Yuuto stood in the locker room, staring at the lineup board.
The thick scent of sweat and antiseptic hung in the air, and the faint hum of flickering fluorescent lights buzzed overhead. The whiteboard hadn't changed in the last ten seconds he'd stared at it, but he kept looking, just to make sure.
There it was, written in Coach Ijima's tight handwriting:
Second Unit: PG Kai, Y.
Not first string.
But not benched either.
His fingers clenched around the strap of his gym bag. The letters might as well have been carved into stone. He could barely breathe.
He was on the sheet.
His name.
His spot.
After two years in the shadows, it finally felt real.
"You surprised me yesterday, Kai."
Yuuto turned, startled.
Coach Ijima leaned against the doorway, arms folded, expression unreadable beneath his trimmed mustache and hawk-like gaze.
Yuuto stood straighter. "I just did what I've always done."
Ijima gave a grunt. "That was some decent ball. Better than I expected. But one scrimmage doesn't prove you're game-ready."
Yuuto met his eyes evenly. "I'm not asking for special treatment, sir. Just one shot. Let me earn it."
The silence stretched.
Then Ijima nodded once. "Then prove it again. Today."
[System Update]
Quest Active: "Survive the Scrimmage"
Objective: Finish the game without being subbed out
Bonus Objective: Score 10+ Points
Reward: Unlock Passive Skill – "Composure Under Pressure"
Status: Tracking...
The gym buzzed with energy.
Rubber soles squeaked across the hardwood. Balls thudded against backboards. Players ran warm-up drills with mechanical precision layup lines, passing sequences, corner threes.
But beneath it all was a different kind of energy.
Eyes kept drifting toward him.
Yuuto Kai.
The ghost.
The kid who wasn't supposed to make it back.
Takeda, still salty from the 1v1 loss, tossed a bounce pass too hard during drills, hitting a teammate in the shin. As Yuuto stretched near the baseline, Takeda brushed past him, his voice low and sharp.
"Don't choke out there, Ghost."
Yuuto didn't look at him.
Didn't flinch.
[Stamina: 100%]
[Mental State: Focused]
[System Status: Active]
He could feel it the humming interface in the back of his consciousness. Like a second heartbeat, syncing with every inhale, every stretch of muscle, every silent vow.
Today wasn't just a scrimmage.
It was war.
First Quarter
The game started at a sprint. The starters moved like clockwork tight cuts, crisp passes, controlled aggression. A backdoor lob from Takeda had the bench howling. The tempo was fast. Clean. High-level.
Yuuto watched from the sideline, hands on knees, body taut like a coiled spring.
Until
"Subs! Kai, you're in!" Coach barked.
Everything else blurred.
Yuuto yanked off his warmup shirt, tossed it to the bench, and jogged to the scorer's table. The gym lights burned brighter. The court looked bigger.
He stepped on, and it hit him:
[Zone Read: Opponent Defensive Tendencies Analyzing…]
The hum returned.
Eyes sharper. Heart calmer.
First Possession
Yuuto brought the ball up slowly.
Ichihara senior guard, taller by three inches and cocky by tenn waited at half-court, arms loose, grin wide.
"Didn't think you'd actually make it this far," he chuckled, bouncing on his toes.
Yuuto said nothing.
He scanned the court.
His teammates stood still. No movement. No screens. Testing him.
They don't trust me yet.
[System Prompt: Play Isolation?]
Yes
No
He tapped yes without hesitation.
He dropped into a low stance, snapped the ball between his legs.
Step-back. Crossover.
["Split Step Crossover" Activated]
He slipped past Ichihara like vapor.
One hard dribble. Up and under.
Glass. Net. Points.
2–0.
The bench murmured. Even Daiki, the center, raised an eyebrow.
Coach Ijima scribbled in his notepad, not even glancing up.
Defensive Stand
Back on D, Yuuto locked in.
["Anticipation" Passive: Lv. 0.6]
+0.2 Positioning
+0.3 Reflex
Ichihara drove baseline Yuuto was already there.
He stripped the ball, dove, and tipped it toward Akiyama, who launched it upcourt for an easy dunk.
Next Possession
This time, Yuuto called for a high screen.
Daiki hesitated, then jogged over.
The pick was loose, but enough.
Yuuto split the gap and rose for a pull-up jumper from the elbow.
Net.
4 points.
