The gym suddenly felt different.
Not louder.
Not quieter.
Heavier.
Jonathan stood at the center of the court, spinning the basketball in his hands with a confident grin.
"So," he said, looking at Axiom,"first to five points."
Callie crossed her arms.
"Five only?"
Jonathan smirked.
"That should be enough."
Callie looked at Axiom.
"You okay with that, captain?"
Axiom nodded calmly.
"Yeah."
Inside, he remembered Leo's words.
Do not actively use Dama.Let it flow naturally.Learn control, not power.
This was perfect.
He looked at Callie and Cammy for a second.
The way they moved…
They weren't forcing anything.
Their bodies just knew.
That's what I need to do.
Jonathan bounced the ball once.
Thump.
"Let's make this interesting."
Callie frowned slightly.
"…Jonathan."
He ignored her.
He pointed at Axiom.
"If I win…"
His smirk got wider.
"You crawl over here."
Silence.
Cammy blinked.
"…What?"
Jonathan kept going.
"And you don't hang out with Callie again."
The other football players laughed.
Callie's expression turned cold.
"That's not funny."
Jonathan shrugged.
"You said he's your friend."
"Then it shouldn't matter."
Axiom didn't react.
He just smiled slightly.
"…That it?"
Jonathan frowned.
"What?"
Axiom stepped forward.
"If you're gonna bet…"
His eyes sharpened a little.
"…Bet properly."
Callie looked at him.
"…Axiom…"
Jonathan scoffed.
"Oh yeah?"
"What do you want?"
Axiom shrugged.
"If I win…"
Small pause.
"…You do whatever I say."
The gym went quiet.
One of the football players laughed.
"Anything?"
Axiom nodded.
"Anything."
Jonathan stared at him for a moment.
Then grinned.
"You serious?"
"Yeah."
Jonathan bounced the ball again.
"Fine."
He pointed at him.
"You win, I do whatever you say."
"But when I win…"
He smirked.
"You crawl."
Callie stepped between them.
"Alright, enough talking."
She grabbed the ball.
"We'll do it properly."
She walked to the center of the court.
Cammy moved to the side, watching carefully.
Callie held the ball between them.
"Tip-off."
She looked at both of them.
"First to five."
"No fouls."
"No whining."
She smirked.
"And don't break my floor."
Jonathan chuckled.
"No promises."
Callie threw the ball straight up.
Both players could jump.
Jonathan jumped immediately.
Axiom didn't.
Jonathan grabbed the ball easily and landed.
He smirked.
"…Didn't even try?"
Axiom shrugged.
"Go ahead."
Jonathan started dribbling.
Fast.
Strong.
Confident.
He drove forward immediately.
Axiom stepped back.
Not dodging.
Not blocking.
Just watching.
Jonathan pushed past him and did a layup.
Swish.
1 – 0
Jonathan laughed.
"That easy?"
Callie frowned slightly.
Cammy tilted her head.
"…He's not trying."
Jonathan tossed the ball back.
"Your ball."
Axiom caught it.
Dribbled once.
Thump.
His mind wasn't on the game.
It was on his Dama.
Don't force it.
Let it move.
Let it react.
He passed the ball back.
"Go."
Jonathan smirked.
"You serious?"
He attacked again.
Faster this time.
Another drive.
Another shot.
Swish.
2 – 0
Callie narrowed her eyes.
"…He's doing something."
Cammy whispered:
"He's thinking…"
Jonathan bounced the ball again.
"You giving up already?"
He went again.
Harder.
Faster.
Another point.
3 – 0
The football players laughed.
"Told you."
Jonathan wiped his hands.
"Two more."
Axiom stood still.
Eyes half focused.
Inside, his Dama moved.
Not wild.
Not forced.
Flowing.
He remembered what Cammy said.
Don't think.
Just know.
He remembered what Callie said.
Your body moves first.
He took a slow breath.
Then, inside his mind, he did something new.
He spoke to his Dama.
Not with words.
With intent.
Adapt.
Move when needed.
Strength when needed.
Speed when needed.
Protect when needed.
Respond automatically.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—
His chest felt warm.
His muscles tightened slightly.
His senses sharpened.
Not like before.
Smoother.
More natural.
His aura shifted.
It became denser.
More refined.
Forge…
Peak.
Callie's eyes widened slightly.
"…Oh."
Cammy felt it too.
"That feeling…"
Jonathan didn't notice.
He just grabbed the ball again.
"Last two."
He ran forward.
Fast.
Stronger than before.
