Basketball miracles

Chapter 184 [The Affection Level is Almost Maxed Out]

Accompanied by the iconic Japanese phrase "Baka yarou," Judo junior B made the first move.

He reached for Xiao Tu's collar, seemingly intending to throw him hard, but he was too slow.

Xiao Tu used his right leg to hook behind his younger brother B's right leg, throwing him backwards to his left. This move is called "Big Outer Cut," and Xiao Tu executed it with fluid grace and tremendous power.

Xiao Tu deliberately provoked them, but instead of karate, he used judo. His intention was to get the judo club members to fight him; he hadn't expected them to be so cooperative by simply saying that sparring was too boring.

He held a superior position at Shohoku High School, and it was suspected that the Japanese students would not dare to lay a hand on him, a distinguished American exchange student.

When his underling A came up, Xiao Tu quickly moved to a comfortable position, adjusted his opponent's position by pushing and pulling, used footwork to disrupt his balance, then turned and inserted his leg to complete a lifting motion, and then threw him down with a back throw.

Aota Tatsuhiko's eyes widened in disbelief. What a perfect "inner thigh" move! He didn't use much force to throw the person to the ground.

Xiao Tu's younger brother, Bing, also rushed up to help. Xiao Tu seized the opportunity to grab his sleeve, and with his other hand, he used his waist to rotate and create torque. He leaned back and fell to the ground, using his legs to kick Bing's abdomen to create leverage. Finally, he completed the roll and throw by coordinating the power of his waist and legs.

This move is called "Baroto," and anyone who has played Street Fighter II has seen it. It's used by the two main characters, Ryu and Ken.

Xiao Tu's movements were smooth and beautiful, and he threw the person quite a distance.

Xiao Tu swiftly and cleanly took down the three men in a matter of seconds; even Sakuragi Hanamichi, an outsider, could tell he was a judo master.

The three underlings were also quite capable, and they were somewhat incredulous, so they dared not go any further.

Judo is generally suitable for one-on-one combat, but Xiao Tu's speed is so fast that he is not afraid of being surrounded.

Aota Tatsuhiko asked, "Isn't this judo, not karate?"

"Yes, I was just joking. You see, you wouldn't want to be forced to participate in a certain sport, would you? Just because your body is suited to a certain martial art doesn't mean you have to practice it. I know a little karate and judo, but I still choose to play basketball."

Xiao Tu's explanation was somewhat far-fetched, but the Japanese youth, who admired strength and were prone to adolescent angst, immediately accepted it.

Oh, it was just a joke. It's alright then.

Because of the nuclear peace, the Japanese have always maintained a friendly and respectful attitude towards Americans.

Aota Tatsuhiko exclaimed, "You don't just know a little bit; you look like you have the strength of a black belt."

Xiao Tu laughed and said, "How about it? Would you like to spar with me? I actually really like judo too."

“Alright, I am Captain Aota Tatsuhiko. I won’t take advantage of you, you can change into this taekwondo uniform first.”

“Then I won’t stand on ceremony. I’m Sebastian Shaw, you can call me Shaw.” Xiao Tu actually found Qing Tianlongyan very pleasing to the eye and wanted to make friends through a fight.

In the manga, Aota Tatsuhiko is the type who has the heart of a tiger but the gentle touch of a rose.

First of all, he wasn't the kind of arrogant muscleman who would start a fight at the drop of a hat. On the contrary, he had a long-term vision. He knew that the judo club lacked talented juniors, and in order to prevent the Shohoku judo club from falling from its pedestal in the future, he took the initiative to invite Sakuragi Hanamichi.

Akagi Takenori's personality is too straightforward, and he often offends people with his words, causing him to have many conflicts with Sakuragi.

Secondly, Aota Tatsuhiko is a smart man. He used Akagi Haruko's photo to lure Sakuragi into joining him, and also showed off his judo skills to praise Sakuragi. He used a two-pronged approach.

In addition, Aota Tatsuhiko has a friendly and approachable personality, making him a great friend.

Although he was the county judo champion, he always appeared with a smile. Even when Akagi said hurtful things, he never really held a grudge and would even encourage Akagi.

After warming up, the two began one-on-one, and they performed the basic etiquette.

Aota Tatsuhiko is about 185cm tall, almost the same height as Xiao Tu, with broad shoulders and a strong physique. The two immediately recognized each other as experts, employing various techniques in a battle of wits and courage.

Xiao Tu was having a great time practicing judo with others, while Sakuragi Hanamichi stood by, dumbfounded.

He realized he had become a supporting character, and this whole affair had nothing to do with him anymore. The three third-year students who were spying outside the window, along with Ayako who had just arrived, were also surprised.

It wasn't just boasting that Xiao Tu knew judo; in fact, he held a clear advantage in a match against Aota Tatsuhiko, the top judoka in the prefecture's high schools.

