What Kind of Monster Are You (2)

After finally finishing the 30 laps, most of the rookies felt like their legs weren't their own anymore.

"Ah, I'm so tired..." one rookie panted, his face flushed red, sweat dripping down his face already clinging to his eyelashes.

"Yo, good riddance! I survived!" another rookie was more direct, loudly thanking heaven for sparing his life.

"Ah~ I can't get up, let me rest for a bit." This rookie was even more audacious, lying down on the ground as soon as he finished his laps.

Watching the rookies before them, the veteran players gathered around seemed to recall their own past struggles. They pointed and laughed at their companions' past pathetic states. But when their gazes shifted to the few leading the pack, a flicker of complexity crossed their eyes.

In fact, it wasn't just the veterans who felt complicated. Akashi, Midorima, and the others felt even more so. They were all prodigies who had come up from the mini basket, envied by their peers since childhood. Yet, during a simple warm-up, they had been lapped by a peer! And seeing Ken Kaneki simply place his hands on his hips and adjust his breathing, then looking at themselves, hunched over, red-faced and flushed, they were still better than the vast majority of rookies, but for geniuses like them, losing to a peer was unacceptable.

At this moment, Kōzō Shirogane stepped forward, taking the roster from assistant coach Naoto Sanada. "You've all worked hard. Your physical test results from this morning are out. I will now announce the team assignments."

"First, the members selected for the Third String. Number 22, Toshio Saito..." Kōzō Shirogane's words were like a royal decree, filling the rookies present with both anticipation and nervousness.

"Number 15, Tetsuya Kuroko. That is all for the rookies entering the Third String roster." Kōzō Shirogane scanned the crowd and continued, "No rookies will be entering the Second String roster at this time. Next is the list of rookies entering the First String."

"Number 7, Atsushi Murasakibara."

"Number 6, Daiki Aomine."

"Number 8, Shintaro Midorima."

"Number 9, Seijuro Akashi, and," Kōzō Shirogane paused, looking at Ken Kaneki, "Number 5, Ken Kaneki."

As Kōzō Shirogane finished speaking, the entire venue fell silent, then erupted into even louder gasps of astonishment.

"These monsters... I knew those guys were on a different level than us, but I never expected they'd actually be directly selected for the First String roster."

"Yeah, those guys look really strong. Is it their hair color? Do you think we'd get stronger if we dyed ours all sorts of colors?"

"I don't know about getting stronger, but I know my mom has a knack for a certain 'skill.' I'm young, I don't want to end up bald."

Unlike the uniform envy and admiration from the rookies, the emotions of the upperclassmen were more complex. On one hand, some of the upperclassmen hadn't participated in the physical tests during the recruitment drive. On the other hand, the last-place players in the original First String and those about to be promoted from the Second String to the First String felt as sour as if they had eaten lemons.

Finally, someone couldn't contain their emotions and stepped forward to speak to the coach. "Coach, these rookies just joined the Basketball Club and they're being promoted directly to the First String. Is that appropriate? I admit some of them might have talent, but basketball is a team sport. Is it really suitable to change the First String roster like this?"

Listening to this person's opinion, Kōzō Shirogane's smile became even more enigmatic. He walked over to the person and said gently, "You are Taro Sugiya, the captain of the Second String, correct?"

"Yes, Coach!" Taro Sugiya admitted readily.

"Taro, do you know? In a sense, you are correct. Before Michael Jordan appeared, before Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, and David Thompson, people believed that individual basketball could never overcome team basketball," Kōzō Shirogane explained unhurriedly, like a kind grandfather telling a story to his grandchildren. "But it wasn't until Michael Jordan appeared that people realized that sometimes, individual basketball is often more useful than team basketball. That's the role of a genius."

"But Coach, these guys aren't necessarily all Michael Jordans," Taro Sugiya retorted stubbornly.

Kōzō Shirogane stared at Taro Sugiya for a long moment, then suddenly laughed. He turned his gaze back to the five of them – Ken Kaneki and the others – and said, "See? Someone is questioning your talent."

"Coach, I didn't..." Taro Sugiya tried to explain, but Kōzō Shirogane cut him off.

"It's nothing. Ambition is not a mistake here at Teiko. I'll give you a chance. You can pick the strongest players from the First and Second Strings to play a practice match against these rookies. If you win, you won't just enter the First String roster; I'll even guarantee you a starting spot." Kōzō Shirogane's tone was like a demon tempting someone to sell their soul. "But if you lose, you'll have to start from the bottom with the Third String, just like those rookies over there."

Watching this farce unfold, Daiki Aomine's inner mischief-maker was triggered. He nudged Ken Kaneki with his shoulder, a wicked grin on his face, and whispered, "Hey, hey Kaneki, that senior looks like he's going to pick from the First String to play us. If he loses, he has to join the Third String. Are you scared? If you are, pass me the ball more later."

Ken Kaneki rolled his eyes speechlessly at Daiki Aomine and retorted irritably, "Worry about yourself, holder of the shortest Teiko physical test record." That single sentence caused Daiki Aomine's not-so-bright brain to short-circuit. It took him a long time to react before angrily exclaiming, "We're friends, but aren't you being a little too disrespectful? My heart hurts!"

"Oh, it hurts? So what?" Ken Kaneki teased.

While Ken Kaneki and Daiki Aomine were bantering, Taro Sugiya had already made his choice. "Reporting, Coach! I choose to challenge these rookies."

"Very good." Kōzō Shirogane calmly glanced at his watch and said, "You have ten minutes to select your team."

Ten minutes passed in a flash. As everyone expected, Taro Sugiya selected all the First String starters.

"Coach!" Just as Daiki Aomine and the others were warming up and preparing, Ken Kaneki raised his hand. "No need to trouble Daiki or Murasakibara. They're all very capable, and I'm not very good at playing with them. Just let a few classmates team up with me, and we'll learn a few things from the senior!"

At this moment, not only the regular rookies but even Daiki Aomine and the others looked at Ken Kaneki in surprise. Kōzō Shirogane's gaze towards Ken Kaneki held even more admiration. "Alright, we'll do as you say. You also have ten minutes..."

"No need for so much trouble, Coach." Ken Kaneki casually pointed to a few rookies and said, "My team is ready. We can start."

"This arrogant guy! He came up with this plan just so he wouldn't have to pass me the ball!" Daiki Aomine gritted his teeth in anger from the side.

"Hmph! Someone who treats basketball so casually isn't doing their best," Shintaro Midorima pushed up his glasses, annoyed by Ken Kaneki's attitude.

"That's not necessarily true," Seijuro Akashi's gaze was as calm as water. "At the very core of that guy is a monster who crawled out of hell!"