Chapter 22: #22 Bet
"3 Weeks. Give me your weakest players, so-called substitutes or benchwarmers and in 3 weeks of practicing with them, I will destroy this school's basketball club's so-called core team."
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"What?! Who the hell does he think he is? They are all seniors in the core team, they must be all very skilled!" The commotion immediately broke out once Yuichi said those words so confidently.
"Hirata-kun, shouldn't we stop this before it gets too far?!" One of the girls asked.
"I-...I don't think we should...Yuichi-kun seems like he truly means it, it would be rude of us to question his decisions instead of supporting him. Don't you think so?" Hirata shook his head with an uncertain expression.
Manabu walked closer to Yuichi and the other guy.
"These chances usually don't come for free...However, this is not for me to decide..." Manabu said towards Yuichi before turning to the other guy from the basketball club.
The guy from the basketball club was also quite pissed off after hearing Yuichi's words.
"What are you going to give away if you will lose?" The guy said, and although he wanted to say that as long as it would be a close match, he would reconsider letting Yuichi join as Point Guard of core team however he was too pissed off to act so softly.
Yuichi smirked and took out his ID Card.
"All of my points. As long as the Student council president makes sure that it will be a fair match without any sabotages, I am willing to give the Basketball club all of my points. You should realize how many points I have since I am a freshman." Yuichi said while playing with his ID card in his right hand.
Another commotion broke out as he finished his statement. Some students were extremely surprised while others started having fun out of this.
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"Mei-san?! Where were you the entire time?" Karuizawa asked with wide-open eyes when Mei finally joined their group.
"I had a problem finding everyone but I heard everything..." Mei replied with an apologetic smile.
"It's alright and all but shouldn't you stop Iwamura-kun? Aren't you two friends from Junior High?" Karuizawa asked with a worried look as she also pulled Hirata's sleeve a few times.
Hirata just looked at Mei to hear her answer since she knows Yuichi the best. Their group only knows him for 1 day, they have no right to stop him if they don't know him good enough.
"Well, no one can stop him now. Yuichi-kun is usually laid back and likes to avoid conflicts however, ever since that incident, his passion for basketball and soccer increased more than tenfold. When it comes to these 2 sports, he doesn't let anyone doubt him or question him and especially not fellow sportsmen. Plus none of you has seen him actually play, he becomes a completely different person when he plays." Mei shook her head with a helpless expression.
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'?! That's Iwamura-kun I saw that day play on the court!' Sudo smiled widely and thought. He was pretty excited if that Senior will really accept this bet, he will play with Iwamura-kun against the core team.
'Is that what they call passion or is it perhaps something completely different...?' Ayanokoji thought with his apathetic expression while looking at Yuichi from within the crowd.
"Oho? I like your confidence and decisiveness. If the basketball club accepts this bet, I am willing to oversee the entire match." Manabu actually smiled at Yuichi before turning to the other guy, waiting for his answer.
"We naturally accept, we aren't just any weak team you find everywhere. And if you win, we will accept you as our new captain, I doubt anyone will have a problem with that." He said towards Yuichi with narrowed eyes.
"Then it is decided, I will arrange official paperwork so it can be recognized as an official match. For the time being, good day to both of you." Manabu said and slowly left, however not before throwing the last glance at Yuichi.
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"Kaichou, may I ask why you bothered yourself with such a small conflict?" Tachibana asked while walking down the hallway together with Manabu.
"His confidence intrigued me. I know a bit about basketball and if he can win against the core team with only benchwarmers in his team, it makes him a great general. And if he truly wins and will be accepted in the core team, this school's prestige will only increase, attracting more people from all different areas." Manabu replied while adjusting his glasses, looking in front of him with his sharp and calculative gaze.
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After this little incident, Yuichi went to join the others where he had to convince everyone not to worry before he went towards the dorms together with Mei.
"Yuichi-kun, are you really sure about this bet?" Mei asked with a worried look while they were walking back to the dorms.
"Heh, of course." Yuichi smirked and said in complete confidence.
"However you don't even know what kind of players they have in the core team, you also have no information about your future teammates...There is a chance that you will lose all of your points." Mei said her worries.
"You don't understand, Mei, loss or win, I won't lose anything either way." Yuichi said with a wide smile, showing off his white teeth while taking out his phone.
"What are you tal-" *Bzzz* Before she was able to ask anything, her phone vibrated so she took a look at it, and once she saw the message, her eyes widened as she snapped her head at Yuichi with a shocked expression in the realization of his plan.
Yuichi just smiled at her with closed eyes before nodding his head.
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A few days later...
*Creak* *Thud* "Hey, hey hey!" Ike slid open the door with a bit too much force and made a bit of commotion while entering the classroom but he still had to start yelling while hurriedly walking towards his friend Yamauchi with a beaming smile.
"Hey! Good morning, Ike!" Yamauchi immediately greeted his friend.
It has already been a week since the opening ceremony and Yuichi already met up with so-called benchwarmers from the basketball club a few times. He was kinda glad that Sudo volunteered to play with him since he is also a freshman because his team was really lacking. Either way, he has plans to only teach them lay-ups and increase their accuracy while throwing, aside from that, he will spend the rest of the time only by improving their teamwork.
'When players know when and where to set up the screens, they can have an unstoppable offense. Teamwork is the best way how to defeat experienced and better team, of course, there also needs to be at least a good ACE of the team. Thankfully, Sudo is quite a good player so we have an even higher chance than I previously thought.' Yuichi thought while sitting sideways, resting his elbow on his chair's backrest while watching this commotion between Ike and Yamauchi.
"I was looking forward to today so much that I almost couldn't fall asleep last night!" Ike said with an excited tone.
"I get what you mean, man!" Yamauchi replied with a smirking.
"Haha, right?! This school is the best! I really look forward to the swimming classes!" Ike said which reminded Yuichi that today they have officially their first swimming class.
The girls immediately started glancing at their group with disgust filled in their eyes.
Ike's group was currently at the back of the class, discussing today's yet to be swimming class before calling over a chubbier student nicknamed "The Professor" or named Sotomura Hideo. The guy was simple otaku who liked dating sim games with attractive girls. Most of the guys who are part of the "Class D - guys only" chat group already know that much.
"Professor, can you record the girls wearing their swimsuits for us?" Ike asked in a low voice but Yuichi still heard him very clearly since he wasn't currently talking to anyone.
*Cough* Yuichi coughed out a few times after hearing Ike's bold words.
'At least arrange the plan for this in your guys only chat group, you idiot!' Yuichi felt like walking up to them and smacking Ike for his idiocy.
"Sure, no problem! I hate swimming anyway so I will pretend to be sick." Sotomura replied giving Ike a thumb up with a smile.
'You probably hate even walking' Yuichi rolled his eyes and decided to start talking to someone, therefore he turned at Ayanokoji however Ayanokoji already turned back at the group of boys.
'No! Don't!' Yuichi widened his eyes but it was too late.
"Record? What are you planning?" Ayanokoji asked in low voice out of curiosity.
"The Professor is going to rank the girls' breast sizes for us. We are also opening bets for the biggest rack!" Ike explained.
'Oi, oi, you are still in the classroom.' Yuichi thought, deciding to turn back towards the board.
"Hey, hey, that's pretty dangerous..." Even Sudo backed away from Ike a few steps after hearing his plan.
"Pathetic, isn't it?" Yuichi heard Horikita's voice from behind so he turned his head at her, seeing her looking at him before glancing at Ayanokoji who was still looking at the group of boys at the back of the classroom.
"Well..." Yuichi just released a forced smile with closed eyes, having no way how to reply to her.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone