Chapitre 6: First 1V1
"It's small."
I reviewed the court that was just behind the Gym.
"Don't bluff, your father told me that you haven't yet held a basketball. Not in a single chance have you ever seen a basket court before."
"Yeah, that's what I have been saying this whole time. What're you even thinking about when you match up a random trainee with someone like me who has never touched a basketball before. Above all, why do you even want me to play basketball?"
"They are just trainees, a full-fledged one but still a muscle head who has never practiced basketball properly. It won't be an exaggeration if I say, they are a complete noob."
Yikes, he made it seem like playing basketball is a child-play. I still vaguely remember how children in my previous neighbourhood broke their nuts while trying to hit on their crush.
"Yup, And I am the incarnation of Kob--"
"Hey, don't insult the Legend!"
"Okay, my bad!"
I crossed my arms while looking away with a pout. It was because of my subconsciousness, so, blame me all you want.
"As for your last question, I also have no interest in teaching a punk like you. It was your father's request. And since I'm indebted to him, I should better listen to him."
"Would you agree if my father asked you for Riko's hand for me?"
"Do you want to die?" Kagetora-San grabbed me by my collar before moving to the exit of the Gym.
"Haha, You get the joke quite late."
With one last glance, kagetora-San waved his hand and threw me out of the Gym.
"Now, go and practice however you want. There is still some time before the Gym opens. You will fight the first person who appears," He dusted his hands as if he was done cleansing his Gym from some spooky existence.
"Fight? you mean to play, right?" I also dusted my collar which was touched by a nasty pervert.
I waited for his reply but rather than answering, he gave me a big smug.
"RIGHT??"
"The same thing."
You bonehead, there is no way fighting and playing are the same.
Moreover...
"Where's the ball?"
"Catch."
!!!
I instinctively caught the ball which was about to hit my face.
Seriously, don't throw something out of anywhere. Even spidey sense doesn't work in this situation.
I was already in a foul mood, so, instead of arguing, I headed to the court just like back then when God gave me the punishment.
Although, I have mentioned this before I will say this again. I won't bother to pick a fight that I have no confidence to win.
This argument is also the same. And that's the reason why I am playing basketball. Otherwise, never in my life would I ever play basketball. You hear me, this is the last time.
I throw the ball on the ground and following the third law it bounces on my palm. A strange yet familiar spreads through my body.
The ball... it's quite big but does it matter?
"Well depends on who I am facing..."
I stood at the end line of the court and looked at the hoop on the other side. I slowly raised my hand while holding the ball.
As I finished picking my stance, I released the ball from my grasp before it took off in the air and fell almost near the middle line.
"Aww, silly me. I forgot I am a child now."
I quickly rush inside the court and grab the ball with a red face. I can't believe this child's body can throw the ball far than my first life's trashy body.
"Let's just do bouncing for now."
Yeah, that's reasonable. My body has yet to familiarize itself with these feelings.
❄❄❄
After 15 minutes.
"Are you done?"
Kagetora came and asked Kurayami who was just bouncing the ball around and staring at the hoop with a determined look. His bearing seemed to change a lot compared to the moment before he left.... Or perhaps it's just his imagination. Yeah, maybe he was overthinking things.
"Well, not like it's going to change the fact…" Kurayami replied without stopping the pace of the ball.
"Relax. I just want to see how good you are at basketba--"
"… I will win."
Kagetora squinted his eyes as his thoughts shifted in an instant, 'Indeed something has changed. This is the first time I've seen him this serious.'
"We will know about that soon."
He said as he left the court and stood outside the court.
Soon after he left, another person who appeared to be in his 16 came inside and sized up Kurayami.
"You must be the kid who I will be facing. I go by Uchida Light. I will not kid, it's not a pleasure to be playing with a child like you." The fellow who stinks with the aroma of arrogance was none other than Uchida Light aka the trainee who is an exercise jerk and appears first in the Gym.
Still, without stopping the ball, Kurayami looked up at the boy who was bigger even for some of 16 years and nodded before saying.
"I am Raiden Kurayami and yeah likewise. So... How are we going to play?"
"Oh, yeah? Uhm... How about this? Since you are clearly at a disadvantage, we will play this game the way you want."
Even though, Light didn't say it to the face but it was obvious that he didn't even know the plays to set.
For a moment, even Kagetora-San hesitated as if letting Light to play was a wrong decision but soon shook his head. He just wanted to know if Kurayami has what it takes to be a good basketball player. After all, he was the son of his friend.
Kurayami's body is just plain average, indicating he hardly do any exercise or physical activities, but it doesn't matter if he has talent for basketball because...
"It will be hell for him, if he does." Kagetora grinned devilishly on his own thoughts.
Meanwhile on the court, Kurayami stated the rules.
"Well, if you say so then the one who baskets 5 times will be the victor. We won't change the possession of the ball even after one round finishes, the defender has to do it for himself. And since, you are very generous, I will start first."
"Fine by me. Let's start this thing quickly, I want to go and do some exercise." Light cracked his head to the side and took a stance of defense.
"Yeah, it will be rolled up pretty quick."
For the first time, since the beginning of the conversation, Kurayami stopped bouncing the ball as he grabbed the ball with his small palm while his thoughts went on the horizon.
The court is a little smaller in size than the one used in high school, so, it is approximately 78 ft long, meaning he needs to run 39 ft just for a layup, and that is if he could get to that point.
