Incoming Nationals

Days passed with the Nationals inching closing every passing day, the qualified schools around Japan had entered the last stages of their preparations.

The stage of Nationals was a glorious one. No athlete in the country didn't want to stand at the National stage and showcase their mettle for everyone to look.

This year, five teams were in the spotlight.

-*-*-*-

Meiho Middle School from Niigata Prefecture.

The defensive team led to the Nationals by the Uncrowned King Nebuya Eikichi.

In Meiho's gym, you could see an unusually buff middle schooler with a sheet of paper in his hand.

The person was Nebuya Eikichi, the strongest center in the middle school scene outside of Generation Of Miracles' Murasakibara Atsushi.

On his own, he had made his team the strongest post-playing team in all of Japan. The unmovable rock had forced his way in any and every situation and led his team to victory.

Nebuya crushed the tournament bracket in his hand and roared.

Nebuya: "Kiyoshi Teppei, it seems you have made it to the Nationals.

I will show you how much I have improved.

How far my muscle power has come."

His pride as a center ignited as he waited to face against the one he thought of his rival.

Herculean Strength, Nebuya Eikichi, was ready.

One of Nebuya's teammates entered the gym and saw the crushed tournament bracket in his hand. The teammate immediately shouted.

Teammate: "Captain! What are you doing?!

We had to post that on the wall for everybody to see, now I have to print another one out."

The fire just burned too brightly.

-*-*-*-

Aiwa Middle School from Saitama Prefecture.

The team with the second-highest turnover per game, only to be beaten by Tokiwadai Middle School.

Aiwa Middle School played their way to Nationals with Uncrowned King Hanamiya Makoto.

The captain and playmaker of Aiwa, Bad Boy, Hanamiya Makoto, looked at the tournament bracket and scoffed.

Hanamiya: "Even after saying that to me, he isn't going to Nationals, I am."

The defeat against Tokiwadai Middle School had stung Hanamiya deep.

The game's results were spread widely throughout the country as Kageyama Shun's hundred-point game.

And, that had hurt Hanamiya's pride deep. He still frowned, recalling the last moments of the game where Kageyama Shun played with him.

-*-*-*-

Ryuo Middle School from Nagano Prefecture.

The full offensive team whose creed was fast and quick plays to the basket had taken Nagano Prefecture's seat to the Nationals.

And, the highest scorer of the prefecture was in Ryou Middle School.

The Uncrowned King Hayama Kotaro.

In Ryuo's gym, Hayama looked at his point guard and ordered.

Hayama: "Pass the ball to me more. The balance is off."

He turned to the rest of his teammates and spoke.

Hayama: "If you don't see anyone free, pass the ball to me.

If you are in a bad position, pass the ball to me.

If you don't think you can't score on your own, pass the ball to me.

No matter where I am, bring the ball to me."

He looked at the tournament bracket posted at the wall and grinned.

Hayama: "The Nationals are always fun. I wonder what it will show me this year."

The Lightning Beast was ready to charge into the national scene.

-*-*-*-

Shoei Middle School from Tokyo Prefecture.

Led by the last Uncrowned King visiting the Nationals, Iron Heart, Kiyoshi Teppei, and his team were preparing for the Nationals.

The team gathered and talked about the Nationals.

The small forward, Taichi laughed as he excitedly talked about the nationals.

Taichi: "We are going to the Nationals! Man, I still can't believe it."

The point guard nodded and answered.

PG: "Yeah, we lucked out in the preliminaries brackets."

The shooting guard entered the conversation.

SG: "Let's go the nationals and win till we meet Teiko."

All of them nodded.

Taichi: "Yeah, Teiko is impossible to beat."

PG: "Us reaching Nationals is already a good accomplishment."

PF: "Let's hope they go easy on us. I don't want to lose badly in front of all those people."

Kiyoshi sat with his teammates but didn't say a single word.

A single line of thought crossed his mind as he took in the conversation.

Kiyoshi: 'They aren't even considering the possibility of winning.'

Kiyoshi felt suffocated as he listened to his teammates.

To the rest of Japan, Teiko and Tokiwadai were two top National level teams, who had excellent chances of winning the Nationals.

But that wasn't the case in Tokyo. In Tokyo, Teiko and Tokiwadai were much more. They were unbeatable opponents who had ingrained their position as someone they couldn't think of overcoming.

Opponents that they instinctively knew that was out of their league.

And, Kiyoshi was first-hand experiencing what it felt to be in the same territory as the overlords of Tokyo.

He felt suffocated and felt that someone was dragging him into the water where he couldn't breathe.

Kiyoshi: 'Is this alright? To think like this, do we really have no chance?'

-*-*-*-

Teiko Middle School from Tokyo.

The other representatives of Tokyo.

The team hailed as the Generation Of Miracles, five generation-level talents in one super team.

While they had cemented their position in Tokyo and were the center of the negative atmosphere of Tokyo's middle school basketball scene, they weren't problem-free.

They were the ground-zero of problems.

A "team" hanging with a thread in the form of the aging coach Shirogane Kozo.

Aomine Daiki had decreased passing the ball, to the minimum level, just maintaining the level that seemed acceptable to their coach.

Murasakibara Atsushi had decreased his offensive presence and was playing defense primarily.

Midorima Shintaro played normally. Get him the ball, and he would shoot.

Kise Ryota didn't care about anything. He was solely focused on catching up with his teammates.

Akashi Seijuro continued to move forward with only the victory in his mind, disregarding everything else.

Unseen cracks appeared on Teiko's team as they prepared for Nationals.

-*-*-*-

Tokiwadai Middle School wasn't participating in the Nationals, but it seems they were going to be a part of it in some way.

Yuki entered the gym and called the first-string to gather.

Kaitani walked to Yuki and asked.

Kaitani: "What happened?"

Yuki waited till everyone was within earshot before starting.

Yuki: "Next week, a team is going to visit our school for a practice game."

Kaitani immediately became interested and smiled.

Kaitani: "Oh! A game! It's been a while!

Who is it?

Iwatobi, Samezuka, Yukigaoka, or Shoei?"

Yuki shook his head and replied.

Yuki: "The team is not from Tokyo."

The members were surprised, matches against teams outside of the prefecture were extremely rare.

Hyakuzawa asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

Hyakuzawa: "Who is the team?"

Yuki glanced at Shun, who was listening to him and answered.

Yuki: "Ryuo Middle School from Nagano Prefecture.

They are going to Nationals this year, and wanted to have a practice game with us."

Shun stayed silent for a moment and asked.

Shun: "Ryuo is Hayama Kotaro's school, isn't it?"

Yuki nodded in affirmation.

Shun chuckled, which soon turned to full-blown laughter.

He looked at Yuki and spoke.

Shun: "They want to use us as a stalking horse!"

Hyakuzawa turned to Shun and asked.

Hyakuazawa: "What do you mean?"

Shun clicked his tongue and explained.

Shun: "I saw the tournament bracket.

Ryuo meets Teiko in the third round, and they want to see the Teiko's level by playing against us."

Shun with an irritated glimmer in his eyes declared.

Shun: "They want to see how would they compete against Teiko?

Then that is what they will get."

He looked at the team and announced.

Shun: "Get ready for the game against Ryou.

We have to make sure that they 'enjoy' the game."

Shun internally scoffed.

Shun: 'They want to use us as a stalking horse. Hell no!'

-*-*-*-

Tokiwadai Middle School and Ryou Middle School were going to have a practice game just before the Nationals, with Tokiwadai hosting Ryou in the game.

A clash between two National level teams in a rare match-up that wouldn't be seen outside of a National stage.