Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

"I wanted to spend the day with you," Lina said as she met up with Kai.

The two were at the back of the hotel, holding each other's hands while maintaining distance. Some adults passed by them and shook their heads.

"Oh, young love."

Kai chuckled and ruffled her hair. "I do, too," she said. "But you have to pick up your dad at the airport."

Lina pursed her lips. "I don't even know why he came. I'm not even going to play," she said.

Kai gently flicked her forehead. "Don't say that," he softly said. "You should be happy that he's watching."

"I am," Lina said. "I just wish we could go to the airport together."

Kai's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Do you want me to join you?"

Lina hummed. "I don't want to give my dad a heart attack. I need to tell our relationship to him first without you," she said.

Kai nodded in agreement. "Of course," he said. "You should go and hang out with your dad now."

"You won't be lonely, would you?" Lina asked in a teasing tone.

Kai smiled. "A little bit," he joked. "But then again, I'm going to the public court to train." Continue your journey with My Virtual Library Empire

Lina's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Still?" she asked. "The final game is tomorrow!"

"All the more reasons why I should train," Kai said. "I studied Jian Niu's play style last night. It's no joke. We need to be thoroughly prepared."

"Yeah," Lina muttered. "It's going to be intense. Would you be alright?"

Kai smiled. "Of course," he softly said. "I'll take care of myself well."

"Good," Lina said, mirroring his smile.

With that, the two of them went to the taxi lane. Kai hailed a cab for Lina.

It didn't take long—much to their dismay.

"I'll see you later," Kai said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

Lina's smile widened as he waved at Kai. "See you later!"

The taxi sped away, leaving Kai all alone. He went back to their hotel room for a moment to grab his basketball.

As expected, his roommates weren't around. They had all gone to their respective families before the final game. As he made his way out of the room, he came across Yuze with his crutch and cast.

"Kai," he said, narrowing his eyes at the younger player. "Where are you going?" he asked, eyeing the ball in his arms.

Kai gestured toward the ball. "Training," he said.

Yuze's frown deepened. "I told everyone to rest for now. What we need is energy for tomorrow."

"I know," Kai said. "Don't be such a worrywart. I'll be fine. I'll lose more energy if I don't train."

Yuze sighed and shook his head. "Somehow, that's true," he muttered.

"How about you?" Kai asked, changing the subject. "Where are you going?"

Yuze scratched the back of his neck as his cheeks slightly reddened.

"My family came here," he said. "We're eating lunch together."

"Ah," Kai muttered.

Right! Yuze had fixed his issue with his dad. Kai was happy for him.

"Have fun then," Kai said with a genuine smile.

Yuze pursed his lips and nodded. With that, Kai turned around and was about to leave. However, Yuze called for his name, making him halt.

"I won't be able to play the game tomorrow," Yuze said.

Kai frowned and turned around a bit. "Yeah, we know that. You can't exert yourself and worsen your injury."

"Which means," Yuze continued, "we need you more than ever, Kai."

"Please be at your A-game."

A small smirk made its way to Kai's face.

"Of course, captain," he said, saluting at Yuze. "You can count on me."

With that, the two of them truly parted ways.

Kai felt the heat as he walked toward the empty public court. The city was bustling, but in this particular area, it was pretty empty. This court was old, but Kai liked that about it. It rarely had any people, too—since they all went to the new courts in the busy side of the city.

He dropped his bag beside the half-court line and pulled out a ball. He dribbled a few times, warming up his hands and wrists.

He could still picture Jian Niu's shots from the videos he'd watched through the night. He had drowned his sorrow by watching his highlights—and it seemed to be a good decision.

Jian Niu was something else—the kind of player who didn't just make shots but controlled the game with a confidence that bordered on arrogance. Kai knew he had to be better than that. He could feel the pressure in his bones, the relentless need to get his stats up and reach a level he hadn't yet touched.

Kai took a step back, feeling the familiar distance of the half-court line beneath his feet. He let the ball fly, watching it arc high against the sky. It hit the rim, circled, and bounced off.

He exhaled, sounding annoyed.

He worked his way around the court in a systematic pattern, aiming for precision with every shot. With each miss, his focus sharpened, his body responding faster and smoother the next time around.

The hours in front of the screen had given him a clear picture of Jian's form.

In the quiet city, Kai's focus deepened.

[+12 XP from hard work]

[+9 XP from hard work]

His XP was actually increasing steadily, but it was still a long way until the next level. He shook his head, feeling rushed because the game was just in a day's time.

However, even then, Kai didn't stop. He could feel his energy dropping, but he wanted to challenge his stamina to the fullest.

Kai didn't know how long he had been in the empty court. However, by the time he took a breather, he was covered in sweat.

He lay on the dirty court, breathing heavily as he stared up at the sky. He could feel the heat of the ground seeping through his clothes, but it was no match to the heat he felt in his body.

In the sky, he could see Jian's picture. It was as if the universe was telling him that Jian was the sky—someone impossible to reach.

With that thought in mind, Kai stood and started dribbling once more.

However, a person's voice made him snap out of his thoughts, surprising him out of his wits.

"Kai!"

Kai jumped up, the ball falling from his hands.

"What the heck?" he exclaimed, turning around—only to be met with Suzy.

He let out a soft sigh.

"Are you a mushroom or something?"