Unveiling the Unknown Miracle
Chapter 10
The first quarter comes to an end with Kaijō High leading Seirin High with a score of 35-27. Taiga Kagami remains confident, believing he has identified Ryōta Kise's weakness—Tetsuya Kuroko. He boldly asserts that Seirin will bring Kaijō to tears in the second quarter. On the bench, Riko Aida reminds Kuroko and Kagami about the importance of teamwork and asks if they are up to the challenge. Kagami expresses mild doubt, earning a playful jab from Kuroko, who reminds him to keep their goal of defeating Kise in mind.
The second quarter begins, and both teams continue to score steadily. Within the first minute, the score stands at 39-29 in Kaijō's favor. Kise guards Kagami closely, attempting to predict his next move. However, Kise is caught off guard when Kagami passes the ball to Kuroko, who quickly returns it to score two points. Kise continues to search for their next play but is once again surprised when the ball is passed to Junpei Hyūga instead. Seirin narrows the gap, and the score is now 39-34.
Kaijō starts to grow wary of both Hyūga's three-pointers and the developing teamwork between Kuroko and Kagami, despite their coordination not being fully refined yet. Kuroko tells Kise that while he may appear powerless and Kagami may seem insufficient on his own, when they work together, they have a fighting chance. Kise remains determined, asserting that he will emerge as the winner. He attempts a three-pointer, only to be blocked by Kagami. Seirin seizes the opportunity for a fast break, but Kise accidentally collides with Kuroko, causing him to leave the game due to injury. Shinji Koganei replaces Kuroko on the court. Riko instructs Kagami to focus on defense in Kuroko's absence, reminding him that Kise will only copy his moves if he's on offense. Hyūga also encourages Riko to have more faith in the senior players' ability to score.
The first half ended with a significant lead for Kaijō, with a score of 64-40. Coach Takeuchi commends his team for demonstrating their strength and achieving a substantial advantage. The Kaijō players appear happy and relieved to have broken the stalemate and established a commanding lead. However, Kise maintains a serious expression, catching the attention of his teammates and coach. They inquire about his sudden change in demeanor and tell him to cheer up, emphasizing that they are winning. Kise points towards Kaito, who has now removed his jacket, revealing his jersey with the number 10. The Kaijō team is puzzled by Kise's cautionary gesture towards Kaito. They ask who Kaito is, as they have never heard of him. Kise explains that Kaito, known as Kaitocchi, was a member of Teiko for a year and served as their captain and ace during his first year. However, he left to play basketball in Spain. The team is shocked by this revelation and questions why Kise didn't mention it earlier. Kise sheepishly admits that he forgot, prompting their captain to kick him from behind. The team is still reeling from the revelation that an unknown miracle is playing for Seirin, especially one who was the former captain and ace of Teiko. They inquire about Kaito's abilities, but Kise admits he has no idea because Kaitocchi had already left the team when he joined.