Chapter Twenty-Two

After a few minutes of warm-up exercises, they were ready to start their run.

Ayako took the lead, swiftly moving ahead.

Long Yan followed closely behind, impressed by her remarkable physical endurance.

Her running pace was consistent, and she showed no signs of fatigue even after covering a distance of five kilometers.

It was evident why she held the position of manager for the Shohoku basketball team.

Her physical strength was truly exceptional.

"Long Yan, how are you feeling? Are you tired?"

She gradually slowed down, a smile playing on her lips as beads of sweat rolled down her cheeks like glistening glass balls.

"With you leading the way, I feel like I could run another two kilometers without a problem."

Long Yan, panting heavily, his clothes drenched in sweat, expressed his thoughts one by one.

"Not bad at all. If you continue running like this, your physical strength will definitely improve significantly."

Ayako offered comforting words to him, acknowledging his efforts.

"Hehe, Ayako, let's head back to school. I'm afraid we'll be late if we linger."

He glanced at his watch and reminded her.

Suddenly, a notification echoed in his mind.

(Ding!)

[Detect host completing a hidden task]

(Reward: 3 staminas)

The system's voice resonated within him, signaling an achievement unlocked.

'Reward?'

'Is that really possible?'

'Hehe, excellent! It seems like deciding to come for a run was a wise choice.'

Long Yan's weary body suddenly felt slightly rejuvenated.

He wondered if future runs would also yield rewards from the system.

If running just five kilometers could earn a small reward in terms of physical strength, what if he ran ten kilometers or even a hundred kilometers?

Normal running might enhance his physique, but in terms of efficiency, it might not yield significant improvements.

"Alright, let's go," Long Yan affirmed.

After changing their clothes in the public restroom, Ayako and Long Yan walked together toward Shohoku High School.

...

As the classes ended, Long Yan made his way toward the basketball hall.

"Ding! Ring!"

The sound of his phone chimed from within his backpack.

He furrowed his brows, curious about the caller's identity.

Upon answering, a woman's voice, as gentle as flowing water, emanated from the phone.

"Hey, Long Yan, your father and I need to return abroad for a few days. We have already transferred the money to your account. Take care of yourself during this time and don't overexert yourself. Feel free to buy whatever you need."

"Also, don't be angry with your dad. He doesn't mean to oppose your basketball playing. He's just concerned about the possibility of injuries. Please understand and consider your father's perspective."

The person on the other end of the line was his mother in this current life.

"Huh? Okay, I understand..."

Long Yan replied in a gentle tone, hearing his mother's voice in this new life.

"Alright, let's not dwell on it. We have a flight to catch. Take care of yourself."

"Click!"

Before he could respond further, she abruptly ended the call.

He slowly lowered his hand, setting the phone down.

His mind was filled with a mix of emotions, contemplating the conversation with his mother.

A glimmer of excitement flickered in his eyes.

Pocket money?

He wondered how much he would receive.

Taking a deep breath to calm his inner excitement, he composed himself and made his way toward the basketball hall.

Inside the basketball hall, everyone was present except for Sakuragi.

Akagi noticed his arrival and approached him to greet him.

"Long Yan, let's focus on physical training today," Akagi suggested.

Coach Anzai had identified Long Yan's physical strength as a weakness that needed improvement, he had also devised a training plan specifically for him.

"Sounds good," Long Yan replied politely.

And thus, the day's physical training session commenced.

Akagi watched as Long Yan diligently engaged in his physical training on the field, silently admiring his unwavering determination.

"If only that guy, Sakuragi, had the same level of dedication as Long Yan, then Shohoku High School would be unstoppable."

Akagi thought to himself, casting a glance around the court in search of Sakuragi's presence.

He touched his forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

"Akagi, if Long Yan continues to train like this, we might have a great chance of victory against Ryonan High School."

Kogure commented, taking a seat next to him.

"And with the addition of Rukawa this year, along with the return of Miyagi, our dream might just come true."

His gaze rested on Long Yan's figure as he trained, expressing satisfaction.

Influenced by Akagi's aspiration to dominate the nation, Kogure had also adopted it as his own dream, though he couldn't recall exactly when it had become so important to him.

"Yes, I believe that day will come sooner than we think."

Akagi affirmed with determination, his eyes sparkling with unwavering anticipation.

As time ticked by, minute by minute, over an hour had passed.

"Snap!"

"That concludes today's physical training. Now, clean up and you're free to leave,"

Akagi announced, standing at the center of the field and clapping his hands to gather everyone's attention.

Upon hearing that the training session had come to an end, Kuwata and the others let out audible sighs of relief.

"It's finally over!" they exclaimed, their voices filled with a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction.

"It's incredible how Long Yan has been training all this time, yet I've hardly heard about it."

"And Rukawa Kaede... both of them are truly exceptional,"

Setting aside the rope he had been using, Long Yan stretched his waist and wiped the sweat off his face with a towel.

"It's finally over. If I had to go through that again, I'm afraid my waist would give out," he chuckled, feeling a sense of relief.

After cleaning up the court, he bid farewell to Akagi and left the basketball hall, ready to take a well-deserved rest.