NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: Training Officially Begins!
At this moment.
The basketball gym.
The air was thick with the scent of energy and determination.
In one corner, a tall boy with fiery red punk hair crouched on the floor, staring blankly at the court.
"Damn it! How could a genius like me get stuck doing basic training?"
"Stupid gorilla!"
He weakly patted the basketball in his hands, muttering non-stop under his breath.
This was none other than Sakuragi Hanamichi, leader of the Sakuragi Gang. Despite having no particular talents, he loved calling himself a genius.
Since he had no prior basketball experience, he was assigned basic training when he joined the team today. Naturally, this didn't sit well with him.
Smack!
Suddenly, a clipboard struck him hard on the backside.
"Sakuragi Hanamichi! Focus!"
Ayako, who had just arrived with Ryu, scolded him from behind.
"Argh! Who the hell dared to—"
Sakuragi spun around mid-sentence.
The next moment, his tone softened.
"Ah, Ayako! But I'm a genius! I don't need to train like regular people!"
The fiery glare in his eyes faded immediately as he pouted, looking pitiful.
"You too, come over here," Ayako said, turning to Ryu.
With her command, Ryu slowly walked over to Sakuragi's side.
"Oh? A beginner? You're fine now?"
Sakuragi, having seen Ryu earlier during the team introduction, felt slightly better knowing there was another novice.
"Yes, I'm fine now. Thanks for asking, Sakuragi-san."
Ryu glanced at the carefree Sakuragi, his eye twitching slightly.
"A beginner, huh? Guess I've earned myself a nickname right off the bat," he thought.
But this was undeniably the Sakuragi Hanamichi he remembered. If the guy had acted differently, Ryu might have questioned whether he really was in the Slam Dunk world.
Being a beginner himself, Ryu was also assigned to practice dribbling by Ayako.
Taking a basketball, he noticed Sakuragi grinning mischievously.
Sakuragi moved a bit to the side and chuckled.
"Hey, beginner! You're here to keep me company? That's great! Hahaha!"
He had expected to suffer through basic training alone, but with Ryu joining him, he felt a strange sense of satisfaction.
Hearing this, Ryu sighed internally.
"What a naive guy."
Unlike Sakuragi, Ryu had the Beginner Dribbling Skill. He wouldn't be stuck struggling with the basics for long.
Ayako tossed a basketball to Ryu and carefully explained the key points of dribbling.
Ryu nodded.
"Got it, Ayako-senpai," he said and began practicing.
At first, his movements were a little clumsy. But after a few moments…
Thump, thump, thump!
The rhythm of the dribble grew faster and smoother, as if he had been born to handle a basketball.
This sudden improvement made Ayako's expression shift.
"Are you kidding me? He's a beginner?"
"This dribbling looks pretty good!"
Compared to Sakuragi's chaotic attempts, the difference was like night and day.
At the same time, Akagi noticed Ryu from across the court.
"Hm? That guy's back already?"
"His dribbling seems decent now, though I wonder how skilled he really is."
When Ryu had first joined, his dribbling had been, to put it kindly, terrible. The improvement was surprising.
Meanwhile, Sakuragi frowned as he watched Ryu's rapidly improving dribble.
"Hey! Ryu, how are you faster than me, the genius?"
"Unforgivable!"
Gripping his basketball, Sakuragi started dribbling furiously, as if trying to outdo Ryu.
But it didn't last long. By the third dribble, the ball rolled away.
Ayako burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! Sakuragi Hanamichi, stop trying to show off. Focus on getting the basics right. Go slower."
She knew Sakuragi too well.
Ryu, on the other hand, stayed focused, ignoring the commotion around him as he concentrated on the ball in his hands.
Suddenly…
Ding!
Congratulations, Host - Voluntarily completed 1,000 dribbles.
Reward - Super First Step.
Ryu blinked, stunned.
"This counts too?"
It seemed the system was quite flexible.
"Does this mean I can earn rewards even from self-initiated training?"
He quickly checked the details of his new skill.
Super First Step - The first step is as fast as lightning, making you unstoppable.
Joy surged through him.
With the combination of his Beginner Dribbling Skill and this Super First Step, his overall ability had undoubtedly taken a leap forward.
What's more…
According to the original story, a practice match would likely start soon.
He couldn't wait to test his skills.
Meanwhile, a chubby, kind-looking old man with white hair and glasses was slowly making his way toward the gym.