"My head hurts so much. Damn, I shouldn't have used that crappy computer to play the Slam Dunk game," Chen Xin muttered, groaning in pain as he woke up.
"Great! Kudo, you're awake!" a young man's voice called out beside him.
"Who are you?" Chen Xin asked, blinking at the tall figure. The moment he spoke, something felt off—he wasn't speaking Chinese!
"Don't you recognize me? I'm Kawasaki, Kudo," the young man said. "Did you just wake up and your mind's still fuzzy?"
He just spoke Japanese! Chen Xin realized.As an otaku who loved Japanese manga and web novels, Chen Xin wasn't exactly fluent, but he was definitely familiar with the language.
Looking around, the room was completely unfamiliar. The interior had a distinct Japanese style, far different from his own bedroom. The strange surroundings, the tall stranger, and the foreign language—all of it made Chen Xin uneasy.
Is this... time travel?As someone who had read countless web novels, the idea popped into Chen Xin's head immediately.But that's impossible! I just got electrocuted while playing a game. No way something this unlikely would actually happen!Still, trying to stay calm, he asked, "Do you know who I am?"
"Kudo, did you drink so much you lost your mind? You're Kudo Shinichi!"
"Kudo Shinichi?!" Chen Xin gasped. "You're not messing with me?"
"Of course not. You really are Kudo Shinichi," Kawasaki confirmed.
Kudo Shinichi—the elementary school kid with a death curse?! Just as Chen Xin panicked at the thought, a flood of memories surged into his brain.
"My head...!" he groaned, before blacking out again.
"Kudo! Kudo! What's wrong? Why'd you faint?!" Kawasaki shouted in a panic.
"Thank God! I'm not that Kudo Shinichi. Otherwise, I'd already be dead!"That was Chen Xin's first thought after waking up again and piecing everything together.As a hardcore otaku, he knew just how terrifying the Conan world could be for a regular person like him.
Now that he felt safe, Chen Xin began examining the state of his new body.
This person's real name was Kudo Shinichi, but he wasn't the famous detective—just someone with the same name. He was a college senior, graduating in a little over half a year. His grades were average, and he hadn't learned much professionally—he had relied heavily on his family's support to make it to college.
But there was one thing he was passionate about: basketball.
Although he only started playing in high school, inspired by his coach, it was during college that his skills matured. At 180 cm tall, Kudo was the team's main point guard and had developed into a solid player after years of dedication.
In fact, he was considered one of the top three guards in all of Japan's university circuit.But Chen Xin knew that he was now in 1990s Japan—a time when professional basketball didn't yet exist there. The university league was the highest and most popular level of basketball, and Kudo had already played in his final season.
If it were the original Kudo, maybe he would've gone to the U.S. to chase a pro career…But me? Go to America to play basketball?! Chen Xin scoffed inwardly.Even if this body was talented, it wasn't strong enough to compete at a professional level internationally—let alone in the U.S.
Besides, Chen Xin himself was only average at basketball. His physical fitness was nothing special, and while he knew the basic rules and techniques, he lacked the perseverance to practice seriously.
As it turns out, the reason for his time travel was that Kudo Shinichi's team had failed to defend their championship title in the finals. As captain, Kudo took the loss hard and drowned himself in alcohol. In his emotionally vulnerable state, his soul weakened—just in time to encounter Chen Xin's soul, freshly electrocuted and looking for a new home.
"Seriously? This guy's willpower was so weak he wanted to die over a single loss?" Chen Xin thought, shaking his head.Well... if he hadn't been like that, I wouldn't have ended up here.
After fully understanding the situation, Chen Xin began to feel uneasy about his future. Kudo Shinichi had no skills besides basketball. And Chen Xin, a typical Chinese college otaku, had little more than classroom knowledge. He spent his days immersed in anime, games, and web novels—not exactly job material.
"Well, whatever. I've time-traveled, and there's no going back. I am Kudo Shinichi now."Chen Xin accepted his fate.
From Kudo's memories, he learned that the Kudo family was quite wealthy—definitely a step up from his previous life.
"Not bad at all! I've hit the jackpot!" he said happily.
Just then, Kawasaki's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Feeling better, Kudo?"
"Thanks, Kawasaki. I'm doing much better now. I appreciate you taking care of me," Kudo said, smiling at the tall figure who shared the apartment with him.
Kawasaki Kazumi, Kudo's best friend and teammate, was 190 cm tall and played as the team's main forward. The two of them had shared an apartment during college.
"I'm glad. And don't blame yourself for the loss," Kawasaki said. "After Coach Anzai stepped down for health reasons, the school couldn't find a decent replacement for months. You had to act as both captain and coach. Taking us to the runner-up spot wasn't easy."
That's right—the world Kudo now lived in was the Slam Dunk universe. The timing was right after Coach Anzai Mitsuyoshi resigned from his university position, overwhelmed with guilt over the death of Tani Sawa Ryuji.
"Don't worry, Kawasaki. I'm okay now," Kudo said. "But I've been thinking about the team. We still don't have a proper coach, and now we're graduating too."
Kawasaki reassured him, "You've been out of it lately and haven't kept up with the team. The school brought in Coach Karasawa. Our Shenze team is still a national powerhouse—even if we came second. We'll bounce back."
Karasawa Kazuo, huh?That sly old fox. He didn't want the job when Coach Anzai left—but now that we lost, he swoops in. Clever move.Still, Kudo smiled and said, "That's great news. Coach Karasawa might not be on the same level as Coach Anzai, but he's still well-known."
"You're doing better now—why don't we go visit the team?" Kawasaki suggested. "Your retirement ceremony hasn't happened yet."
"Sure, let me wash up and grab a bite to eat first," Kudo said.
Fukazawa Sports University – Basketball Hall
"One, two! One, two!"The team was in the middle of running drills. The new coach, Kazuo Karasawa, stood on the sidelines watching, a satisfied smile on his face.
These guys really live up to Fukazawa's name, he thought.Even the bench players are this strong. No wonder they made it to the finals without a coach. With a little training from me, the university league will enter the era of Fukazawa—and the era of Kazuo Karasawa!
Just as he was dreaming of glory, Kudo and Kawasaki stepped into the gym.
"Captain! Kawasaki-senpai! You're here!""Captain, we're so glad you're okay!"The players immediately stopped training and gathered around them.
Wow, I really was popular, huh? Kudo thought, smiling to himself. Out loud, he said calmly, "Thanks for the concern, everyone. I'm fine now. Go ahead and continue training."
"Kudo-kun, Kawasaki-kun—you're here," Karasawa said, smiling as he approached. "Glad to see you're doing better, Kudo-kun."
"Thank you for your concern, Coach Karasawa," Kudo replied respectfully.
"You did very well this season, Kudo. Losing in the finals was just bad luck. Don't be too hard on yourself," Karasawa said. "But I'm curious—what brings you two here? The seniors have officially retired, after all."
Kawasaki explained, "Coach Karasawa, Kudo wasn't feeling well earlier, so he missed the retirement ceremony the others held. Now that he's feeling better, we came here together."
"I see. Then let's hold it right away," Karasawa said. "Kudo's contribution to this team is undeniable. A proper send-off is only fitting."
"Yes! Kudo-senpai deserves it!""That's right—it's tradition!" the other players chimed in.
And so, the team gathered together to hold a proper retirement ceremony for Kudo Shinichi.