Enlightenment

"Haizaki didn't join through the Basketball Club's regular recruitment. Shuzo recommended him to me directly," Kōzō Shirogane said, smacking his lips as he spoke to Ken Kaneki. "Just like he recommended you and Daiki Aomine."

After listening, Ken fell silent for a moment before saying, "Thank you for believing in me, Coach, and Senpai."

"Come to think of it, that really doesn't fit Nijimura's personality," Kōzō said with a sigh. "He takes basketball very seriously. After he joined Teiko Junior High last year, that was when the school finally went from being a strong team in Tokyo to the undisputed best."

"Senpai Nijimura really is strong," Ken agreed. "I'll learn from him."

"You don't have to do that. You and Shuzo are a lot alike—you're both natural leaders. But your styles are different." Kōzō plopped down on a bench beside the road and patted the seat next to him. "Whew, I'm getting old. A short walk like that and my back's already aching... Ken, have a seat."

"Thank you, Coach." Ken sat beside Kōzō.

"Do you know the biggest difference between you and Shuzo?" Kōzō asked, looking at the rising star who had taken Teiko Junior High by storm.

"I..." Ken felt as if he'd grasped something, but not quite.

"You're too conflicted." Kōzō looked at Ken, who had been thinking for a while without answering, and gave him the answer outright.

"Conflicted?" Ken seemed to be asking himself as much as Kōzō.

"Yes, conflicted." Kōzō took two cans of cola from his bag and handed one to Ken. "Shuzo's a basketball fanatic. Everything he does is to make sure Teiko stays on the path to victory. He doesn't care whether he's the most important part of the team."

"But you're different." Kōzō popped open his can and took a long gulp before continuing. "I get the feeling that before every game, you already know you're going to win. It's good to have that kind of confidence, but you trust your instincts so much that your performance on the court feels more like a show."

"Your talent is certainly highly developed, so there's nothing wrong with treating a game like a performance. But that's where your conflict lies. You want to be the star of the show, but you also want to take your teammates' feelings into account. That means you never feel satisfied after a game. I'm telling you this seriously, Ken—I've been watching you for a long time. Whether it was today's Prefectural Tournament or the practice games before, you've never genuinely smiled after a game. To you, playing seems more like a task."

"Coach, I..." Ken was at a loss for words. Kōzō really had him figured out.

"You don't need to explain, Ken. I just want to ask you one thing: do you like basketball? What do you want to get out of it?" Kōzō asked earnestly.

Kōzō's casual words rang through Ken's heart like a clap of thunder. Ken certainly didn't dislike basketball, but he didn't particularly like it, either.

In everyone's eyes, he was a self-disciplined fanatic who trained hard day after day, an Ace who could do anything on the court. But he knew the truth: he was only doing it to complete the system's missions. Just like Murasaki, he had simply been pushed this far by his talent.

"Coach... I... I don't know..." On the court, Ken was like the Lion King, but now he seemed as fragile as a child.

"You don't need to feel so guilty, Ken." Kōzō patted him on the head, trying to comfort him. "Do you know why I agreed to Shuzo Nijimura's proposal back then, promoting you all straight to First String and even changing the entire team's tactics to accommodate you?"

"I don't know, Coach." Ken's expression fell.

"Because I believe in the future. I believe that the exceptional talents hidden within you are like seeds that will bloom into beautiful flowers someday." Kōzō gazed up at the bright moon. "Patience and faith—that's the greatest help I can give you as your coach."

"Believe... in the future..." Ken murmured.

"That's right. Believe in the future, believe in your future teammates, and believe in the person you'll become. You're still young. Sooner or later, you'll find your own path. Maybe one day I'll be chatting with my old friends and bragging that I, Kōzō Shirogane, helped develop the best player in the world." Kōzō gazed at Ken affectionately.

"The best... player!" At Kōzō's words, Ken's eyes grew brighter and brighter, and the confusion and anxiety in his heart began to lift.

"Coach!" Ken said firmly. "I know what I want now!"

"Oh?" Kōzō smiled at him. "I'm glad you've found your own path. You don't need to tell me about it. Show me."

"Understood, Coach!" Ken's face filled with confidence.

The host has completed hidden side quest: Enlightenment.
Reward: One random blind box.
The system will automatically upgrade. Upgrade time: 24 hours.

"All right, Ken. That's enough heart-to-heart for tonight. It's getting late, so hurry home." Seeing that he'd accomplished his goal of helping Ken, Kōzō stood and said goodbye.

"Thank you for your guidance, Coach. I'll do my best." Ken bowed sincerely to show his gratitude.

"Take care, Kana~" Kōzō patted Ken on the arm, then turned and strode away.

Ken watched Kōzō's departing figure, then turned and headed home. In the moonlight, his shadow stretched long across the ground. The dust kicked up by the steady stream of cars made him feel the warmth of everyday life.

The next day, during evening practice at Teiko Junior High's Basketball Club.

"Ken seems so happy today! I've never seen him this absorbed in practice." Satsuki Momoi watched Ken pour himself into training, her eyes brimming with warmth. "He's been in the Basketball Club for so long, but it's only now that I feel like he's truly become part of it."

"Oh, really? That's wonderful, isn't it?" Hearing Satsuki's delighted voice, Kōzō smiled as he watched the players practicing on the court. The white hairs at his temples gleamed under the lights, reflecting a lifetime of experience.

"They're truly full of potential... I can't wait to see what these kids will be like once they've fully blossomed," Kōzō murmured expectantly.