Slam Dunk: Muguro

Chapter 299 You play like a gOat!

Even after the closing ceremony, the atmosphere at the venue remained lively and enthusiastic.

Many spectators lingered at the scene, flocking towards Kogure and the others.

Among them are a considerable number of 'Kogure no Mikoto' members.

They called out Kogure's name as they approached him, with some of the more enthusiastic ones even jumping off the stands and charging towards him.

"The wind is so tight!"

Upon seeing the frenzied actions of the 'Kogure's crew, Kogure led the charge, with the rest of the Shohoku players following behind.

They don't want to face these crazy fans.

For a moment, only Coach Anzai was left standing there, bewildered in the wind.

Fortunately, these fans weren't interested in Coach Anzai and simply ignored him.

In the locker room, Mitsui said with lingering fear, "Phew, we're finally safe! Kogure, your fans are just too crazy."

The teammates all agreed.

"There's no way around it, that's just personal charisma!"

Kogure shrugged and spread his hands.

This is a happy problem!

"Such a big star, would you be willing to be interviewed by us?"

Suddenly, Aida Yayoi's voice rang out.

It was only then that everyone noticed that Yayoi Aida and her assistant Nakamura were also in the changing room.

The reason they were in the locker room was mainly because the fans' behavior was too crazy.

To avoid any accidents, I followed the Shohoku players into the locker room.

"Since I'm free anyway, I might as well do an interview."

Kogure naturally agreed, after all, Aida Yayoi had helped a lot.

Most importantly, they are each other's fans.

Aida Yayoi adjusted the microphone to ensure the recording equipment was working properly before beginning the routine interview: "Kogure-kun, could you share your thoughts on winning the championship?"

"Winning the championship is the result of the collective efforts of our entire team. I was just fortunate enough to play my part in it..."

Kogure already had a prepared answer to this question in mind, especially since he had interviewed people about this topic before.

"Kogure-kun, what are your plans after you go back?"

"I plan to celebrate with my teammates, then take a few days to rest and prepare for the Winter Games."

"What are your goals for this year?"

"Winning the Winter Championship for the second consecutive time, becoming a double champion!"

Kogure declared his goal of becoming a double champion.

As an athlete, he is always pursuing higher goals.

Only by becoming a double champion can one truly demonstrate dominance and secure the GOAT title without any controversy!

The interview was conducted in a very relaxed atmosphere, and Aida Yayoi asked a few more questions.

Kogure answered truthfully, providing a lot of valuable information, enough to earn Aida Yayoi praise from the editor-in-chief.

"One last question, what do you think is the most vicious trash talk on the field?"

Kogure blurted out, "You play like a gOat!"

This was entirely his subconscious reaction.

How malicious is that statement?
How dare this villain insult me ​​like this! How can he tarnish my reputation out of thin air!

The opponent could easily turn red instantly, then unleash a kung fu-style basketball move and become the next Bird!

This is incredibly insulting, even more malicious than saying you play like Kun Ge, since Kun Ge won the case!
If you see this phrase on a future baseball field, it means you've definitely made one of the following mistakes.

First, he's ugly!
Second, the issue of character!

Third, he possesses excellent footwork skills, capable of catching a cicada in eight steps and making a layup in six.

Fourth, the movements are too dirty, such as stepping on someone to push them with the Cloud-Dispelling Palm technique.

Fifth, shifting blame.

Sixth, no defense.

7. Winning possession of the ball.

……

In short, this is a highly insulting and offensive statement that will be used on future basketball courts.

I don't know about other places, but this is the area where Kogure lived in his previous life.

Completely baffled, Aida Yayoi asked, "Does 'goat' mean 'goat'? Or does it refer to the greatest athlete of all time? What kind of nonsense is this!"

GOAT is an acronym for "Greatest of All Time," and does not refer to a goat.

"You will understand later!"

Kogure gave an ambiguous answer.

As for why it's gOat instead of goat, you'll have to ask diddy.

"All right!"

Seeing that Kogure wouldn't speak, Aida Yayoi had no choice but to give up.

"Thank you very much for the interview. I wish you even greater success in the future."

"Thank you for your kind words. I will continue to work hard and live up to everyone's expectations."

After interviewing Kogure, Aida Yayoi interviewed several other Shohoku players.

Among them, Mitsui and Naito are the most prominent.

One of them made the All-Star team, and the other won Best Newcomer; both of them are very popular.

