The Quicken Loans Arena—no, it was called the PrismDome now—glowed like a digital cathedral. Holograms of lion-headed Cavaliers roared silently from the rafters, the new sigil flickering over everything like a warning.
My palms were sweating, and I wasn't sure if it was adrenaline or the existential dread of pretending to be LeBron James in a magical version of the NBA.
I cracked my neck. Cameras zoomed in. The crowd's roar was deafening.
🏀 SYSTEM ALERT: You are entering an Awakened Court: PRISMDOME
Rule Modifier: "Truth Pulse" – Aura Skills revealed automatically during activation
Bonus: Clutch plays cause TIME DILATION for 3 real-time seconds.
Risk: Critical failures drain Aura reserves and cause temporary skill lockout.
"This is insane," I muttered under my breath.
Across from me, Zion Lee stood like a boulder sculpted from muscle and ego. Kid was barely 21, built like an armored SUV, and radiated red-tinted Aura like smoke.
"You ready to get dethroned, old man?" Zion called out, his voice booming unnaturally loud. His Aura flared, and the crowd visibly leaned away from him in waves.
I grinned back, masking my panic.
"I'd say something cocky, but I just realized I don't even know how to do a basic layup anymore."
"Say what now?"
Too late. Tip-off.
The ball launched into the air, glowing faintly with spectral energy. I jumped by instinct—and that's when it hit me.
🎮 Skill Activated: GRAVITY DRIVE Lv.1
Passive boost: Vertical Leap +27%
Hang-time Extension: 1.2 seconds
I hung in the air like I was born there. No, like LeBron was born there.
My hand touched the ball first. I swatted it toward our point guard—some kid named Deric who looked 12 and terrified—and landed like thunder.
The game started. And it was chaos.
Zion wasn't playing basketball. He was assaulting spacetime with every dunk.
On his first possession, he activated his skill:
💥 Aura Skill: Titan Slam
Effect: 300% force multiplier. Slam creates shockwave.
Status: Overcharge Mode. Court tremor applied.
He took one step past our center and launched a dunk so fierce it cracked the backboard. Glass froze mid-air. A ripple of kinetic pressure sent our bench sliding backward.
My knees buckled.
"THIS IS NOT NORMAL," I screamed, even though no one could hear me.
We were down 14–2 within minutes.
And the worst part? I hadn't even used a real move yet.
But then, I saw the Game Masters.
Up in the luxury box, behind a shimmering hex-glass barrier, four hooded figures sat silently. No one in the crowd seemed to notice them—but I could. My vision flickered every time I looked their way. They were watching me.
Waiting.
Judging.
And somehow… I felt like they were smiling.
🎮 System Ping: New Challenge
Objective: Make a "King's Move" – Score with active Aura against an equal or stronger enemy.
Reward: Title Fragment - [Awakened Monarch]
Penalty: Skill Lockout (5 minutes)
I exhaled, ball in hand. Zion waited at the three-point line, arms crossed. He was daring me.
I activated my Aura.
🔥 Gravity Drive: Lv.1
Add-on Modifier: "Hang in Pain" – Slam with 40% added torque from apex
Skill Sync: Active
Status: Emotionally unstable. (+7% Aura Surge)
I drove past him.
His eyes widened.
The court bent around me like paper in the wind. I leapt—
And then I flew.
In that one second, I wasn't Tyler.
I wasn't even LeBron.
I was a goddamn force of nature.
BOOM.
The rim shattered.
The crowd screamed.
The PrismDome froze in a single, blinding pulse of light.
🎉 Challenge Complete
Title Fragment Acquired: [Awakened Monarch] (1/5)
Audience Perception: +15%
Clutch Bonus: TIME DILATION ACTIVATED (3s)
Game Master Interest: Increased.
As I landed, Zion looked at me like I'd just spoken a language he didn't know.
"Where the hell did that come from?" he said.
I smirked.
"I guess… the King is back."