Chapter 5: Soaking wolfberries in a thermos.
The next morning, Murasakibara woke up early on purpose, intending to go out for a morning run.
He walked lightly, fearing to disturb his family who were still sleeping.
As soon as he stepped out of the door, Murasakibara couldn't help but gaze into the distance.
The mountains in the distance were surrounded by mist, like an elegant ink painting.
He began to jog slowly along the familiar path.
His pace was not hurried, but he had a strong sense of rhythm, and each step was firm and powerful.
As time passed, the sun slowly rose, and golden sunlight began to shine on the earth.
When Murasakibara returned home, it was already seven o'clock in the morning.
At this time, his parents had already gone out to work.
However, his mother had prepared breakfast for him, and she had covered the plate to prevent it from getting cold.
There was also a lunch box on the side.
Unlike usual, the breakfast and lunch box were much larger.
It was obvious that his mother was afraid that he would be hungry, so she made more for him.
After dinner, Murasakibara left home and headed straight for a remote basketball court.
The basketball court had fallen into disrepair, the hoops rusted, and one side of the basket was noticeably tilted.
Because he was on sick leave, he was advised not to show up at school during the school day, as it would be difficult to explain to teachers and classmates.
He could only practice at the Shohoku basketball gym after school.
Compared to the outdoor court, the Shohoku gym was significantly better.
Immediately, Murasaki began practicing dribbling fundamentals, repeatedly practicing one-handed dribbling, alternating between two hands, and even dribbling with his eyes closed.
To become a great player, fundamentals are crucial. These seemingly boring basic exercises are the path to success.
Soon, Murasaki's dribbling rhythm changed.
This was his only skill—the crossover!
The crossover requires coordination between the upper and lower limbs, waist, and hips, allowing for smooth and coordinated left-right movement, while maintaining balance to prevent steals.
Therefore, the crossover requires a high level of coordination and balance.
[Crossover: Proficiency +1!]
After completing a crossover practice session, Murasaki noticed a new notification.
He also noticed that his progress bars for ball control, speed, and stamina had all increased.
Among them, ball control saw the biggest improvement.
A thought struck Murasaki: training the crossover step seemed more effective.
Perhaps due to his impatience and a desire for quick results, Murasaki noticeably sped up his crossover step.
This caused his rhythm to become less fluid and varied than before, and crucially, his crossover step proficiency didn't improve as much as before.
"It seems that to achieve proficiency, every movement must be continuous!"
After some reflection, Murasaki gave up the idea of shortcuts and began to patiently practice the crossover step.
Time passed slowly, and his crossover step became more and more proficient.
Before his crossover step progressed, his ball control progress bar actually improved.
[Ball Control: 60-61]
After improving his ball control, Murasaki noticed a slight tingling in his hands.
Once it returned to normal, he noticed a slight improvement in his ball feel.
It wasn't a significant improvement, but it was a positive one.
Murasaki felt a surge of energy, and after taking a few deep breaths, he continued practicing the crossover step.
Soon, the Crossover Step finally advanced.
[Crosover Step: LV1 → LV2]
[Ball Control: 61-62]
[Speed: 58-59]
The Crossover Step's rapid advancement was primarily due to its low level.
Of course, it was also due to Murasakibara's complete focus on the Crossover Step.
If he had focused his attention elsewhere, the Crossover Step's growth would have been significantly slowed.
Finally, the most terrifying aspect of the "Efforts Must Pay Off" panel is that it offers no bottlenecks!
As long as the progress bar/proficiency level reaches the required level, the next level will naturally advance, unrestricted by talent.
To Murasakibara's surprise, after upgrading the Crossover Step, his ball control and speed also improved.
This was a pleasant surprise!
Murasakibara felt an overwhelming surge of excitement, as if he had found a shortcut to becoming stronger.
"It seems I need to learn more techniques!"
Murasakibara thought to himself. By mastering more skills, he could rapidly become stronger by increasing their levels.
He wasn't worried about whether he could master them.
The "Efforts Must Pay Off" panel has a learning mechanism, allowing him to quickly master the skill with the willingness to teach.
The problem was that most of the Shohoku players were weak. Perhaps only Mitsui, Akagi, and even Ikeda Yuho had the potential to possess special skills.
Suddenly, a figure flashed through his mind. If nothing unexpected happened, that person must possess special skills, and there might even be more than one.
"I wonder if Coach Anzai will come to the basketball gym today?" After all, Coach Anzai was a former national team player and had coached at a prestigious university for many years. He must have the skills and was his ideal choice.
However, Shohoku High School's club activities took place after school in the afternoon, from 3:00 to 5:00 PM.
It was still morning, and there were still several hours before the club activities began.
After a short break, Murasakibara continued to practice his crossover step.
After reaching Level 2, the next level required 200 proficiency points.
"It should take about four hours!"
Improving his crossover step quickly would require significant effort and time.
Once the crossover step reached a certain level, it would become his most powerful offensive weapon.
After reaching Level 2, Murasakibara noticed a significant improvement, especially in the flow and consistency of his movements.
It was a fusion of body and technique. Each transition became more fluid, as if the crossover had become a part of his being.
As his crossover speed increased, his error rate significantly decreased, and his proficiency naturally improved.
[Crossover: Proficiency +1!]
Murasaki constantly adjusted his speed, striving to find a better balance and maximize efficiency.
After several trials, he finally stabilized his crossover speed.
Judging by his current progress, the crossover, originally expected to take four hours to master, now only takes three.
Murasaki was so absorbed in the joy of basketball that he was oblivious to the passage of time.
Sweat streamed down his cheeks, soaking his clothes and leaving them with mottled marks.
Murasaki took several breaks to recover and replenish his lost fluids.
To stay hydrated, he brought a large thermos with a dozen goji berries soaked in it.
While striving to improve himself, he also wanted to prioritize health and enhance his basketball career.
After two and a half hours, Mu Mu finally stopped, breathing heavily, his face showing the joyful smile of an old farmer after a good harvest.
(End of this chapter)