Taoka Moichi stared at Gu Jin with burning eyes, an uncontrollable excitement surging in his chest—he hadn't misjudged him after all. This young man might truly be able to lead Ryonan to that distant peak.
"Don't talk big, I haven't lost yet!" Sugadaira gritted his teeth, the veins on his forehead twitching slightly.
"I won't make you wait too long." Gu Jin's voice was calm, yet it struck Sugadaira's heart like a stone.
"It's my serve now." Sugadaira clenched his fists, a competitive drive he had never felt before burning wildly within him.
But the Gu Jin in front of him had an uncanny ball sense, almost inhuman.
This time, Sugadaira changed his strategy, turning his back and tightly boxing out Gu Jin, planning to overpower him with a center's playstyle.
"Gu Jin, I admit you're strong. I was careless just now," he said in a deep voice.
"Oh, do you think you're good again?" Gu Jin scoffed, "Too bad you met me."
"What do you mean?" Sugadaira was startled.
"You're too weak! You and I aren't even on the same level!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Sugadaira put all his strength into pushing forward, but Gu Jin was like a stake driven into the ground, not moving an inch. Just as he exerted his force, Gu Jin suddenly reached out—
Slap!
The ball was stolen again.
Gu Jin quickly circled out to the three-point line. Sugadaira immediately returned to defense, his center of gravity extremely low.
Gu Jin looked at his tense posture, shook his head slightly, then raised his hand for a three-pointer.
Swish!
The basketball cut through the air and accurately swished into the net.
"9 points now," Sendoh said, turning to Uozumi beside him.
"This Gu Jin is indeed impressive; he already has the skill level of a starter," Uozumi said in a deep voice.
Sendoh, however, shook his head: "No, his strength is far above Ryonan's starters, including you and me."
Uozumi suddenly turned his head: "Huh?"
"I'm serious." Sendoh's gaze was unusually solemn. "As it stands now, even if I were standing opposite him, I might not win."
Uozumi frowned: "Impossible."
"Nothing's impossible." Sendoh looked at the court. "He's the player with the most solid fundamentals and the quickest mind I've ever seen, even stronger than that person I saw before."
"Who did you see?" Uozumi pressed.
"I can't quite remember... I think his name was Kitazawa..." Sendoh mused.
In the corner, Taoka Moichi saw even more clearly than Sendoh.
Gu Jin's three-pointer just now completely stunned him—the release speed was incredibly fast! From catching the ball to shooting from a high position, it didn't take more than two seconds.
This kind of muscle memory, without millions of shooting practices, simply couldn't reach such a level.
"Sugadaira, last shot," Gu Jin said.
"Don't tell me!" Sugadaira's voice held a hint of hoarseness.
The next second, snap!
Possession changed hands again.
Gu Jin also used a back-to-the-basket isolation play. In the instant his shoulders swayed lightly from side to side, he actually created a full body's worth of space.
"Don't even think about it!" Sugadaira jumped up to block fiercely.
"A fake? How is that possible? What kind of footwork is that?" Koshino Hiroaki exclaimed in surprise.
"Sendoh, did he travel just now?" Uozumi asked urgently.
"No." Sendoh's eyes were fixed on the play. "He dribbled synchronously when shifting his pivot foot, almost on the critical point, but he definitely didn't travel."
"This kind of movement and footwork... did he create it himself?" Uozumi was full of disbelief.
Taoka Moichi murmured to himself, his tone full of admiration: "He's simply a genius! This is a playstyle that transcends the era!"
Gu Jin leaped in place, slamming the ball into the hoop with both hands.
"You lost." His voice clearly reached Sugadaira's ears.
Sugadaira hung his head, his voice hoarse with defeat: "I... I lost. I'll honor my bet; I'm leaving the basketball team today."
Gu Jin didn't say anything. As for Sugadaira's departure, he didn't care in the slightest.
However, this guy jumping out to court disaster did silence the others who were unconvinced.
Sugadaira suddenly looked up, his face drained of color: "I keep my word. I'm leaving now!"
Taoka Moichi stepped forward at the opportune moment, saying in a deep voice: "Alright, the farce should end now."
"Coach!" The team members shouted in unison.
"Coach, I'm sorry to have caused you trouble." Gu Jin nodded slightly.
"I generally understand what happened; it's not your fault." Taoka Moichi turned to Sugadaira, "You can't even handle one defeat. I'm very disappointed in you!" Taoka Moichi's eyes were sharp as knives. "Sugadaira, today I'm punishing you with an hour of extra training. Do you accept?"
Sugadaira suddenly looked up, his eyes full of shock: "Coach... me? I'm sorry! You... you're not expelling me?"
"Expel you? For something so trivial?" Taoka Moichi snorted. "Young men are full of vigor; a little friction is inevitable. Sugadaira, perhaps I haven't paid enough attention to your thoughts normally."
Sugadaira's eyes welled up, his voice choked: "I'm sorry, Coach. Today I was indeed emotional; it was my fault. Ever since Fukuda was expelled last time... I..."
"You all always love to be so self-righteous!" Taoka Moichi interrupted him, his tone tinged with the frustration of a blacksmith trying to temper iron. "When did I ever say I was going to expel Fukuda? So that brat not coming to practice was because he thought I expelled him?"
"But he last time..." Sugadaira still wanted to argue.
"Go tell Fukuda to come back to practice obediently tomorrow, otherwise I really will expel him!" Taoka Moichi waved his hand.
It turned out that Sugadaira and Fukuda were not only classmates but also very close friends.
"Coach, Fukuda probably can't come tomorrow," Sugadaira said softly.
"Hmm? What's going on?" Taoka Moichi frowned.
"His... his grandfather is seriously ill. He's already taken leave to go to Hiroshima."
Taoka Moichi fell silent for a moment upon hearing this, then softened his tone: "Call him tonight and ask if there's anything I can help with. Tell him to take care of his family and that I'm waiting for him to come back. If he wants to give up halfway, I, Taoka Moichi, will be the first to disagree."
"Yes!" Sugadaira nodded vigorously, his voice filled with undisguised gratitude.
"You too, Sugadaira." Taoka Moichi looked at him, his eyes serious. "One day you'll have to stand on your own two feet, and I won't allow you to give up halfway, understand?"
Sugadaira's eyes instantly reddened, his lips trembling: "Coach, I..."
Taoka Moichi ignored him and turned to everyone: "You all saw Gu Jin's performance today, right? Is there anyone now who doesn't respect this freshman?"
The team members looked at each other, no one responding.
"Good, everyone gets an hour of extra training today!" Taoka Moichi declared decisively.
Sendoh made a bitter face and mumbled softly: "Coach... uh, I had plans to go fishing with someone tonight..."
"No!" Taoka Moichi rejected him without mercy.