•Connections•

The ball rattled into the rim.

Whilst Takeshi celebrated for the lucky shot, Okamura looked as if he would tear his hair out, Fukui had just sighed putting his hands on his hips, and Wei went to sit on the bench nonchalantly.

"They won," Masako said.

Kamina collapsed to the ground, panting. His body ached, and his shirt already soaked from sweat.

He knew that his current body was weak, but he never expected it to be THIS weak. No matter, by the time the season started he would be ready to go.

Himuro leaned over with a smile and offered a hand to which Kamina gladly took. Himuro said, "You are better than I thought you would be, no offense. But you didn't seem like you would be good at basketball."

"None taken. I had the same thoughts towards you."

"Kenichi! Fukui! Wei! You lot come here this instance!"

Hearing their names called by the fuming coach cold sweats formed on the three regulars. They robotically walked over to Masako and Ayako couldn't hide the chuckles escaping her mouth.

"After tryouts you three will run thirty suicides."

"Thirty!?" Okamura blurted out. Fukui elbowed his ribs, and he realized his mistake covering his mouth with his hands. 'Shit.'

Masako's glare nearly froze them two times over.

'Ah, we're fucked.'

"Make that sixty."

After that, the trio of regulars trudged to the bench. Their heads facing the ground and expressions dejected. Tonight, they definitely wouldn't have any problems going to sleep.

"Himuro Tatsuya! Kaede Kamina! The both of you come here." Masako grinned as she called the two freshmen over.

Kamina gulped giving a side eye to Himuro. When they walked over Kamina gave a sneaky wink to Ayako who was standing idly by Masako.

"Yes, coach?" Himuro tilted his head.

"You two… where did you play basketball in Junior High?"

Masako was curious as visible by her expression. With the level of skill, the duo had, it was near impossible for the both of them to stay under her radar. She prided herself on information gathering and not finding these two gems earlier was like a blow to her research.

"America."

"I didn't play, but I went to Shoei Junior High."

Masako nodded. That explained it perfectly. With these new priceless additions to her team, she would have a real shot at winning a championship this year.

"Good good." She tapped their shoulders. "Both of you will be regulars. What we lacked were people that could shoot the ball at high percentages. In other words, we needed scorers."

Kamina nodded. While a disciplined defensive team could beat most teams, it would only go so far especially against a truly strong team.

Sure, defense wins game, but if the team didn't have a reliable offense, then it would never reach that goal of a championship.

"We just have one missing piece, and he should be here sometime this week. A generation of miracles player. Murasakibara Atsushi."

"Is he good?" Kamina asked.

"I heard he is," Himuro chimed in. "He was part of an elite group of Junior high players that went undefeated and completely crushed his opponents to the point that some of them stopped playing basketball. He was that teams center."

Masako nodded, "Exactly. Which is why I'm excited that the two of you came to my school. Those old fogey's at Rakuzan and Tōō have recruited talented players for their teams this year, but with the two of you they won't know what hit them. Although…"

Masako peered over Kamina's body. "We're going to have to take care of your stamina problem and strength. You have excellent control of pace, but you lack explosiveness, so we'll train that too."

'Ouch.'

Kamina knew it but being told that to his face without an ounce of expression hurt what little pride he had in himself.

To the outside, it seemed as though Masako was giving favoritism to the duo. And that's exactly what it was. She would have done the same for anyone else who showcased even an ounce of the potential they had.

Special players got special treatment. It didn't matter to her how anyone else felt about it. Her only goal was to win.

"You guys don't have to participate in the rest of the tryouts, you're already guaranteed a spot. Feel free to kickback and connect with your fellow regulars."

Kamina turned his neck to look at the bench. Instantly, Okamura growled at him akin to a bear. Fukui snickered and raised his middle finger. He mouthed the simple words, 'Fuck you.'

'Haha... they're definitely pissed.'

-

"Hahaha, guess you're not so bad after all my dear Kouhai," Okamura slapped Himuro and Kamina's backs. "I can't believe you managed to convince that witch out of our punishment. Great work."

Fukui nodded. He hadn't been exactly thrilled or looking forward to the absurd amounts of suicides.

"Thou deserve my respect," Wei said.