[Progress: 4 / 10]
[Stamina: 86%]
[Focus Meter: Stable]
[System Triggered: Micro-Quest Unlocked]
"Earn Their Trust"
Objective: Get 2 assists
Reward: Team Chemistry Overlay
Next play Yuuto drove hard, eyes locked on the rim.
Then no look.
Corner three.
Splash.
Possession after he baited the defense, then dished a bounce pass to Daiki for a clean dunk.
[Objective Complete]
[Team Chemistry: Basic Overlay Unlocked]
A faint HUD shimmered into view.
Floating bars above each teammate.
Takeda: Distrustful
Daiki: Neutral
Akiyama: Curious
Coach Ijima: Watching
Yuuto smirked.
Still testing me… but they're watching now.
Halftime
Yuuto hadn't come off the court once.
Statline:
8 Points 2 Assists 1 Steal 0 Turnovers
Most important of all no limp. No flinches. No signs of a recovering injury.
In the locker room, murmurs filled the air.
"That kid can move…"
"Didn't expect that pass…"
"He's not forcing anything…"
Yuuto sat alone at the end of the bench, eyes closed, breathing slow and deep.
This wasn't about impressing them.
This was about reclaiming his place.
Second Half: The Test
Coach didn't sub him out.
Third quarter began.
Takeda rotated in. On Yuuto's team.
They exchanged a brief glance. No words.
The tension was immediate.
First play Yuuto passed to Takeda on the wing. Open look.
Takeda held the ball. Dribbled in.
Forced a floater. Brick.
Next trip down Yuuto signaled for movement.
Takeda ignored the play and launched a contested three.
Miss.
Akiyama muttered something under his breath.
Daiki rolled his eyes.
Coach didn't sub him. Not yet.
[Team Morale: Faltering]
[Chemistry Penalty: -1 Pass Success Rate]
[Optional System Prompt: Confront Takeda?]
No
Yes
Yuuto let the option expire.
He didn't need drama.
Let the game speak.
Next Possession
Yuuto crossed midcourt, faked a dribble handoff.
Drove baseline. Defense collapsed.
Takeda drifted lazily across the key.
Yuuto didn't even look at him.
Instead, he whipped a no-look bounce pass through Takeda's legs to Daiki under the rim.
Slam.
The bench erupted.
Daiki grinned as he jogged back. "Nice look, Kai."
Coach Ijima grunted, but scribbled something quickly in his notepad.
Takeda turned, face red.
But he said nothing.
Final Minute of 3rd Quarter
Yuuto came off a double screen, caught the ball at the top.
Wide open.
["Clutch Focus" Ready: Trigger?]
Yes.
["Clutch Focus" Activated]
Shot Accuracy Decision Speed Crowd Resistance
His defender lunged.
Yuuto sidestepped, stepped back, and rose.
Three-pointer.
Splash.
11 points.
[Bonus Objective Complete]
[Skill Unlocked: "Composure Under Pressure" (Passive)]
Reduces performance penalties under stress, crowd noise, or hostile teammates.
Final Whistle
The buzzer rang.
The scoreboard didn't matter.
Yuuto hadn't just survived the scrimmage.
He had owned it.
Drenched in sweat, heart pounding but steady, he walked to the huddle.
Coach Ijima looked across the players.
Then his eyes landed on Yuuto.
A pause.
"Starters for the next exhibition match…"
Another pause. The gym was silent.
"Point guard: Kai."
No eruption. Just a few scattered claps.
Daiki gave a short nod. Akiyama offered a quick fist bump.
Even Ichihara muttered, "Well earned."
Takeda didn't speak. His jaw clenched tight. His glare burned.
Yuuto didn't care.
[System Notification]
Quest Complete: Scrimmage Survived
New Features Unlocked:
– Skill Tree: Intermediate Tier
– Passive Skill: "Composure Under Pressure"
– Zone Entry: Locked (requires adrenaline trigger)
New Quest Available: "Earn Local Spotlight"
Objective: Score 20+ in next exhibition game
Reward: Unlock "Flow Vision" (Enhanced Reaction Mode)
Status: On Track
That Evening
The sky was streaked with gold as Yuuto stepped outside. The cool air hit his face like a cleansing wave. The gym door shut behind him with a heavy metallic thunk.
He paused at the edge of the school steps.
Below, the city shimmered buses moving, bikes zipping past, streetlights flickering to life.
He stood there a long time, letting the silence settle.
Something inside him had changed.
Not just the knee.
Not just the system.
Him.
He wasn't invisible anymore.
And tomorrow?
The whole district would know it.