He drove toward the basket.
This time—
Axiom moved.
Not fast.
Not flashy.
Just one step.
Perfect angle.
Jonathan tried to pass.
His hand hit Axiom's arm.
The ball slipped.
Axiom caught it.
Clean.
Jonathan froze.
"…What?"
Axiom bounced the ball once.
Thump.
His eyes were calm now.
Focused.
Ready.
Callie smirked slowly.
"…Now he's playing."
Cammy smiled softly.
"…Yeah."
Jonathan frowned.
"…You done warming up?"
Axiom looked at him.
Small smile.
"Yeah."
He dropped into stance.
"Your turn to defend."
Axiom stood at the top of the court, the ball in his hand, bouncing slowly.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Jonathan dropped into stance in front of him, eyes sharp now.
No more laughing.
No more joking.
"…You got lucky once."
Axiom smirked.
"Sure."
He started dribbling forward.
Slow.
Relaxed.
Not attacking yet.
Inside, his Dama moved on its own.
Not forced.
Not pushed.
Every step, every muscle, every movement adjusted automatically.
Forge — Peak.
His body felt light.
Responsive.
Perfectly balanced.
Jonathan moved closer, trying to read him.
"Come on."
Axiom tilted his head slightly.
"You want the ball?"
Jonathan scoffed.
"Try me."
Axiom stepped left.
Jonathan moved left.
Axiom stepped right.
Jonathan followed.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Axiom dribbled between his legs.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Jonathan reached.
The ball was gone.
His hand hit nothing.
"…What—"
Axiom was already on the other side.
Dribbling behind his back.
Jonathan turned quickly.
Axiom spun.
The ball switched hands again.
Jonathan lunged.
Axiom stepped past him.
The ball bounced low, almost touching the floor.
Jonathan reached again—
But the ball wasn't there.
It was behind Axiom again.
Callie's eyes widened.
"…He's playing with him."
Cammy covered her mouth slightly.
"…He's faster…"
Jonathan gritted his teeth.
"Stop moving!"
He rushed forward.
Axiom stopped.
Completely still.
Jonathan blinked.
"…Huh?"
Axiom held the ball in one hand.
Then slowly extended it forward.
Like he was offering it.
"You want it?"
Jonathan smirked.
"…Finally."
He reached for it.
At that exact moment—
Axiom flicked his wrist.
The ball dropped.
Hit the floor.
Bounced forward.
Right between Jonathan's legs.
Jonathan froze.
"…What—"
Axiom moved.
Not fast.
Not flashy.
Just perfectly timed.
He stepped past him, turned, grabbed the ball as it bounced behind Jonathan, and kept moving without breaking rhythm.
Callie laughed out loud.
"No way!"
Cammy's eyes sparkled.
"That was crazy…"
Axiom stopped at the three-point line.
Turned.
Didn't even look at the net.
He just raised the ball.
And threw it backward over his shoulder.
The ball spun through the air.
Everyone in the gym watched it.
Jonathan turned slowly.
Callie leaned forward.
Cammy held her breath.
Swish.
Clean.
Nothing but net.
Axiom raised one finger.
"1."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Then Callie started clapping.
Slow.
Wide grin on her face.
"…Okay, captain."
Cammy laughed softly.
"That was cool…"
Jonathan stood there, staring at the net like it had just betrayed him.
"…You… got lucky."
Axiom bounced the ball once.
Thump.
His eyes were calm now.
Confident.
"You sure about that?"
He tossed the ball to Jonathan.
"Your turn."
Axiom caught the ball after the shot and bounced it once.
Thump.
He looked at Jonathan calmly.
"Oh, by the way."
Jonathan frowned.
"…What now?"
Axiom tilted his head slightly.
"We're using official rules, right?"
Jonathan blinked.
"…Yeah?"
"We said full court."
Axiom nodded slowly.
"Right."
He smirked.
"You sure?"
Jonathan frowned harder.
"What are you talking about?"
Axiom spun the ball on his finger.
"That shot I just made."
He pointed behind him.
"Three-point line."
Jonathan's expression froze for a second.
"…Yeah."
Axiom smiled.
"That counts as two points, right?"
Silence.
One of the football players muttered:
"…Oh."
Callie laughed immediately.
"He's right."
Cammy covered her mouth, smiling.
"In half-court rules, that's two…"
Jonathan's face went slightly pale.
"…You serious?"
Axiom shrugged.
"You said official rules."
Callie raised two fingers.
"Score's two to three."
Jonathan clenched his jaw.
