Chapter 140 - What Lies Deep Within (1/2)

These days after every play Shun made, he would go into introspection about the move that he made.

It was fortunate that he was currently at the summer camp because if he did that during an official game, the coach would've benched him from zoning out mid-game.

Shun was thinking about his previous play when he felt someone tap his shoulder and heard a voice.

???: ”Oye.”

He snapped out of his musing and turned to see the source of the voice.

Shun turned to see Leonal Claude, the Italian small forward, stanging two steps away from him.

Shun asked in confusion.

Shun: ”Yes?”

Leonal stared at Shun for a moment and then spoke.

Leonal: ”You are wasting your reflexes, and it is difficult for me to watch. If you want to improve, come here after the classroom session.

I won't wait for long, so come early, or I will leave.”

Leonal didn't speak anymore and walked away, not giving Shun the time to ask any questions.

Shun scratched the back of his head and decided to meet Leonal in the evening.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

The gym was empty, but the lights were on. The players were allowed to play in there extra time, and Shun knew that many of the other players would come down here after some time and practice till dinner time.

Shun didn't do this because he had to review the practice footage, and his body couldn't handle any more practice.

So, this was Shun's first time coming to the gym in the evening.

Shun looked around and saw Leonal bringing a ball that he has picked from a basketball cage.

Shun spoke to him as Leonal walked towards him.

Shun: ”So, why are we here?”

Leonal stopped in front of Shun and passed the ball to him.

Shun caught the ball and looked up at Leonal.

Shun: ”Eh?”

Leonal: ”I will be blunt. I don't like to admit it, but your reflexes are better than mine. They are much better than mine.”

Shun wasn't surprised at the sudden revelation.

He already knew that Leonal had abnormal reflexes, but he also knew that the current Leonal had the same level of reflexive ability as Shun.

Shun guessed the reason for that was because Leonal's body could respond better to the reflexes than Shun's body.

But now, with Leonal's revelation, it seems the body was just one of the reasons for it.

Leonal continued with his explanation. He bluntly spoke a statement that hit Shun in the wrong way.

Leonal: ”You suck at using your reflexes. Your efficiency is utter garbage. Day after day, I watched you use your reflexes, and every time I would get frustrated seeing you use them in such a poor way.”

Shun didn't like what he heard.

His God-Speed Impulse boosted reflexes were the reason he was able to play as he did, and Shun believed that he was doing an exemplary job of using his reflexes, but now listening to Leonal saying that he s.u.c.k.e.d was a hit to Shun's pride.

Shun's eyes locked on Leonal's face with a serious expression, and he said.

Shun: ”Why do you say that?”

Leonal pointed at the ball in Shun's hand and said.

Leonal: ”We play a few turns of one-on-one. I will reduce my speed to your level, which will level the playing ground.

Let's see how you perform in this contest.”

Shun looked at the ball in his hand and then looked back at Leonal and nodded his head.

Shun: ”Okay, let's do this.”

-*-*-*-

Shun dribbled the ball at the key with Leonal in front of him.

Shun spent some time dribbling the ball on the spot to build some tension and restlessness.

Shun felt that the move was well executed and Leonal was going to move to the right, but as he moved back to his original position, he saw Leonal not falling for the fake, and stepping closer to him.

Shun was shocked at the sudden distance cut between them. He decided to drive past, but just as Shun moved to drive past him, Leonal speared his hands towards the ball hand.

Shun's eyes twitched as he saw the ball escape his hands.

Shun: 'Shit! Is this how everybody feels when they go against me in a one-on-one?'

It was the first time for Shun to be facing a person who had the same reflexes as him.

Shun: 'Then why is he able to react faster than me?!'

Leonal took control of the ball and shot a long-range two-pointer, which landed in the net after bouncing off the backboard.

Leonal retrieved the ball and walked to the top of the key and addressed Shun.

Leonal: ”My turn.”

Leonal looked at Shun with a disinterested expression on his face, and then suddenly moved straight towards him.

Shun was once again surprised by the sudden charge, and his body froze for a moment, but Shun wasn't going to let Leonal score so easily, and his reflexes and he got free from the freeze in a jiffy.

Leonal moved back a step after the sudden charge, and Shun followed after him to make the distance between them as short as possible.

Shun: ”You are not getting away.”

Leonal, while moving backward, faced himself sideways, so that the ball was away from Shun, and just for a moment the ball was out of Shun's sight, and Leonal took advantage of that moment and released the ball to the left, towards the direction his back was facing.

Shun, who was going forward, saw the ball from the corner of his eyes, but because he was moving forward, he was a step slower than Leonal to get to the ball.

Now, Leonal had space between them, and for his last move, just as Shun caught up to him, he did a sudden turnaround jump shot and once again shot with space between him and Shun.

Leonal saw the ball swirl on the rim and drop into the net, before looking at Shun.

Leonal: ”So, did you spot the difference between us?”

Shun thought about the previous confrontation, but he couldn't spot what Leonal did differently to achieve the result.

He shook his head.

Leonal maintained his usual aloof expression and said.

Leonal: ”I am not going to repeat, so listen carefully.

What you do is to move before anyone else. You can react before anyone else, so you move before anyone else.”

Shun interrupted and questioned.