Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

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The second quarter ended even more chaotic than the first one.

The scoreboard displayed a nail-biting 45-40. The Champions still held the lead, but barely.

The crowd was both exhilarated and in disbelief. Contrary to their first expectations, they began to realize that this was no ordinary game.

The Shizi Dogs had clawed their back into the match, and of course, Kai was at the heart of it.

Jian walked off the court with the same calm expression he always wore, but a glimmer of sweat on his brow betrayed the effort he had just put in.

He glanced at the scoreboard, eyes narrowing for a brief moment before turning away. The points he had wracked up were impressive, but so were the Shizi Dogs'.

They were playing like a pack of wolves determined to defend their territory. If this was a werewolf story, it would be compared to the biggest pack getting slowly taken over by an ordinary one.

On the Shizi Dogs' bench, Yuze was already up, patting the shoulders of the team members as they gathered around.

"Good job, guys," he said, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "I knew you could do it."

Renren smirked. "I guess we don't need you anymore."

Yuze shook his head. "If I was there, the gap would have been smaller by now."

The others were all smiles, breathing hard but wearing the fire of determination in their eyes. "We can do this," Jet said, thumping Andy's back with an enthusiasm that made Andy laugh. "We've actually got this!"

"Hell yeah," Jinping said. "I ain't losing after giving all that effort."

"I don't know about you, but I'm not that tired," Jet said, crossing his arms in front of his chest with pride.

Renren shook his head. "That's because you've only played for one quarter. However, I actually feel the same!"

"It feels as if everything's going well for us," Renren added. "The ball just lands in my hands at the most perfect time."

Of course, Kai wanted it to turn out that way.

However, it had come with a price.

Amidst the shouts and high-fives, Kai sank onto the bench, a faraway look in his eyes.

His chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath, the adrenaline still coursing through him. Sweat dripped down his temples, and his fingers felt numb from the effort he'd put in.

Lina, watching from the sidelines, noticed the slight slump in Kai's shoulders and the way he leaned forward, elbows on his knees. A crease formed on her forehead as she walked over to him.

Her presence was gentle, but her eyes were searching. "Kai," she said softly, leaning down and wrapping an arm around his back. He turned to her, his dark eyes meeting hers, trying to mask his exhaustion but failing.

"You alright?" she asked, sounding a bit worried.

Kai nodded slowly, managing a small smile despite his heavy breathing.

But the truth was, he could barely catch his breath.

The realization hit him like a punch to the gut—he had given everything he had. He had pushed himself past the limit, and he knew that if he kept this up without change, he'd burn out before the final quarter.

That was the price he had to pay.

The Shizi Dogs had managed to hold their own, but Kai could already feel the consequence of his choices pressing down on him. It was exciting and terrifying at once.

He had found a way to beat Jian. However, he wasn't sure if he would be able to stick to it until the end.

Kimmy sat further back, her eyes taking in the scene with a neutral expression. She noticed Lina's concern and how Kai's weariness showed even as he nodded.

But for some reason, she felt detached. Shaking her head, she forced herself to look away.

Meanwhile, Chaoxing was watching the exchange from the

Champions' bench. He leaned closer to Jimmy, who sat with his hands clenched into fists.

"Sit it out for the third quarter, Jimmy," Chaoxing said, eyes darting from Kai to Jian.

Jimmy met his gaze, defiance seen in his eyes.

"No way," Jimmy said, voice tight. His father, sitting near the edge of the stands, caught the exchange and nodded subtly to their coach, who then glanced at Chaoxing with a firm shake of his head.

Jimmy wasn't going anywhere.

Chaoxing sighed, leaning back and letting out a long, frustrated breath. "Fine," he muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair.

Then he glanced sideways at Jian, who, for the first time, seemed to be feeling the pressure. There was sweat on Jian's neck, and his breathing was heavier, though he kept his expression stoic.

Chaoxing leaned closer. "Can you feel it now? Why I said Kai was amazing?"

Jian's jaw tightened, and for a moment, a flicker of irritation crossed his face.

He shook his head, refusing to admit it. "I'm just taking a break," he said, eyes narrowing. But the edge in his voice said otherwise.

Chaoxing gave him a small smile, leaning back in his seat. "Goodness, I don't know what to do," he muttered to himself, glancing at the scoreboard and then back to the court.

Kai glanced up at the large screen, watching the timer for the halftime break countdown.

Two minutes left before the third quarter would start.

The team's chatter around him felt muffled as a sudden, sharp noise echoed in his mind. His vision wavered, and then something popped up in front of him, as clear as day despite the gym's harsh lights and the sweat stinging his eyes.

[Double or Nothing?]

The words floated before him, bright and insistent. Kai's breath got caught in his throat as he stared at the message. The adrenaline coursed through him again, but this time, it felt different—more like a warning or an opportunity.

He swallowed hard.

It was his system.

It was the first time it had shown up during one of the games of the Interhigh Nationals.

Was he ready for this?

He had an ominous feeling, but at the same time, he knew he would regret it if he didn't click on the challenge.