๐ Kanzaki High School โ Basketball Gym, After School
"Move it, benchwarmer."
Another shoulder slammed into Riku Haneshiro as he walked toward the court โ not to play, but to collect the practice balls.
He silently picked one up from under the hoop, as laughter echoed behind him.
> "Still clinging to the team like a ghost, huh? Just quit already."
They weren't wrong.
He had zero points, zero minutes, and not a single stat recorded since he joined the team.
Even the coach forgot his name sometimes.
---
๐๏ธ Announcer Voice (Inside his Mind):
> "You have no talent."
"Give up."
But Riku never did.
Not because he believed in miracles...
But because this was the only thing he ever loved.
> "If I could just have one more chanceโฆ"
---
๐ That Night โ Rainy Crosswalk
Riku walked home alone, dragging his bag behind him when he saw a little boy about to cross the street โ a car's headlights cutting through the rain.
Without thinking, Riku sprinted and shoved the boy awayโ
CRASH.
His body rolled onto the concrete. Then darkness.
---
๐ค ??? โ Digital Void
> ๐ข "Initializing Host Sync..."
๐ข "Welcome, Riku Haneshiro."
๐ข "You have been granted access to the [BasketGod Protocol]."
Before he could speak, his world faded again.
---
โ๏ธ The Next Day โ Hospital Bed
He jolted awake, confused. No pain. No broken bones. Just a dull pressure in his chest.
He sat up groggily and reached for his water bottle whenโ
Ding!
> ๐ฎ [Talent Detected Nearby]
๐ Target: Sho Aizawa โ Kanzaki High Team Captain
๐ฏ Available Talent: Fast Legs (C)
โณ Cooldown: None (Talent Rank: C)
> โ Would you like to claim this talent?
[YES] [NO]
His eyes widened.
> "Is this a dream?"
He hesitatedโฆ
Then tapped [YES] in the floating screen.
> ๐ [Talent Acquired: Fast Legs (C)]
A warm rush hit his legs โ like lightning surging into his calves.
---
๐ Later That Afternoon โ Team Practice
"Hey, Riku! What're you doing on the court?" one of the players sneered.
But the coach waved him on.
> "We're missing a man for 5-on-5. Let him run."
They laughed โ until the play began.
Sho, the team captain, dribbled up the court casually.
Then Riku moved.
BOOM.
In one explosive burst, he blitzed past two defenders, cut to the rim, and finished with a layup before anyone could react.
Everyone froze.
Sho blinked.
> "...Was that Riku?"
> "Fast Legs (C)โฆ"
"That's what it doesโฆ"
He smiled for the first time in years.
> "This is just the beginning."
---
๐ End of Chapter 1