The Omnipotent Super Chuunibyou - Chapter 32
Although Hasegawa Izumi didn’t have “Mind Reader” ability”, he had no trouble understanding the reason for Nibutani’s change of attitude.
It was undoubtedly because of that autobiography, Mabinogion, which Dekomori had produced.
There was no way to hide the eagerness to get it back.
So, Izumi decided to tease her, “I used to be absolutely certain, but recent events have shaken me a bit… If you really are ‘Mori Summer,’ then you wouldn’t turn down my invitation.”
“Invitation?”
Nibutani Shinka’s expression shifted slightly. She recalled what he’d said in the gym, and then five people.
“You mean you want me to join your basketball team?” she asked, uncertain.
He smiled but didn’t answer.
At this moment, Nibutani Shinka was genuinely torn.
She really didn’t want to agree, because she felt it would only draw her deeper into their web.
“See? She’s already slipped! She’s worried that if she spends too much time with us, her disguise will fail—Death!” Dekomori Sanae yelled from beside them.
She gritted her teeth. “I see, then I…agree!”
If Fujiwara-san was already involved, she didn’t have to worry about drawing too much attention to herself. She could just distance herself after acquiring the Mabinogion, and everything would work out in the end.
“Welcome to the team, Nibutani,” Hasegawa Izumi said with a faint smile.
“Um…Dekomori, right? Could you return my Mabinogion?”
Nibutani Shinka turned to test the waters.
Joining them was merely a temporary measure; her goal hadn’t changed.
“Absolutely not! I still haven’t confirmed your true form yet Death!”
Naturally, Dekomori Sanae was still treating her like a criminal.
“How about we wait until we’ve completed this battle? Then it’s possible,” Takanashi Rikka chimed in.
“All right.” Nibutani Shinka sighed inside, resigned to her cruel fate. Of course, if an opportunity presented itself during training, she’d seize it!
Entering the fray would be a last resort.
There was no time to waste; they got started immediately.
In a park with a basketball court, near Shuchi’in.
“There are three days left until Friday. Are you ready for hellish training? My motto is… ‘If it doesn’t kill you, train harder!'”
Hasegawa Izumi stood apart from the group, addressing the four girls.
Don’t you think we’re a little short on time? Nibutani Shinka thought, wanting to point out the obvious.
But since no one else said anything, she decided not to rock the boat. Winning or losing didn’t really matter to her, anyway.
“Also, does anyone here know how to play basketball?”
He looked at them all, one by one.
“Nope,” they all said, shaking their heads.
Few girls played basketball, especially when their heights were taken into consideration.
“Well, in that case, we’ll start with the basics.”
Izumi didn’t seem anxious; instead, he appeared quite patient.
“I’ll do my best to learn! I won’t slow you down!”
Fujiwara Chika, her hair in a ponytail, stepped forward, demonstrating her support. In fact, she seemed more enthusiastic about this prospect than anyone.
“All I need is one glance from the True Eye of the Evil King, and I’ll naturally acquire it!”
“I, Dekomori, will not let the team be shamed – Death!”
Takanashi Rikka and Dekomori Sanae also got excited.
Is this guy actually going to teach us? In just two or three days?
Nibutani Shinka still didn’t believe it. It was one thing for Hasegawa Izumi since he’s strong, but did this guy really think he could turn these nobodies into champions?!
Then…
Hasegawa Izumi demonstrated how to dribble, pass, shoot, defend, and even how to fake out an opponent.
“Too much force here… That’s right, just use your left hand to guide the ball.”
“Bring your arms in a little, and relax your whole body.”
“And your breathing. It has to be rhythmic. Follow me, and you’ll learn how to breathe properly, which will make it easier for you to keep going.”
Of course, he personally adjusted their form as well. After all, that was the fastest way to teach them.
Naturally, this involved skin-to-skin contact.
Aside from their families, no one had ever touched them like this before, and their cheeks inevitably flushed pink.
“This is so embarassing,” Nibutani thought.
But…was basketball really this easy?
In just an hour, Hasegawa Izumi gave them a crash course in everything from dribbling to defense, but everything he said sounded simple—like child’s play—and they felt like they could easily implement his advice.
No, this was all Hasegawa’s doing, wasn’t it? It was like a beginner in a field getting personal instruction from an experienced professional. Of course she’d feel like she’d advanced by leaps and bounds.
Thanks to Hasegawa’s astonishing performance earlier, Shinka automatically think this is a normal things. She didn’t even consider another possibility.
After all, that would have been even more unbelievable.
“I don’t have anything else to teach you,” Hasegawa Izumi said, giving the girls a confident nod as she watched them lying on the ground, exhausted, like salted fish. “From here on out, it’s up to you to find your own enlightenment and practice relentlessly.”
The training had been unexpectedly intense, and the girls had managed to endure it all. They were all panting, with the most talkative among them, Dekomori Sanae, too winded to respond.
The sun sank below the horizon, painting the clouds a bloodred and dyeing the sky a single, deep hue.
“Phew…hah…”
Shinka panted, her mouth still heaving.
She was exhausted, but this had been one of the most fulfilling days she’d ever experienced.
Maybe hanging out with these guys isn’t so bad after all…
“Nope big nope! How could I think such dangerous thoughts?” She shook her head violently, trying to shake this idea from her mind.
“Still, the sunset today was beautiful.”
The girl couldn’t help but reach out to touch the sky.
The training session had ended, but it was already late, so there were no drawn-out goodbyes; everyone went their separate ways.
For Hasegawa Izumi, this had been the latest he’d ever come home on a school night, which earned him a good scolding from Kobato. It took a head pat, a move straight out of the big brother rulebook, to soothe his little sister.
It was Wednesday.
Hasegawa Izumi thought this would be an ordinary day. After his classes, he’d go to the schoolyard with his teammates for practice, as usual. But during physical education, a slight ripple occurred.
“Hasegawa, why don’t we race and see who’s faster?”
The speaker was a boy with short brown hair, a square jaw, thick eyebrows, and a determined gaze. He looked like the type who’d get hot-blooded over anything.
He’d introduced himself earlier; apparently, he’d just joined the Track and Field Club this year, and his specialty event was the fifty-meter dash.
“Sure, why not?” Hasegawa Izumi agreed, standing up from the bench.
This would be his first time racing against someone who challenged him directly. How interesting.
As for why this classmate chose to issue a challenge at this particular moment, it was certainly worth pondering…but Hasegawa Izumi didn’t care.