminated in the first round, I wonder if Ms. Masako, given her personality, will cry?]

Thinking of this, Xiangyang couldn't help but chuckle.

It's impossible no matter how you look at it, but Miss Masako... she must be heartbroken to some extent.

“That won’t do… Akashi… Let me do it, and make it a little more difficult for you.”

……

……

A week passed in the blink of an eye, and the first round of the national competition officially began as scheduled.

In the first match, Kaijo High School faced Nara High School, and the result was as expected.

Haichang won by a large margin, 120-65.

Just like last year, Nara High School ran into a "miracle team" in the first round, quickly getting eliminated and being knocked out of the competition.

In the second match, Shiro Rin faced off against Igawa.

When Xiangyang saw the team name, he felt it looked familiar. Based on his observation of Chenglin's changes in strength this year, although he had a vague sense of unease, he still rallied his teammates to watch the match recording together.

When the familiar "smiling guy" made a peace sign at the camera during the warm-up, giving a "hot-blooded manga" smile, Xiang Yang immediately turned off the recording without expression.

There's something dirty in it; I can't see anything.

In conclusion, Shiro Rin won.

In the third match, Touou High School faced Fukuda General High School.

After last year's "boxing incident," Haizaki Shogo is leading his team to make a comeback! Interestingly, Haizaki has changed his hairstyle this year.

Last year he had a shaved head, but this year, his hairstyle has reverted to his Teiko Middle School days – gray hair and a flamboyant style!

Xiang Yang commented: "This kid has finally figured it out and mastered the winning formula."

In the Black Basketball game, if your hairstyle and hair color aren't unique, how can you win?

Unfortunately, after wasting several years of his basketball career, Haizaki, who was already overshadowed by Aomine during his Teiko days, has now become nothing more than a training ground for Touou.

Watching the organization in the video

Teammate, Igarashi Yuei, who's getting better and better at the game.

Xiang Yang clicked his tongue in amazement. This kid really had the same style as him in his first year. If Xiang Yang didn't have some kind of cheat code, he would probably be a player like Igarashi.

Thinking of this, Xiangyang subconsciously glanced at the system panel.

In the main quest section, he hasn't completed the quest to join the national youth team yet.

Although the Chinese side has basically identified Xiangyang as the future main point guard for the national team, he cannot change his nationality due to his age.

It will probably be after the summer season ends this year that Xiangyang can deal with his nationality issue and officially join the Chinese nation.

It's worth mentioning that this year, Haizaki Shogo didn't use any dirty tricks on the field. Although a few of his fouls were intriguing, overall he was relatively clean. At least in Xiangyang's opinion, he wasn't so angry that he would pounce on him again and punch him twice.

103:86, Touou advances.

In the fourth match, Shutoku High School faced off against Kariki High School.

Given the new killer move that Midorima displayed during the round-robin tournament, Xiangyang and the entire Kaijo team watched the recording of Shutoku's match three times from beginning to end.

Although Xiude was only playing against a weak team and used less than 40% of his strength, hard work pays off, and Xiangyang actually managed to see something out of them!

“Their movement patterns are numerous and complex; trying to decipher them one by one would waste a lot of time.”

Xiang Yang tapped rhythmically on the table with his five fingers, his eyes fixed on the video, reflecting the green ball receiving the pass, running and drifting to shoot from beyond the three-point line.

"But their core tactic is only one: to create opportunities for Midorima to shoot three-pointers."

Xiangyang rubbed his nose. It wasn't difficult to figure this out. The real challenge was that even if you knew Xiude would concentrate the ball possession on Midorima, you still couldn't stop him from scoring.

A high-difficulty three-pointer with a 100% success rate is already an unstoppable offensive weapon.

"The only options are to try to intercept the ball before the green man receives it, or to double-team him before he gets a touch on the ball."

Xiangyang's voice sounded somewhat helpless. He understood Xiude's rhythm in the game, but the final conclusion he came to was that there was nothing he could do.

If Haejo faces Soo-deok this year, then the only option left is for them to fight for points against each other.

After watching the video of Xiude's game, Xiangyang showed no interest whatsoever in the fifth match between two weak teams. He didn't even instruct anyone to film it. He was completely indifferent to these two opponents who didn't have the "Generation of Miracles".

Perhaps influenced by Takeuchi, Xiangyang unconsciously began to underestimate opponents far weaker than himself... No, it shouldn't be called underestimation; he certainly didn't take any opponents other than "Miracle" seriously.

As the saying goes, even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit. But what if you put it in the form of a mosquito? When a lion faces a mosquito, it will only impatiently swat it to death with its tail. As for how many bites the little creature has given it, the lion will not care.

In the final match of the first round, Yangquan faced off against Luoshan.

The schedule is one match per day, so the last match is naturally scheduled for last.

This match was arguably the most exciting of the first round!

