Black Basketball: A false start

Chapter 86 Recruitment and Live Broadcast

"So, you have successfully advanced to the top 16..." In the convenience store nearby, Kaneki Ken said to Maki Shinichi who was sitting opposite him while holding a bottle of soda.

"Yeah." Maki Shinichi also looked out the window with a smile on his face, "What a pity, if it hadn't suddenly rained, we could have had a fight first."

"Don't worry." Kaneki Ken also looked out the window as if he had sensed something. "You're all going to lose anyway, so it doesn't matter when you fight."

"Brother Kaneki, you are really as domineering as Hayama said~" Mibuchi Reio, who was sitting next to Shinichi Maki, covered her mouth and laughed.

"..." Kaneki Ken felt goose bumps all over his body as he looked at Mibuchi Reo who was laughing so hard that her body was shaking. "If you have anything to say, just talk nicely and call me Kaneki."

"That's just Shibuchi's personality. Don't worry about it." Maki Shinichi smiled and tried to smooth things over. "To be honest, I admire you a lot."

"...Thank you." Kaneki Ken was a little confused by Maki Shinichi's words, "So what exactly did you call me here for?"

"I hope you can join Poseidon Middle School." Maki Shinichi revealed his trump card with a smile, "Poseidon Middle School has specially recruited me, and the head coach of Poseidon Middle School is Coach Takagi's brother. I can still have a say in the lineup of Poseidon Middle School."

"Thank you for your kindness, but before you, Coach Domoto from Fenghuang High School had already come to recruit me." Kaneki Ken responded with a smile, "The conditions he gave me were much more sincere than your recruitment."

"But you won't join Fenghuang High School." Maki Shinichi looked at Kaneki Ken confidently, "You are a true king, you hope to establish your own dynasty, and Poseidon Middle School can give you the platform you want. Joining Poseidon Middle School and overthrowing the rule of Luoshan and Fenghuang, isn't it more challenging than joining them?"

"Thank you, but I still want to think about it again." Looking at the rain outside gradually stopping, Kaneki Ken slowly stood up, "Rather than recruiting me, Senior Amu should think about how to deal with the game next week. Thank you for the soda, Senior Amu. Let's go, Murasakihara, Aomine."

"Oh, here they come." The two people who were sitting nearby like minions also stood up and followed Kaneki Ken out of the convenience store.

"It seems that you failed, Amu." Reo Mibuchi said with a smile, looking at the backs of the three people.

"It's normal. It was just a spur-of-the-moment idea." Maki Shinichi took a sip of the soda. "I should say that there is no wrong nickname. Kaneki Ken is worthy of being called the Lionheart of the Empire. He is so arrogant."

"Yanzi, who is that guy?" After walking out of the convenience store, Murasakibara Atsushi asked curiously, "If you didn't call him senior, I would have thought he was a coach from some school."

"Haha, if A-Ma heard you say that, he would be so angry." Kaneki Ken smiled and patted Murasakihara Atsushi's shoulder, "He is Maki Shinichi from Kaishin Junior High School, a point guard who was selected into the best team of junior high school for two consecutive years."

"What did you say? This guy who's as strong as an ox is a point guard?" Aomine Daiki said in surprise, "If you hadn't said it, I would have thought he was an inside player."

"But since he was selected into the best team for two consecutive years, he must be very strong." Murasakibara Atsushi sighed while holding a lollipop in his mouth.

"It doesn't matter who it is." Kaneki Ken shrugged indifferently, "I never care about the strength of my opponent when playing. Anyway, they are definitely not as strong as me. The only one who can beat me is myself."

"Damn, where did you get so many dirty words from, Kaneki..." Aomine Daiki looked at Kaneki Ken with a fighting spirit, "Do you dare to fight me?" "Give up, Aoki." Murasakibara Atsushi complained, "In the last game, that Inoue was able to score 30 points on your head. If it was Ken, you would be beaten up."

"Hey, hey, hey, don't underestimate me, you bastard!" Aomine Daiki retorted unconvinced, "One day I will beat Kaneki! Just wait and see."

"Oh, right, right." Murasakibara Atsushi said indifferently, "Why not go to bed early? Qingzai has all kinds of dreams."

"Kaneki, look, the picture on the big screen is of you and that middle-aged man!" Aomine Daiki was too lazy to argue with Murasakibara Atsushi anymore. It happened that a sports program was being broadcast on the big screen on the street, so Aomine Daiki took the opportunity to change the subject.

"Dear viewers, welcome to the National Competition Special Edition of Tokyo TV Sports News. I am the host, Kitayama Yoshito." On the screen, a middle-aged man in a suit and tie was talking with a smile, "With the end of the last qualifying match, the top 16 in the country have been decided. Today we have invited coach Takagi Riki of Poseidon Junior High School to the show."

"Hello, everyone." Takagi Riki greeted enthusiastically and introduced himself, "I am Takagi Riki, the head coach of Ishiguro Junior High School."

"First of all, congratulations to Coach Takagi for leading the team into the top 16 again." Kitayama Yoshito complimented Tanaka Mamoru calmly, "This is also the 13th consecutive year that Ishiguro Junior High School has entered the top 16 in the country. Coach Takagi has made a great contribution."

"Haha, you are too kind, host." Gao Muli smiled modestly and said, "The team's achievements are inseparable from the hard work of the players. I just did a little insignificant work."

"Coach Takagi is too modest." Kitayama Yoshito said with a smile, "Coach Takagi and your brother have many students all over the world. Now, many of the ace players in college leagues and even professional leagues are your students. Now Maki Shinichi and Mibuchi Reo are also becoming famous. I believe that many audience friends are looking forward to the upcoming quarterfinals next week. I wonder what Coach Takagi thinks of the next opponent, Teiko Junior High School?"

"Teikou Junior High School is undoubtedly a very strong team. What's even more rare is that their main players are all first-year players." Takagi Riki commented with a smile, "Especially Kaneki Ken, who has set countless records in the Neon Junior High School Basketball League. I have also heard of Teikou's Lionheart King."

"I believe Coach Takagi has also heard that recently many fans have compared Maki Shinichi and Kaneki Ken, believing that as both of them are ball-holding core players, Kaneki Ken is stronger than Maki Shinichi. Some even say that Kaneki Ken is the ultimate version of Maki Shinichi. What do you think of this, Coach Takagi?"

"That's just nonsense." Gao Muli retorted with a look of surprise, "Although Kaneki's data is more impressive, one thing we have to admit is that Kaneki's teammates are all players who can stand on their own. When facing past opponents, Kaneki's teammates can share a lot of pressure for him. We don't have any talented players in the Sea God Attached Middle School. We have come to where we are today through close cooperation and hard training. Maki Shinichi's ability to lead the Sea God Attached Middle School to this point is unquestionable."

"It seems that Coach Takagi has great confidence in Maki Shinichi." Kitayama Yoshito said with a smile, "Then has Kaishen High School made any tactical adjustments to deal with Kaneki Ken?"

"When it comes to basketball, I always trust Mr. Maki Shinichi." Gao Muli's expression was filled with a hint of arrogance that was barely noticeable. "We at Poseidon High School only ask where our opponents are, not how strong they are."

"It doesn't matter how strong the opponent is... you said it very well, very enthusiastically." Kaneki Ken looked at Takagi Riki who was talking on the screen with an inexplicable expression, "I am finally looking forward to the game..."

"Ken seems a little angry." Murasakihara Atsushi looked at Kaneki Ken's expression and whispered to Aomine Daiki beside him.

"This old man is finished." Aomine Daiki said bluntly.

(End of this chapter)