Kamina laughed alongside Okamura, though his wasn't a laugh of joy. Rather, it was of pain. Himuro grit his teeth holding the burning sensation within.

"What position do you guys play?" Fukui asked.

"Shooting guard," Himuro replied.

"Point guard."

"Hmmm," Okamura glanced back and forth between Fukui and Kamina. "Looks like one of you guys will have to ride the bench~ Hahaha. And we don't have a shooting guard, so Himuro is safe."

"I'm sorry Kensuke-San." Kamina crossed his legs over looking at the court he came off of. "But obviously I'm going to be the one to start."

"A little cocky you are," Fukui sneered. "That's fine. I'm up for a little challenge. May the best man win."

"Likewise."

After forty-five more minutes, everyone began to pack up and head home. Masako had informed them that the ones who were chosen would be notified the day after.

Kamina picked up a loose ball as his body was well rested. 'There's something I want to try. If I remember correctly, he said Wizard's touch, combo weaver, and shadows world.'

What was combo weaver?

What was Wizard's touch?

He had an idea as to what they both were, and they were also the reasons he was able to bypass the seniors defense without expending an unusual amount of energy.

There was definitely a change in his game. He was better in his old world, but that could be attributed to his athleticism. And that was nonexistent in this new world.

In terms of skill, Kamina felt as if he had a sudden boost. From the uncanny way he handled the ball, as if glued to his body. Down to the soft touch of his strokes.

He began experimenting. 'Double behind the back, In and out, crossover, pound double, hesitation.'

Then he stopped. All the moves in his head were executed perfectly. As if naturally flowing into each other.

Now he was sure what Combo Weaver was. The ability to come up with infinite combinations on the fly and counter moves to however his opponent reacted.

What made it special was the reduced lag of his brain to think of a move. That's why the regulars defense could never quite truly get the timing. Coupled with his change of pace and direction, it was near impossible to stop him from getting to any spot he wished to.

As for wizard's touch, that was self-explanatory. He could regulate how much strength and amount of flick he needed to successfully make a shot or dribble move for max efficiency.

It was instinctual.

Off about to do his own thing, Himuro observed Kamina in deep concentration. Everything about the way he moved to his choice of dribbles and shot selection.

'How can I move like that? Alex said I was holding myself back but what did she mean? What's separating me from people like that?'

Himuro shook his thoughts off and went back to shooting free throws. It was all in his mind. There was nothing wrong with his play style. He had that much trust in himself.

He may not have any talent, but he would make up for it with his hard work.

However, was Himuro truly talentless? Perhaps there was a something hidden, waiting to be unleashed out into the world.

-

Ayako had yet to go home along with Masako who was elsewhere currently. The lights were still on but only three people were in the gym.

Herself, Himuro, and Kamina.

She checked her phone, 6:50 pm. It was ten minutes until the gym was scheduled to close.

"Guys! Start packing up! I'll be locking the doors in ten minutes."

They both nodded, walked over to their bags and changed their shoes.

Kamina unplugged his headphones and wiped the sweat off of his head with his shirt. "Man, I'm soaking."

"I'm leaving. See you guys tomorrow," Himuro said.

"Safe trip."

"See you tomorrow Himuro-San."

Now it was just the two of them.

"Both of you guys work really hard, huh?" Ayako interlocked her fingers behind her back and leaned into the bleachers.

Kamina strapped on his backpack. Smiling at the slightly older girl, "We have to, to stay ahead. Somewhere out there someone is working harder than even us and if we slack, they'll close in and overtake us."

"That's an interesting way of putting. You guys are working a TAD bit too hard though. It's probably best if this doesn't become an everyday type of thing."

Kamina agreed, taking a look at his shaking hands and feet. His excitement to once again being able to play basketball caused him to over-train. He was sure Himuro felt the same.

"Thanks for looking out for us Manager-San," Kamina Joked.

"I'm serious Kaede-San."

"Just Kamina is fine. 'Kaede-San' feels a bit distant for my liking."

Ayako rolled her eyes not able to conceal the smile blooming on her pretty face. "Then call me Ayako, Kamina-Kun."

"You are stubborn."

"I get that a lot."

The two exchanged a couple more words before leaving the gym and going their own separate ways. But if it was one thing they had in common, it was that they looked forward to the next day.