Shortly after, the interview ended, and Yayoi Aida left the locker room with a wealth of knowledge.

Fearing that fans might be lurking around, Kogure waited a while longer before leading his teammates away through the stadium's backup exit.

Just as they were about to leave the arena, Mitsui, with his sharp eyes, suddenly pointed to a corner and said, "Hey, isn't that Matsumoto Minoru?"

Kogure and the others quickly looked over there and found that Matsumoto Minoru seemed to be chatting with someone.

Due to the angle, Kogure couldn't see the other person clearly, only that they were wearing green clothes.

The iconic color of the clothes immediately brought Coach Taoka to Kogure's mind.

In the entire Slam Dunk universe, besides Coach Taoka, who else wears green?
The question is, how did these two end up together?
"Coach Taoka is quick to act!"

Kogure sighed for a moment, then understood the reason.

Two days ago, after Ryonan was eliminated by Sannoh Kogyo, Coach Taoka said goodbye to him.

Then, Kogure told him about Matsumoto Minoru.

Coach Taoka was thrilled; he wouldn't let go of any opportunity to strengthen Ryonan, especially since the opponent was Minoru Matsumoto.

Among the freshmen in the same year as Kogure, Matsumoto Minoru's performance last year was second only to Kogure.

This demonstrates just how strong Matsumoto Minoru is.

Although Matsumoto Minoru's performance this year is far worse than last year, with a significant drop in statistics, Coach Taoka can see that this is not Matsumoto Minoru's problem, but rather the problem of Matsumoto Minoru being gradually marginalized.

His and Sawakita's functions overlapped, but Sawakita was better than him. In addition, Coach Domoto was fickle and wanted to reform Matsumoto Minoru.

This directly led to a significant decline in Matsumoto Minoru's status within the team.

He wasn't good at playing off-ball, and he didn't want to be a pseudo-starter or even a sixth man, so he had the idea of ​​changing his approach.

As for why Coach Taoka only contacted Minoru Matsumoto now, it's because he's a coach with principles.

I'd rather stay a couple more days than disturb Minoru Matsumoto before the finals end, to avoid affecting him.

"Let's go!"

Kogure withdrew his gaze and led the way away.

After meeting Coach Anzai outside the stadium, the Shohoku team didn't linger and boarded the Shinkansen to return to Kanagawa.

"Have we forgotten something?"

It wasn't until the Shinkansen started moving that everyone belatedly realized they seemed to have forgotten about the two of them.

Akagi, Ayako: You're not human!
The two poor kids were completely forgotten at the Osaka hospital.

"Ah, A-Cai!"

After realizing what was happening, Miyagi couldn't help but let out a wail, filled with envy, jealousy, and resentment towards Akagi. He wanted to receive the same treatment as Akagi!
"I must work hard and practice more to develop my three-point shot, become a key player on the team, and reach the pinnacle of my life!"

Miyagi seemed to have made up her mind, her eyes blazing with fury.

He was so envious of Akagi that he wished he could take his place.

"I'll call them again after we get back."

Kogure took out a notebook from his coat pocket; he had specifically noted down the phone number of Osaka Hospital.

Akagi's injury is not serious, and he can return to recuperate, saving the basketball team's expenses.

At 2:30 p.m., Kogure and the others finally returned to Shohoku.

When the Shohoku team arrived at the school gate, they caused an instant sensation.

The entire campus seemed to be in a frenzy for their arrival, filled with a carnival atmosphere.

The first thing that catches the eye is a huge banner that spans above the school gate.

The banner that read "Congratulations to Shohoku team for winning the Summer National Tournament Championship" was undoubtedly a great recruitment advertisement.

In addition, school leaders stood at the school gate with smiles on their faces to greet them.

A large group of students who had skipped class had also gathered there, eager to witness this moment of glory.

The moment the Shohoku players stepped into the school, in addition to the students lining the streets to welcome them, deafening fireworks went off.

"we are the champion!"

As the team leader, Kogure's parents raised the trophy high, and their shout immediately resonated with everyone present.

"we are the champion!"

Whether they were Shohoku players or students, they all cheered in unison, their faces beaming with undisguised joy.

An atmosphere of joy and excitement filled the air.

In an instant, the entire campus was immersed in a sea of ​​joy.

"What a great recruitment ad!"

The school leaders exchanged glances, their unspoken understanding unspoken.

With its growing influence, Shohoku High School's recruitment efforts will surely be easier next year.

Just like last year, the school leaders announced the Shohoku team's reward in front of the entire school.

