Chapter 1: Kise Ryouta

It was a fresh year, third years of middle schoolers have graduated and entered first year of high school. The newly formed high school, Seirin High School, had bright hopes of potential students joining them. Among the clubs and societies, Basketball Club had a brilliant future ahead of them. Among members of their new recruits, the captain and the team's trainer. Many have mistaken her for the manager, were defeated on the first day.

"Kuroko Tetsuya, Teiko Middle School?" Riko had been devastated when she had reviewed the application. She was greatly impressed with the student who had just returned from the United States. She had suspected both to be superior in skills, taking into consideration 'Kuroko Tetsuya' was from the same rumored Generation of Miracles.

Practice for Seirin Basketball team began their first practice the following week. The team had a huge shock when Kuroko went ran their radars. Riko had expected much more, as a member from the Generation of Miracles. First years vs Second & Third years practice had proven the revolving vital potential of two first years: Kagami Taiga's raw potential and Kuroko Tetsuya's vanishing skills. Riko realized that Kuroko Tetsuya was the invisible rumored member of Generation of Miracles.

Generation of Miracles' Sixth Man, The Phantom Player.

The crowd of fangirls surrounding the basketball gym had the team curious. "Sorry, sorry.... Could you give us five minutes?" The man at the centre of attention had striking blond hair, and a strong athlete built. He wore the uniform of Kaijou High School, an elite class athlete school, which individuals with high-level skills like him are capable of entering.

It was Kise Ryouta.

Riko had wondered the reason the famous Kise Ryouta had approached Seirin High School, a no-named new reformed high school. Her concerns were disturbing. She felt a bad feeling, the signification of his presence as the famous model, and a member of the Generation of Miracles. It was as if the calm before the storm. Kagami tossed a basketball at Kise, the ball successful twisting with huge force. A normal person would have been thrown off their feet after receiving that attack.

"Oh? Are you challenging me?" Kise eyed Kagami.

"I heard that this 'Generation of Miracles' are strong basketball players. Why don't you show me how strong you are? You're one of them, aren't you?" Kagami retorted.

Kise discarded his blazer and rolled his sleeves. "Fine. Let me tell you one thing, I'm strong. I'll make you regret for challenging me."

Kuroko had been observing in silence. "What's wrong, Kuroko? Isn't he your friend from middle school?" Koganei asked, realizing the dark aura accumulating around Kuroko. He felt something was wrong. Very wrong. The fear and anxiety sent shivers down his spine. He clenched his fists, praying his worst nightmares would not return to reality.

Kagami's challenge had lasted no more than a minute. It was a complete loss. Even Riko had been astounded. It was not the experience Kise possess as a member of the Generation of Miracles, rather the astonishing skill Kise had displayed.

"Wha...what......that was a technique Kagami had just used seconds ago!" Hyuuga voiced. Riko had temporary lost her voice induced by Kise's basketball. Riko possessed the sharp cognizance that each and every member from the Generation of Miracles exibit abilities beyond human understanding.

Kise approached Seirin Basketball team gathered in a corner of the gym hall had an equally disappointed look etched on his face. "Yep. I give up. You guys are too weak. Give us Kurokocchi."

Seirin were frozen to stone. It was a day filled with surprises.

"Kurokocchi?" Kise's nickname for Kuroko had Koganei and Furihata burst into fits.

"Kuroko is a member of Seirin High School!" Kagami lashed at Kise from behind. "You bastard.... Did you come here to do this?"

"This is not open for discussion, Seirin. Kurokocchi belong to us." Kise said, his personality had taken a 180⸰ turn. "Or are you gonna fight me? You can't win, and I won't lose."

"Kise-kun, why?" Kuroko asked, finally found his voice since Kise first showed up in the gym hall. He had remained silent since Kagami had lost in a match with Kise. He had feared his worst nightmares would become reality. Kuroko knew, the fact that a member of the Teiko empire, and a general personally chosen by the master of the empire was no joke. No human had trespassed the empire grounds without the judgement of the devil master, revered as the king of the empire.

Kuroko was different. Kuroko was special.

"He is mad, Kurokocchi. Do not make things more difficult for him." Kise told Kuroko. "You will return, to Teiko Empire."

"I refuse, Kise-kun. Even though you were my friend, but I cannot. I have decided to strive for a path just for who I am."

Kuroko had refused Kise's invitation. Kuroko had refuse to admit the unique talents he was born with, nor the fact his was different from his peers. He was a destined as a sacrifice for the devils.

"Kurokocchi, do you remember my nickname?" Kise had asked. He inched nearer, one step nearer to Kuroko each time, finally Kise was standing just inches away from Kuroko. "You know the reason I was chosen to retrieve you, don't you?"

Kuroko's facial expression had darkened. There was no way he'd forget. The ability to easily transform and conform, Kuroko was especially familiar with the skills Kise possessed. As if possessed by the spirits, his assassinations were perfectly executed, with a big grin etched on his face. Kuroko once felt that Kise was like a china doll, with a beautiful face, executing the deadliest deeds no one would have believed, commanded by the devil master of Teiko empire. Kise earned his nickname.

The Distorted Copy.

"You have no right to refuse. You will accept his invitation." Kise pulled out a small vial filled with crimson red contents.

What is that? No one had the guts to defy Kise Ryouta. The crimson red liquid within the vial looked like poison that could kill a person without lifting a single finger.

Kuroko's fears had metamorphosed. He lunged for the vial from Kise to no avail. "Kise-kun, you...!" Kuroko shivered, fright and fear were reflected in his eyes. "Where did you get that from?!"

"What was that?" Kagami's voice had broken the long silence. Kise frowned, his superhuman abilities to conceal his real emotions were glossed over. It lasted in mere seconds no human biological reactions could have reciprocated.

"Who knows. But Kuroko panicked when Kise pulled out that thing. It must be bad." Riko had concluded.

She had a bad feeling. A very bad feeling. Judging by Kuroko's behaviours, someone of Kuroko's caliber who was matter-of-fact invisible and expressionless were results of his exceptional observational skills, was hysterical and frantic, a rare scene of the man entitled of Teiko's Phantom Player.

Kise had ripped off the cork sealing the vial, pouring out the contents onto the smooth floor of Seirin Basketball gym hall. Kuroko shivered, trembled and palpitated. Beads of cold sweat rolled off the sides of his neck. Kuroko could feel the demons within himself, inching nearer and nearer to the darkness. Reaching his limits, his vision was turning darker and darker, eventually his vision had deteriorated, barely making out the golden hue of Kise's striking blond hair.

"How could you?" Kuroko trembled, before passing out, falling prey into Kise's arms.

"Welcome back, Invinsible Venator." Kise smiled, satisfied with the results.

"Kise!" Kagami roared. "What did you do?"

Ears and tail had appeared, the epitome of the spirit often recited in legends and myths: a fox spirit. "This has nothing to do with you. I'm surprised this idiot has restrained and controlled himself for this long. He needs to be fed, and Seirin is a bad environment for him to survive. Only he is capable of feeding Kurokocchi. Kurokocchi is just being stubborn."

Kise carried Kuroko, treating him with the gentlest touch, as if Kuroko was a princess made out of glass. "You can't have him. Kurokocchi belongs to our Master." Turning one last look at Seirin, amused and complacent of the horror reflected in their facial expressions, Kise casted a spell, the pair had vanished. Kuroko was taken away.

"Kuroko!"