The gym had emptied, but Yuuto could still feel the echo of the crowd in his bones.
Not the cheers. Not the applause.
The eyes.
For the first time in years, people were watching him again.
Outside the gym, the cool evening air hit his sweat-soaked shirt. He leaned against the wall, chest still heaving from the final quarter. His knee ached, pulsing with each breath.
But the pain wasn't enough to drown out the adrenaline still humming through his veins.
[Post-Match Summary]
Match Rating: A
Team Impact: +22%
New Reputation Gained: "Comeback Kid"
Skill Unlocked: "Clutch Presence" (Lv.1)
Adds subtle fear debuff to opponents during crunch time
New Follower Detected: Asuka Tanaka (Potential Bond: 1%)
Video Clip Sent to Local Basketball Feed
"Got a second?"
Yuuto looked up.
Asuka Tanaka stood a few feet away, recorder in hand, notepad tucked under her arm. She wore a loose windbreaker, dark jeans, and that same sharp, curious expression from earlier.
"I already said yes," Yuuto replied, managing a tired smirk. "Didn't think you'd still be here."
She grinned. "Journalism rule number one: never leave until the story's done."
He shrugged. "Then ask what you want to ask."
Her voice shifted, more serious now. "What was it like being back on the court? For real."
Yuuto thought about it.
The pressure. The pain. The moment everything slowed and focused, like the court had shrunk and it was just him and the rim.
"It felt like…" he paused, searching, "...breathing after being underwater for too long."
Asuka scribbled something down quickly, nodding.
"You've got a reputation," she said.
"Do I?"
"You do now." She held up her phone, playing a short video. His last shot. The buzzer-beater fadeaway.
The caption read:
"Former Prodigy Yuuto Kai Returns?!"
1,207 views and rising.
He blinked. "That's already online?"
She smirked. "I don't wait around."
[System Notification]
New Quest Triggered: "Go Viral" (1/3 criteria met)
Local Video Clip Published
10,000 Views
Get Mentioned by a Scout, Coach, or Official Source
Reward: Skill – "Crowd Control (Lv.1)"
"Mind if I ask one last thing?" Asuka said, her voice softening. "Why now? After all this time?"
Yuuto looked away. "Because I got tired of being forgotten."
Her pen stopped. Then she closed her notebook slowly.
"That's a good line," she said quietly. "Too real for a headline. But I'll keep it."
Monday School Grounds
The following morning was chaos.
Yuuto stepped into homeroom, and whispers exploded around him like a lit fuse.
"That's him."
"He's in Class 2-B?"
"I saw the clip! That crossover was filthy."
"Think he's gonna get scouted?"
Even the teachers looked at him differently.
By lunch, his follower count on KoTalk had jumped from 37 to over 900.
[System Alert]
+3 Popularity → Passive Buff: "Social Presence" (Lv.1)
Buff Effect: Increases influence in peer-to-peer interactions
Unlocked: "Support Quest – School Relevancy"
Complete social tasks to build school-wide support
Down the hallway, Yuuto spotted Takeda and a few teammates by the vending machines.
He expected cold shoulders.
Instead
"Yo," Takeda said, punching his shoulder. "Didn't know you had that in you, bro."
Yuuto smirked. "Neither did I."
Takeda laughed. "You stole the damn show. Coach has been all mysterious since. Wouldn't even say if you're starting next week."
Yuuto raised an eyebrow. "Am I?"
"No clue. But the captain's pissed. Heard he called a players-only meeting this afternoon."
Player Meeting – Gymnasium
Five players. No coaches.
Yuuto sat on a bench, sweat towel over his shoulders. Across from him stood Matsuda, the team captain and the current starting shooting guard.
Matsuda's expression was tight. Controlled. Cold.
"You think you're a starter now?" he asked.
Yuuto didn't answer.
"I watched your game. You played well. But one flashy night doesn't make you our savior."
Another player muttered, "You trying to turn this into the Yuuto Show?"
Yuuto glanced around.
No one spoke up for him.
[System Warning: Peer Hostility Detected]
Optional Response Boost:
"Controlled Confidence" (+5% persuasion)
"Silence as Power" (+8% impact to pause-based replies)
Yuuto chose silence. Just stared at Matsuda, unwavering.
Finally, Matsuda exhaled. "You want your spot? Then earn it. On the court. Tomorrow."
After School – Outdoor Court
Challenge: Beat Matsuda in a 1v1.
First to 11. No subs. Coach Ijima watching from the side.
Asuka stood behind the fence, phone raised.
Kengo's face flickered into Yuuto's memory.
Old wounds.
Old fire.
This wasn't just basketball anymore.
Matsuda was bigger. More durable. He had seniority.
But Yuuto had the System.
And something deeper resolve.
[Side Mission Activated: "Win the Captain's Respect"]
Reward: Team Chemistry Boost
Risk: -10 Morale if Failed
0–0.
Matsuda struck first with a smooth spin-fade.
0–1.
Yuuto responded. Hesitation. Drive. Left-hand layup.
1–1.
They traded buckets. Elbows. Words.
"You getting lucky, cripple?" Matsuda growled.
Yuuto's eyes narrowed.
[Skill Prompt: "Trash Talk Defense" Available]
Boost: +10% Focus for 2 Minutes
Debuff: Opponent Composure -5%
He smirked. "Cripple's about to cook you."
Snap. Cross. Step-back.
Swish.
7–5. Yuuto led.
Matsuda grew reckless. Rushed shots. Sloppy footwork.
Yuuto punished every miss with precise cuts and well-timed finishes.
10–8. Game point.
He drove hard right, then stopped short spin back.
Matsuda bit too hard.
Yuuto pulled up, smooth and clean.
Swish.
11–8.
Silence hung thick.
Then Coach Ijima stepped forward, arms crossed.
"Practice at 6. Kai you're starting next game."
Yuuto didn't gloat. Just nodded.
Behind the fence, Asuka snapped a photo. He turned toward her.
She mouthed, "Wow."
[Quest Complete: "Win the Captain's Respect"]
Chemistry Buff: +15%
Team Morale: Stabilized
Asuka's Affection: +2%
Viral Video Quest (2/3 criteria met)
Game clip hit 9,100 views
Trending on local basketball subreddit
That night, walking home with his gym bag slung over his shoulder, Yuuto watched the sun set over the rooftops.
[System Ping]
[System Evolution Notice]
"You've stepped out of the shadows."
Performance Recognition Tier: "Contender"
New Tier Goals Unlocked:
Score 100 Total Points in Competitive Play
Reach 1,000 Followers
Be Scouted for a Regional Tournament
Reward: Unlock "Zone Entry" Skill Branch
Yuuto exhaled.
This was only the beginning.
But for the first time in years, the road ahead didn't feel like a dead end.
It felt like a court.
A place he belonged.