Slam Dunk: Muguro

Chapter 361 We were already champions before you won!
Just as Sakuragi was feeling jealous of Rukawa, a massive shadow loomed over him.

Sakuragi looked up and saw Akagi staring down at him menacingly.

"Damn it, you just said you deliberately didn't pass the ball, right?"

Akagi did not use a question, but an affirmative sentence.

After spending a year together, how could he not know about the problems between Sakuragi and Rukawa?

No, Rukawa Kaede will still spread the word.

In fact, this was Sakuragi's own problem.

Sakuragi scratched the back of his head guiltily and quickly said, "No, I didn't notice!"

"you are lying!"

Akagi Yorushi could easily see that Sakuragi was lying.

This guy acted so nervously, he has absolutely no talent for acting.

In fact, Sakuragi has a talent for acting, such as the 'slip of the hand' incident.

When watching Slam Dunk for the first time, most viewers might subconsciously assume that Sakuragi has realized his mistakes and can correct them, only to discover that it was just a facade, designed to lower Rukawa's guard.

thump~
Akagi responded to Sakuragi with an iron fist that fell from the sky!
"Ouch, that hurts!"

Sakuragi crouched down, his hands covering his head, revealing a large bump on his head.

"You big idiot!"

Beside him, Rukawa Kaede spread his hands and let out a soft sigh.

"If this happens again, I'll teach you a lesson. Sakuragi, you don't want to lose to those three monkeys again, do you?"

As Kanagawa's top center, Akagi doesn't want to lose to Uozumi.

Therefore, he had to wake Sakuragi up so that he could concentrate on the game.

"I see!"

Sakuragi stood up and made a choice between Rukawa and the three monkeys.

This was a difficult choice for him.

To be honest, he didn't want to choose!
However, when faced with two evils, he chose the lesser one, and the key was that he didn't want to lose again.

While Akagi was disciplining Sakuragi, Akagi Haruko and her two friends finally arrived at the scene.

They first went to Shohoku and learned about the situation there from Kakuta Daichi, who was staying behind.

It's human nature to watch a spectacle, so Haruko Akagi and her two companions rushed over.

Matsui pointed at Akagi on the field and said, "Hey, Haruko, your brother's on the field. His opponent is that old monkey from Ryonan... cough cough, Uozumi-senpai!"

Beside her, Fujii weakly added, "Sakuragi and Rukawa are on the court too!"

She seemed interested in Sakuragi, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him.

"Where is Senior Mokumo?"

Haruko Akagi glanced at her brother, then subconsciously searched for Kiku's figure.

"Senior Mokumo is just enjoying the view from the sidelines!"

Fujii, with his sharp eyes, immediately spotted the wooden curtain.

She was right. Mu Mu was indeed watching the scenery, watching the five monkeys and the fox, watching them frolicking around on the field.

This place is practically a zoo!
Once she saw the figure of the wooden gate, Haruko Akagi couldn't take her eyes off it.

Not far away, Shimamura Yoko would occasionally glance at the wooden screen, then quickly turn her gaze back to the field.

"I heard that Shohoku is going to hire an assistant manager after the start of the school year. Is that true?"

Suddenly, Yoko Shimamura's ears twitched slightly.

Upon hearing this news, her attention was instantly drawn, and she listened intently to the conversation between the two girls.

The speaker was a short-haired girl wearing pink lipstick.

"Mari, there are definitely a lot of people competing for the assistant manager position, so let's not even think about it!"

"No, I want to try!"

Mari Kawai gently stroked her short purple hair, revealing a confident expression.

"I lost to Ayako last time, but this time I'm determined to win over the assistant manager position."

The thought of Ayako made Mari Kawai feel uneasy.

As for why he wanted to become the assistant manager of the basketball team, it was naturally because it would be easier to interview the players from Shohoku.

Mari Kawai is a reporter for the Shohoku News Agency (broadcasting department), and the basketball team is the most famous team in Shohoku. If you want to cover a sensational story, the basketball team has the best chance.

In order to plan an interview with the Shohoku team, Mari Kawai was determined to infiltrate Shohoku's ranks.

"It would be even better if I could become Mokumo's girlfriend."

Kawai Mari thought to herself, becoming Mokumo's girlfriend is a shortcut to success.

Most importantly, she did not resist.

Whether it's looks, personality, reputation, or ball skills, Mumu can be described as flawless, and how many girls could resist him?

As a Shohoku student, Mari Kawai is no exception!
Simply put, at least 80% of the girls at Shohoku High School are fans of Kogure.

"I'll try my best to become the assistant manager of the Shohoku team!"

Meanwhile, Shimamura Yoko, who had been eavesdropping, silently made up her mind.

That's right, Ye Zi didn't go to Wuyuan again, but instead chose Xiangbei.

Bang~
At that moment, a loud thud echoed through the arena.

On the outdoor basketball court, Rukawa Kaede first made a steal, then broke through Kiyota Nobunaga, and after attracting Uozumi's help defense, he made a brilliant pass to Akagi Gorilla for a dunk.

Hua Hua Hua~
Witnessing this, the onlookers cheered.

Under Mokumo's tutelage, Rukawa Kaede's performance became increasingly well-rounded, surpassing his peers at the same stage.

"Wow, what a cunning fox! He's stolen the spotlight again!"

Sakuragi muttered something under his breath.

"idiot!"

Rukawa glanced at Sakuragi and couldn't help but shake his head.

He knew Sakuragi's strength very well. The reason Sakuragi hadn't shown his full potential was because he was only thinking about showing off and not doing what he was best at.

Compared to Rukawa, who excels at offense, Sakuragi is better at defense.

"Sakuragi, focus! Otherwise, you'll have a hard time performing well!"

At that moment, Akagi's voice rang out.

Like Miyagi, Sakuragi is also easily distracted.

"I see!"

Sakuragi replied with a long face.

He really wanted to show off, but his attacks were limited to three tricks, and they weren't very effective against Nango Koichiro, whose physical abilities were similar.

To put it simply, Sakuragi's current offense is more like GOat's. Since he doesn't have a killer move, his performance will inevitably be greatly reduced when he encounters strong and physically imposing defenders.

For this, gOat contributed several 'world-class masterpieces'!
It was at this moment that Kimo waved to Sakuragi.

"Senior, what's the matter?"

Sakuragi hurriedly ran to Mokumo. He was very polite to Mokumo, after all, the other party had not only saved his father, but also shown him the way forward and taught him.

His current achievements are inseparable from Mu Mu's guidance.

"Sakuragi, there's a saying in the NBA: offense wins the box office, but defense wins the championship!"

"Defense is the key to winning championships!"

Sakuragi's eyes lit up, and his fighting spirit returned.

"In terms of defense, you're better than Rukawa. Go for it, I believe you can do it!"

Encouraged by the wooden curtain, Sakuragi was as energetic as if he had been injected with chicken blood.

This was personally acknowledged by Kigami, which was undoubtedly the best encouragement for Sakuragi.

Mokumo wasn't lying; although Rukawa's defense had improved considerably, Sakuragi's defensive progress was even more obvious.

Unlike gOat, Sakuragi's defense is truly impressive.

As for gOat's defense, don't assume he's a good defender just because he's played a few defensive formations.

On the contrary, gOat's defense was terrible.

You can ask Parker, Iguodala, Durant, Terry, etc. about this.

In the finals, who wouldn't want to face off against gOat? Not only will their stats skyrocket, but they might even win the Finals MVP! "Senior, just watch, this genius is about to dominate the defensive end!"

Sakuragi returned to the field full of fighting spirit.

Soon, Uozumi launched an attack.

Using Uozumi's screen, Kiyota Nobunaga temporarily shook off Rukawa Kaede.

Just then, a figure rushed forward.

Kiyota Nobunaga was clearly taken aback and instinctively tried to pass the ball to Nango Koichiro.

However, Sakuragi's speed was still beyond Kiyota Nobunaga's expectations.

slap~
Sakuragi seized the opportunity and made a steal with a wave of his hand.

Uozumi happened to pick up the basketball, and he strode into the basket, intending to deliver a dunk like Monkey King.

slap~
Just as Uozumi was about to raise the basketball, Sakuragi reached out and stole it again.

Kiyota Nobunaga tried to steal the ball, but Sakuragi got there first.

At that moment, Rukawa Kaede appeared outside the three-point line in the corner.

This time, Sakuragi didn't hesitate much and, despite feeling awkward, passed the ball to Rukawa.

shuh~
With no one guarding him, Rukawa Kaede easily hit a three-pointer.

With Sakuragi making two consecutive steals and assisting Rukawa to score, many onlookers cheered for him.

"Oh dear, I'm not that good!"

Sakuragi stood with his hands on his hips, beaming with pride.

Then, their joy turned to sorrow. While Sakuragi was laughing heartily, Uozumi's team quickly served the ball.

By the time Sakuragi realized what was happening, Nango Koichiro was already hanging on the rim with one hand.

"You big idiot!"

Rukawa glanced at Sakuragi with disdain, then prepared to serve.

Sakuragi, unusually, did not refute, because even he himself felt that his behavior just now was foolish.

clap~
Sakuragi slapped his cheeks with both hands, refocusing his attention on the game.

As time went on, Sakuragi Hanamichi's performance became increasingly outstanding, especially on the defensive end.

His footwork is steady, and his sense of smell is exceptionally sharp. He can always quickly block the opponent's offensive routes, making it extremely difficult for the Ryonan Monkeys to score.

In addition, Sakuragi also performed well on the offensive end, hitting two mid-range shots.

