Usagi hadn't expected to be assigned to such a lost cause.
Most system hosts were wide-eyed dreamers, full of ambition and resolve. This one? This guy?
All he cared about was chasing girls and stacking cash.
"Don't you have any aspirations?"
Han shrugged. It wasn't like he never had any. He'd once dreamed big too—right after graduation. But reality chewed up those dreams and spat them out within a few years.
Dreams?
Ideals?
Nice words. Inspiring even.
But they're also a surefire way to stay broke for life.
"I'd rather be a rich slob," he said with a yawn.
"Didn't you once want to become a household name in the NBA?"
Han smirked. "Sure. But if I've got enough money, why play in the NBA when I can own an NBA team? Let them work for me."
"What about winning glory for your country?"
"I can marry women from several countries. That's multiple flags right there. Think of it as international relations."
"...You're unbelievable."
Usagi was fuming, ready to explode from frustration. How did she get saddled with such a shameless host?
"Don't you want to go back?"
Go back?
Han stopped walking. He turned his head, as if he could actually see the voice in his mind.
"Wait—you're saying I can go back?"
"Yes. As long as you keep increasing your popularity, you'll eventually gain the qualifications to return—with money, and with power."
Han didn't respond immediately. He found a bench, sat down, and stared into the distance.
He sat quietly for a while before muttering, "Alright. Tell me what kind of ridiculous features you've got."
The truth was, he did want to go back.
That world—his world—had his family, his friends, his memories. Maybe right now he was caught up in the novelty of this one, but give it time... he knew he'd start missing it all.
And if he could return loaded with wealth and talent?
Well, just imagining his father's dumbstruck face made his lips twitch uncontrollably. The satisfaction would be better than hitting a game-winning buzzer beater.
"Here's the rundown," Usagi began. "You'll live here as yourself—only now, you're also a character. The more popular you become, the higher your 'Character Popularity' rises."
"Popularity unlocks abilities. You can also spend it on lotteries. You do understand how gacha mechanics work, right?"
"Oh, I get it," Han muttered. "But you sound like a customer service rep who wants me to buy microtransactions."
Still, he had the gist.
Popularity = Power.
And power might just buy him a ticket home.
Only one thing left to ask now.
"So… what anime world am I in?"
"Kuroko's Basketball."
Han's brain lit up instantly—images of high school basketball prodigies with brightly colored hair zipped through his mind like a highlight reel.
He'd always loved sports anime. Haikyuu, Ao Ashi, Diamond no Ace—he'd seen them all.
But if he had to pick a favorite?
Nothing beat basketball.
And not just because of the anime.
He'd been on the court since elementary school. No football. No tennis. No baseball. Just him, his friends, a hoop, and the sound of sneakers squeaking on asphalt.
This… this felt like destiny.
Back in my country, courts overflowed with young people chasing dreams. NBA talk dominated lunch breaks, school corridors, and street corners. If you couldn't name at least a handful of players, you were considered out of touch.
Even those who didn't watch sports religiously made sure to catch the evening highlights—just to stay in the loop for the next day's banter.
Everyone acted like an expert, arguing over stats and plays like they were seasoned analysts. Didn't matter if they were just thirteen years old—they spoke with the confidence of grizzled commentators.
Han remembered it well. Back then, the courts weren't filled with clueless kids waving their arms—they were packed with real players, or at least kids who thought they were.
So naturally, when it came to Kuroko's Basketball, he was no stranger.
The anime followed a seemingly talentless boy who, along with a team of close-knit friends, challenged basketball's most elite and overpowered prodigies. At its core, it was a fantastical underdog story with some serious shounen flair.
The plot mostly centered around Seirin High, the protagonist team, and the famous Generation of Miracles—a group of genius players whose popularity, frankly, often eclipsed the protagonist himself.
"So what point in the timeline are we in? How old is Kuroko now?"
"Same age as you," Usagi answered.
"Wait, how old am I?"
"Check your info. I've already pulled it up for you."
A floating panel popped into view in front of Han. He clicked it open.
Name: Han Suichi
Gender: Male
Age: 12
Height: 174 cm
Weight: 55 kg
"Twelve?!"
Twelve years old and already 1.74 meters tall? That was no average middle schooler—he was practically a young giant!
Still… not bad.
"Alright then," he muttered, cracking a grin. "From now on, I'm Han Suichi."
It took him all morning to mentally adjust, but by the time he stepped out again, he'd fully embraced his new identity—sporting a fresh pair of sunglasses, strikingly similar to Satoru Gojo's iconic look.
After all, if he was going to be the main character in this world, he needed a memorable persona. And who better to borrow from than Gojo—cool, confident, stylish, and terrifyingly strong.
Caring to a fault about his students, with charm to melt crowds and a presence that couldn't be ignored… sure, his ending in Jujutsu Kaisen was a bit tragic—plenty of fans still hadn't forgiven the author for it—but hey…
"I won't fall like he did," Han grinned to himself. "My Gojo doesn't collapse."
Only one thing was missing: power. Gojo wasn't Gojo without it.
"System, do I get any starter perks?"
"Starter perks?"
"Yeah, you know—starter pack?" Han tilted his head at the tiny white bobtail-shaped avatar floating beside him.
Usagi blinked, as if realizing something.
Ding! Congratulations! You've received your Newbie Welcome Package!
Reward: One of the Gojo's Techniques — "Solution."
"…Seriously?" Han squinted. "With this face, and that move? You do know how Gojo died, right?"
He tapped on the skill. The description was disappointingly vague—just one word: Solution.
Still, this was a basketball world. There weren't real cursed techniques or actual magic. He couldn't exactly slice opponents in half or blow up the court mid-game.
This was a game of hoops, not a late-night horror show.
"Well, whatever. Let's go—Teiko Middle School, here I come!"
Han Suichi rolled his shoulders and strolled confidently toward Teiko, ignoring the admiring glances from girls nearby. He couldn't blame them—after all, this was a popularity-based system.
But he wasn't the protagonist here. That honor went to Kuroko Tetsuya and the overpowered Generation of Miracles.
Most of the spotlight would naturally fall on them. If Han wanted screen time, he'd have to steal it.
"Let's start with a simple goal," he muttered to himself.
"Become the most popular among the Generation of Miracles."