The Legend Coach: Slam Dunk

Sitting on the tram, Kudo reflected on the words of Coach Anzai and Mrs. Anzai. Finally, he muttered to himself, "That Ryuji Tanizawa... he brought harm to himself and others." In Kudo's mind, Tanizawa's immature decisions had led to a series of tragedies, including the decline of the Fukasawa basketball team. (╮(╯▽╰)╭ But what does that have to do with you?)

However, Tanizawa's story wasn't Kudo's main concern right now. His priority was finding a high school basketball team to coach in Kanagawa.

Phew, forget about it. There's no useful information here. Originally, Shoyo High would've been the best choice. In the original timeline, Shoyo's ace, Fujimoto Kenji, served as both captain and coach, and the school didn't have a full-time coach. But now, Shoyo has a coach. I just don't know when he'll leave. Kudo analyzed the situation in his mind. For now, I'll have to rely on my dad's connections to find a high school coaching position. Once I've made a name for myself, I can take over Shoyo when their coach leaves. Ha! I'm a genius! (╮(╯▽╰)╭ How shameless!)

"Mom, why is that big brother acting so weird?" a child in the tram whispered, pointing at Kudo's self-satisfied grin.

"Don't look at him! He doesn't seem like a good person," the mother scolded, pulling her child closer.

Kudo: "(+﹏+)~ Wildly dizzy."

That evening, the Kudo family gathered for dinner.

"Dad, do you know of any high schools in Kanagawa that are looking for basketball coaches?" Shinichi asked, putting on his most charming smile.

Kudo Akitake, his father, raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure. I don't pay much attention to that area. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I'm graduating from Fukasawa Sports University soon, and I've retired from the basketball team. I don't have much to do for the next few months, and basketball is all I know. I thought I'd find a coaching position to keep myself busy and gain some experience before graduation. Since your company works with schools in Kanagawa, I figured you might know something," Kudo explained.

"Why bother with coaching? Just come work at my company," Akitake said dismissively.

Kudo scoffed. "Your company just sells sports equipment and schmoozes with school principals. There's no real challenge there. I don't want to live a boring 9-to-5 life at my age." (╮(╯▽╰)╭ If it weren't for the system, would you still be saying that? You've accepted the mission—there's no turning back now!)

Akitake's face turned red. "What do you mean, no challenge?! Basketball is a niche sport in Japan. It has no future!"

"Hmph! All you do is wine and dine school principals. Where's the skill in that?" Kudo shot back.

The two stood up, glaring at each other like rival bulls.

"Enough!" Nobuko Kudo intervened, her voice firm. "Akitake, you're a grown man. Stop arguing with your son. And Shinichi, show some respect. Both of you, sit down and eat."

Reluctantly, the two sat back down. Nobuko turned to Shinichi. "Now, tell me properly. Why don't you want to work at your father's company?"

Kudo took a deep breath. "I don't know much about the company yet, but it seems like Dad's already built strong relationships with all the schools in Kanagawa. Even if it's hard to expand beyond Kanagawa, no other company can easily break into the market here. Plus, Dad doesn't seem interested in growing the business. He handles everything easily on his own, so there's not much for me to do. If I join now, I'll just be sitting around for the next ten years until Dad retires. Do you really want me to waste my youth like that?" He paused, then added with a playful grin, "Unless Dad plans to retire now and hand the company over to me?"

Nobuko chuckled. "He has a point, Akitake."

Akitake sighed, realizing the logic in his son's words. "Fine. But why basketball coaching? Can't you find something else?"

"Dad, what else can I do besides basketball? You're not expecting me to go to America and play professionally, are you?" Kudo retorted.

Akitake rubbed his temples. "Alright, alright. I don't know much about the high school basketball scene in Kanagawa, but I'll ask around tomorrow. You can ask me again tomorrow night."

"Thank you, Dad!" Kudo exclaimed, his mood instantly lifting. He even scooped some of Akitake's favorite dishes into his bowl, earning a small smile from his father.

"Let's eat before the food gets cold," Nobuko said, pleased to see the tension dissipate.

The next evening, the family gathered for dinner once more.

"So, Dad, did you find anything?" Kudo asked eagerly.

Akitake nodded. "I did some digging. There are sixty-four high schools in Kanagawa with basketball teams. Out of those, three are currently looking for coaches: Tsugumo, Daboku, and Nanbara."

"How strong are their teams?" Kudo asked, leaning forward.

"Not very," Akitake replied with a dismissive wave. "Daboku and Nanbara are prefectural schools. Their teams are weak—first or second-round exits at best. Tsugumo is a private school, so they're slightly better. They usually make it to the third or fourth round, but they've never reached the top eight."

Kudo frowned, deep in thought. Daboku and Nanbara are too weak, and as prefectural schools, they don't have the resources to attract talented players. Tsugumo is a private school with some potential, but their record isn't impressive. If there's no better option, Tsugumo might be my best bet.

But then he noticed the playful smirk on his father's face. Wait... There must be more to this.

Putting on a serious expression, Kudo said, "If there are no other options, I'll have to make Tsugumo my top choice." (╮(╯▽╰)╭ Are you trying to steal Kazumi Kawasaki's job?)