"Th-That was amazing!"
Kuwata couldn't help but shout out loud.
Makino Juro picked up the basketball. Instead of celebrating, however, he wore a pained expression as he rubbed his thigh.
"Ow… I think I pulled a muscle in my thigh from using too much force just now…"
"No good, no good. This level of exercise really isn't suitable for me."
"The captain said winning just one ball would be enough."
"I won."
"You guys carry on. I'll go lie down on the bench for a bit."
He tossed the ball back to Rukawa Kaede and waved casually at everyone.
Rukawa Kaede stood rooted in place, staring intensely at the basketball in his hands.
That moment of helplessness just now…
He got passed?
Completely—cleanly beaten in a single step?
A sense of frustration he had never experienced before, mixed with an even fiercer fighting spirit, ignited in his chest.
"Again!"
Rukawa suddenly spun around and shouted at Makino Juro's retreating back.
"Nope."
Makino Juro didn't even turn his head. He walked straight to the sideline, grabbed a towel, and draped it over his head.
Then, with smooth and practiced ease, he collapsed onto the bench.
"Accepting defeat gracefully is a virtue."
"Rukawa-kun, you should learn to accept a handsome man's beating."
"You!"
Rukawa clenched his teeth and fists, ready to charge over.
"That's enough!"
Akagi stopped him.
The captain of Shohoku took a deep look at the guy lying on the bench like a corpse.
He knew that Shohoku might have truly picked up a treasure this time.
Even if that "treasure"… was an extremely troublesome lazy bum.
"Rukawa, continue training!"
"Since you lost, win it back with sweat!" Akagi roared.
"…"
Although Rukawa didn't reply, he turned around and resumed training.
Yet every time he took a shot, he would subconsciously glance toward the figure in the corner—
and the flames in his eyes burned even brighter.
In the corner
Hidden beneath the towel, Makino Juro listened to the system notification echoing inside his mind.
[Ding! Host has completed the achievement: "Shock the Entire Court"]
[Shock Points obtained: 100]
[Detected that Rukawa Kaede has developed strong rival awareness. Bonus reward granted: Stamina Potion (Small) ×1]
Makino Juro smiled bitterly in his heart.
This body possessed extraordinary talent… but the skill consumption was simply too high.
"Looks like I'll have to conserve my skills from now on. Otherwise, I might literally drop dead from exhaustion."
Makino Juro twisted open a bottle of mineral water, pretending to take a drink.
In reality, he extracted the Stamina Potion and gulped it down.
A warm current spread through his body, and the soreness in his muscles finally eased.
"Hey, sleepyhead."
A sneaky voice suddenly sounded beside his ear.
Makino Juro lifted a corner of the towel and saw a large red face close to his own.
Sakuragi Hanamichi was squatting beside him with a constipated-looking expression.
"What?"
"If you're here to borrow money, forget it." Makino Juro guarded his pocket warily.
"Who said anything about borrowing money?!"
Sakuragi lowered his voice and looked around.
After confirming that Akagi wasn't paying attention, he leaned closer.
"Hey… that move you used earlier… can you teach it to this genius?"
"Which move?"
"That one!"
"The one where you whoosh disappeared, and then swish the ball went in!"
"If I learn that move, Haruko-san will definitely look at me differently!"
"And then…"
Sakuragi gestured wildly with his hands.
Soon, he sank into a pink daydream, practically drooling.
Makino Juro rolled his eyes.
Teach you?
That was a system skill.
He wished he could teach it too.
But unfortunately… he couldn't.
However…
Looking at this simple, single-celled organism, Makino Juro's eyes suddenly gleamed.
If he wanted to comfortably slack off on the team in the future, he would definitely need a reliable scapegoat.
Sakuragi Hanamichi.
Infinite stamina. Durable. Obedient (as long as it involved Haruko).
He was basically the perfect tool.
"Want to learn it?" Makino Juro crooked his finger.
Sakuragi immediately leaned closer, like a loyal golden retriever waiting for instructions.
"This move is called 'Secret Art: Instant Transmission.' It's a very advanced technique."
Makino Juro spoke with complete seriousness while spouting nonsense.
"If you want to learn it, you must first train your fundamentals."
"For example…"
"Buying water for your master."
"Carrying your master's bag."
"And blocking the captain's line of sight when necessary."
"And from now on, whenever I don't feel like running during games, you'll cover my position."
"Don't worry. I'll pay you." Makino Juro said with a sly smile, continuing his shameless deception.
"Huh? What kind of training is that?" Sakuragi asked suspiciously.
"This is called 'temperament cultivation.'"
Makino Juro patted Sakuragi's shoulder with a solemn expression.
"Think about it. Why is Rukawa Kaede so arrogant?"
"Because no one can keep him in check."
"But if you listen to me, I guarantee that within one month…"
"You'll become the coolest guy in the entire school, and Haruko-san will only have eyes for you."
The moment Sakuragi heard the name "Haruko," his IQ instantly dropped to zero.
"Really?!"
"More real than pure gold."
"Alright! Master above!"
"From now on, leave trivial things like buying water to this genius!" Sakuragi declared, pounding his chest confidently.
Done.
Makino Juro lay back down in satisfaction.
With this free laborer, life from now on should become much easier.
Training continued until evening.
When Akagi finally announced dismissal, all the freshmen collapsed on the ground like dead dogs from exhaustion.
Only Makino Juro—who had already taken a comfortable nap thanks to winning the bet—energetically slung his backpack over his shoulder.
"Good work, everyone. See you tomorrow."
Under the envious, jealous, and resentful gazes of the others, he was the first to sprint out of the gym.
His speed was at least three times faster than when he ran back on defense during games.
On the second-floor stands of the gym
A short, chubby old man wearing glasses watched Makino Juro's departing figure with a gentle smile.
At that moment, Akagi Takenori walked up beside him, wiping sweat from his forehead with a complicated expression.
"Coach Anzai… that kid…"
"His talent is truly astonishing, but that attitude…"
"He's basically a tumor in the team. Should I teach him a proper lesson?"
Coach Anzai pushed up his glasses, a glint flashing across the lenses.
"Hohoho…"
He let out his signature laugh.
"Akagi-kun, don't be impatient."
"That is a rough gemstone waiting to be polished."
"And besides…"
Coach Anzai gazed at the now-empty doorway, his eyes turning thoughtful.
"This year's Shohoku might become very interesting because of these unusual first-years."
"Hohoho…"
At the same time…
Behind a large tree outside the gym.
A boy wearing the uniform of Ryonan High School was clutching a small notebook, his hands trembling like a Parkinson's patient.
Aida Hikoichi.
A first-year from the Ryonan basketball team—and the most obsessive information collector imaginable.
Originally, he had come to scout Rukawa Kaede.
But he never expected to witness such a terrifying scene.
"Th-This is terrifying!"
Hikoichi stared at the data recorded in his notebook, cold sweat streaming down his face.
"That guy named Makino Juro… that shooting… that breakthrough speed!"
"I must report this to Coach Taoka immediately!"
"Shohoku… has produced a monstrous player!"
"I have to write it down! Highlight it as critical information!"
Hikoichi snapped his notebook shut, jumped onto his bicycle, and pedaled furiously, disappearing into the glow of the sunset.
His shocked cry faintly echoed in the wind—
"Unbelievable!!!"