Tetsuya Kuroko was injured—so badly that he was completely unable to return to the court.
With no other option, he was taken away for treatment, missing that game with his friends.
While being treated, Kuroko said to Seijuro Akashi,
"Akashi-kun, I want you all to give it everything you have."
Akashi replied calmly, without any expression,
"Even if the score difference becomes overwhelming?"
Kuroko nodded seriously.
"Please."
Akashi stood up and said flatly,
"I understand."
Only then did Kuroko finally feel at ease.
But the course of the game took a drastic turn.
By the fourth quarter, Meikō still had zero points.
Meanwhile, Teikō's score had already climbed to 160.
Shiroiwa walked into Kuroko's hospital room and said,
"Kuroko, the fourth quarter has started."
"The three-peat is already a certainty."
Kuroko tried to get up to watch the game.
Shiroiwa quickly supported him, careful not to let him get hurt again.
"Watch your step."
Standing up, Kuroko looked at the match playing on the television.
The moment he saw the score, his expression changed completely.
"H-how… how could this happen?"
Shiroiwa turned his head slightly and replied,
"Wasn't this what you asked for? For us to give it our all?"
Kuroko's pupils trembled, his face twisting in pain.
"I need to see it with my own eyes!"
With that, he rushed toward the court without hesitation.
Shiroiwa could only shake his head helplessly.
'Akashi… just like you predicted, Kuroko…'
...
Kuroko arrived outside the court and looked in.
Every member of Meikō was gasping for air, exhaustion written all over their faces.
Shigehiro Ogiwara shouted,
"The game isn't over yet! Don't give up!"
One of Meikō's players replied bitterly,
"What are you saying? The result is already obvious."
Ogiwara's expression tightened with pain, but he spoke firmly,
"I know that too! But ending it like this is just too frustrating."
"If we're going to lose no matter what, then we have to make one shot—right at the very end!"
"And then…"
Ogiwara lifted his head, forcing a painfully strained smile.
"And then we hold our heads high and accept defeat!"
Kuroko watched the scene on the court, his heart aching.
On the court—
Shigehiro Ogiwara struggled with everything he had, but he couldn't break through Daiki Aomine's defense.
Aomine reached out and easily stole the ball.
"You're still too weak. But your spirit deserves some praise," Aomine said coldly.
"So as a reward… I'll give you the abyss of defeat."
With that, he charged alone toward the frontcourt and slammed the ball through the hoop.
Meikō was completely crushed beneath Teikō's iron cavalry, becoming the only team in history to score zero points in a championship final.
Teikō won the finals with a score of 200–0.
After the final buzzer—
Shigehiro Ogiwara stared blankly at the scoreboard, murmuring in a daze,
"It's… over… We… didn't score a single point…"
"O- Ogiwara!"
Ogiwara slowly turned his unfocused eyes toward the voice.
"Kuroko…"
Seeing this, Tetsuya Kuroko's normally expressionless face finally broke.
He opened his mouth, trying to speak, but no sound would come out.
He stared helplessly at the backs of the Teikō players as they walked away, a sharp pain twisting in his chest.
It wasn't just because he had been unable to play.
More than that—it was because of the promise he had made with his friend.
The moment that thought crossed his mind, his chest tightened unbearably. He collapsed to his knees, tears streaming down uncontrollably.
After that match, Tetsuya Kuroko chose to quit the basketball club.
He also gave up the basketball he loved so dearly.
It wasn't until he found Shigehiro Ogiwara's school, met his teammates, and spoke with them that Kuroko's fighting spirit finally reignited.
He made his decision.
He would challenge the Generation of Miracles.
...
After hearing all of this, Miyamoto Tokima finally understood everything.
So Kuroko hadn't decided to defeat them because the team fell apart—
it was because of being benched, and because he wanted to avenge his friend.
Was this the will of the world? Forcing the plot back on track?
Shuzo Nijimura fell silent for a moment, then sighed with emotion.
"Who would've thought Akashi and the others would end up like that? When the light becomes too strong, the shadow has nowhere left to stand."
Then he added,
"By the way, Kuroko, is that red-haired guy the new light you found?"
Kuroko nodded.
"Kagami-kun has the same kind of talent as them. I believe in him."
Nijimura thought for a moment before replying,
"That's true. His talent is impressive. He's just still a bit weak. I wonder if you'll have enough time to grow."
"I don't know," Kuroko replied. "Probably."
Nijimura waved his hand, dropping the topic.
"Right— I heard you beat the Generation of Miracles. What happened?"
Kuroko explained the entire situation.
Miyamoto Tokima listened quietly. When it was over, he realized his suspicions had been right.
The current Taiga Kagami and Tetsuya Kuroko really couldn't defeat Ryota Kise yet. The reason they won the practice match was because Kise only entered the game in the fourth quarter.
Kise's coach had actually kept him on the bench for three full quarters, even while the team was trailing badly.
The coach remained completely calm—overconfident, even—believing Kise could erase a twenty-point deficit in five minutes.
It backfired. Kise lost by two points, leaving Kaijō's coach, Genta Takeuchi, absolutely furious.
Miyamoto Tokima was speechless.
What was that? Protagonist halo? Blind confidence?
There was nothing he could do about it, though. He couldn't interfere with another coach's decisions.
But if Kaijō faced Seirin in the future, Seirin would likely be in trouble.
Because Genta would definitely send out his full starting lineup for revenge.
"I understand now, Tetsuya. Thanks for clearing things up," Miyamoto said.
"Want to grab a meal together?"
Kuroko shook his head, glanced at the Seirin members sneaking around behind him, and smiled faintly.
"My teammates seem to be waiting for me."
Miyamoto tilted his head and noticed the suspicious Seirin group.
Seeing that, he didn't insist any further, and left with Shuzo Nijimura and Satsuki Momoi.
As for whether Kuroko would reveal Miyamoto Tokima's whereabouts, Miyamoto wasn't worried at all.
Judging by how the Teikō players treated Kuroko, there was no chance he would have contact with them anytime soon.
In the end, it would be Miyamoto Tokima himself—
using a single match—who would announce his return.
.....