Special Training Begins

Sakuragi had finally recovered from his back injury and arrived in Kobe with Akagi to rejoin the team. At the same time, the team's new head coach appeared. What kind of special training would this former gold-medal sharpshooter bring to the Jaguars??

"Ding-dong! Ding-dong! Ding-dong!" Just as Sakuragi was packing his luggage in his room, the doorbell rang.

"I'm coming, I'm coming! I'm packing my things! Who is it?!" Sakuragi grumbled.

"It's me, Sakuragi!" When Sakuragi opened the door, he saw Kawaguchi.

"Oh, it's you. What is it? Why did you suddenly come looking for me?" Sakuragi asked.

"Ah, well... um... it's like this. The one o'clock assembly we had scheduled has been moved to one-thirty. Just stay in the dorm until then. I'll come get you when it's time! No need to head out so early!" Kawaguchi said hesitantly.

"Oh, fine. Another half-hour of waiting. Got it..." Sakuragi did not ask any further questions.

Sakuragi really is such an innocent kid. I'm sorry about this, but it's for his own good. He'll understand someday! Kawaguchi sighed inwardly as he left the room.

"Coach, I've counted everyone. Only Kawaguchi and Sakuragi are missing. That guy Sakuragi... he always has to stir something up! I'll call him and tell him to get here right away!" Akagi reported after checking the attendance.

"No need. Akagi, we won't be taking him with us this time. Let's go." Coach Omoki remained perfectly calm.

"But..." Akagi was still somewhat worried.

"Relax, Akagi. I arranged a different kind of special training for him. Kawaguchi will take him through it, and I guarantee he'll like it... Hahaha! All right, let's go!" At Coach Omoki's command, the bus slowly pulled away from the Jaguars' base.

"Hey... Sakuragi, take care." Hearing the coach's words, Miyagi offered a prayer for Sakuragi.

"Ding-dong! Ding-dong! Ding-dong!" Sakuragi's doorbell rang again. This time, Sakuragi reacted incredibly quickly. After only three rings, he threw open the door and rushed out in one motion!

"Hey! Sakuragi, where are you going?!" Before Kawaguchi could stop him, Sakuragi was nearly inside the elevator!

"What are you standing there for, Kawaguchi?! Hurry up!" Sakuragi shouted anxiously.

"Come back first, Sakuragi. The coach has something for you to watch. You can leave after you've seen it!" Kawaguchi deliberately kept him in suspense.

"Huh??? At a time like this, you want me to watch something? Hurry up, then! I can watch it on the bus!" Sakuragi kept pressing the elevator's door-open button as he waited for Kawaguchi.

"Don't panic, Sakuragi. Akagi and Rukawa Kaede are watching it too. The coach said we're to assemble after we finish!" Kawaguchi tried every way he could to get Sakuragi back to his room.

"Kawaguchi! Did Rukawa Kaede bribe you and send you here to stop this genius from attending special training?! That despicable Rukawa Kaede! Damn it!!!! Using such dirty tricks!"

"You're overthinking it, Sakuragi. Stop wasting time. Finish watching it, and we can head out. If we keep dawdling, we really will be late!" Kawaguchi continued persuading him.

"Seriously, at a time like this, I still have to watch something..." Sakuragi shook his head and returned to the room with Kawaguchi.

"What am I watching, anyway??" Sakuragi sounded extremely impatient.

"A video!" Kawaguchi said as he pulled out a videotape.

"A video?!" Sakuragi exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes. Watch it!"

After saying that, Kawaguchi started the video.

"Hello, Sakuragi Hanamichi! I am your new head coach. You should know who I am by now, right? First, I need to apologize to you. Since you've only just recovered from your injury and your body is still healing, regrettably, you cannot participate in the team's special training this time. I did not tell you beforehand because I was afraid you would get worked up, so I had Kawaguchi trick you by changing the assembly time. We are already on the road, so there is no need for you to chase after us! As for the period of the team's special training, I have prepared an even more special training program for you. Don't be too grateful to me! After you finish this video, Kawaguchi will take you to meet someone. He will train you during this period, and he is quite a ruthless character! Sakuragi, you'd better prepare yourself!! Hahaha, that's enough. I hope this exclusive special training program I designed will help you greatly during this time!! Keep it up!! Sakuragi!! Rukawa Kaede will be working very hard over here too!! Hahaha!!"

"Sakuragi... I'm sorry... I lied to you..." Kawaguchi said guiltily.

Sakuragi lowered his head without saying anything.

"Sakuragi?? What's wrong??" Kawaguchi grew nervous when Sakuragi kept his head down and remained silent.

"HAHAHAHA!!!! Did you see that, Kawaguchi?! The coach has already acknowledged my ability!! I no longer need to undergo special training alongside the likes of Rukawa Kaede!!! Hahaha!!! I really am a genius!!!!" Sakuragi suddenly became ecstatic.

"Ah, looks like my worries were unnecessary!" Kawaguchi let out a sigh.

