Chapter 17: Cousin

"Ding! Releasing random quest: First Player's Regret. Does the host accept?"

The system issued this quest as soon as Kudo met his cousin, whom he hadn't seen in years, at his grandparents' house. However, Kudo didn't immediately check the quest details, as he was in the middle of a conversation with his family. It would have been awkward to zone out at such a moment.

"Shinichi, it's been years since you last visited me!" Grandpa said happily when he saw Kudo arrive.

"Grandpa, I've been really busy these past few years. I didn't have time to come to Chiba," Kudo explained quickly.

"You should make time to visit me, no matter how busy you are!" Grandpa pretended to be upset.

Kudo felt a bit embarrassed, unable to explain his past behavior.

"Dad, you know Shinichi has been extremely busy since he started college," Nobuko Kudo interjected, coming to her son's defense. "Besides playing in the college basketball league, he also trained with the national team!"

"But Shinichi has more free time now," Kudo Akitake added. "He'll definitely visit you more often in the future. Isn't that right, Shinichi?"

"Of course!" Kudo replied quickly.

Grandpa laughed. "Alright, I'm just teasing. I'm not really mad!"

"Cousin, can I get your autograph?" Kudo's cousin, Shota, asked excitedly.

"Sure!" Kudo replied cheerfully, signing his name for his cousin, who stood over two meters tall.

"Shinichi, Shota is a big fan of yours," Shota's mother, Akiko, added.

"Oh, so Shota plays basketball too?" Kudo asked after signing the autograph.

"Yes!"

"How good are you, Shota?" Kudo became curious about his cousin. After all, the system had issued a rare quest, and although Kudo hadn't checked it yet, he suspected Shota might be more than meets the eye.

"I'm okay," Shota said modestly.

"How did your team perform this year?" Kudo continued.

"Shota's team isn't very strong," Akiko said with a hint of frustration. "In the last two prefectural tournaments, none of his teammates could support him, so they didn't even make it to the co-finals."

Kudo nodded in understanding. Chiba Prefecture had two spots in the summer tournament, but the teams representing Chiba rarely made it past the third round, often exiting in the first round. Shota's team's performance was predictable.

"Don't blame the team, Mom," Shota said, embarrassed. "It's my fault for not being strong enough. If I were better, the team wouldn't have struggled so much."

"Alright, Shinichi, you're graduating this year, right? Have you found a job yet?" Grandpa changed the subject, sensing the awkward atmosphere.

"Yes, I'm currently coaching the basketball team at Shoyo Private High School in Kanagawa," Kudo replied.

"That's impressive!" Grandpa exclaimed.

"How strong is Shoyo's basketball team?" Akiko asked.

"Shoyo hasn't been as dominant as they used to be in recent years. They're currently third in Kanagawa," Kudo explained. "That's why they hired me—to lead the team back to the national tournament."

Grandpa nodded approvingly. "That's great! Shinichi, you have to do your best. No matter what you do, always strive to be the best!"

"I understand, Grandpa."

"The national tournament…" Shota murmured, his voice tinged with longing.

"Dinner's ready! Everyone, come and eat!" Grandma's voice called out, interrupting the conversation.

After dinner, Kudo excused himself, claiming he was tired from the trip, and found a quiet room to rest. Once alone, he eagerly opened the quest board. However, he only saw the quest name, The First Player's Regret, without any description.

"System, why is there no mission description for this quest?" Kudo asked in his mind.

"Ding! This randomized quest is a player quest. Player quests include detailed information about the player in question. The system will only reveal this information once the host accepts the quest."

Kudo thought for a moment but decided to accept the quest. After all, the system didn't issue many quests, and SD points were hard to come by.

As soon as Kudo accepted the quest, a flood of information about his cousin Shota filled his mind. He learned that Shota was Sugiyama Shota, Japan's number one center and player, who would later recruit Akagi Goken alongside Donzawa Kazuo in the original story. Kudo also gained insight into Shota's current situation.

The quest description then appeared on the mission board:

Player Quest: The No. 1 Player's Regret

Mission Description: As Japan's No. 1 center and player, Sugiyama Shota's strength is widely recognized in the college basketball world. However, he cannot erase the disappointment of his high school years. In his first two years, his team, Urayasu Commercial High, failed to reach the Chiba Prefecture co-finals. In his third year, they barely made it to the national Elite Eight. This unfulfilled potential has always been Shota's regret. The host is required to successfully recruit Sugiyama Shota to transfer to Shoyo High School, changing the trajectory of his high school basketball career.

Mission Reward: Unknown

Mission Penalty: Unknown

"It's a good thing Shota is my cousin," Kudo thought. "Otherwise, I wouldn't even know where to start. If Shota joins Shoyo, the team's strength will improve dramatically. But how do I convince him?"

Kudo pondered for a while but couldn't come up with a clear plan. He wasn't familiar with Shota's personality or current abilities. "For now, I'll take it slow. I need to understand his thoughts before making a move," Kudo decided.

After his nap, Kudo spent the afternoon with his family, enjoying the neighborhood and the holiday atmosphere. By around five o'clock, they returned to his grandparents' house. When Kudo learned that Shota was playing basketball at a nearby outdoor court, he saw an opportunity.

Arriving at the court, Kudo saw Shota playing a 3v3 game with friends. Kudo joined in, replacing one of the players, and used the opportunity to test Shota's skills firsthand.

After about 15 minutes, the game ended, and everyone prepared to head home for dinner. Kudo had gained a good understanding of Shota's current abilities and felt ready to make his move.

"Shota," Kudo said as they walked back, "how would you like to join Shoyo High School and play in the national tournament with me?"

Shota's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? You think I'm good enough?"

"I know you are," Kudo replied with a smile. "Together, we can make Shoyo the best team in Japan."

Shota hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, I'll do it. Let's make history!"

With that, Kudo took the first step toward completing his quest and changing Shota's basketball destiny.