Considering how the opponent has his physique as his advantage, it will not be so easy to pass through his defense.
To put it simply, if Kurayami needs to win this game then he will probably need more than just his skills.
'Hmm. Then that should do the trick.' He began to bounce the ball once again as he solely focused on what was in front of him.
"Let's begin."
Boom—!
Bouncing the ball forward, Kurayami took four steps ahead as he soon came face to face with Light.
Sure enough, the long arms of Light were a hindrance that stopped him from reaching the lane area.
Maintaining his calm mindset, Kurayami started to do crosses between his legs at a speed visible to the naked eyes.
First, he wanted to measure how deep the sea is and then he will decide whether to dive in or not.
Light, who was waving his hands up and down—blocking kurayami in his stance, waited for that moment and just when Kurayami pounded the ball on his left palm and crossed the ball to his right hand, he also shifted his inertia to the right to block him.
However, things didn't go as he thought because when he moved to the right, Kurayami swiftly tilted his body to the left, and dashed forward to go for a layup.
Feeling frustrated by how easily he fell for such a simple trick, Light gritted his teeth as he took out his arms to poke the ball away from his opponent.
Light may not be a pro in basketball but his reflex as a body builder was not something to be taken lightly.
Yet, once again when he was inches away to reach the ball, Kurayami pushes himself off as if he had already predicted this from his opponent.
Tripping on his heels as he met nothing but air, Light dropped on his face-first to the ground.
Kurayami glanced at him once and seeing that he is fine with some slight bruises, he went for an easy layup. He couldn't jump high but that didn't mean he couldn't throw the ball at the angle where the ball touches nothing but the basket.
Swish—!
And as he expected, it was 1::0.
4 more to go.
"Hey, you alright, bro?" Kurayami asked with a teasing sound.
"Just start!" Light, on the other hand, was in no mood to talk.
"When you said that you wanted to go and exercise, don't tell me you're implying to lose to a kid who is younger than you by half your age? Show some moves, my dude."
Light frown but didn't say anything.
Seeing this, with a chuckle, Kurayami began the play of the 2nd round.
The game continues.
Standing in their positions, both players fixed their gazes against each other to read their moves.
Because of the last round, Light was very careful and didn't underestimate Kurayami anymore.
It was at this moment when…
Bang-!
Light, who was trying to take the ball away and the Kurayami who was on the move crashed.
Kagetora, the referee in charge of the game, rushed, claiming that it was foul and threw the ball to Kurayami for a free throw.
Light was momentarily dumbfounded but seeing the smirk on Kurayami's lip, it came to him in an instant.
At the time of crashing, Kurayami deliberately backed his body away, making it seem like a forced physical confrontation.
"You did this intentionally!!" Light growled angrily.
Taking the ball, without battling an eye to Light, Kurayami just shot the ball in the air half-heartily before it hit the backboard and went through the hole.
"Ezy, Peasy, isn't it?"
Veins popped out of Light's forehead, clearly furious by the taunting words of Kurayami.
And that's exactly what Kurayami cares for to happen.
After the opponent lost his judgement to his emotion, the rest of the round was bound to be easy to play and that's exactly what happened for Kurayami as he emerged victor with the score quickly reaching 5::0.
There were some ups and downs in Kurayami plays but since his opponent was so engulfed with rage, he made up for it real quick.
"Is this it?" Feeling bored, Kurayami threw the ball to Kagetora before heading home... well, if he has one. Let's pray that the wind leads him safely.
However, the same can't be said for the person who just lose to a kid.
Light was perpetually dispirited by today's event as he crouched on his knees with a frustrated look. He was also done for today but not for the same reason. The only way he found to console himself was by telling himself that no colleague of his saw how miserable he was.
❄❄❄
Looking at the back of the kid, Kagetora think back to the game he just witnessed.
While it was already hard enough to believe how a 7-year-kid dominates his opponent with a score of 5-0 yet there is more than what meets the eyes.
What's more surprising about this play is how brilliantly Kurayami had manipulated his opponent to do his bidding, making him unaware till the end that he is being played all along in the lines of others' palms.
Of course, as a former national player, Kagetora noticed the strategy Kurayami used on the court to overcome the difference in physique. The strategy wasn't the best but the most effective when playing with a person who is weak to control his composure and a newbie was the perfect bait for that.
'However, doing that at such a tender age of 7.' Kagetora could hear his heart pumping with each passing second as he thought of the possibilities.
Not only was it unheard of but it was also completely terrifying!!
At first, when he saw Kurayami, through his experience as a basketball player, he felt that the boy had no talent for basketball and that is why he wanted to see it practically but to his dismay, the boy actually adapted to the rhythm of his play so quickly that he was still unable to digest the truth. It should be known that even geniuses take some time to accomplish plays like his.
And he, on the other hand, did it in his first game.
Kagetora couldn't believe that the kid before him had never played basketball in the past but if he is telling the truth…
If he trained this kid...
Then Kurayami for a matter of fact…
"He will be an undefeatable monster of his generation."
|Chapter close|
Author Note: The MC isn't 4 but 7. Count it as my mistake, What I was even thinking when I wanted him to play one on one at the age when he should sucking milk? Ugh… whatever, I will do the correction in other chapters too.
— La fin — Écrire un avis
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone