Full-time comic artist

"Top professional Go players can calculate up to 100 moves ahead. But AI calculates based on the situation, so it rarely makes mistakes."

"Of course, I'm referring to AI with iterative updates to algorithms and hardware, which is not far off and will be within our lifetime."

Higashino spoke eloquently, and his vision for the future was undoubtedly correct, making his words particularly persuasive.

The audience gradually came to accept his words.

Even Otake Hideo began to lose confidence.

How could a "major revolution in Go" possibly occur in just twenty years?

But without realizing it, he suddenly felt that one day, professional Go players would cry in front of AI.

That chess player was highly competitive, wanting to compete with the AI ​​and believing he could win, but in the end, he predictably wept bitterly.

He suddenly realized that he had been abandoned by the times without even noticing.

“That’s very well said,” Professor Okamoto said, as if he had found a kindred spirit. He asked eagerly, “Professor Tori Akino, do you know anything about artificial intelligence? Do you have a clear understanding of it?”

"Uh... there are some, but not many," Higashino Hibiki answered honestly.

He only looked up some materials for drawing comics and didn't have time to study artificial intelligence in depth in 1997.

"Huh?" came Izumi Sakai's surprised voice.

The audience, who had been brainwashed by Higashino Hibiki's words, finally realized what was happening.

"I was almost fooled by the cartoonist."

"That's true, how could the plot in a comic book be reality?"

"If it's true, then I can also use the Kamehameha."

They whispered among themselves, and the scene became noisy.

……

The next day's newspapers published people's opinions on the plot of "Hikaru no Go".

The discussion was in full swing and quickly became a hot topic. Yamamura Morimichi understood that Tori Akino Mirai had already won.

The success of his comics is evident in the attention and discussion they generate in society.

Indeed, Xiaozheng from "The Great Revolution of Go" came in second place after the emergence of AI.

It ranks only after Mirai Toriaki's work, "Slam Dunk".

What a despicable guy! He took the top two spots!

Yamamura Morimichi almost bit his teeth off.

……

Seeing the brilliance of Higashino Hibiki's works, someone was tempted.

He hasn't created any works in a long time.

He spent the first half of his life drawing comics for capital and audiences, but now his hands are itching to create for himself.

"Let's start with 'cowa'."

Akira Toriyama thought so.

Meanwhile, Yoshihiro Togashi, who had finished writing Level E in early 1997, was also getting restless and began to conceive the content of a new work.

……

This era belongs to Toriakino Mirai.

The controversy surrounding "Hikaru no Go" had barely subsided when "Slam Dunk" generated a huge impact.

Mirai Toriaki, the queen of Weekly Shonen Jump, is described in the newspapers as follows.

Now it is his dynasty.

Hibiki Higashino remained calm and composed. He wouldn't be complacent because of the media. Slam Dunk was supposed to achieve this level of success, since it had reached the point where Mitsui Hisashi was reborn from the ashes.

……

Thanks to Rukawa's outstanding performance, Shohoku finally regained its form and began to fight back.

Ryota Miyagi adapted to the pressure from the bigger player. Hanamichi Sakuragi also made his first shot in the official game.

Although this was already his fourth match.

Miyagi successfully scored a layup despite being guarded by two 190cm tall Shohoku players. This prompted Shohoku to change their strategy.

They made good use of their height advantage to strengthen their interior defense and shut down Shohoku's offense under the basket.

Fujima's plan was very effective. Facing Shoyo's defense under the basket, Miyagi and Akagi had no way to attack.

However, one key point was overlooked.

That was someone Coach Fujioka valued highly, a member of the dream team he once wanted to build—the best pitcher, Mitsui Hisashi!

With Mitsui Hisashi's successful three-pointer, the score between Shohoku and Shoyo is now tied.

Fujima took off his jacket off the court; the coach was warming up!

Fujima's actions ignited Shohoku's fighting spirit.

Hanagata refused Fujima's offer to play, and Shoyo, the second strongest team in Kanagawa, is not so easily defeated.

Led by Hanagata, Shohoku began to score and pressed their advantage, widening the score gap again.

Sakuragi Hanamichi began to feel lost; despite being a genius, he performed terribly.

At that moment, he remembered Coach Anzai's words.

"Sakuragi, you need to control the rebounds!"

Sakuragi Hanamichi finally has his own goal: to dominate the paint!

Become the rebounding king!

Before the end of the first half, Sakuragi Hanamichi grabbed a rebound, finally keeping the deficit in single digits.

Although the players from Shohoku were exhausted from the tension at the start of the game, Mitsui, in particular, was panting heavily.

But their confidence remained high, and in the second half they pulled back the score, forcing Fujima to take the court, and finally defeated the Shohoku basketball team!

Whoever can control the rebounds can control the game.

Sakuragi Hanamichi's basketball skills are very average, but his basic interception techniques, strength, and jumping ability are quite good.

He started dominating the paint!

Thanks to Sakuragi Hanamichi's performance, the score quickly narrowed to one point.

Although Fujima remained calm on the coach's bench, it was clear that he was becoming agitated.

Rukawa's fast break layup brought the score to 36-35, with Shohoku taking the lead!

Seeing this, Fujima stood up aggressively; it was time for him to go on stage.

Because of Fujima's participation, Shohoku was able to perform at their true level.

"Mitsui, have you reached your limit?"

This is one of the chapters that was serialized last week.

Mitsui had wasted two years playing basketball with Shohoku, and was now completely exhausted.

But he won't be playing.

In order to stop Mitsui, the three-point shooter, Hasegawa of the Shohoku team specifically intercepted him.

Hasegawa was Mitsui's defeated opponent in junior high school, and Mitsui had no recollection of him at all.

However, at this moment, the tall and agile Hasegawa prevented Mitsui from finding an opportunity to make a move.

While Mitsui Hisashi was falling into depravity, Hasegawa was working hard.

Having witnessed the delinquent Mitsui firsthand, Hasegawa believed he would not lose.

Mitsui, who underestimated high school basketball and was no match for me back then, has faded away with time.

Mitsui was breathing heavily, and his pitching power had decreased.

Facing the completely transformed Hasegawa.

He seems to have reached his limit.

Chapter 175 The Flame Man Reborn from the Ashes

The long-awaited "Slam Dunk" has finally started serialization.

Takasugi Kazuya was very excited.

This is Slam Dunk, a manga series that has been going on for months!

He saw Rukawa Kaede break through adversity, saw Miyagi Ryota's brilliant performance, and saw Sakuragi Hanamichi dominate the paint.

Now it's finally time for his favorite Mitsui Hisashi concert.

He was so excited that he trembled all over when he just opened the cover of "Slam Dunk".

"Mitsui, a storm-like three-pointer!"

This once-fallen player is finally about to be reborn!

He had been anticipating this moment for several months.

Fujima enters the game, and Shohoku is down by twelve points with five minutes remaining.

The audience in the basketball arena, as well as the players from the Hainan team, all believed that Xiangyang's victory was already assured.

Shohoku has been pushed to the brink, and Sakuragi Hanamichi, who has committed four fouls, is becoming hesitant and timid for fear of being ejected from the game.

Therefore, at this moment, Shohoku is powerless to turn the tide.

Even after seeing the title of this episode, Kazuya Takasugi couldn't help but feel uneasy.

"Shohoku is really having a tough time; their opponents are all so strong."

This was only Shohoku, one of the two strongest teams in Kanagawa. He could hardly imagine the strength of the powerful teams in the national tournament.