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The next day.
Early in the morning, Ryu brought Karupin to the legendary outdoor amusement park.
Upon arriving, Ryu's eyes lit up.
The park was mostly filled with sports facilities: tennis courts, basketball courts, table tennis courts… even a billiards court.
Although not large in scale, it was remarkably well-equipped.
"This place is really nice; it's one of the few sports venues in Japan."
A considerable number of people had already gathered here.
They all seemed to be people who had signed up for the competitions.
Ryu could tell that these were mostly amateur enthusiasts, with only a small number being professional athletes.
Ryu first approached a staff member to inquire about the competition rules and rewards.
Although he wasn't particularly interested in the rewards, wasn't his purpose in coming here to improve himself?
Constantly competing against all sorts of people was the best way to maximize his skill improvement.
Soon, he learned the rules.
Ryu naturally only looked into the competition rules; he didn't consider anything else.
The rules of the competition were quite simple.
5v5, 3v3, and 1v1.
Each match lasts 10 minutes, with a 3-minute break in between.
Winning 10 consecutive matches will earn you a prize from the organizers: a free 7-day Hokkaido tour pass.
In other words, the pass holder will have all their expenses in Hokkaido reimbursed by the organizers, as long as they stay within a daily spending limit.
Besides that, admission to various attractions and amusement parks is free, and various facilities can be used for free.
Ryu was astonished.
This 7-day tour was simply too extravagant!
Even someone like him, who wasn't short of money, was tempted.
After much consideration, Ryu finally signed up for all three events.
He decided to participate in 5v5, 3v3, and 1v1, just on different days.
Are you kidding me?!
He didn't think he could play 30 consecutive matches, even if each match lasted 10 minutes.
Ryu didn't think too much about it.
Winning would be best, but he wouldn't be disappointed if he lost.
He came out of town to train.
If he really won, he wouldn't mind going to Hokkaido.
If he won all three events, he'd have three sightseeing tickets.
About half an hour later, the organizers announced over the loudspeaker:
"The 1v1 basketball match is about to begin. Registered players, please proceed to court number 1 and prepare."
Hearing the announcement, Ryu led Karupin towards court number 1.
Upon arriving at court number 1, a crowd had already gathered.
Looking around, there were about 50 people.
The matches were played according to the numbers registered by the players.
Ryu was number 21.
It would be at least three and a half hours before it was his turn.
He found a place to sit and began watching the game.
At the referee's signal, the 1-on-1 basketball match officially began.
Two men in their thirties stood on the court, looking like office workers.
One wore glasses and appeared refined, with a somewhat lean physique, not at all like someone who exercised regularly.
The other was more muscular.
His muscles weren't prominent, but he was still quite well-built.
The result of the match didn't surprise Ryu.
The refined-looking man with glasses lost the game.
Ryu shook his head.
He really had no interest in watching this kind of game anymore.
And so, with each game, time gradually passed.
In the blink of an eye, three and a half hours had gone by.
The announcer finally called out Ryu's name.
"Please welcome player number 21, who has registered for the 1v1 basketball match."
Hearing his name, Ryu's lips curled into a slight smile.
Finally, it was his turn.
He placed Karupin aside and gave him a few instructions.
"You wait here for me! There are a lot of people around, so be careful. If anyone misbehaves, just scratch them."
Karupin rolled his eyes.
"You don't need to tell me. If anyone dares to disturb me, I'll teach them a lesson they'll never forget."
Ryu nodded, then turned and entered the arena.
As Ryu stepped onto the court, the crowd erupted in a clamor.
"Huh? This player doesn't look very old! But he's quite handsome."
"Yeah, he's really good-looking. Damn it, why don't I have a face like his?"
"He looks very young. Although he's tall, he looks more like a middle school student."
"Can kids participate in this kind of competition? It seems like the winner this time will be number 18."
"Yeah, number 18 has already won two matches in a row. He's very strong."
No one had high hopes for Ryu. He was simply too young.
Number 18 was a dark-skinned high school student. Although not tall, he had a very muscular build.
Ryu could tell.
He had received systematic basketball training; he was probably a basketball enthusiast or a member of his school's basketball team.
Because he wasn't wearing a school uniform, Ryu didn't know which school he was from.
But none of that mattered.
Ryu was the challenger, so he went first.
Ryu held the ball in both hands, facing Number 18, completely ignoring his disdainful gaze.
Whistle...
A loud whistle blew.
Ryu bounced the basketball on the ground, then caught it with his left hand and bounced it again.
Thump, thump.
The basketball was switched to his right hand without any hesitation.
The speed of the bounce and the smoothness of the hand switch left Number 18 with no time to react.
Ryu stepped forward with his right foot, breaking past his opponent on the left.
By the time Number 18 reacted and tried to turn and chase, it was too late.
Ryu had already jumped and shot from the free-throw line.
The basketball landed smoothly in the hoop, creating a beautiful splash.
Seeing this, the staff updated Ryu's scoreboard.
1-0.
Everyone around was stunned to see that Ryu had scored first.
They hadn't expected Ryu to score first.
They had all thought Ryu would be completely dominated by Number 18!
Moreover, Ryu's movements were extremely fluid, a pleasure to watch.
"This number 21 seems pretty good."
"Yeah, that set of moves was very smooth; most people couldn't do that."
"He doesn't look very old; maybe he's a player on a school's basketball team."
"Hmm, he must have undergone systematic training. This is going to be good."
On the court.
Number 18's gaze towards Ryu changed.
"Not bad, kid. Judging from your technique just now, you don't seem like a rookie. Are you on a basketball team too?"
Ryu wanted to nod, but quickly shook his head.
He wasn't on the basketball team anymore.
"I used to be, but not anymore. I will be on a basketball team in the future."
Number 18 was confused by Ryu's words.
What did that mean? What did "not anymore" mean?
Ryu tossed the basketball to Number 18.
"Your turn, come on! Let's finish this quickly."
Number 18's face stiffened, and his gaze towards Ryu became much more serious.
"Arrogant brat, don't get too cocky."
With that, he dribbled the basketball, preparing to break through Ryu's defense.
Number 18 dribbled the ball, occasionally executing a between-the-legs pass.
Looking at Number 18, who was still two or three meters away, Ryu's lips twitched uncontrollably.
Good heavens, is this some kind of circus act?
I haven't even done anything yet, and the other guy is already showing off his skills.
Ryu looked at Number 18 speechlessly, making no attempt to intercept.
Seeing Ryu's apparent astonishment at his flashy skills, Number 18 finally moved.
He suddenly increased his speed, preparing to break through Ryu's side.
'A clown.'
A phrase flashed through Ryu's mind.
He stood still, not moving an inch, simply raising his hand and casually hooking the ball.
Thud...
The basketball from number 18's hands landed in his.
Effortless, comfortable, perfectly natural.
Ryu dribbled past number 18, then rushed into the paint, calmly executing a layup.
2-0.
In the following game...
Ryu showed everyone what it truly means to completely outclass an opponent.
Ryu stole the ball from number 18 time and time again, then scored again and again.
Number 18 was like a lamb to the slaughter, until the score reached 10-0, finally ending this jaw-dropping game.
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