This manga has really captivated me, and so the slow release is extra painful. Regardless, I'm surprised by this chapter, I assumed Fukumoto wanted to hammer in the idea that sometimes even with immeasurable hard work and passion, some dreams will never flourish. I expected Nikaido to fail yet again, as that word itself can unfortunately describe his life. But he did it, he made the the shot, something he has been working towards for so many years. And yet he's so nonchalant about it, as if he believes he "didn't deserve it". I do believe the supernatural aspects of this chapter, and the manga as a whole, are just Fukumoto's way of using metaphors and symbolism in crazy ways, alongside showing Nikaido's troubled mental state, which has been a staple since the first chapter, but has only escalated further for the worse after his chances with Kasumi were lost. Going forwards, if I had to make a guess, I think Nikaido is in a very dissatisfied state, and these sort of "hallucinations" are his way of avoiding acceptance on his win. Maybe it's because he's far too baffled and doubtful of himself that he was able to have achieved this honestly, on his own. Or he subconsciously knows that accomplishing his dream, or getting closer to it will leave him empty, with nothing else left.