Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

"Welcome, everyone," David Chou started off.

The arena erupted into screams once more. Kai, as well as the other players, even had to cover their ears from the loud noise. However, for the other players, especially those who had set foot in the Nationals before, it just seemed like a normal occurrence.

Kai couldn't help but glance at the Huolan Guardians, who were only three teams away from them. Some of them had smirks on their faces, while Fang remained composed as usual. For someone who only made it to the Nationals for the first time, he seemed really at ease.

"Thank you for coming," David continued. "As you all know, the Interhigh Nationals is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the entire country. It's amazing how high school basketball has been recognized for the past years."

"As a commemoration for our anniversary, the committee applied some new rules. Because of this, 54 teams are standing in front of me—quite a large number."

"And because of that, I can say that the court is as full as ever. Can we hear from the locals?" he asked.

A loud scream was heard.

"Now, can I hear from those who came from different cities?" he asked.

An even louder scream was heard.

Kai looked around to see if they had any supporters from Jilin. However, in a crowd of fans of the other 53 teams, it felt like he was searching for a piece of bean in a sack of rice.

"Before we proceed with the athlete's oath, may we have the man who had been spearheading this tournament for past ten years on the stage. Please welcome—Mr. Johhny Wang!"

Curt claps were heard in the court as the respected man made his way to the podium.

"Thank you," he said into the mic. His confidence instantly stood out.

"Doesn't he remind you of someone?" Jet asked.

Kai pursed his lips. "He does," he responded. "I just don't know who."

"It's the guy from Juren—Jimmy Wang," Jet said with a smirk. "That cocky guy who looks at us as if we're not worthy to be in the Nationals."

Kai's eyebrows raised in recognition when he finally recalled who Jimmy was.

"Hmm," he hummed. "Well, now that you've said it, he does resemble his dad a lot."

Jet nodded and focused his attention back on the podium.

"This year is my 10th year in the industry," Johnny boasted. "This is a very special time—not only for me but for you, dear players. This tournament marks history as one with the highest amount of delegates!"

"For the next two weeks, you will be playing the game of your lives…and we will finally determine who is the best among the best!"

"Do your best, as this tournament may open more opportunities for you," he said, concluding his speech.

With that, he turned to David Chou, who bowed deeply before heading back to the podium.

"Now," David continued. "May we please call Jian Niu, the current number one Elite in the country, to lead the athlete's oath?"

Squeals and shouts were heard from the crowd. Kai looked around and saw that many supported Jian. It wasn't just the people from his school but also those who supported other teams.

"Please raise your right hand and state the athlete's vow with me," he said.

Kai's expression became serious as he raised his right hand.

As a sportsman, the athlete's oath was something they needed to engrave in their minds. The Shizi Dogs, naturally, haven't memorized it.

It was a piece of cake for Kai, but the others struggled to follow after Jian. Nonetheless, it still sounded coherent as their meek voices were covered by the eager voices of those around them.

"As an athlete, I swear to push beyond my limits," Jian started off.

"I will honor the spirit of competition with unyielding courage, fighting with all my heart until the final whistle."

As the oath continued, their voices became even louder.

"I will stand tall in victory, humble in defeat, and relentless in the pursuit of my goals. With every drop of sweat, I will give my all, knowing that true strength lies not in winning but in never giving up."

Jian nearly scoffed as he said those words. It was the type of statement that only the untalented ones would say.

In basketball, winning was everything.

Nonetheless, he remained professional as he bravely said the last sentence of the oath.

"This is my oath—an unbreakable vow to strive for greatness, no matter the odds."

They ended in unison, and the crowd couldn't help but clap in awe.

These were the athletes of the new generation—ones that the world should look out for.

Nina and Rolan, who were on the side along with big media outlets, tried to capture the Shizi Dogs. However, that seemed practically impossible as they were drowned among the sea of players.

"I think I see Yuze's buzzcut," Nina muttered.

Rolan shook his head in disbelief. "It's crazy how Yuze's height is just normal in this place."

Nina nodded in agreement. "It also sucks that we can't take photos of the Dogs. It's a good thing that the Yin Yang Knights are off to the side."

Rolan sighed. "Yeah," he muttered. "But, I guess we still have the opportunity to take photos of them later. They have a game." Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire

"Right," Nina said. "I can't wait."

Then, she roamed her eyes around, looking at the supporters of the other team. There were a few notable supporters of the Yin Yang Knights. However, it was a different story for the Shizi Dogs.

"It's time for them to show the others that they're missing out," she continued.

"Hmm," Rolan hummed. "The Shizi Dogs are fairly popular in Jilin, but I must say, it seems like not a lot of people know about them here."

Nina shrugged.@@novelbin@@

"It's just the rule of life."

"Once you get to the next level, you discover that you have another level to conquer. Once you become strong, you find that there are others who are stronger than you."

"So, for now, the Shizi Dogs have restarted."

"They're back to zero."