The whistle sliced through the gym, sharp and unforgiving.
Yuuto's body jolted, as if the sound itself had grabbed his chest and squeezed. His sneakers squeaked faintly against the polished hardwood as he walked to the baseline, palms clammy, throat dry. He could feel the collective weight of every eye in the gym pulling at him judging, doubting, waiting to see if he would crumble.
The Shujin High varsity squad had been split into two teams for an intra-squad scrimmage, jerseys marked in white and red. Yuuto had expected to sit quietly on the bench, maybe shag balls or take notes for the coach.
But then Tanaka's voice had rung out like thunder:
"White team, you've got Kai. Five minutes. Show me you belong."
For a breathless second, silence blanketed the gym. Then whispers rippled across the court.
"Wait did he just say Yuuto?" one forward muttered.
"Isn't he still busted?" another hissed.
"No way he can keep up…"
The doubt dug into Yuuto's skin like needles. His stomach twisted.
The system pulsed faintly in his vision:
[Quest Triggered: Trial by Fire]
Objective: Survive 5 minutes in a team scrimmage.
Reward: Unlock "Match Awareness (Lv.1)."
Failure: –3 Confidence.
His crutch leaned against the bench behind him, abandoned. His knee brace pressed tight against his skin, a constant reminder of fragility.
But the panel flickered again, cool and reassuring.
[Condition: Stable. Pain Level: Manageable.]
Yuuto exhaled through his nose, forcing his heartbeat into rhythm.
I can do this. I have to.
Opening Play
The ball went up.
Yuuto crouched low on defense, sliding into position, sweat already beading across his temples. His matchup was Ishikawa a sophomore guard with quick hands, quicker feet, and a grin that screamed arrogance.
"Didn't think they'd let the cripple in," Ishikawa taunted, dribbling lazily between his legs. "Guess Coach wants a laugh."
Yuuto bit down on his nerves, eyes locked on Ishikawa's hips. His knee throbbed faintly as he shuffled, but then the system whispered:
[Micro-Boost: Anticipation +2 for 3 seconds.]
The ball flicked left. Ishikawa burst forward only to be cut off by Yuuto's sudden slide. Their shoulders brushed; Ishikawa stumbled, forced to pivot and swing the ball out.
"Nice cut-off!" Marcus's voice rang from across the gym.
The bench hummed with surprise. Yuuto's chest swelled. Just one stop, but already it felt like oxygen in his lungs.
Offense Pressure
When the ball swung to Yuuto on the wing, the gym seemed to hold its breath.
Ishikawa stepped up close, sneer curling across his lips. "C'mon, broken leg. Show me something."
Yuuto's pulse thundered. Drive? Shoot? His knee hesitated, fear gnawing at instinct.
Then the system flickered again:
[Option Available: Activate Quick Step (Trial). Uses: 1.]
Time slowed. Yuuto's vision sharpened. His body moved before doubt could intervene. A sudden push off his good foot, a blur of motion he slipped past Ishikawa's reach, cutting into the paint.
But the lane was collapsing fast. A red jersey rotated, arms wide, ready to block.
Shoot or pass?
His hands acted first. The ball snapped behind him, threading through the gap like lightning.
Marcus caught it clean, exploded upward slam dunk.
The rim rattled. The gym erupted.
"YO!" Marcus roared, pointing back at Yuuto. "That's the Kai I know!"
The bench buzzed with murmurs of disbelief.
[Assist Recorded. Team Chemistry +1.]
[Quest Progress: 2/5 Minutes Survived.]
Yuuto's lungs burned, but his grin split wide. That sound the swish of the net, the thunder of the rim it was the sweetest music he'd heard in months.
The Stumble
The next possession, Yuuto tried to create space with a dribble pull-up. His knee wobbled mid-jump, the ball clanking hard off the rim.
"Rusty…" someone muttered from the sideline.
The words cut deep. His throat tightened.
On defense, Ishikawa tested him again, a nasty crossover that sent Yuuto biting on the fake. His knee nearly buckled as Ishikawa darted past easy layup.
"Still not the same…" another whispered.
Yuuto's chest burned, a knot of shame clawing upward. His fingers curled into fists. Not like this. Not again.
The panel shimmered.
[Warning: Stability Dropping.]
[Willpower Check Passed.]
[+1 Mental Resilience.]
Marcus's shout echoed: "Shake it off, Kai! Next play!"
Yuuto inhaled sharply. His heartbeat steadied. Not every possession had to be perfect. He just had to endure.
Final Minute
The scrimmage tempo climbed. Sweat stung Yuuto's eyes, dripped down his chin. His brace felt like lead, every movement dragging pain across his nerves.
But then came the play.
Ishikawa tried to isolate again, pounding the ball hard. He faked, drove right. Yuuto staggered then planted, lunged, and stripped the ball clean.
The gym gasped.
Yuuto stumbled forward, instincts flaring. The break was on. His body screamed to stop, to protect the knee but adrenaline drowned it out. He pushed the ball ahead, Marcus sprinting in lane.
Two defenders converged. For a heartbeat, the court slowed.
Yuuto's panel flickered faintly:
[Awareness Surge: Passing Lane Highlighted.]
He threaded a bounce pass between the defenders. Marcus scooped it and finished at the rim.
The whistle blew.
"White ball. Scrimmage over."
Aftermath
Yuuto staggered to the bench, chest heaving, lungs raw. His legs trembled, sweat soaking his jersey. His knee ached fiercely, but it had held.
Coach Tanaka stood with arms crossed, expression carved from stone. His eyes bore into Yuuto for a long, suffocating moment.
Finally, the coach grunted. "…Not bad."
Just two words. But to Yuuto, they might as well have been a standing ovation.
The system sealed the moment:
[Quest Complete: Trial by Fire]
Reward Unlocked: Skill – Match Awareness (Lv. 1).
(Automatically detects defensive rotations and open teammates within your vision cone.)
Yuuto collapsed onto the bench, dragging his towel over his face. His chest hurt from smiling, his hands trembled with adrenaline.
He wasn't all the way back. His knee was still fragile, his rhythm still broken. But for the first time in months, he had stood on the court and proven
not just to his coach, not just to his teammates, but to himself
that the comeback was real.
It was happening.