Chapter 135 - 136 – I’m on the Third Layer

Words : 1147 Updated : Oct 7th, 2025

The moment Hanamiya Makoto intercepted Seirin's pass, Tendou had already launched forward. His reaction was so fast, it was as if he'd been waiting for it all along. Kagami rushed to follow— But Hara Kazuya was already on him, once again roughly blocking his acceleration. "You bastard, get out of the way!" Kagami shoved past him with brute force, charging after Tendou. Tweet— The referee's whistle rang out. Kagami was called for his first foul, but it successfully disrupted Kirisaki Daiichi's fast break. "A tactical foul? Didn't expect you to be that smart." "That wasn't a tactical foul..." Kagami had never played a game like this. He wanted so badly to face Tendou head-on— But Tendou was surrounded by monsters. All of them were blocking his path to Tendou. "You don't seriously think it's us who are keeping you from challenging our boss, do you?" Isn't it?! Kagami screamed internally. Once could be a fluke—but twice? Hara Kazuya smirked like he could read Kagami's mind and blew a bubble with his gum. "If you had the right to challenge our leader, we wouldn't be able to stop you." "How are you still not getting it? The one stopping you... is you. You're just too weak." You're too weak. Just four simple words— But they cut straight into Kagami's heart. Lies don't hurt—truth does. 『He's completely outclassed...』『Well, duh. You see who he's playing against? The game's only certified BOSS, the ceiling of Kuroko's Basketball.』『Tendou has to be the strongest among the Generation of Miracles, right?』『Pretty much. Unless the story pulls a twist in the final arc.』 The spectators had already begun forming power rankings for the Generation of Miracles. Of course, there was no definitive answer— But based on everything from the prequel to the current tournament, the top three were becoming clear. Tendou. Aomine. Akashi. Tendou and Aomine were monsters even in the prequel. Akashi had exploded later on—famously defeating Murasakibara in an intrasquad match. So the top three were essentially locked in. Kise and Midorima, while still powerful, were just a step behind. "Seirin's totally falling apart," said Kasamatsu Yukio, eyes serious from the stands. They all respected Seirin's strength. Even if it was only a scrimmage, Seirin had beaten Kaijō. And yet now, they were barely holding it together against Kirisaki Daiichi. He couldn't help but wonder— Would Kaijō even stand a chance against this team? This was Kasamatsu's last year in high school. He was desperate to redeem himself for the past— Desperate to win. Their coach had given them a major boost this year, bringing in a Generation of Miracles member. Even Kasamatsu couldn't deny Kise's skill. But the opponents had gotten stronger too. "Tendou Kageyoshi..." In Kasamatsu's final year of middle school, his team had been eliminated by Tendou. And now, he had a feeling they'd meet again—on a much bigger stage. Back on court. Izuki Shun turned the ball over—again. Or to be more precise, Hanamiya intercepted him again. That was the curse of being a traditional point guard. Izuki had decent scoring ability, but his core style was still classic pass-first. But modern basketball? Modern point guards had to shoot. At the very least, they needed a reliable three-point shot. Without spacing, a team couldn't survive. Look at players like Westbrook: Even in his triple-double MVP season, he was lethal in the regular season— But in the playoffs, his lack of shooting doomed him. Defenders would just sag off and dare him to shoot from deep. Even if he hit one or two, he couldn't kill you with it. Izuki was falling into the same trap. Hanamiya simply didn't guard his three-point line. He hung near the free-throw line, ready to collapse or jump passing lanes at any moment. "You're kidding me... this many turnovers? That's not Izuki's style." "He was rock-solid in their match against Shūtoku, almost like the team's stabilizer." When Kuroko had rested during that match, it was Izuki who'd held things together. He had kept the score close and maintained control. That moment wasn't shown in the anime, But Tendou—watching the match—had noticed. Naturally, so had Hanamiya. Since Izuki was the core of Seirin's ball movement, Hanamiya began targeting him relentlessly. "Ever since that number 5 came on, haven't Hanamiya's steals gotten way more frequent?" In the audience near Tōō Academy's section, the players were silent as they watched the match unfold. "That guy's a genius," Imayoshi Shōichi finally said. He knew his teammate too well. "You mean, like, one of those 'Uncrowned Kings'? So he's not just talk?" "Not that kind of genius," Imayoshi gestured to his temple. "I mean up here. Hanamiya has an insanely high basketball IQ." "Just watching a single game, he can perfectly replicate the opposing team's tactics." "In short—he knows everything Seirin's going to do." Meanwhile, over in Kyoto, at Rakuzan High, someone couldn't help but complain. "Hanamiya is still just as nasty as ever." Though they were all second-years, all the Uncrowned Kings had played against the Generation of Miracles during middle school. Their teams were strong and always contenders in nationals. They just never won a title—hence the nickname: The Uncrowned Kings. Like Akagi in Slam Dunk, who had the strength but not the results, These five had the talent but lacked the championships to show for it. Still, everyone acknowledged their strength. "Ugh. Every time I hear that guy laugh, I get physically uncomfortable." "He sounds like a damn clown—definitely not manly." That last comment made Reo Mibuchi raise an eyebrow in offense. Still, Rakuzan's three Uncrowned players all acknowledged Hanamiya's skill. From middle school onward, his steals were his signature. And this year, he had evolved again— So far, his steal success rate was an absurd 100%. He wasn't relying on guesswork. It was all calculated. "The new #5, right?" Akashi Seijūrō hadn't spoken until now. His eyes were locked on the screen. "Seto Kentarō is on the first layer... Izuki Shun is operating in the second layer... But Hanamiya Makoto—he's on the third layer." Seirin's offense was fast-paced. Their entire strategy relied on the fluid rotation of possessions, which meant lots of movement. Seto, with his 160 IQ, could see patterns in their offense and shift ahead of time for help defense. But Hanamiya saw beyond even Seto. He wasn't just reacting—he was predicting. So every time Izuki passed to exploit an opening in Seto's positioning, Hanamiya was already there, ready to steal. Every time. And so far, his steal rate remained flawless.

Chapter 135 - 136 – I’m on the Third Layer

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