Chapter 112 No Difference
“You’re back?” In the Shirogane residence, Shirogane Kozo looked at Kaneki Ken who was sitting in front of him sipping tea and said with a smile, “I know you like the taste of Longguo, so I asked someone to buy Longjing tea from Longguo. How do you feel about it?”

“It’s normal, a little stale.” Kaneki Ken put down his teacup and pursed his lips, “How are you feeling lately, old man?”

“Not bad.” Shirogane Kozo poured himself a cup of tea with a smile, “I retired after leaving Teiko, so it’s not bad to take care of my grandchildren at home.”

“So will you let your grandson play basketball in the future, and make him run laps as punishment?” Kaneki Ken leaned back a little on the sofa, raised his eyebrows slightly, looked at Shirokane Kozo and asked with a smile.

“Who knows?” Shirogane Kozo also responded with a smile, “The child’s future should be decided by the child himself, right?”

“So, do you know what happened to the team?” Kaneki Ken looked at Shirogane Kozo with a complicated expression, “Kuroko has already resigned from the team. Although Aomine and the others will also resign in a few days, everyone knows the difference.”

“I’ve heard a little bit about it.” Shirogane Kozo shook his head with some regret. “Since I left due to illness, Sanada took over my coaching position. Under that situation, it is not appropriate for me to interfere in the team’s affairs. It will make it very difficult for Sanada to do so.”

“But Coach Sanada didn’t do what he was supposed to do.” Kaneki Ken stared at Shirogane Kozo for a while, shook his head and sighed, “It seems that the idea of ​​the benchmark you mentioned didn’t work.”

“You’re right, Kaneki.” Shirogane Kozo looked at Kaneki Ken with a serious expression meaningfully and said, “There are indeed some things that must be done by you. No one else, no matter what, no method can replace you. I can’t do it, and Kuroko can’t do it either.”

……

“It looks like everyone is here.” In the basketball hall of Teiko Junior High School, Akashi Seijuro said as he looked at the people in front of him.

“But Kaneki and Kuroko didn’t come.” Aomine Daiki said indifferently.

“Don’t you need me to contact them?” asked Midorima Shintaro.

“No need.” Akashi Seijuro said coldly, “Kuroko has already resigned from the club a few days ago. Kaneki… Although I am grateful for his contribution to Teikou, in the final analysis, we are companions who have walked side by side for three years. Kaneki is just a passerby.”

“What? After all, he is the captain who led you to win your first championship. In your eyes, he is just a passerby?”

The door of the basketball hall slowly opened, and the sunlight shone into the court through the door, and the originally dim venue became bright. Kaneki Ken smiled and looked at the people gathered in a circle and said, “What are you talking about? Can you take me with you?”

“Kaneki…” Akashi Seijuro looked at Kaneki Ken, who looked like a god in the sunlight, and narrowed his eyes slightly, “Long time no see, we were just chatting.”

“You’ve become a lot more hypocritical, Akashi.” Kaneki Ken didn’t give Akashi Seijuro any face and complained directly.

“You are…” Ryouta Kise on the side pointed at Kaneki Ken and said excitedly as if he had discovered a new continent.

“Yes, it’s me, Kaneki Ken.” Kaneki Ken nodded slightly and stretched out his hand with a smile, “You must be Kise Ryouta. Thank you for your hard work over the past two years. It’s our first meeting, please give me your guidance.”

“You’re too polite. I don’t deserve your advice…” Kise Ryota looked at the hand that Kaneki Ken extended to him and shook it with a complicated expression. For two years, he had been living under the shadow of this man.

“To be honest, I didn’t come here today to reminisce about the past.” After greeting Kaneki Ken and Kise Ryota, he looked around at everyone and said, “I just wanted to see you one last time before high school. After all, the next time we meet will be in the high school league, and everyone will definitely be fighting on their own.” “That being said, there’s no need to be so cold.” Kise Ryota felt that the atmosphere between Kaneki Ken and Akashi Seijuro was becoming increasingly tense, so he could only smile and make a joke.

“That’s what I’m saying, Ken-chan.” Murasakibara Atsushi said nervously, “There’s no need to be so tense. We just got separated by chance~”

“By chance?” Kaneki Ken said with a hint of sarcasm, “There aren’t many basketball giants, but as far as I know, you all chose different schools, right?”

When everyone present heard Kaneki Ken’s question, they all lowered their heads in a deep voice.

“You don’t have to look like that.” Kaneki Ken said with a smile, “To this day, the name of the Miracle Generation that I left for you may be more like a shackle for you. Your talents have gradually awakened, and I believe that no one is willing to be inferior to others. So out of instinct, you will choose to become each other’s opponents and eliminate each other in a fair competition. Am I right?”

“Yes.” Akashi Seijuro spoke first.

“Yes.”

“I do not deny.”

“I do think so.”

“So, Ken, are you here because of Kuroko?” Murasakihara Atsushi looked at Kaneki Ken in confusion, “With such a huge gap in talent, it’s normal that Kuroko can’t understand us…”

“I’m not here to blame you because of Kuroko, Murasakihara.” Kaneki Ken smiled and patted Murasakihara Atsushi on the back. “To be honest, I don’t completely agree with Kuroko’s basketball philosophy. Team basketball and relying on teammates are completely different things. Although Kuroko can only rely on his teammates due to his limited abilities, personal abilities are absolutely undeniable in basketball. I had a rather unpleasant conversation with him because of this issue.”

Kaneki Ken bent down to pick up the basketball on the ground and continued, “But the only thing I can’t deny is that Kuroko’s love for basketball exceeds that of everyone here!”

“Tsk, passion? Is it useful?” Akashi Seijuro sneered, revealing a barely perceptible disdain in his smile, “Without us, no matter how much he loves basketball, can he win? I know Kuroko is dissatisfied with my way of doing things, but I have always been winning! For the sake of victory, nothing can be sacrificed!”

“I have two things to tell you, Akashi.” Kaneki Ken’s eyes also became sharp, “First, don’t think that the civil war is limited to the six of us. Kuroko will definitely join this battle.”

“I know what you are talking about better than you do.” Akashi Seijuro sneered, “I am looking forward to how he will join in. So what is the second thing?”

“The second thing is, don’t boast about your victory in front of me, because I am the original winner! After all, there is no difference between you and Kuroko in my eyes!” After saying that, Kaneki Ken casually threw the basketball towards the basket, then turned around and walked out of the gym without looking back.

The basketball flew past Akashi Seijuro’s cheek, and the breeze blew the strands of hair at his temples.

“This is… Aomine-chan’s irregular shot… and Midorima’s super high trajectory full-court three-pointer!” A glimpse of the whole picture is enough. Through Kaneki Ken’s amazing shot, Kise Ryota felt that Kaneki Ken standing in front of him was like a towering mountain.

As the basketball went into the net, Kaneki Ken’s voice echoed in the stadium again: “If I have to say it, it’s nothing more than that he is the phantom sixth man I chose, and you are the vice-captain I chose!”

(End of this chapter)