32 Chapter 31

[Assimilating Elite Assimilation Card: Hanamichi Sakuragi...]

[Assimilation successful.]

with the system notification, i opened my status panel to see my if it's updated.

[Status]

Name: Takai Ichigo

Template: Hanamichi Sakuragi (25%)

Assimilated: Akira Sendoh.

Height: 193cm

Weight: 190lbs

Wingspan: 202cm

As I glanced at my status panel, I was taken aback by the fact that I had grown taller since the last time I checked. However, upon pondering it further, I realized that I had forgotten that my body was still in its teenage years and naturally going through growth spurts. I had become so accustomed to my adult mindset that I had overlooked the fact that my physical form was still in the process of maturing. The realization left me feeling a bit embarrassed, but fortunately, I found solace in the fact that I was alone in my room.

When I checked my status panel, what surprised me even more than the change in my height was the fact that I had only made 25% progress in assimilating with Sakuragi. I had expected it to be much higher, considering that Akira Sendoh's skills are more refined than Sakuragi's.

However, upon reflection, I realized that when I assimilate Sakuragi's abilities, I feel significantly lighter than before. This could be due to Sakuragi's athleticism already manifesting and changing my body within.

With that thought in mind, I prepared myself to go out and find the nearest basketball court in my area. I wanted to see how much Sakuragi's card had affected me. I quickly put on my basketball gear and picked up my basketball before leaving my small apartment.

As I walked down the street, I noticed that I felt an immense amount of energy coursing through my body. I felt stronger than ever before. To test the limits of my newfound strength, I decided to sprint towards the nearest basketball court. After about five minutes of running, I finally arrived at an empty court.

Surprisingly, I didn't feel tired at all despite the intense sprinting I had just done. It was as if I were filled with boundless energy, like being on a sugar rush. Excited to push my stamina to its limits, I started with some warm-up exercises. After 15 minutes of warming up, I began sprinting up and down the court.

About 20 minutes had passed, and I could feel my body gradually starting to tire. As the clock ticked past the 30-minute mark, I stopped running. Although my legs were on the verge of giving up, I could still sense that I had enough stamina left to continue.

While resting on the side of the court, I pondered over the impact of Sakuragi's card on my body. One thing was certain: my stamina had significantly improved, and I could also feel an increase in my strength. Unfortunately, I didn't have any tools to accurately measure the extent of my strength improvement. I decided to leave that assessment for another time.

Overall, I couldn't help but feel amazed and grateful for the transformative effects of Sakuragi's card on my body.

After resting for 10 minutes, I can feel that my body has returned to normal. This is one of the advantages of having Sakuragi's card. I decide to stand up and test how much my jumping ability has improved.

In the Slam Dunk anime, Sakuragi was known for his incredible physicality. He could jump so high that his face crashed into the board, and this was even before he started playing basketball. He only tried the sport to impress his crush.

In the games, Sakuragi always out-rebounded opposing big men and consistently had a higher vertical jump than everyone else. His real talent, however, shone through in defense. Though he was new to the game and prone to committing fouls, Sakuragi's relentless hustle, quickness, and jumping ability allowed him to effectively guard anyone on the court.

While he often got scored on due to being outsmarted by opposing teams, this was expected given his lack of experience. Nevertheless, his relentless effort alone could compensate for his lack of experience. Additionally, it's worth noting that his character was based on NBA legend Dennis Rodman, which gives us an idea of his potential and how high his ceiling could be.

With that in mind, I was excited to see how much my leaping ability had improved. After giving my body some rest and cooling down, I picked up my basketball and positioned myself under the basket. This time, I wanted to test my vertical jump without a running start.

The last time I measured my vertical jump, it was around 30-35 inches, which is already impressive given my height. With that kind of vertical, I can easily dunk with a running start. However, it's difficult for me to dunk without that initial momentum. When I try to dunk under the basket without a running start, I often miss.

So, I positioned myself under the basket and jumped with all my might. In that moment, I realized I had made a mistake. Everything happened so quickly that I didn't even have time to react. My head collided with the underside of the rim, and I landed awkwardly on my back. To make matters worse, the ball landed on my face while I was still on the ground.

"Argh, bad move," I muttered, wincing in pain as I lay on the ground. After a minute, the pain began to fade, and I cautiously glanced around to see if anyone had witnessed my embarrassing mishap. Luckily, there was no one in sight, so I slowly lifted myself up.

Once I was standing, I carefully inspected my body for any wounds or injuries. Thankfully, it seemed that I didn't have any internal injuries or fractures as I gently patted myself all over. I only noticed some bruises, but no significant damage. With each passing moment, the pain continued to diminish until it eventually disappeared entirely.

"Well, that's embarrassing," I said to myself. As I muttered, "Maybe I should have started with easy dunks," I reaffirmed my decision to begin with simpler maneuvers.

With that in mind, I got back on the court as if nothing had happened. This time, I was determined to start with the easiest dunk.

Time flew by as I reveled in my newfound leaping ability. I executed all the dunk tricks I knew, from windmills to 360° dunks, and even between-the-legs slams. Finally, I achieved the ultimate feat of dunking from the free throw line.

Not only had my vertical leap improved significantly but my explosiveness had also skyrocketed. I noticed that I was now able to get off the ground quicker than before. I estimated my vertical jump was now well above 40 inches for sure.

Time passed as I noticed that it was already getting dark. I had been so engrossed in my newfound leaping ability that I hadn't noticed how much time had actually passed. It was almost nighttime, so I quickly packed up my things, including my basketball, in preparation to go home. I couldn't wait to return here tomorrow to try out other dunks or maybe even create my own signature dunk.

(3rd person POV)

And just like that, a few weeks flew by as the new school year approached once again. The air was filled with palpable excitement as new students eagerly prepared for the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. Meanwhile, returning students were brimming with joy and anticipation, eager to reunite with their old friends.

Amidst all the anticipation and excitement in the air, we find our main protagonist, Ichigo Takai, unpacking his belongings in his new apartment provided by the school where he would be studying for the next three years.

(MC'S POV)

"Phew, finally! That's the last of it," I exclaimed, taking a deep breath as I finished unpacking and arranging my belongings. I settled down on the sofa, which fortunately came with the apartment.

Looking around, I took in my new home for the next three years. It was the first time in this life that I would be living in such a spacious apartment. In fact, even in my previous life, I had never lived alone in an apartment this size.

Though not extravagant like luxury apartments, this place had everything I needed - a kitchen, a bathroom with a shower and a hot tub, a single bedroom, and a cozy living room. While it may not be enormous, it certainly felt comfortable and inviting.

What's great about this apartment is that it's my own place, so when I feel lonely, I can invite some friends over to hang out and have a good time, if you know what I mean.

Anyway, let's talk about something else. I'm really excited about the upcoming basketball Interhigh tournament! I can't wait to compete against the Generation of Miracles and see how much they have improved since the last time I played against them. I'm eager to see how I measure up against them and their teams.

As far as I know, they are still on the same teams as in the anime, so there won't be any butterfly effect. But I do know for sure that even if they didn't change their teams compared to the anime, their loss has heightened their drive to improve. I'm confident that this Interhigh will be even more intense than in the anime.