Chapter 2: Hard Work Pays Off.
[No pain, no gain. Hard work pays off.]
[Unleash your body's potential.]
[Learn to unlock the learning mechanism.]
A cheat code?
The thought of this instantly thrilled Murasakibara, who knew exactly what it meant.
Honestly, he hadn't been entirely confident he could fulfill his promise to Mitsui.
There was no way around it; this body's natural talents were too poor.
At that moment, a mysterious power quietly seeped into every inch of his muscles and bones, bringing him an indescribable sense of comfort.
He could clearly feel subtle changes taking place within his body, as if every cell was awakening, giving him an unprecedented sense of vitality and life.
At the same time, Murasakibara's eyes began to tingle, and his vision quickly cleared, allowing him to discern even the grain of a table several meters away.
At that moment, his long-standing nearsightedness was gone, and his vision was incredibly improved.
Mitsui opened his mouth, unable to utter a single word in rebuttal.
Murasakibara's voice seemed to hold a magical power, compelling him to believe he could truly do it.
Akagi, moved by Murasakibara's words, also said with a firm tone, "Me too!"
Hearing the two of them say this, Mitsui's eyes welled up slightly.
He took a deep breath, trying to remain calm: "Mitsui, Akagi, I believe you can do it."
"For victory, for our dreams!"
Mitsui extended his right hand and placed it before the two of them.
Murasakibara and Akagi exchanged glances and placed theirs as well.
The three of them held each other tightly, as if conveying their faith and determination. "
Knock, knock!"
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
Murasakibara turned to see a burly man in a vest standing outside the ward.
He was about 185 cm tall, well-built, with long hair and a weathered face. Three round earrings dangled from his left ear. It was Tetsuo!
Murasakibara recognized him instantly.
"Mitsui has known Tetsuo for so long?"
Murasakibara was surprised. He had assumed Mitsui had only met Tetsuo after his second injury.
Murasakibara didn't dislike Tetsuo, the seemingly villainous figure.
While Tetsuya may appear to be a villain on the surface, he's actually a deeply loyal man.
He once backed Mitsui and caused trouble for the Shohoku team, only to be annihilated and, crucially, Mitsui's immediate surrender.
From Tetsuya's perspective, Mitsui's actions amounted to betrayal, leaving him utterly humiliated.
Later, Mitsui, visiting the hospital for a knee checkup, encountered Tetsuya.
Far from blaming him, Tetsuya believed the basketball court was Mitsui's proper place. His words, "Goodbye, athletic boy," before leaving, expressed his best wishes for Mitsui and a break from his past.
Thanks to Tetsuya's support, Mitsui was able to resume a peaceful life.
Entering the hospital room, Tetsuya subconsciously ignored the short, thin Murasakibara, focusing his attention on Akagi, who was just as tall as him.
Nearby, Murasakibara pondered a question:
Who looks older, Tetsuya or Akagi?
"This is my good friend Tetsuya. Don't be fooled by his age; he's only two years older than us! Tetsuya, this is Akagi and Murasaki, they're my teammates on the basketball team!"
Mitsui immediately introduced them.
With Mitsui's help, they exchanged greetings.
"Mitsui, it's getting late, so we'll be heading back. We'll see you again in a few days!"
To avoid any awkwardness, Murasaki and Akagi took their leave and left the hospital.
The lights began to come on, casting a dim glow from the streetlights, stretching their shadows.
Suddenly, Akagi stopped and asked, "Muruasaki, can we really do this?"
He was unsure.
For the past few years, the Shohoku team's record had been incredibly poor, consistently ending in the first round.
The players were weak, the coach irresponsible, and the promise he made to Mitsui seemed unrealistic.
Compared to Akagi, Murasaki was noticeably more confident.
Well, that confidence was given to him by the golden finger!
He patted Akagi's shoulder and asked instead, "Akagi, do you still remember our dream?"
Akagi replied in a muffled voice, "To dominate the country!"
"Yes, our dream is to dominate the country! Compared to that, the county tournament is nothing.
