Tinsley charged forward. Just as Su Xi moved to cut him off, Tinsley abruptly changed direction. He was more agile and faster than Su Xi, but his explosiveness was only average, so he couldn't give Su Xi a fusion boost for his own power.
Su Xi used his superior explosive power to give chase, only to be blocked by their center.
Tinsley used the screen to break through the defense, and Su Xi immediately gave chase.
But he still found an opening and passed the ball to Rod.
Rod caught the ball and immediately turned his back to the basket. He began powerfully backing down McNamara. McNamara wasn't strong enough and was knocked back again and again.
One step. Two steps.
Rod violently backed him down for a third step, causing McNamara to stumble. Just then, Rod spun around, his body swinging through... THWACK!
Rod's body slammed hard into McNamara's shoulder, sending him collapsing to the floor.
Rod sank the jump shot.
The arena's DJ roared into the mic: "WOH-HO-HO-HO!!! LOOK AT OUR HORROR ROD! THE SUPER STRONGMAN FROM GEORGETOWN!"
The fans in the arena erupted in a deafening roar, hyping up their Horror Rod.
Many of the girls in the crowd screamed so hard they couldn't keep their legs together, eager to take a ride on Horror Rod's piledriver.
On college campuses, the physique of a sports star is far more appealing than the mind of a top student. In the United States, countless pretty girls date campus athletes. After graduation, they marry the very nerds they used to look down on... because by then, those nerds often have good jobs and plenty of money.
Rod excitedly flexed his biceps, drawing a fresh wave of screams. He roared at McNamara, "No one can stop me from getting to the NBA!"
He was brimming with fighting spirit.
A few scouts on the sidelines began scribbling in their notebooks. Terry wrote down Rod's name as well. While Rod's strength wouldn't be as big of an advantage in the NBA, if he continued to improve, that power could be the very reason a team took a chance on him.
Su Xi walked over and helped McNamara to his feet, whispering something in his ear.
He dribbled the ball past half court.
Josh Peis made a snide remark from the bench. "Those last two plays were both Little Sheep Su Xi's fault. An offensive foul, a blown defensive assignment, and he can't even run the plays right. If Kusduan were on the court, we wouldn't be seeing such amateur mistakes."
He said it loud enough to make sure the head coach could hear.
Assistant Coach Haywood agreed. He even stood up and said to Jim, "Jack's too green. We need to win this season opener."
Jim Boham said nothing, but inwardly, his resolve was wavering.
Just then, on the court, Su Xi suddenly dribbled from the top of the arc toward the wing. This wasn't a play from the handbook.
Jim frowned. 'He's going rogue,' he thought.
Just then, Cameron Anthony came over and set a screen for Su Xi. Su Xi used it to cut toward the paint. His strength immediately put the Georgetown small forward who switched onto him, Dominique, at a disadvantage.
Su Xi drove for two steps, then suddenly pivoted, faking a pass to the top of the arc where Cameron Anthony was waiting.
Rod immediately shifted to cover him.
The moment Rod moved, Su Xi whipped the ball to the opposite side with a pass behind his head.
McNamara cut in at the perfect moment. He caught the ball just outside the three-point line and took the shot... SWISH!
Nothing but net.
It was perfect chemistry between Su Xi, Anthony, and McNamara.
Haywood was dumbfounded. He had been about to criticize Su Xi for going off-script, but now the words died in his throat.
Jim Boham, however, broke into a smile.
He loved that play.
Anthony's powerful offensive threat and screening ability, Jack's power drive, and McNamara's open three-pointer—the play perfectly showcased all three skills.
He had already decided to add it to the new playbook.
The scout, Terry, wrote a line under Su Xi's name: *Average ball-handling, but has wide court vision and a creative passing ability.*
Just then, Su Xi made another decision that defied the team's strategy.
He switched assignments with McNamara.
He walked straight toward Horror Rod. Rod was about the same height as Su Xi, but his frame was two sizes bigger. He looked like a Little Steel Cannon.