"This kind of one-on-one special training is what this genius needs!!! Hahaha!! This Golden Rooster coach really is just like the old man!!!!" Sakuragi lost himself in his own world.

"It's gold medal, not golden rooster!" Kawaguchi corrected him.

"Ah, Kawaguchi, who cares whether it's gold or silver! Hurry up and take me to meet the person training me!! Hurry!!" Sakuragi urged impatiently.

"All right!" Kawaguchi agreed.

I thought I'd have to comfort Sakuragi, but instead, this only made his fighting spirit burn even brighter! Well, that figures. He thinks he's a genius, after all! Kawaguchi thought, while Sakuragi had already dashed toward the elevator again.

"Hurry up, Kawaguchi! What are you standing around for?!" Sakuragi was still holding down the door-open button and calling to Kawaguchi.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!"

Kawaguchi and Sakuragi finally set off for Sakuragi's personal special-training site.

Meanwhile, after a long journey, the bus arrived at its destination.

"Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Kobe Division Headquarters!" The players who had just stepped off the bus were drawn to the striking words and read them aloud curiously.

"Is this just a transfer station? I don't need the restroom, so I'm getting back on the bus," Miyagi said as he started to climb aboard.

"Miyagi, where are you going? Don't misunderstand. This really is our special-training site. We'll be spending the next week here," Coach Omoki explained.

"No way, we're training here..." Miyagi could hardly believe it.

"That's right, here. You're very lucky. A comrade from my time in the military is an officer here. Otherwise, ordinary people would never be allowed into a military restricted area like this!" Coach Omoki said proudly.

"Omoki! You finally made it!! Hahaha!! Old friend, why are you back to playing basketball again?!" A man who looked like an officer walked out through the gate.

Omoki immediately began chatting with the "officer."

"All right, if there's anything you don't understand, ask later. Get into formation and head inside. We'll assign your rooms, then after you change, report to the drill field!" After Coach Omoki spoke, the group hesitantly entered this place none of them had ever visited before.

Elsewhere, Kawaguchi drove Sakuragi to an indoor swimming pool in Kobe.

"What are we doing at a swimming pool??" Though Sakuragi knew the only thing one could do at a swimming pool was swim, he still asked Kawaguchi.

"I'm not really sure either. We'll know once we find that person, right?" Kawaguchi led Sakuragi inside.

"Excuse me, is this person here?" Kawaguchi asked, handing a postcard to the receptionist.

"Oh... this is our boss. He has been waiting in the VIP room on the fifth floor for quite some time!" the receptionist said.

"Hey, hey, hey!! Kawaguchi, are you sure this is the right place?? This has absolutely nothing to do with basketball!!" Sakuragi questioned.

"I don't know the details either. I really wasn't lying to you this time. Let's find this person first." Kawaguchi's tone and expression truly did not look deceptive.

Before long, the two arrived at the VIP room.

"You two seem to be late. But since Omoki asked me for this favor, forget it, forget it!" An enormously tall, broad, muscular man sat on the sofa as he spoke.

"Could you be...?" Kawaguchi did not dare confirm it.

"Yes. Let me introduce myself. My name is Maekawa Yuanhang! I'm the coach for this special training thing for... what was it, Withered Tree Hanamichi?"

"It's Sakuragi Hanamichi!! Old man!!" Sakuragi immediately corrected him.

"You called me old man?! You brat!!" Maekawa Yuanhang snapped angrily.

"Please forgive him, sir! Please forgive him!" Kawaguchi said.

"All right, I won't hold it against you. What was your name again... cherry blossom... cherry... ah! Right, right, right... Sakuragi, Sakuragi! Go get ready. I'll wait for you by the pool in a little while!"

"I seriously don't understand what that old-man coach is doing... What kind of 'most special training' brings us to a swimming pool? Has he got it wrong or what? I play basketball!" Sakuragi voiced his doubts to Kawaguchi.

"All right, Sakuragi, stop guessing wildly. Go get ready," Kawaguchi urged.

"Seriously..." Sakuragi looked dispirited.

Elsewhere, the players had already assembled and were standing by.

"I am your instructor for the next seven days—Maekawa Yuanjian. For these seven days, you will receive the same training as soldiers. During these seven days, you will experience an entirely different kind of life. I cannot guarantee that your physical condition will withstand this period, so if anyone wants to quit, step forward now. If no one does, then from this moment on, we begin seven days of hellish training!" the instructor announced.

"No!" the players answered in perfect unison.

"Very good. Next, we begin the warm-up. You see that mountain over there, right? I have placed meal cards on that mountain in advance. Once I finish speaking, you will go up and search for them. Anyone who has not found one by nightfall will not have dinner tonight, and! I'm sorry! You will not be allowed to return to sleep here either. Take note: there are only nine meal cards, so three of you are destined to camp outside! Good luck!"

After the instructor finished speaking, every player present broke out in a cold sweat.

Special training had truly begun.