Akagi, I believe that as long as we work together, we will overcome all difficulties and realize our dream of dominating the country!"
Encouraged by Murasakibara, Akagi's fighting spirit was high.
Soon, the two parted ways.
Murasakibara finally had time to check the cheat code.
The next moment, a translucent panel appeared before him.
Hard work pays off (High School Basketball Version)
Name: Kogure Kiminobu
Age: 15
Height: 173cm
Wingspan: 178cm
Weight: 57kg
Physical Fitness
Strength: 50, Speed: 58, Stamina: 65, Flexibility: 74, Reflexes: Max, Injury Resistance: Max Offensive
Skills
Ball Handling: 60, Passing: 58, Layups: 75, Close-range Shots: 62, Mid-range Shots: 59, Three-Point Shots: 70, Free Throws: 72, Positioning: 62
Defensive Skills
Steals: 55, One-on-One Defense: 57, Defensive Rebounds: 50
Skills: Crossover Step Level 1 (32/100)
Status: Healthy
Rating: Weak Team Reserve
Note: Attributes below 50 are not displayed!
All the stats clearly demonstrate how weak Kogure's strength is.
Surprisingly, his Reflexes and Injury Resistance are maxed out, reaching the point where they can no longer be improved.
The importance of these two attributes is undeniable.
Reflexes can effectively improve both offensive and defensive efficiency and significantly reduce turnovers.
Not to mention injury resistance, which can significantly reduce the risk of injury and even make it immune.
Furthermore, unlocking his body's potential means that Murasakibara will no longer be limited by his talent, nor will he be in the same predicament as in the original novel, where he toiled for six years but still couldn't even secure a starting position.
Finally, beneath each attribute, there's a progress bar!
"Isn't this the proficiency panel?"
Murasakibara exclaimed.
This kind of visible progress would excite anyone.
Give me a progress bar, and I can grind my way to a world!
Before, I had dreams but no talent, but now I have all the necessary conditions.
"High school basketball version? There must be a higher version, like college or NBA?"
Murasakibara's smile widened at the thought.
He knew exactly what this meant!
Soon, Murasakibara arrived at the entrance of a single-family house.
This was his home, similar in layout to Nohara Shinnosuke's in "Crayon Shin-chan."
The difference was, his family didn't have to pay off a 32-year mortgage.
Having awakened his wisdom, Murasakibara hesitated, as if there was an insurmountable chasm before him.
Creak~
He took a deep breath, pushed open the half-open door, and walked into the house.
At this time, a middle-aged man and woman were sitting on the sofa in the living room.
They were Murasakibara's parents!
Murasakibara Sasuke has an elegant temperament, wears a pair of glasses, and works as a teacher in Fuqiu Junior High School.
Murasakibara Aoi has fair skin and beautiful looks, and works as an accountant in a small company.
Murasakibara has perfectly inherited the advantages of both parents.
"Dad, Mom, I'm back!"
Murasakibara greeted as usual.
Murasakibara Aoi put down the needlework in her hands and asked with concern: "Kuninobu, why are you back so late today? Hey, where are your glasses?"
Murasakibara Sasuke did not speak on the side.
"Dad, Mom, I made you worry, this is what happened..."
Murasakibara told everything about Mitsui's hospitalization, and said that his eyesight was much better than before, and he didn't want to wear glasses anymore.
After a pause, Murasakibara seemed to have made up his mind and said, "Dad, Mom, I want to discuss something with you!"
"What's the matter?"
"I promised Mitsui that I would make sure the team is not eliminated before he returns.
So, I want to ask for a month's leave from school so that I can devote more energy to basketball training and contribute to the team.
I know this decision will disappoint you, but I hope you can support my choice."
When making this decision, Murasakibara was ready to be scolded.
The reason for making such a decision is that there is not much time left for him.
He must improve his strength as soon as possible, otherwise with the strength of the Xiangbei team, it will be difficult to go far in the county competition.
(End of this chapter)