"The game is lost..."
The coach of Fuqiu Middle School sighed and stood up from his seat.
"Alright! Everyone line up!"
Following the instructions of both coaches, the players lined up and shook hands with each other.
"Nice fight, but I'll win next time."
Kaede Rukawa shook Oliver's hand with a serious expression, his eyes filled with determination.
"Okay! I'll be waiting for you to defeat me."
Oliver smiled, though deep down, he was a bit uneasy.
Anyone who has read the original manga knows just how powerful Kaede Rukawa is. Even with the system backing him, Oliver knew better than to underestimate someone of Rukawa's caliber.
He managed to turn the tide today by relying on the experience from his previous life and the system-given skills. But physically, he was at his limit after just ten minutes on the court.
Without those skills, no amount of experience would have saved the game.
"I have to find a way to improve my physical fitness before the real plot of Slam Dunk kicks off," Oliver thought determinedly.
"Ding! Main quest: Defeat Fuqiu Junior High School! (Completed)"
The system's electronic voice echoed in his mind.
"It has been detected that the host has completed a basketball match. Based on in-game performance, character attributes have been enhanced."
"Oh?"
Oliver quickly opened the system panel.
Character Name: Oliver
Age: 15
Height: 165 cm
Weight: 60 kg
Strength: Normal 20 → 22 (+2)
Endurance: Good 55 → 60 (+5)
Speed: Normal 20 → 27 (+7)
Skills: Excellent 75 → 76 (+1)
Hit Rate: Normal 40 → 45 (+5)
Bounce: Perfect 85 → 86 (+1)
Skills Mastered: Sonic Dash, Accurate Shooter, Quick Recovery, Magic Pass
"Nice!"
Oliver couldn't help but exclaim.
He had just been worrying about his physical limitations, and now the system had given him exactly what he needed!
"Attribute enhancement based on game performance..."
He recalled the match. Thanks to "Sonic Dash," he pulled off incredible speed plays, hence the +7 to speed. With "Accurate Shooter," he made jaw-dropping three-pointers, boosting his hit rate. "Quick Recovery" helped enhance his endurance.
But he was puzzled by the small increase in bounce.
"Why only +1? My jumping was on point!"
"Once an ability reaches 'Excellent,' leveling up becomes more difficult. Reaching 'Perfect' is even harder," the system responded.
"So that's it."
Still, this game showed him the path to growth. All he had to do was play more matches to keep improving.
This was the world of Slam Dunk, after all. Basketball games were everywhere.
Back in his past life, Oliver loved basketball. Now, being able to play again in this anime world felt like a dream come true.
"Come to think of it, this body goes to the same school as Sakuragi Hanamichi... I definitely have to meet him."
The thought of meeting the fearless, red-haired protagonist made Oliver buzz with excitement.
"Ding! Main mission reward issued: Host receives 500 achievement points!"
"Achievement points? What can I do with them?"
"You may use them to enhance a specific physical attribute or extract a legendary NBA player's skill."
"What!?"
Oliver's eyes widened.
While improving his stats was tempting, the ability to obtain iconic NBA skills was even more irresistible.
Vince Carter's "Death Dunk," Kareem's "Skyhook," Curry's "Half-Court Three"...
Every basketball fan had tried these moves. But pulling them off like the pros? Nearly impossible.
"System, how much improvement does 500 points get me?"
"You may raise any one attribute to 'Excellent'."
Oliver weighed his options. Boosting strength or speed to "Excellent" would give him a huge advantage.
But the idea of drawing an NBA move danced in his mind like a siren song. His willpower crumbled fast.
"Damn it! Attributes can wait. I'm going for the lottery!"
"500 achievement points consumed. Lottery begins!"
A massive turntable filled with legendary NBA skills appeared in front of him, spinning rapidly with funky system music.
Olajuwon's "Dream Shake," Kobe's "Turnaround Fadeaway," O'Neal's "Shark Power," Wade's "Lightning Step"...
As the wheel slowed, Oliver held his breath.
Finally, the pointer stopped on... Kobe's Turnaround Fadeaway Jump Shot!
"YES!!"
Oliver nearly jumped for joy.
Kobe Bryant had been one of his idols. His signature move had captivated millions. Oliver had tried it back in his past life, but no matter how hard he trained, he could never replicate it.
Now, it was his.
Legendary Skill: Turnaround Fadeaway Jump Shot
Skill Intro: Kobe Bryant's signature. Uses core strength to maintain balance mid-air while leaning back, combined with incredible coordination and touch.
Usage Requirement: Bounce and Hit Rate must both be at "Excellent".
Cooldown: None.
"What!? There are conditions!?"
Oliver's face twisted in disbelief.
His bounce already met the standard, but his hit rate was only 45—far from the 60 required.
He had drawn an epic skill, yet couldn't use it. The frustration was unreal.
"I should've upgraded my stats first..."
Before he could brood more, his teammates swarmed him.
"You're amazing, Oliver! We won because of you!"
"Yeah! When did you become so strong!?"
Even the coach walked over, giving him a heavy pat on the shoulder.
"Great job, Oliver. I didn't expect this from you. As your coach, I feel a bit ashamed. But seriously... how did you improve so much in such a short time?"
He scratched his head, clearly baffled.
"Yeah! Come on, tell us your secret!"
Everyone leaned in with eager faces.
Oliver scratched his chin. There was no way he could tell them he had a magical system from another world.
They'd think he was insane.
But then, he remembered something—a legendary quote from Kobe himself.
He lifted one finger and said calmly:
"Have you ever seen Kanagawa at four in the morning?"
The group went silent.
Then, awe spread across their faces.
"Whoa... so cool!"
"Four in the morning!? That's next-level dedication!"
"Oliver, you're a real beast..."
Oliver turned away and smirked. It was better this way. Let them think he was the hardworking type.
After all, that's what Kobe would have wanted.
To be continued...
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