In Terry's evaluation system, he was at a fringe NBA level. If he found the right team that needed his skills, he had a shot at a non-guaranteed contract.
Now, Su Xi was matched up against him.
'Can he handle him?'
Terry was filled with anticipation.
The crowd grew loud. This was the moment they'd been waiting for. They couldn't wait to see Horror Rod smash Su Xi to pieces—it's what he deserved for running his mouth on the Georgetown University forums.
The blonde girl sitting courtside was so excited her leg was bouncing uncontrollably. She said to her friend, "What am I going to do? I love Horror Rod's power, but I also love that egomaniac's handsome face. If they merged into one, I'd let him pound me right into the headboard!"
Rod was already on Su Xi, aggressively posting him up.
He said arrogantly, "So you're the fucker they call Lli-Goat? Time for me to take you to school!"
With that, he used all his strength to seal Su Xi off.
Tinsley, happy to watch the drama unfold, fed him the ball.
All across the arena, people were getting to their feet. They all wanted to see Horror Rod continue his rampage and shatter that smug egomaniac into a million pieces.
"Show him what Georgetown power is all about!" a skinny white guy on the sidelines yelled, jumping to his feet.
Rod put his back into it... BAM!
He slammed his body backward.
Su Xi's body swayed.
But inwardly, he was ecstatic. 'Rod's strength really is impressive. This impact has given me a long-awaited fusion acceleration!' His Super Strength talent increased by 1 point.
He was thrilled.
Rod, however, was a little surprised. He hadn't expected the wiry Su Xi to actually hold his ground.
So, he slammed into him a second time, using all his might.
Su Xi slid back half a step.
This time, he could feel his Super Strength talent stirring within him again, but it didn't increase.
So, he decided to drop some trash talk. "Hey, did you forget to eat breakfast? Is that all you've got?"
This enraged Rod.
Using every ounce of strength he had, he violently slammed backward again.
Su Xi was pushed back another half-step. And just then, his Super Strength talent finally increased by another point.
Just as that happened, Rod came at him again.
This time, Su Xi didn't budge. He could sense that Rod could no longer accelerate his Super Strength fusion. He had lost his usefulness as a 'training partner'.
Instead, he powerfully pushed forward himself.
He shoved his body forward, a surge of power erupting from him. In that instant, Horror Rod felt like he'd slammed into a solid boulder. He was reminded of his teammate from last season, Dennis Scott. Scott could easily make him lose his balance on contact.
But Scott was a 290-pound giant built like an iron tower.
'How is this guy so strong?'
As he reeled in shock, Su Xi suddenly exploded with speed. He shot out his incredibly long arms and ripped the ball right out of Rod's hands. With a powerful tug forward, Horror Rod, who was already off-balance, was sent sprawling to the floor, landing flat on his back.
The Georgetown Arena went completely silent.
It was like something out of Silent Hill.
It was so quiet you could hear a mouse piss on cotton.
The silence was broken when the blonde girl courtside leaped to her feet, violently shaking her trembling, curvy body. She screamed, "Oh my God! My dream has come true!!"
Her shriek shattered the silence.
An uproar erupted through the arena. The unexpected had happened!
'Rod actually lost to that egomaniac?'
What was even more shocking was that after stealing the ball, Su Xi didn't race down the court. Instead, he stopped right in front of Rod. He lowered his head, looming over the pathetic figure lying on his back. His tone was as cold and sharp as a divine mandate: "So you're the fucker they call Horror Rod? You're trash."
There was no emotion in Su Xi's voice.
It was the pure, oppressive aura of a superior being.
His gaze was not just filled with contempt, but also a hint of disappointment. 'This guy who calls himself Horror Rod only managed to raise my strength by 2 points.'
'If you're not that strong, why have such a badass nickname?'
'Even Cameron Anthony's nickname is just Sweet Melon. What gives you the right to be called Horror Rod?'
In that instant, the mighty Rod's gaze faltered. Fear began to sprout uncontrollably in his heart.
'What kind of monster is this? How can he possess such immense power?'
…