Chapter 45 Sakuragi's Transformation
Sakuragi's eyes widened, his face full of confusion and bewilderment, "...This is actually a gymnasium!"
Upon seeing this magnificent and colossal structure, one cannot help but stop and marvel.
This is several times bigger than Shohoku High School!
Hua Yin laughed, "The inside of the stadium is more luxurious than the outside."
Sakuragi participated in a basketball star coaching camp organized by DK University.
For Sakuragi, who is inexperienced and never gives up, the fastest way to improve is through matches.
His explosive strength can only be unleashed when all his opponents and teammates are much stronger than him during a match.
Hanon: "Among all the members of Shohoku, you have the greatest potential. And how far you can grow will directly affect Shohoku's dream of dominating the nation."
Take this opportunity to let Sakuragi play against more skilled opponents, so that he can accumulate experience and hone his skills.
Sakuragi, brimming with confidence, declared, "Leave it to this genius! I'll train hard!"
Hanon looked at him earnestly, "Think carefully during the game, don't be reckless, and you absolutely must not get injured!"
Joining a sparring team is an opportunity, but also a risk.
Back in Kanagawa, they'll face Shohoku High School. If Sakuragi gets injured at that time, things will be terrible.
Having played basketball for four months, Sakuragi understood what she meant: "Don't worry, sister!"
And so, Sakuragi served as a sparring partner every day, getting thoroughly thrashed by the All-Star team. The stronger the opponent, the more excited he became. Even after repeated defeats, he never gave up, absorbing and improving like a sponge, and his basketball skills became more and more proficient.
...
“Hey, Sakuragi!” Anthony, who is 2.1 meters tall, said in broken Japanese, looking at Sakuragi provocatively.
Sakuragi turned to look at him.
Having just finished the game, Sakuragi looked as if he had been pulled out of the water. He casually wiped his red head with a towel and walked straight to the basket.
Standing opposite each other, Anthony bounced the ball twice on the floor, the sound of the ball hitting the ground creating an inexplicable excitement in the air.
Suddenly, faster than sight, a sharp "clang" rang out as the ball hit the edge of the rim and bounced outwards.
In a second, Anthony accelerated and changed direction, seemingly heading for a collision, but in reality, they narrowly missed each other.
A second later, he leaped up and grabbed the rebound from above Sakuragi.
Holding the ball, he stood calmly under the basket.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye.
Sakuragi staggered half a step, steadied himself, frowned, and seemed to be pondering something.
"You're very lucky to have the opportunity to practice here."
Joining a celebrity sparring team is no easy feat, as it not only allows you to train alongside star players but also improves your own skills.
This is a precious experience that countless people dream of, so many people are willing to pay any price just to become one of them.
Anthony passed the ball to him, his arms, taut under his short-sleeved shirt, looking beautifully toned. "I watched your performance on the court. You're quick on your feet, quick on your movements, and quick on your mind."
Sakuragi stood straight, listening to him.
"Use your speed and reaction time to create space. Don't try to outmuscle me."
How can Sakuragi, who is 189.5 cm tall, compete against Anthony, who is 2.1 cm tall?
"Come on, try to grab the rebound from me."
Hanon sat on the floor, her chin resting on her knees, silently watching the field.
speed,
collision.
...
After repeated attempts.
Sakuragi finally found a solution, jumped to grab the rebound, ignored Anthony's defense, and jumped again.
Just when Anthony thought he wouldn't have a chance to shoot, he never expected that Sakuragi would quickly switch the ball from his right hand to his left hand in mid-air and throw it out with one hand.
When Anthony landed, he couldn't help but look up, ready to grab the rebound, but the ball landed steadily in the basket.
Anthony smiled, gave a thumbs up, and generously praised, "You're really amazing!"
Sakuragi, hands on his hips, looked smugly at the chimpanzee in front of him. "Hahaha... Don't try to understand a genius like me with normal thinking! A genius's actions are always unexpected!"
He learned this move from the previous sparring matches!
“Great!” Anthony patted him on the shoulder and pointed to the wall clock. “It’s late, time to go home and rest.”
Sakuragi picked up the ball from the ground. "Chimpanzee, thank you for your guidance today."
Anthony flashed a bright white smile. "If you want to thank someone, thank your sister. She loves you very much."
Sakuragi smiled, a touch of youthful spirit in his eyes. "Of course!!"
Although Hanon didn't say anything, her every move, all the honors she received in the United States, and everything she did were paving the way for his future.
He knew all of that.
He has always lived in a world surrounded by love.
Sakuragi picked up the ball, pulled up for a jump shot, and made it.
He understood that only by becoming Rukawa's best partner would Shohoku have a greater chance of winning the championship.
He understood Rukawa's powerful core and hard work.
Rukawa Kaede was the player who trained the longest and worked the hardest on the team. In his memory, Rukawa Kaede was always the first to arrive at the court and the last to leave.
All he had to do was practice relentlessly, keep running forward, and put in a hundred or a thousand times the effort to catch up with him.
Only then can he protect the people who love him.
The moon quietly disappeared behind the clouds, but the sound of basketballs hitting the floor still echoed in the stadium.
Kanon watched Sakuragi practice intently.
System 099 was giving Hanon a heart-wrenching mental shock.
I observed her at the same time.
There was no reaction at all; she really didn't react at all!
