The afternoon sunlight streamed through the window lattice, dappling the basketball gym. Every beam seemed to add to the tension and anticipation surrounding the new recruits' upcoming physical tests. With a whistle from Shuzo Nijimura, the tests officially began. The recruits were split into two groups: one would start with physical testing, while the other began with basketball skills.
Ken Kaneki and Daiki Aomine watched the throng of people lined up for the physical tests, bored out of their minds. A saying suddenly popped into Kaneki's head: Thirteen that year, physical tests at my old school, standing there like a nobody.
Just as Kaneki's imagination began to run wild, Daiki Aomine picked his nose and sidled over sneakily.
"Doesn't seem like any of these guys are much," Daiki Aomine said casually. "Not one of them is faster than me. Kaneki, wanna go see how they're doing at the basketball skills test?"
Kaneki thought to himself, This dark-skinned guy sure sounds like he's bragging. If you can run faster than everyone, go compete in sprinting. What are you doing playing basketball?
Though that was what he thought, Kaneki still smiled as he turned him down. "Let's wait patiently for a bit, Aomine. What if it's our turn while we're watching? It wouldn't be good if the upperclassman called for us and we weren't there."
"Why are you talking like Momoi's such a nagging mom all of a sudden?" Daiki Aomine said with a pout. "Let's just go watch for a bit. We can come back when they call us. Well? Are you going or not?"
"Let's not, Aomine. You're almost up." Kaneki shook his head and pointed at the line, trying to persuade him. Just then, the upperclassman at the head of the line glanced at the roster, looked around, and called out, "Number seven, Daiki Aomine! Is Daiki Aomine here? It's your turn."
"Go on, it's your turn." Kaneki patted Daiki Aomine on the back.
"Coming, coming!" Daiki Aomine hurried over. "Upperclassman, I'm Daiki Aomine."
"Okay, come over here and get your height and weight measured." The upperclassman in charge looked Daiki Aomine over and pointed to the equipment.
"Yes." Daiki Aomine stepped over to the machine, took off his shoes, and climbed on. The upperclassman recording the results glanced at the numbers on the display and jotted them down.
"Daiki Aomine: 175 centimeters, 60 kilograms, 190-centimeter wingspan. Not bad, you're pretty sturdy. Good natural build." The upperclassman recording the results patted Daiki Aomine's arm and handed him a tag marked "7." Pointing to the side, he said, "Go line up over there for the baseline shuttle run and three-quarter-court sprint."
"Sure, thanks, upperclassman!" Daiki Aomine took the tag and obediently joined the line nearby. The upperclassman nodded without comment, then called, "Number eight, Ken Kaneki..." Before he could repeat himself, Kaneki raised his hand. "I'm here, upperclassman." The upperclassman nodded. "Come on, let's get started."
Just then, the system's notification sounded: "Daily mission issued: Make a stunning debut. Finish this physical test with the top score among the new recruits. Reward: two general attribute points." Hearing the system issue a mission, Kaneki's expression shifted slightly. He'd only planned to go through the motions, then crush the First String upperclassmen and get promoted straight to the First String. But now it looked like he'd have to take things seriously.
The procedure was the same as it had been for Daiki Aomine, but this time the upperclassman's attitude toward Kaneki was clearly much warmer. "Not bad, rookie. 180 centimeters, 85 kilograms, two-meter wingspan. And what's more, you don't look bulky at all; it's obvious you've been working out. Keep training hard, rookie. You've got the makings of a center. Go over there for the bench press, then do the shuttle run afterward. I'd say you'll make the Second String once you're done."
"Thanks, upperclassman." Kaneki smiled as he took the tag marked 8 and headed to the bench press station. He'd arrived at just the right time: the previous recruit had just finished, with a very poor result. He couldn't even press the weight matching his own body weight.
"Hello, upperclassman. I'm here for the bench press." Kaneki handed his tag to the upperclassman recording the bench press results. After a quick warm-up, he took off his hoodie, lay down, and signaled to the two upperclassmen spotting him that they could begin.
"Ken Kaneki, right?" asked the upperclassman in charge of adding the weights. "You look like you've been working out, so should we start with your body weight?"
"Let's go straight to 100 kilograms, upperclassman," Kaneki said with a smile, bluffing. "I usually train with at least 140."
"Don't joke around, Kaneki. I believe you can do 100, given how much you've worked out. Even the First String's current center couldn't manage 140." The upperclassman in charge of the weights was quite talkative too. Before long, he'd loaded the barbell to 100 kilograms and signaled that Kaneki could start. Before he began, he reminded him, "Don't push yourself. Tell us right away if it gets hard."
Kaneki smiled without replying, rolled his wrists, and began his first set. In practically the blink of an eye, he'd completed ten reps at 100 kilograms.
"Mm, not bad. Next—" Just as the recorder was about to call the next person, Kaneki's voice rang out. "Sorry, could you add another 20 kilograms for me?"
Everyone stared at Kaneki in disbelief, their expressions serious. "Kaneki, are you sure you want to add 20 kilograms?"
"Yes, upperclassman. I feel like I've still got some strength left." Kaneki answered modestly, but to everyone else, his expression came off as a bit of a humblebrag.
Unable to talk Kaneki out of it, the upperclassman in charge of adjusting the weights finally set the bar to 120 kilograms. With concern, he reminded Kaneki again and again, "Be careful not to hurt yourself. Tell us right away if you can't handle it." Kaneki merely gave another shy smile without a word. The scene was almost a repeat of before: he once again completed ten reps at 120 kilograms with ease.
This time, the upperclassman recording the results didn't hurry to call the next person. Instead, he looked at Kaneki with a mix of nerves and anticipation. "Do you want to add more?"
"Could you add another 20 kilograms? I can do it, upperclassman." Kaneki gave an almost helpless smile. He'd tested himself in private long ago, and with his current strength, a bench press of around 140 to 145 kilograms was fairly normal for him. But to everyone in charge of the physical tests, it seemed unbelievable.
As everyone watched in disbelief, the barbell was loaded to 140 kilograms. This time, Kaneki struggled slightly, but he still completed all ten reps steadily. By the time he clapped his hands and prepared to get up, a crowd of curious recruits had gathered around him.
"Oh my god, 140 kilograms! Is he really thirteen, just like the rest of us?"
"He doesn't even look like some huge gorilla..." People around the court whispered among themselves. The scene had also caught Shuzo Nijimura's attention.
Just as Shuzo Nijimura was about to walk over and see what was going on, a burst of amazement came from the court beside them. "That kid's so fast!"
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