"Can I play basketball well if I ask you for advice?"
On the way home, **Kuroko** stated his purpose.
He yearned to play basketball normally, just like an ordinary person.
Not shooting airballs on layups or losing the ball after two steps of dribbling.
"Yes, I want to play like **Tendo-kun**!" Kuroko looked expectant.
**Tendo Keigon** rubbed his chin.
He was very clear about the possibilities hidden within Kuroko.
Such a player could not become a professional. For Kuroko, the spotlight of the professional arena would be too dazzling, leaving him nowhere to hide.
But in student-era competitions, his abilities could shine brightly.
He knew clearly how to develop Kuroko's abilities.
What he needed to consider now was how to increase his Popularity Points from this.
Showing a unique vision is a good direction, and he could add some flavor to the process.
For example, being "Versailles" (humblebragging).
Just like how **Ieiri Shoko** taught **Gojo Satoru** and **Geto Suguru** how to master the Reverse Cursed Technique.
*Whoosh* like this, *Zip* like that, *Whoosh-Zip* like this...
They couldn't understand it at all, and instead, she would be roasted for having no talent for teaching.
It's quite fun and fits his character setting.
Thinking of this, Tendo Keigon agreed, "No problem, let's start tomorrow."
"I don't have time after school; I have to go to work. How about we set the time during lunch break?"
"Okay, thank you, Tendo-kun." Kuroko walked away happily.
...
The next day, lunch break.
Tendo Keigon, Kuroko, and **Amanai Riko** gathered at the basketball club.
Amanai Riko wanted to see how a guy like Tendo Keigon taught others!
"Since I'm going to teach you how to play, let's first see what level your skills have reached." Tendo Keigon tossed a ball to Kuroko, letting him demonstrate.
Kuroko caught the ball and nodded seriously, "I promise I will bring out my full level!"
*Bang~*
Kuroko slapped the basketball hard, dribbling it to the basket like an old lady taking a walk. He raised both hands, in the posture of holding a Spirit Bomb (Genki Dama), and threw the ball from one side of the rim to the other.
During the whole process, the ball didn't even touch the skin of the rim.
*Clatter~*
Chopsticks fell onto the floor making a crisp sound; Amanai Riko watched in a daze.
She expressed that even she could shoot better than this invisible person named Kuroko.
Amanai Riko couldn't help but complain, "Your level isn't just a little bad; you completely can't play, okay?"
Kuroko had told her before that his level was limited.
Looking at it now, it was completely kindergarten level; he couldn't even dribble steadily.
"Kuroko, you aren't a sports idiot, are you?" She rarely used honorifics because her mental age was older than Kuroko.
"Shut up, Riko!" Tendo Keigon told her to shut up, then said, "Even sports idiots have the right to play ball."
*Pfft~*
Kuroko felt like someone had stabbed him in the chest with a knife.
'As expected of him, he really knows how to comfort people!'
'Hey, Kuroko has turned into stone!'
'Lies don't hurt people; the truth is the sharp knife.'
"Don't stand on the moral high ground and pontificate; didn't you also roast him?" Amanai Riko pursed her lips.
"I held back. If I hadn't held back, I wouldn't have said it so plainly. Be a bit more tactful, understand? EQ!"
*Pfft~*
Kuroko was stabbed in the chest again. *Screw your EQ.*
*I really hope you guys can tactfully stop discussing this issue in front of me.*
Kuroko felt a bit down, but he pulled himself together and said, "My situation is like this. Please teach me how to improve my level, Tendo-kun!"
"First, you need to improve the stability of your dribbling. Your dribbling speed is too slow; such a breakthrough cannot form an effective threat. You can appropriately increase your dribbling practice."
"Mhm, mhm, what else?"
"Also, improve your shooting accuracy. At the very least, you can't shoot an airball under the basket. In the end, basketball is a sport about who scores more points."
"Mhm, mhm, what else?"
"And then..."
He rattled off a whole bunch of things. Kuroko listened seriously, but when summarizing, he found that he didn't seem to have gained anything.
Asking Tendo Keigon for advice, wasn't it to solve these problems?
Kuroko couldn't hold it in anymore and actively asked, "How do you play, Tendo-kun?"
"How do *I* play?" Tendo Keigon habitually touched his chin, thinking for a moment before saying, "First, learn to put the ball into the basket. If you encounter defense, shake them off."
"Then play good defense. Defense is the top priority. Whether a team's stability is high or not depends on whether its defensive ability is outstanding."
"Facing the ball handler, your attention must be focused. See clearly if he wants to break through, shoot, or pass. If he wants to break through, then steal it. If he wants to pass, then steal it. If he wants to shoot, go steal it. In short, don't let him get his way."
"Do you understand?"
He understood, but at the same time, he understood nothing.
'Classic "just put the ball in to score".'
'Goddamn "defense is the top priority," do you think everyone has hacks like you?'
'Do you want to listen to what you are saying?'
'Old Versailles (Humblebrag).'
'Dying of laughter, Kuroko probably asked a deity for advice, hahaha...'
Tendo Keigon's "Versailles" style, as expected, attracted bullet comment complaints.
This isn't a bad thing; it will strengthen his character setting and continue to attract popularity.
After one lunch break, Kuroko only felt his brain was dizzy. Tendo Keigon said so much, but he didn't remember a single word.
Learned nothing!
During club activities in the afternoon, he told his friends in the Third String about this matter.
His friend complained on the spot, "I think Tendo is deliberately playing you. After all, a genius like him, how could he possibly know how to teach people!"
"But he is a monster who created his own swordsmanship at the age of 11 and almost defeated the Sword Saint! I feel that for him, difficult things are as simple as breathing!"
'The truth, classmate.'
'Ah, Kuroko really shouldn't have asked Tendo for advice; his talent is too high.'
'For Tendo, stealing is as simple as eating and drinking, but for Kuroko, that kind of thing can't be done at all.'
'To play ball well, you need talent.'
'Those who play best are usually serious.'
The words of the Third String teammates resonated with the bullet comments.
It also made Tendo's genius halo even more solid.
Looking at the continuous messages of "Popularity Value +1", Tendo Keigon was satisfied with his masterpiece.
Teach, he can teach, but the sheep's wool must be sheared (popularity must be farmed)