Chapter 4: Air Jordan 7.
The next moment, Murasakibara glanced at his fitness bar.
It had increased slightly, not far from reaching full strength.
To quickly boost his fitness, Murasakibara decided to go for a night run. Running was undoubtedly more effective than strength training for increasing physical fitness.
He chose not to continue strength training because he was at a critical stage in his physical development, and excessive strength training could adversely affect his growth and development.
He was only 173 cm tall now. Even by the plot year, he would only be 178 cm.
He wanted to continue growing taller, ideally reaching 185 cm by the plot year.
To achieve his maximum height, he must follow scientific exercise methods to further promote his physical development.
In addition to proper strength training, he also needed to supplement his nutrition, eat a balanced diet, and get enough sleep to achieve this growth.
Soon, Murasakibara donned his well-worn sneakers and headed out for a night run.
Night fell, the moon shone brightly.
Murasakibara began to jog along the streetlights. In the light, his shadow intertwined with the shadows of the trees along the roadside, forming a moving, eerie scroll.
Throughout this process, he maintained a breathing rhythm of "two steps, one breath," which improves efficiency and reduces injuries.
As the distance increased, sweat gradually trickled down his cheeks, leaving faint streaks on his shirt.
Soon, Muguro's breathing became rapid, but he didn't stop, striving to maintain his running pace.
Occasionally, he glanced at the fitness bar, and every tick up lifted his spirits.
This visible progress was irresistible.
"Come on, just one last point!"
As the fitness bar neared the finish line, Muguro braced himself and persevered.
Soon, the prompt finally sounded.
[Fitness: 65-66!]
Muguro's body trembled violently, as if his previously depleted strength had been replenished, rapidly coursing through his limbs.
At that moment, he closed his eyes and savored the lightness that surged through his body.
Refreshing!
Murasaki hadn't expected the process of improving his physical fitness to be so exhilarating. It was like a man's shudder afterward, simply irresistible.
This also filled him with anticipation for future training.
When the feeling faded, Murasaki, who had been panting heavily, quickly regained his composure, his physical fitness fully restored.
"Sure enough, increasing physical fitness can restore strength. That gives me some room for maneuver!"
Murasaki had an idea. For example, by controlling the physical fitness bar, he could boost his physical attributes during the second half of a crucial competition. This would undoubtedly be a huge advantage.
Of course, he shouldn't rely on it too much.
Controlling the physical fitness bar means controlling the intensity of training, which will slow down the growth of various attributes to a certain extent.
Furthermore, once physical fitness reaches a certain level, it can take ten days or even half a month for even a slight increase. Whether it's the National Championships, the Autumn National Games, or even the Winter Trials, these competitions are generally held on a daily basis.
Compared to the three major competitions, the county competitions are more user-friendly, with competitions held only on weekends.
For example, in the first game of the Kanagawa Prefecture finals on Sunday, June 20th of the plot year, Xiangbei lost to Hainan after a hard fight. The remaining two games are on June 26th and 27th.
The reason why the competition system of the three major tournaments is different from the county tournament is mainly to reduce expenses.
There is no way, the teams of the three major tournaments are basically from other places, and the daily accommodation and meals alone are a considerable expense.
"Keep going!"
After recovering his physical strength, Murasakibara took firm and powerful steps again based on the principle of not wasting.
When Murasakibara returned home, it was already ten o'clock in the evening.
As soon as he got home, Murasakibara felt hungry and planned to find some food to fill his stomach.
At this moment, perhaps because he heard the noise, Murasakibara Aoi yawned and walked out of the room.
"Gongyan, are you hungry after training for so long?"
"Yeah!"
Naturally, Murasaki didn't deny it.
Murasaki Aoi smiled and said, "Go take a shower first, don't catch a cold. I'll make you some noodles!"
"Mom, you've worked so hard!"
Murasaki Aoi shook his head and laughed. "We're family, why should we be so polite? Go ahead, the noodles will be ready in a minute." Murasaki turned and headed for the bathroom. He was sweating profusely, and his clothes were sticking to his skin, making him feel uncomfortable.
After his shower, Murasaki Aoi brought out a bowl of steaming noodles topped with a golden fried egg and two slices of barbecued pork.
"Gongyan, you must be tired after working out all night. Remember to get some rest after dinner."
Murasaki Aoi seemed to think of something else and continued, "By the way, your dad has contacted your homeroom teacher and asked for a month's sick leave for you!"
Murasaki's heart warmed, and he whispered, "I see, Mom. Go to bed first. You have to get up early for work tomorrow."
"Then I'll go to bed first. After you finish eating, soak the bowl in water. I'll wash it tomorrow."
After his mother left, Murasaki began to eat his noodles with big mouthfuls.
Even though it was just a bowl of noodles, it was worth more to him than countless delicacies.
After finishing his meal, Murasakibara washed the dishes and returned to his room.
Just as he was about to turn out the lights, there was a gentle knock on the door. "Kuninobu, are you asleep?"
Murasakibara Sasuke's voice echoed from outside.
Murasakibara hurriedly opened the door to find his father holding a box.
"Dad, what's up?"
"I bought you a pair of sneakers. I'm not very knowledgeable about them, so I asked the store manager to recommend a pair. Try them on first and see if they fit!"
Murasakibara Sasuke handed Murasakibara a shoebox with the Air Jordan 7 printed on it.
The Air Jordan VII!
These were the shoes Jordan wore when he won his second NBA championship.
Murasakibara eagerly opened the box, revealing a brand new pair of red and white sneakers.
For this era, these were stylish and technologically advanced sneakers, with an upper made of high-grade synthetic material and a sole designed with intricate grooves for enhanced grip and flexibility.
"Could this be the recommendation from the mustache-faced store manager?"
Murasaki remembered that the mustache-faced store sold Air Jordans. Judging from the scene where Haruko took Sakuragi there, the mustache-faced store was near Shohoku.
Sakuragi's first pair of Air Jordan 6s were stolen from him, costing him his entire fortune—30 yen!
Later, Sakuragi became more generous and bought him a pair of his prized Air Jordan 1s for 100 yen!
It's unfortunate that the mustache-faced store manager was completely dominated by the Akagi siblings. His brother pinched his face, and his sister sold him shoes at a discount.
Murasaki felt the shoes fit perfectly when he tried them on. Clearly, his father had bought them according to his size.
While the Air Jordan 7 wasn't as classic as the Air Jordan 6, it was lighter, with a softer sole and better cushioning.
There was no way around it; the Air Jordan 6 was known for its "brick sole"!
"Dad, it fits perfectly!"
"That's good. I'm going to sleep first."
Mumu Sasuke patted Mumu's shoulder and left yawning.
Watching his father's somewhat hunched back disappear, Mumu's eyes became more determined.
He decided to repay his parents' love with excellent grades, which was the best compliment for them.
(End of this chapter)