Yangquan and Luoshan

Both teams were among the top four in last year's Winter Cup, and both also featured members of the "Generation of Miracles"!

Before the game, an expert predicted that Los Angeles High School would win. In addition, many basketball bloggers on the Internet also favored Los Angeles.

Even so, the stands were packed with people on the day of the match!

In a world where basketball plays a huge role, a closely contested game is worth the trip for many people.

"Huh? Where did Senior Xiangyang go? Didn't we all come together?"

"Oh right, it seems like Senior Xiangyang has been missing since just now."

The Haichang crowd, who had arrived early to reserve seats in the front row of the stands, suddenly realized that Xiangyang was gone!

As they were discussing whether it was more likely that Xiangyang was going to the bathroom or being abducted, Kise stroked his chin and looked at the Yangquan team members who were entering the arena for warm-up.

Suddenly, an extremely absurd thought appeared in Kise's mind.

"No way... Xiao Xiangyang wouldn't have run off there, would he?"

As if to verify Kise's conjecture, a familiar figure walked out from the player tunnel the next moment.

Xiang Yang, dressed casually in slippers, was looking around with curiosity. It was the first time he had ever stepped onto the field without being a player.

"Oh, Ms. Masako."

As Xiang Yang raised his hand to greet the many audience members who recognized him, he sat down next to Ya Zi with a grin.

Today, his role is assistant coach and team manager at Yangquan High School!

"Put away that excited look on your face for a moment. By the way... have you ever coached a basketball team?"

Masako crossed her arms and looked at Xiangyang with a suspicious expression.

Just the night before last, Xiangyang specifically asked her to sit on Yangquan's bench on the day of the match, becoming her temporary assistant coach to help Yazi defeat Luoshan!

Hearing Yako question his professional abilities, Xiangyang became immediately annoyed. He waved his hand and said confidently, "Of course not. Don't you think I'm just a high school student? What team would be so foolish as to let me coach?"

Masako:…

Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Xiangyang, realizing he had said the wrong thing, quickly waved his hand to salvage the situation: "It's okay, it's okay. Although I won't be coaching the team, you're here! I just need to take on some light work!"

[An easy job?]

Masako tilted her head slightly in confusion, signaling to Xiangyang to continue.

"Think about it, Haichang and Luoshan met in the finals before. I'm somewhat familiar with Luoshan's playing style, okay? Keeping me here will definitely help Yangquan!"

Xiang Yang patted his chest confidently, assuring everyone that he wasn't making things up.

As Xiang Yang's opponent in the finals of the first summer season, he had done a lot of research on Luoshan.

Furthermore, with Rakuzan's core center, Seijuro Akashi, also a point guard like Hikaru, the two have many opportunities to face off against each other on the court. To exaggerate a bit, Hikaru could even be considered the person in Japan who understands Akashi the most!

In this world, no one understands Akashi better than me!

Of course, more importantly, facing the sun can be a spiritual experience.

Up, to help Yangquan!

"Chicken soup for the soul" isn't just effective for your own players!

Just as Xiangyang and Yazi were chatting, Luoshan entered the field through the players' tunnel on the other side.

With their all-white team uniforms and solemn team atmosphere, this is one of the top contenders for this year's championship!

At the very front of the group, Akashi Seijuro's eyes swept over the entire audience. His steps were steady. Despite being a guy whose height was hard to say, he inexplicably exuded the aura of a superior.

"Wow, this kid still makes such a grand entrance."

Xiangyang whistled, attracting Akashi's attention. Akashi turned his gaze over, and when he saw it was Xiangyang, he paused slightly, as if wondering why he could see Xiangyang here.

"It seems your Heavenly Emperor's Eye didn't inform you of tonight's events."

Feeling the pressure on his body vanish in an instant, Xiangyang teased Akashi with a smile.

"It doesn't matter, I'm absolutely certain."

Familiar taste.

Akashi looked at Xiangyang and Masako from left and right, as if he understood something, shook his head, turned around and went to his own half of the court to start warming up.

Even if you were here, it wouldn't change anything. I've already seen how the game would end.

Akashi picked up the basketball from the ground with one hand, his golden pupils faintly visible in his eye sockets.

The double defeats in the summer tournament and winter cup last year were unacceptable to Akashi, who had been instilled with the "philosophy of success" by his family since childhood.

So, whether it's to avenge last year's defeat or to prove his own worth, this year's Rakuzan... no, this year's Akashi will absolutely not fail!

……

……

beep—

Please have both players come forward to greet each other.

Whether it was a special arrangement by the organizers or not, the referee on site today was the same old man who played in the final match between Kaijo and Seirin last winter cup.

"In short, play more of Ice Room's and Dun's pick-and-roll plays. Dun, if you don't give it your all in this game, I'll chop you up after the game."

On the Yangquan bench, Xiang Yang looked at Yako with a embarrassed expression as she gave her players a pre-match pep talk. It has to be said, it really had Yako's style.