Master, Please Accept This Genius's Bow!

"Th-That was incredible!"

Kuwata couldn't help crying out.

Lin Bei picked up the ball. Instead of celebrating, he rubbed his thigh with a pained expression.

"Ow, I used too much force just now. I think I pulled a thigh muscle..."

"No, no. Exercise this intense really isn't for me."

"The captain said winning one ball was enough."

"I won."

"You all carry on. I'm going to lie down on the bench for a while."

He tossed the ball back to Kaede Rukawa and waved to everyone.

Kaede Rukawa stood where he was, staring fixedly at the basketball in his hands.

That feeling of helplessness just now...

He had been beaten?

Completely, unquestionably beaten in a single step?

A sense of defeat he had never felt before, along with even fiercer fighting spirit, burned in his chest.

"Again!"

Kaede Rukawa suddenly turned and roared at Lin Bei's retreating back.

"No."

Without even looking back, Lin Bei walked to the sideline and draped a towel over his head.

Then he smoothly collapsed onto the bench.

"Honoring a bet is a virtue."

"Rukawa, you need to learn to accept a handsome man's beating."

"You..." Kaede Rukawa gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and was about to rush over.

"Enough!"

Akagi stopped Kaede Rukawa.

Shohoku's captain gave the guy lying there like a corpse a deep look.

He knew that Shohoku might really have picked up a treasure this time.

Though this "treasure" was an unbelievably troublesome lazy bum.

"Rukawa, keep training!"

"Since you lost, win it back with sweat!" Akagi roared.

"..."

Though Kaede Rukawa did not respond, he still turned around and went back to training.

But every time he shot, he subconsciously glanced at the figure in the corner, the flames in his eyes burning ever brighter.

In the corner.

Lin Bei hid beneath the towel and listened to the system prompts in his mind.

[Ding! Host has completed the "Shock the Entire Court" achievement]

[Shock Points obtained: 100]

[Detected Kaede Rukawa developing a strong sense of rivalry. Additional reward: Stamina Potion (Small) x1]

The template consumed far too much stamina.

Looks like I'll have to use my skills sparingly from now on, or I might drop dead from exhaustion.

Lin Bei unscrewed a bottle of mineral water and pretended to take a drink.

In reality, he extracted the stamina potion and gulped it down.

A warm current spread through his body, finally easing his sore muscles somewhat.

"Hey, sleepyhead."

A furtive voice sounded beside his ear.

Lin Bei lifted one corner of the towel and saw an enlarged red face.

Hanamichi Sakuragi was squatting beside him with an expression like he was severely constipated.

"What?"

"If you're here to borrow money, forget it." Lin Bei guardedly covered his pocket.

"Who wants to borrow money from you?!"

Hanamichi lowered his voice and looked around.

Only after making sure Akagi was not watching did he lean closer. "Hey, that move just now... can you teach it to this genius?"

"Which move?"

"That one!"

"You vanished with a whoosh, then swish, the ball went in!"

"If I learn that move, Haruko will definitely see me in a new light!"

"Then..."

Hanamichi gestured wildly.

Then he fell into a rosy fantasy, nearly drooling.

Lin Bei rolled his eyes.

Teach you?

That's a system skill. I'd like to teach it too.

But this humble servant can't do that yet.

But...

Looking at this simple single-celled creature, Lin Bei's eyes shifted.

If he wanted to slack off comfortably on the team in the future, he needed an obedient shield.

Hanamichi Sakuragi: limitless stamina, tough enough to take a beating, obedient—at least when it came to Haruko. He was practically the perfect lackey!

"Want to learn?" Lin Bei crooked a finger.

Hanamichi immediately leaned in with his ear, like an obedient golden retriever.

"This is called the 'Ultimate Art: Instant Teleportation.' It's an extremely profound martial art."

Lin Bei spoke utter nonsense with a straight face. "If you want to learn it, you have to master the basics first."

"For example... buying water for your master, carrying your master's bag, and blocking the captain's line of sight for your master."

"And whenever I don't feel like running on the court, you'll be responsible for covering my position."

"Don't worry, I'll pay you." Lin Bei curled his lips, sweet-talking Hanamichi.

"Huh? How is that training?" Hanamichi looked deeply suspicious.

"It's called 'tempering your character.'"

Lin Bei patted Hanamichi's shoulder, speaking earnestly.

"Think about it. Why is Kaede Rukawa so arrogant?"

"It's because nobody can put him in his place."

"As long as you listen to me, I guarantee that within a month, you'll become the coolest guy in the whole school, and Haruko will have eyes for no one but you."

The moment he heard the name "Haruko," Hanamichi's IQ instantly dropped to zero.

"Really?!"

"Truer than gold."

"Alright! Master, please accept my bow!"

"From now on, leave little things like buying water to this genius!" Hanamichi thumped his chest in promise.

Done.

Satisfied, Lin Bei lay back down.

With this free laborer, life would be much easier from now on.

Training continued until evening.

When Akagi announced dismissal, all the freshmen were sprawled on the ground like dead dogs from exhaustion.

Only Lin Bei, who had won the bet and already taken a nap on the side, energetically slung on his backpack.

"Good work, everyone. See you tomorrow."

Under everyone's envious, jealous, resentful gazes, he was the first to dash out of the gym.

He was at least three times faster than when he ran back on defense during the game.

In the second-floor stands of the gym.

A short, plump old man wearing glasses smiled as he watched Lin Bei's departing figure.

At that moment, Akagi, wiping away sweat, walked up beside him with a somewhat complicated expression.

"Coach Anzai, that kid..."

"His talent is indeed astonishing, but that attitude..."

"He's practically poison to the team. Should I straighten him out properly?"

Coach Anzai pushed up his glasses, a glint flashing across the lenses.

"Ho ho ho..."

He let out his signature laugh. "Akagi, don't be in such a hurry."

"That is an uncut gem."

"And besides..."

Coach Anzai looked toward the empty entrance, his gaze becoming profound.

"This year's Shohoku may become very interesting because of these strange first-years."

"Ho ho ho..."

Meanwhile.

Behind a large tree outside the gym.

A boy in a Ryonan High School uniform held a small notebook, his hands shaking like he had Parkinson's.

Aida Hikoichi.

A first-year on Ryonan's basketball team and its most fanatical intelligence gatherer.

He had originally come to scout Kaede Rukawa.

But he had never expected to witness something so terrifying.

"T-Too terrifying!"

Hikoichi looked at the data recorded in his notebook, cold sweat streaming down his face.

"That guy named Lin Bei... those shots, that breakthrough speed!"

"I have to report to Coach Taoka immediately!"

"Shohoku... has produced an unbelievable monster!"

"I have to write it down! Make a special note of it!"

Hikoichi snapped shut his notebook, mounted his bicycle, and pedaled madly into the glow of the setting sun.

His cry faintly carried on the wind:

"Unbelievable!!!"