Chapter 9

"So, why is it that you guys always get injured when warming up?"

Looking at Ai, who was also in tears, Rei's mouth twitched.

Ai leaned closer, her small hands on her eyes, seemingly wiping away her tears.

"...I want to pat her head too."

In an instant, the scene transformed into two petite girls crying in front of Rei. Rei, with one hand on each of their heads, gently patted them.

"That guy, for some reason, I always feel like going over there and giving him a beating." Junpei Hyuga (from Kuroko's Basketball) clenched his fist, his voice filled with frustration.

"Being a normie, explode." Shinji Koganei (from Kuroko's Basketball) bit down on the collar of his basketball uniform, pulling it down with both hands, seemingly releasing his envy.

"Although I have a girlfriend, why does this guy have two in front of him?" Satoshi Tsuchida (from Kuroko's Basketball).

Shun Izuki (Kuroko No Basuke) straightened his hair and calmly said, "I think that's his sister."

"...@#^%$"

"Heh, Izuki-senpai's lame jokes have improved again." One with black hair, one with gray hair, and one with blue hair, and you're calling them sisters? Face reality, senpai!

They cried for a full five minutes before Rei "comforted" them.

One on the left and one on the right sat side by side with Rei.

At this moment, Riko couldn't be any happier. She called them out for training at noon not just for the sake of training, but to get Rei involved in basketball, to let him enjoy the fun, and naturally, to join the basketball team.

Very well, Rei heard all of this even from the sidelines.

"Ah, I really want to play." Crying Hana still looked reluctant to leave the basketball court, already holding a basketball and watching the players practicing their shots.

"You can even trip yourself, how can you play like this?" Rei said to the tearful Hana.

These words puffed up Hana's cheeks, and her little fists hammered Rei's arm. "Senpai, you're mean!"

Riko took a basketball from the hoop and extended her hand towards Rei's position, beckoning. "Rei-kun, do you want to give it a try too?"

Rei was about to refuse, already guessing what Riko wanted to say, but she didn't give him a chance. With a perfectly standard shooting posture, she directly threw the basketball towards Rei's direction, drawing a perfect arc in the air and landing it accurately in Rei's hands.

Since it had come to this, it wasn't a big deal. If Rei refused again, it would be a bit impolite.

Besides, Riko also said she would introduce him to a gym. Since it was where his father worked, there should be... some discount, right? Rei thought with his wallet nearly empty this month.

"Then I'll give it a try."

"It's my first time playing, so I'm not very good."

After a slight wrist movement, Rei held the basketball in front of him. Even though he hadn't played much basketball before, he had a rough idea of the shooting posture, thanks to the clear memories of Slam Dunk from his previous life.

Without even a hop,

Standing outside the court, half the distance beyond the three-point line, the basketball Rei threw formed a perfect arc in the air. The bright orange ball landed accurately in the hoop.

[Throwing] Proficiency 1%

[Basketball] Proficiency 1%

Two proficiency levels were gained at once.

"Long-range three-pointer? Is this a fluke? Is it real?"

Riko, seeing this surgical precision long-range three-pointer, was momentarily taken aback, but after a brief moment of surprise, she was thrilled! She retrieved another basketball from the hoop and tossed it towards Rei.

Catching the basketball,

Standing in the same spot as before,

Rei raised his hand and took a shot.

[Throwing] Proficiency 1%

[Basketball] Proficiency 1%

[Basketball Level 0 (2%)]

[Throwing Level 2 (6%)]

Although Rei's basketball proficiency hadn't even reached level 1,

But in terms of throwing, well, it was only level 2. However, his attributes were high, and with his strong and perfectly controlled physical qualities, coupled with not-so-bad aim, Rei's first shot may have been a fluke, but the second one was a direct replication of the first, just like before.

Even if he couldn't innovate, couldn't Rei just copy the answer?

In his previous life, during the end of August to the end of February, he could copy hundreds of answers in a single night.

"Senpai, you can actually play basketball!" Hana looked at Rei with an expression like she was seeing an alien. "I always thought senpai was just a loner with no friends, average grades, no money in your pockets, and once I'm gone, you might become a social outcast on the brink of despair."

Rei: "..."

If you can't say anything, you can just keep your mouth shut.

The third shot,

The fourth shot.

The fifth shot.

...

The ninth shot!

Nine shots in a row, Rei stood in the same spot, shooting from a distance half the length of the three-point line, and every shot was a hit, without even jumping!

Riko was overjoyed and wanted to see how many consecutive shots Rei could make.

Tenth... Smack!

A robust figure leaped high into the air, a massive block that directly swatted away the basketball Rei had thrown.

The fiery red hair caught Rei's eye.

Kagami picked up the basketball he had personally swatted away and walked up to Rei. "Basketball isn't just about shooting. If you can't defend, anyone can easily beat you. Let's have a match, let me see your strength."

He was at least half a head taller than Rei.

"Alright."

Having been provoked, Rei was a little fired up. Since this guy chose to communicate through basketball, he would retaliate in the same way. What else could he do? Smack him and break his bones? Well... that would cost money.

The two walked to the center of the court, just beyond the three-point line.

Kagami passed the basketball in his hand to Rei.

"Come at me with all you've got!"

Seeing Kagami's imposing presence, Rei didn't feel much. He didn't even break a sweat, and didn't produce a single drop of sweat. He raised his hand.

Before Rei could even throw, Kagami's hand, as big as Rei's face, pressed down on the basketball. Logically, with such a large build, a palm strike would easily knock the ball to the ground.

But the basketball remained steady in Rei's hands.

He couldn't throw directly, or Kagami would just jump up and block it.

Within this distance, even if Rei closed his eyes, he could get the basketball into the hoop.

He lightly hopped on his tiptoes.

Rei soared into the air,

Jumping nearly two meters high, and that was with Rei holding back his strength.

Kagami's eyes widened, a look of incredulity in them. He leaped upwards with all his might, no matter how high he reached with his hands, he could only get to Rei's neck.

By the time he began to descend slowly, Rei's terrifying air time still kept him suspended in mid-air. With both arms in a highly unorthodox shooting posture, he effortlessly placed the basketball into the hoop.

[Basketball] Proficiency 5%

[Throwing] Proficiency 1%

Huh? This was the first time Rei had seen a +5 proficiency. Was it because of the increased difficulty and competition?

Looking at the basketball swishing through the net, Rei couldn't help but exclaim, "I didn't expect it to be so simple. Just jump up while the opponent is falling, and then put the basketball in the hoop."

Kagami: "..."

Junpei: "..."

Riko: "..."

Other members of the basketball team: "..."

Is that even human language you're speaking?

However, considering that sparring with someone could increase proficiency, Rei showed a passion he had never shown after entering the basketball court. "Kagami-kun, let's continue playing."

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