"…Fine."
He grabbed the ball.
"We'll give you that."
He stepped onto the court again, eyes sharp now.
"But you're not winning."
Axiom just smiled.
"We'll see."
Jonathan started dribbling hard.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
This time he wasn't playing around.
He drove forward fast, using his size, his strength, his real experience.
Axiom moved with him.
Step.
Slide.
Turn.
Block.
He kept up easily.
Jonathan pushed harder.
Tried to fake left.
Axiom didn't fall for it.
Tried right.
Axiom followed.
Jonathan gritted his teeth.
"…Stay still!"
He forced his way past him.
Axiom let him.
Just for a moment.
Jonathan ran forward, gaining distance, dribbling fast toward the other side of the court.
Callie frowned.
"…Why did he let him go?"
Cammy tilted her head.
"…He didn't panic…"
Jonathan reached the three-point line.
Turned.
Jumped.
Shot.
The ball flew toward the net.
At that exact moment—
Axiom moved.
He pivoted hard on one foot.
Lowered his body.
His Dama reacted instantly.
Speed.
Now.
His legs exploded forward.
One step.
Two steps.
Three.
He crossed half the court in a blur.
Callie's eyes widened.
"…What the—"
Cammy gasped.
"He's fast!"
Jonathan was still in the air when Axiom reached the paint.
The ball hit the rim.
Bounced up.
Before it could fall—
Axiom jumped.
Right in front of the net.
He caught the ball mid-air.
Landed smoothly.
Turned.
And ran.
Fast.
Really fast.
Jonathan landed and spun around.
"…Where—"
Axiom was already halfway across the court.
Dribbling low.
Controlled.
Perfect.
The football players shouted.
"No way!"
Callie laughed in disbelief.
"He crossed the whole court in like two steps!"
Cammy smiled, eyes shining.
"He copied my sprint…"
Jonathan ran after him, but it was too late.
Axiom reached the basket.
One step.
Two.
Jump.
He grabbed the rim and slammed the ball down hard.
Bam.
The sound echoed through the gym.
He landed clean.
Turned.
Calm.
Like it was nothing.
Callie raised three fingers.
"…Three."
Cammy nodded.
"Three to three."
Jonathan stood frozen near the middle of the court, breathing heavier now.
His confidence was gone.
"…What… are you…"
Axiom bounced the ball once.
Thump.
His eyes were steady.
Focused.
"Your move."
Jonathan grabbed the ball again, but this time his expression was different.
No smirk.
No confidence.
Just focus.
"…Three to three."
He bounced the ball hard.
Thump.
"Don't get lucky again."
Axiom dropped into stance in front of him, calm, balanced, eyes steady.
"Go ahead."
Jonathan started dribbling fast.
Thump.Thump.Thump.
He moved left.
Axiom slid with him.
Right.
Axiom followed.
Spin.
Axiom stayed in front.
Jonathan frowned.
"You're not that fast…"
He pushed forward harder, trying to force his way through with strength.
Axiom let his body move on its own.
Not thinking.
Not forcing.
His Dama adjusted automatically.
Balance.
Speed.
Position.
Jonathan tried a crossover.
Axiom read it instantly.
Jonathan stepped back.
Shot fake.
Drive.
Turn.
Nothing worked.
Callie watched with a grin.
"He's locked in now."
Cammy nodded softly.
"…Yeah… he's not even thinking anymore…"
Jonathan gritted his teeth.
"Stay still!"
He pushed forward again, dribbling harder, faster, trying to overwhelm him.
For a moment, Axiom just defended.
Watching.
Feeling.
Reading.
Then—
Now.
His Dama reacted.
Speed.
His hand moved.
Quick.
Clean.
Precise.
He didn't hit Jonathan.
Didn't push.
Didn't grab.
He just slipped his hand in at the perfect angle.
Tap.
The ball left Jonathan's hand.
Jonathan didn't even notice.
He kept moving forward one more step—
Then heard it.
Swoosh of air.
Sneakers behind him.
He turned.
Too late.
Axiom was already past him.
Dribbling.
Fast.
Really fast.
Callie laughed.
"He stole it!"
Cammy's eyes widened.
"He didn't even see it!"
Jonathan spun around and ran.
But Axiom was already at the paint.
One step.
Jump.
He grabbed the rim again and slammed the ball down harder than before.
BAM.
The sound echoed across the entire gym.
Axiom landed smoothly, letting go of the rim, the net still swinging.
He turned around calmly.
Callie raised her hand.
"…Four."