Xiao Tu hasn't been practicing judo for long, but his talent as the "King of Kung Fu" is too strong; he can learn various moves like he has the Sharingan. He also has remarkable physical abilities, capable of competing with even the top instructors at martial arts schools.

Aota Tatsuhiko is not a professional judo athlete yet; he is only at the level of participating in the national high school judo tournament. His strength and skills are somewhat lacking compared to adults.

The two played for less than five minutes, and Xiao Tu scored three "ippon" (an ippon), achieving an overwhelming victory. In a judo match, the game ends when an athlete scores an "ippon." Aota Tatsuhiko was completely convinced: "How did you train? Your lower body is incredibly stable!"

“It’s all about talent. I don’t usually practice fighting.” Xiao Tu made his meaning clear: having talent doesn’t necessarily mean you have to do this.

Aota Tatsuhiko sighed, "This judo uniform is yours now. You're welcome to come to the judo club anytime. Can you spar with me often?"

“I’ll come over whenever I have time. We’re friends now.” Xiao Tu and Qing Tian shook hands firmly.

The third brother had great respect for Xiao Tu, because he could defeat the commander-in-chief and the victor would be king.

Xiao Tu changed his clothes and left with Sakuragi.

Sakuragi asked, "You're even better than that judo guy? Are you really good at karate too?"

"I am indeed stronger in karate."

Sakuragi asked, "Can you teach me?"

"No, I don't usually use it. Karate is too brutal. You'd better not fight in the future. If you lose, you'll get injured; if you win, you'll go to jail. What's the point? You have a better future with basketball. You can become a professional player and a star, and make a lot of money."

When the two arrived at the basketball court, Kogure immediately went up to ask what was wrong.

Xiao Tu said, "Qingtian won't look for Sakuragi anymore. He values ​​Sakuragi and wants a good teammate who can compete with him. I often go to the judo club, and sparring with him will help me improve my skills."

Ayako looked at Xiao Tu with shining eyes. "You're amazing! How do you know so many things?"

"I also know Chinese Kung Fu. I'll practice it if I'm interested. I learn things quickly," Xiao Tu said with a smile.

If others knew just how fast he could practice kung fu, they would be absolutely astonished.

During team practice today, Sakuragi Hanamichi started practicing his three-step layup. He can't dunk every time he drives to the basket; layups are fundamental, and everyone needs to be able to do them.

Xiao Tu demonstrated the layup move, but Sakuragi Hanamichi kept making mistakes and couldn't imitate it well.

Moreover, because there were so many people watching the game, Sakuragi felt even more embarrassed, and his face turned bright red.

His teammates were convinced, finally believing Xiao Tu's words: for Sakuragi, practicing dunks was easier than layups. His layups were so stiff his wrists were off-target, the ball even hitting the bottom of the backboard and bouncing into his face.

Xiao Tu immediately stopped him and whispered to Sakuragi, "Stop practicing. If you keep practicing, people will think you're not worthy of the title of genius. Practice outside of school tomorrow, and then come to the gym to demonstrate. Remember the key points: gently put the ball in."

Sakuragi, who liked to be in the spotlight but disliked being a clown, asked in a low voice, "What if I don't do well in practice tomorrow?"

"You're a genius, how could you not even be able to practice a layup properly? Get up early and practice. Diligence brings good luck, and you might even get a pleasant surprise."

Xiao Tu didn't want to drastically change the plot, and Sakuragi also had some "romantic moments" of his own.

The next day, Sakuragi got up early to practice basketball and, as expected, ran into Haruko Akagi, who was jogging in the morning. Then, under Haruko's guidance, he successfully mastered the "ordinary layup."

When they arrived at school, Sakuragi made a special trip to the third-year classroom to thank Xiao Tu.

He shed tears of happiness at the thought of practicing with Haruko that morning. "Big brother, you're right, hard work really does bring good luck."

Xiao Tu encouraged him, "You're improving very quickly. I'll pass you the ball during practice matches. Score more points, grab more rebounds, and strive to make a name for yourself. I think you and Qingzi are a good match; she'll like you in the future."

Sakuragi blushed deeply. "Really? But... but I think Haruko likes you more."

“That’s how she likes her idol, it’s completely different, you don’t need to be jealous of me. Haruko treats you differently from everyone else because you were invited to join the team. She always cares about you and is happy to see you grow. She’s just too oblivious to notice, but I have.”

Sakuragi was moved to tears again. He, a simple-minded creature, actually believed what Xiao Tu said.

Spring is here! My spring is here!
If Xiao Tu were playing the Slam Dunk game right now, and could see the character's affection level, Sakuragi's affection level for him would be almost full.

It's really easy for adults to fool naive kids. Xiao Tu didn't want anything from Sakuragi; he was simply curious about what level Sakuragi could reach in the national tournament if he created a butterfly effect that helped him grow.

Sakuragi's basketball talent is the strongest in Japanese history, and his talent should not be buried.

(End of this chapter)