First, the school further increased the budget for the basketball department.

Second, the school decided to purchase a batch of the latest technology sports equipment for them.

Third, renovate the basketball court and expand the area.

Fourth, hire a professional American trainer!

The school has paid a considerable price to ensure the team's continued development and to cultivate more basketball talent.

"Our basketball team finally has a professional trainer!"

"With a trainer, our growth will definitely be faster."

……

Upon hearing that the school had hired a professional trainer, the Shohoku players all smiled.

Unlike his teammates, Kogure inexplicably thought of gOat when he heard about American trainers.

Yes, it's a video of gOat and the trainer!
This is probably the video gOat most wants to delete.

In the video, gOat's singles trainer suffered two missed shots, two interceptions, and one airball, a truly horrific sight.

This gives the impression that gOat is not as good as the trainer.

In reality, if the intensity really goes up, a trainer definitely can't beat a professional player.

The reason for this awkward scene is mainly because gOat's basic skills are really bad.

He is a prime example of someone who only trains his body but not his skills.

In addition to the benefits received by the basketball team, the school also routinely gives each member of the basketball team a bonus in recognition of their achievements.

The prize money this time is more than the prize money for winning the winter competition last year.

This is closely related to the higher prestige of the national competition.

Unlike last year, this time Kogure received a very thin red envelope.

He gently squeezed it and was certain it wasn't a bank card; it was most likely a check.

In addition, he also helped Akagi get the bonus.

Akagi received an extremely thick red envelope, almost reaching its maximum capacity.

The red envelopes from Mitsui and Naito were no less generous than those from Akagi, after all, they had also won the honor of the national tournament.

After receiving the generous bonus, the Shohoku players beamed with undisguised smiles.

For many of them, this was the first time they had received a prize, and this unexpected windfall filled them with hope for the future.

Not long after, the Shohoku players entered the basketball arena.

Kogure walked up to the display case and solemnly placed the championship trophy inside.

At this moment, there were four trophies displayed in the window: the trophies from the county competition, the winter selection competition, the winter competition, and the summer national competition.

In addition, there are several certificates of honor.

Just then, Rukawa Kaede pushed his wheelchair into the stadium.

Ichiro Mizusawa sat in a wheelchair, a relieved smile on his face.

When the surgery was a complete success, his heart was filled with hope, joy, and anticipation for the future.

He no longer needs to give up his beloved basketball!

However, he needs to recuperate for a period of time and will have to rely on a wheelchair.

In addition, he needs to actively undergo rehabilitation training until he recovers.

Normally, Ichiro Mizusawa is looked after by his parents and older sister. Today, because Shohoku won the championship, he specially asked Rukawa to push him to Shohoku so that he could experience the atmosphere in advance.

He has made up his mind that after graduating from junior high school, he will follow in the footsteps of Rukawa Kaede and become a member of the Shohoku team.

"Alright, everyone can go back now."

Soon after, Kogure disbanded the team.

Apart from Mitsui, all the other teammates chose to leave.

Kogure, unusually, didn't train and decided to rest for two days to avoid being too stressed.

Of course, this is related to his current strength.

During high school, he was close to reaching the theoretical maximum level.

"Mitsui, Rukawa, and Sendoh want to go fishing with me. Do you want to come along?"

"Of course I'll go! I can even mooch a meal at Uo's house while I'm there!"

The restaurant at the fish house is very much to Mitsui's liking.

"I won't go!"

Rukawa Kaede shook his head; he still needed to take Mizusawa Ichiro back with him, so he couldn't go with him.

After locking up the basketball court, the group headed towards the school gate.

Suddenly, Mitsui noticed two figures pressed together in the shadows ahead, seemingly doing something indescribable.

"Rukawa, let me help you push!"

Mitsui's eyes darted around for a moment, and before Rukawa could answer, he pushed Mizusawa Ichiro's wheelchair forward.

"This guy……"

Kogure shook his head with amusement; how could he not guess Mitsui's intentions?

As expected, Mitsui pushed Mizusawa Ichiro in front of the couple, and then immediately left with Kogure and Rukawa.

This is a real bamboo shoot snatching event!

As expected of Mitsui Hisashi!

"No, you..."

Ichiro Mizusawa was completely bewildered and could only awkwardly watch the couple's interaction, feeling utterly helpless.

However, the awkwardness didn't last long, as Rukawa Kaede returned and pushed the wheelchair away.

(End of this chapter)