Sunlight poured in through the high window slats of the basketball gym, striping the polished floor with warm golden rays. The afternoon glow did little to ease the tense atmosphere—the gym buzzed with nervous energy as new students lined up for the school's physical tests.
With a sharp blow of the whistle from Nijimura Shuzo, the evaluations officially began. The rookies were split into two groups: one would undergo physical testing, while the other tackled basketball-specific skill assessments.
Standing off to the side, Aomine Daiki looked bored out of his mind. Beside him, Kaneki Ken had his arms crossed, watching the long line of students shuffle forward.
Man... this reminds me of that saying, Kaneki mused idly. "When I was thirteen, I stood in line for the physical exam like a background character." He chuckled to himself.
Aomine, still digging lazily in his nose, muttered, "Tch… none of these guys look impressive. Not a single one is faster than me."
Then he turned to Kaneki with a grin. "Hey, why don't we go check out the skills test instead? Bet it's more interesting."
Kaneki stared at him blankly. Isagi called. They want their ego back.
"You seriously think you're that fast, huh? Why not join the track team then?" He thought with a sigh, though outwardly he smiled. "We should stay put, Aomine. If our names get called and we're not here, the upperclassmen'll be pissed."
"You sound just like that nagging Momoi," Aomine grumbled. "Come on, let's just go peek real quick. We'll be back before they notice. C'mon, are you in?"
Kaneki pointed toward the line. "Forget it, Aomine-san. Look, your turn's coming up."
As if on cue, the senior in charge scanned the clipboard and called out, "Number Seven—Aomine Daiki-san! Is Aomine Daiki here?"
"Told you," Kaneki said, giving him a firm pat on the back. "Go on, it's your turn."
"Alright, alright." Aomine stretched his arms lazily and sauntered forward. "Yo, senior! That's me—Aomine Daiki."
The upperclassman nodded and pointed toward the measuring station. "Step over here. We're checking height and weight first."
"Got it."
Aomine took off his shoes and stepped onto the scale. Another senior recorded the data as it appeared on the screen.
"Aomine Daiki… Height: 175 cm. Weight: 60 kg. Wingspan: 190 cm. Not bad," the recorder said, patting Aomine's arm. "Good frame. Impressive static potential."
He handed Aomine a number plate with a big 7 printed on it and pointed to another queue. "Line up over there for the shuttle run and the three-quarter court sprint."
"Thanks, senpai!" Aomine replied, surprisingly cheerful, as he jogged off to his next station.
"Number Eight, Kaneki Ken—" the senior began.
"I'm here." Kaneki raised his hand before he could finish.
"Alright, let's get started."
Just then, a familiar chime echoed in Kaneki's mind:
System Notification:
Daily Quest Unlocked—"Make "a Splash"
Finish first in the rookie physical testing.
Reward: +2 General Attribute Points.
Kaneki's brows lifted slightly. Guess I can't just phone this in, he thought. I was planning to cruise through and let my skills speak for themselves, but with points on the line… it's time to take this seriously.
Like Aomine before him, he stepped up for measurements.
But this time, the senior's tone shifted as he read the results.
"Whoa, newcomer! Height: 180 cm, Weight: 85 kg, Wingspan: 200 cm! Not bulky at all, either—your build's tight, lean, and clearly trained. With a frame like that, you've got the makings of a solid center."
He handed Kaneki the number 8 plate and gestured further down. "Head over and test your bench press first, then hit the shuttle run. Honestly, with those numbers? You've got a real shot at the second team."
"Thank you, senpai." Kaneki bowed politely, then made his way toward the bench press station—just as the previous rookie was struggling to lift the bar.
"I'm up next," Kaneki said, handing over his ID plate. After a quick stretch and shedding his hoodie, he lay down on the bench and gave the spotters a nod.
"Kaneki Ken, right?" one of the seniors loading weights asked. "You've got a solid frame. Should we start with your bodyweight?"
"Let's go with 100 kilograms," Kaneki said casually. "I usually train with at least 140."
The spotter laughed. "Haha, funny guy. I'll believe the 100 kg, but 140? Even our varsity center can't do that."
Still chuckling, he loaded the barbell with a pair of 50s and signaled Kaneki. "Alright, you're good. But seriously, no need to show off. If you feel off, stop immediately."
Kaneki gave a small, confident nod. Then, without breaking a sweat, he repped the 100 kilograms—ten times—smoothly and without pause.
"Alright, good job. Next—"
"Excuse me, could you add twenty more kilos?" Kaneki asked, sitting up.
The group fell silent.
"Wait, what?"
The spotter blinked at him. "Are you sure about that, Kaneki-san?"
"Yes, senpai. I've still got energy to spare."
Though his voice was humble, the statement hit like a flex—and a few people watching started to murmur.
"…He's doing what?"
"Is this guy serious?"
With a half-sigh, half-smirk, the senior loaded up the bar to 120 kg. "Alright, but don't push it. Let us know if it's too much."
Kaneki simply smiled. Then—just like before—ten clean reps. No shaking, no stalling.
The recorder didn't call the next name this time.
Instead, he leaned forward and asked cautiously, "...Want to go for more?"
Kaneki sat up and scratched the back of his head with a sheepish smile. "Another twenty, please."
The gym went quiet.
Even the seniors looked rattled. Still, they complied.
The bar was adjusted again—140 kilograms. Whispers filled the gym like static as everyone crowded closer.
This time, Kaneki's arms shook slightly, his expression a bit strained—but he didn't falter. Ten full reps.
As he sat up and clapped the chalk from his hands, a circle of first-years surrounded him.
"Dude, what the hell?! That was insane!"
"He's our age? No way! I thought he was just another lanky guy…"
"Was that really 140 kg?! What kind of middle school training program did he go through!?"
Their shouts drew attention from across the gym—catching the eye of Nijimura Shuzo himself, who was halfway through another student's test.
He started toward the bench press area to investigate.
But before he could take a step, another shout echoed from the court next door:
"Whoaaa! Did you see that kid?! He's crazy fast!"
Nijimura paused mid-step and glanced toward the sprint lane.
... Looks like we've got more than one monster in this batch.
(End of Chapter)
POWER STONE!!!?
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