Chapter 45: Coach, I Want to Play Basketball

After speaking, Riko became aware that her cheeks were slightly flushed. She felt as if she were introducing a new boyfriend to her friends.

"If it's really with Kira... But Kira is too outstanding. I... Ah, what am I thinking about?"

Riko immediately dismissed the strange thoughts that had just crossed her mind and led Kira into the sports arena.

As soon as they pushed open the door, they were greeted by the neatly lined up members of the basketball club.

"Hello, Coach Riko!"

"Welcome, Kira-kun, to the Seirin Basketball Club!"

"Welcome, welcome!"

After speaking, the players bowed to Riko and Kira.

They believed that Kira was an important guest for Riko, so they had to treat him well.

"... "

Kira had never seen such a scene before and didn't know how to comment on it for a moment.

However, he smiled politely, introduced himself, and got to know the others.

While they were introducing themselves, Teppei Kiyoshi was carefully observing Kira.

The other person had a strong and robust physique, indicating that they had undergone strict and arduous training.

It was said that Riko's training regimen for Kira was merciless, and even the members of the basketball team could barely endure it. They would collapse within a few days.

But Teppei Kiyoshi had heard that Kira had persevered.

This was enough to demonstrate Kira's unparalleled willpower, and it was not unreasonable for him to become a football star.

At this moment, veins were popping on Riko's forehead, and she was on the verge of wanting to beat up all these guys right then and there.

However, with Kira by her side, she could only forcibly suppress her anger and speak with an incredibly gentle tone.

"Have you all completed the training I assigned earlier?"

"Yes, we've completed it!"

"Why has Coach Riko suddenly become so gentle?"

"It's so strange..."

"Then let's proceed with some additional training!"

Riko said with a smile, but there seemed to be a hint of killing intent in her gentle tone.

"I have a bad feeling about this..."

"I told you, this kind of approach won't be effective!"

"Help us!"

.....

Soon, an hour had passed.

Riko started with some basic physical training with the players, followed by basketball-specific training and tactical training.

Kira sat on the side, carefully observing their training content, noting several aspects that could be applied to his own daily training.

"Let's proceed with some training next. However, we only have nine people today. How about splitting into three teams and playing a half-court 3v3?"

After a period of training, Riko prepared to lead the team to the next phase of training.

"We only have nine people?"

Teppei Kiyoshi pondered for a moment and then noticed Kira sitting nearby.

"Kira-kun, do you know how to play basketball? Why don't you join us for a while?"

"Me? I haven't really played basketball before. I only know some basic rules."

Kira smiled and was about to decline. While he had some understanding of basketball and knew the basic rules, it was mostly from watching anime in the past, and he hadn't really played much.

However, at that moment, a thought emerged in Kira's mind.

The Thunder Breathing technique he acquired from the system was specialized for competitive sports. Could it have an effect in the realm of basketball?

If it was possible, then perhaps this ability could have a greater impact than Kira had initially anticipated.

Moreover, although basketball and football were two completely different sports, their core principles were not that different.

Kira might be able to learn some knowledge from this sport and apply it to the field of football. It could also serve as a warm-up activity.

"I'm not very skilled, though. I'll go easy."

Kira said with a smile.

"It's alright, it's just for fun!"

Teppei Kiyoshi said and then led Kira to the court.

Teppei Kiyoshi also believed in Kira's words. After all, Kira was a football player who likely dedicated a significant amount of time to football-related training and didn't have much time to play basketball.

Soon, the teams were divided into two groups. The starting lineup of Seirin formed one team, while the four substitutes and Kira formed the other team.

In terms of overall strength, the starting lineup was undoubtedly stronger. However, in regular team practices, it was common to have one team composed of starters and another team of substitutes. This was because the starting players spent more time playing together during actual games, and the outcome of the practice was not crucial. The most important aspect was to practice implementing tactics.

Therefore, even if Kira wasn't proficient in basketball, the impact wouldn't be significant.

The game quickly began, and the centers of both teams stood in the center circle, preparing for the jump ball.

"Um, can I try jumping for the ball, please?"

"You want to jump ball with Teppei-kun?"

The players on the court were somewhat surprised, but quickly assumed that Kira was joking, so they laughed along.

Although Kira, standing at 1.8 meters, was not considered short, Teppei was nearly two meters tall and had explosive athleticism. There would be a significant difference in their jumping ability during the jump ball.

However, for Kira, that might not be the case.

While observing the other players during basketball training, Kira couldn't help but have a thought. If the Thunderclap Flash could be used for shooting and running, could it also be used for jumping?

In the football field, vertical leap was also crucial. It could greatly impact winning headers and better defend against the opponent's attacks.

In theory, it was possible, although it had not been tested yet. Kira wanted to participate in the jump ball to verify if this ability could be effective in practical situations, simulating the jump ball as a contested header.

"Sure, it won't affect anything."

Teppei nodded with a smile. After all, it was just a training session, and it wouldn't have much impact.

"Is this for real?"

Riko was a bit skeptical, but since no one else objected, she didn't say anything and let Kira and Teppei walk to the center circle, preparing for the jump ball.

She let the basketball rise high in her right hand--

Waiting for the right moment, Kira and Teppei jumped simultaneously.