Cammy smiled.
"Four to three."
Jonathan stood there, breathing heavy, staring at Axiom like he didn't understand what just happened.
"…When…"
He looked at his hands.
"…When did the ball leave?"
Axiom bounced the ball once.
Thump.
His voice calm.
"When you stopped paying attention."
He tossed the ball to Jonathan again.
"One more."
Jonathan grabbed the ball again, his face red now, breathing heavier than before.
"This is stupid."
He pointed at Axiom.
"You're cheating."
Callie immediately frowned.
"…What?"
Jonathan looked at her.
"He has to be."
"There's no way he just learned today."
Cammy shook her head calmly.
"He's not cheating."
Jonathan scoffed.
"You didn't see what he just did?"
Cammy crossed her arms, still watching Axiom.
"We saw everything."
Callie smirked.
"We've been watching the whole time."
One of the football players behind Jonathan muttered,
"…Yeah… he's not cheating."
Another nodded.
"He's just… really good."
Jonathan clenched his jaw.
Axiom bounced the ball once.
Thump.
He tilted his head slightly.
"You sure you don't wanna give up yet?"
Jonathan looked at him like he wanted to punch him.
"One more point and I win."
Axiom smiled.
"We can stop now."
Jonathan snapped.
"Bring it on!"
"You're not getting another shot!"
His pride had completely taken over now.
Callie sighed.
"…This is gonna hurt."
Cammy whispered softly.
"…For him…"
Axiom dribbled slowly.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
He didn't rush.
Didn't attack.
Just moved.
Jonathan stepped closer, trying to read him.
"Stop playing around."
Axiom smirked.
"I'm not."
He crossed the ball from one hand to the other.
Then again.
Then again.
Faster.
Lower.
Jonathan reached.
Missed.
Axiom stepped back.
Dribbled behind his back.
Then in front again.
Jonathan lunged.
Nothing.
Callie laughed.
"He's cooking you."
Jonathan growled.
"Shut up!"
Axiom lowered his stance.
Even though he was tall, he dropped low enough that the ball barely came up past his knee.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Jonathan tried to grab it.
Axiom shifted it sideways.
Jonathan tried again.
The ball was gone.
He reached again.
Still nothing.
Axiom stopped dribbling completely.
He placed the ball on the floor in front of him.
One hand resting on top of it.
Jonathan blinked.
"…What are you doing?"
Axiom smiled.
"You wanted the ball."
Jonathan lunged forward.
The moment his hand reached—
Axiom slid the ball sideways across the floor with his palm.
Jonathan grabbed air.
Axiom moved it again.
Then again.
Then again.
Every time Jonathan tried to grab it, the ball wasn't there anymore.
It looked like it was right in front of him—
Then suddenly it wasn't.
Callie covered her mouth, laughing.
"No way…"
Cammy shook her head, smiling.
"He's just playing with him now…"
Jonathan got frustrated and reached with both hands.
Axiom grabbed the ball again and started dribbling.
Low.
Fast.
Controlled.
Jonathan couldn't touch it.
Not once.
A full minute passed like that.
Jonathan breathing harder.
Axiom barely breathing at all.
Finally, Axiom sighed.
"…Alright."
He let the ball bounce once.
Twice.
Then suddenly—
He stopped.
The ball floated in front of Jonathan for a split second.
Jonathan's eyes widened.
"…Got you."
He reached.
At that exact moment—
Axiom moved.
He ran past Jonathan.
Jonathan's hand was about to grab the ball—
Then Axiom stopped mid-step.
His right foot planted on the floor.
His left leg lifted.
He pushed backward with his left leg, his body twisting in the air.
His left hand hooked the ball just before Jonathan touched it.
The ball slipped under Jonathan's arm—
Dropped—
Rolled—
Right between Jonathan's legs.
Jonathan froze.
"…What—"
Axiom landed on his left foot, right leg still in the air, then pushed forward hard.
His body shot past Jonathan.
He grabbed the ball with his right hand as it bounced behind him.
One dribble.
Two.
Three.
He reached the foul line.
Stopped.
Jumped.
Shot.
The ball spun through the air.
Everyone in the gym watched it.
Swish.
Clean.
Nothing but net.
Silence.
Then Callie raised her hand slowly.
"…Five."
Cammy smiled.
"Game."
Jonathan stood there, frozen, staring at the hoop like he couldn't believe what just happened.
Axiom caught the ball as it bounced back and tossed it lightly in the air.
Then looked at Jonathan calmly.
"You lost."