099 knew all too well how horribly a host subjected to mental electric shocks would fare. There were precedents of people wetting themselves on the spot because they couldn't control their bodies.
This not only controls the host but also teaches a rebellious host a lesson.
However, the punishment did not come as expected.
Each time she was punished, Kanon's face would only turn pale; she would still maintain complete control of her body. She could even focus intently on the basketball court, as if she were thinking about something, rather than appearing to be enduring pain.
It had questioned whether the severity of the punishment was problematic.
Tests confirmed that Hanon had indeed received a strong electric shock, and it could be determined that she was in extreme pain and should not be as conscious and self-controlled as she is now.
The problem is that she not only controlled herself, but also calmly responded to Sakuragi's greeting.
099 panicked. If the mental shock couldn't control Hanon, it meant it would lose control.
As the current of punishment slowly subsided, Hana, still speaking gently to the system in her mind, said, "099, such childish methods are insignificant to me."
Psycho-electrocution?
As a ball, she's never seen the light of day, and her brains are constantly being pounded by powerful figures until they seem about to burst out. Without a strong heart and resilience, she would have gone mad long ago.
"Are there any other methods? Should we try more?"
A sense of panic and helplessness arose spontaneously; it had no physical form, yet it gave me goosebumps.
Of course not! How many times has this been the electric shock he's given her? If he had any other tricks up his sleeve, he would have used them already!
This woman is terrifying!
Knowing when to yield, the system uses its cute, childlike voice to act charming and adorable:
[Host doesn't like electric shocks, we'll cancel them immediately! But~ could Sakuragi be a little more discreet when he comes on stage? With such formidable strength... it's not easy for me to do this job~]
These past few days, Sakuragi has been using all sorts of offensive techniques, such as backhand putbacks and mid-range shots... all of which are things he only learned in the National Tournament!
The scariest thing is that he's started practicing three-pointers!
Hana calmly replied, "Okay, as long as you don't interfere with my life, we can coexist peacefully."
The test to gauge Sakuragi's limits has been completed, and her current situation is clear, so there is no need to anger the system.
099 was still a little uneasy, but there was nothing she could do: "I can leave you alone, but you have to remember, never let romance affect your mission! You know, all 98 of our exes have been wiped out!"
Hana smiled and said, "Don't worry, I won't let you be eliminated."
She also wanted to live.
Having received her promise, 099 gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, I hope we have a good working relationship!"
...
After lunch, all the members of Shohoku High School sat around in the video room, watching the latest episode of the celebrity sparring match on TV.
After a while, both teams entered the field.
Coach Anzai calmly stated, "The All-Star team's players have a very high average height, but their playing style is not fast, and their scoring methods tend to be from the outside."
Mitsui was the first to react, stroking his chin: "Well, these two teams are very similar to Shoyo and Shohoku."
The young players suddenly realized why the coach had arranged for them to watch the game.
Coach Anzai picked up his teacup, a glint of light flashing in his glasses: "Oh ho ho ho~ Everyone, watch the game carefully."
The referee tossed the ball up, and the game began.
The center in the training squad successfully dribbled the basketball and tossed it to his teammate, number 17. Number 17 then made a brilliant pass to his teammate, who caught the ball and drove straight to the paint for a beautiful layup, scoring his first points.
The whole thing took only a few seconds, so fast that the All-Star team had no time to react.
The audience erupted in applause and whistles, probably not expecting the sparring team to start so aggressively.
The Shohoku players' eyes widened in disbelief; this was Shohoku's anticipated strategy against Shoyo. Fast breaks were Shohoku's strength, their signature move!
The game was fast-paced, and the All-Star team ended the first quarter trailing by seventeen points.
No one expected this.
During the break, the All-Star team coach took out his tactical board and started whispering something to them.
Once back in the game, the All-Star team played noticeably differently.
At the end of the first half, the practice team went from leading by seventeen points to trailing by seventeen points, a dramatic reversal of roles.
The Shohoku team members stared in disbelief, completely dumbfounded.
The videotape switched camera angles, revealing two familiar figures.
Ayako exclaimed in surprise, "This is... Oto-chan and Sakuragi?!"
"Wow! It really is Sakuragi! He's actually watching the game live!"
"Wait a minute! Sakuragi's wearing the practice squad's jersey!"
Rukawa Kaede gazed at Hanon, struggling to suppress the surging emotions within him, his eyes unwilling to leave her for even a moment.
For a whole week, she wasn't by my side, and my heart felt like it was being suffocated, I couldn't breathe, and I felt wronged every day.
Now he can only see her on TV. No matter how far away they are, as long as his eyes are on her, they are glued to her and he can't look away.
Hanon leaned slightly forward and patiently spoke to Sakuragi.
Sakuragi listened intently, his expression serious.
Haruko murmured, "Sakuragi..."
Sakuragi has changed.
This change is not just a change in appearance, but also includes his temperament and demeanor.
Coach Anzai: "I'm sure you're all wondering why I made Kanon my assistant coach based on just one glance."
The members of Shohoku High School watched the television intently, and they vaguely understood something.
After the first half ended, the players from the training squad surrounded the two siblings, leaving only Sakuragi's red head peeking out.
Mitsui exclaimed in surprise, "Why are you all huddled together? Does Sakuragi even understand what I'm saying?"
Miyagi raised an eyebrow: "You should be able to understand at least a little bit of encouragement."
Coach Anzai leisurely sipped his tea.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