However, the accident still happened.

Sakuragi broke free from Nango Koichiro and drove to the basket, where Akagi passed the ball at the opportune moment.

Sakuragi leaped high and delivered a tomahawk dunk.

Clang~ Crack~
A loud thud echoed as the rim seemed to buckle under the weight.

After being relentlessly attacked by Akagi, Uozumi, and others, basketball was already overwhelmed.

So, under Sakuragi's powerful dunk, the rim broke.

Sakuragi instantly lost his balance and was about to fall to the ground.

The outdoor basketball court isn't made of flexible wooden planks, but rather of hard concrete.

At the crucial moment, Uozumi, who was closest to Sakuragi, instinctively reached out and hugged him.

Call ~
Sakuragi breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at Uozumi with gratitude: "Boss Uozumi, you're actually a pretty nice guy!"

Uozumi rolled his eyes and pointed at the basketball hoop in Sakuragi's hand, saying, "You should worry about yourself first. Damaging public property will cost you money!"

"Compensate!"

Kiyota Nobunaga and Nango Koichiro, feeling the matter wasn't big enough, joined in the fun with a shout that was as grand as the "refund guy's" lavish treatment of the Chinese national football team!

How much compensation is owed?

As Sakuragi spoke, he fumbled in his pockets for a while before finally pulling out three coins.

Is 30 yen enough?

Everyone burst into laughter upon seeing the 30 yen in Sakuragi's hand.

Do you think the other party is an easily fooled shopkeeper with a mustache?

At the same time, the Sakuragi Army took out all the money they had without saying a word.

Sharing joys and sorrows, the Sakuragi Army perfectly embodies this spirit.

The problem is, it seems like Sakuragi's gang never really got to enjoy any good fortune...

However, this amount of money is clearly not enough.

"I'll join in too!"

Rukawa Kaede silently took out some money and placed it in Sakuragi's hand.

"Fox... Rukawa Kaede, I didn't expect you to be so manly!"

Sakuragi quickly changed his mind and accepted it without hesitation.

Seeing this situation, Akagi, Uozumi, and the others decided to pool their money.

However, at that moment, Mokumo's voice rang out: "Sakuragi, you are the future member of our team, and our Shohoku team will cover this cost for you."

With a wave of his hand, Mu Mu took the initiative to handle the compensation matter.

Since Shohoku High School won the double championship, the basketball team's budget has increased further, officially becoming the club with the largest budget at Shohoku High School.

It's worth noting that some clubs have more members than the basketball team; after all, Shohoku only has 15 official members in total.

As for the backup players, they are basically all paid for by themselves, at most they will pay for their own clothes.

Yes, similar to the uniforms worn by the Shohoku cheerleading team.

"Then I'm not welcome!"

Sakuragi's face lit up instantly, and he casually stuffed all the money in his hand into his pocket.

"Ah, my money!"

The Sakuragi Army let out a wail, all showing expressions of pain.

This was all the money they earned from working during winter break, but it was confiscated by Sakuragi yet again.

Sakuragi pretended not to hear, and as for Rukawa's money, he naturally accepted it with a smile.

Thinking of this, Sakuragi couldn't help but smile, almost turning into a crooked-mouthed dragon king.

Rukawa Kaede did not express any dissatisfaction with this.

He has no concept of money and never cares about money.

At that moment, Akagi approached Uozumi, pointed to the intact basketball hoop on the other side, and asked, "Uozumi, shall we continue?"

"We're not playing anymore, we've lost this match!"

Uozumi shook his head. With Sakuragi back to normal, their offensive efficiency had been greatly reduced.

As for the defensive end, Kiyota Nobunaga was completely unable to stop Rukawa Kaede, and could only be attacked at will by the opponent.

If we can't break through their defenses or defend them, there's no point in continuing.

Before leaving, Kiyota Nobunaga said to Rukawa Kaede, "Rukawa Kaede, I will definitely defeat you in the prefectural tournament!"

"Having confidence is a good thing. I believe the future is yours!"

Rukawa Kaede rarely responded with a single sentence.

The future is yours, but the present is mine!

"Damn it!"

Kiyota Nobunaga looked somewhat vulnerable.

Because of the junior high school tournament, Rukawa Kaede said the same thing to him after defeating him.

The key point is that they are the same age!
On the other side, Nango Koichiro was also saying goodbye to Sakuragi.

"You red-haired monkey, just you wait! I'll definitely get my revenge in the county competition!"

"That's not necessarily true. Before your Ryonan won the championship, our Shohoku team was already the champion! Wait, Ryonan doesn't seem to have won any championships!"

Sakuragi had a flash of inspiration and immediately countered with Green's Theory.

This was inspired by the everyday trash talk of Mumu!

"hateful!"

Like Kiyota Nobunaga, Nango Koichiro also broke through the defenses.

(End of this chapter)