Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

They stood there, face to face.

This was the first time Kai was facing someone from the Elite Five after the final match with the Yin Yang Knights. He felt nervousness creep under his skin, but he ignored it.

There was no need to be scared.

The ball was in his hands, and at that moment, everyone's eyes were on them. It wasn't just the audience—but everyone. The players on the benches, on the court, and even those at the professional scorer's table.

Without a doubt, Kai had shown them that he was a player to look out for. However, most of them were unsure whether he could go against Calvin Wu.

And what was astonishing was that Calvin Wu, himself, was unsure, too.

However, it didn't show.

Calvin, calm as ever, stared back, his eyes gleaming with something playful. He truly was a mystery, an unpredictable force on the court that even his teammates struggled to keep up with. That was what made him dangerous.

'I've got to be careful,' Kai thought, narrowing his gaze.

He started to dribble, inching closer, testing Calvin's defense. Calvin didn't react much. Kai bit his lip. If there was one trick he could count on, it was the disappearing trick. It always worked on those who hadn't played against him before. It was quick, flashy, and left his opponents dazed for just enough time to make a clean shot.

With a swift crossover, Kai vanished for a split second, using his agility to blur past Calvin.

"What? He disappeared?" Coach Hope exclaimed from the bench, even standing with her mouth agape. The other players were also astonished, having never seen such a trick before.

But then—snatch.

The ball never made it past Calvin's hands. Kai blinked in disbelief as Calvin plucked the ball mid-motion, reading the trick like an open book.

"Nice try," Calvin smirked.

Kai was frozen for a moment, his mind trying to process what just happened. But before he could react, Calvin exploded into action, darting past him in a blur. Kai spun around, chasing after him, but Calvin was already three steps ahead. He crossed half-court, heading straight for the three-point line.

"No way," Kai muttered.

Calvin's eyes flickered back, meeting Kai's for a brief second, a smirk playing on his lips. Then, in a move that no one could've predicted, Calvin leaped into the air—from the three-point line.

The gym fell into stunned silence as Calvin soared. His body angled perfectly, arm extended, the ball gliding effortlessly toward the hoop. Time seemed to slow as the crowd watched, eyes wide, mouths agape.

He was going for a dunk... from that far?

Kai's heart skipped a beat as Calvin came crashing down, the ball slamming through the net with a deafening boom. The rim rattled, and the crowd erupted in disbelief.

"What was that?" Jet exclaimed, looking at Lina and their coach with wide eyes. However, his voice was drowned by the noise in the court.

Calvin landed, turning back with a grin so wide it almost hurt to look at. His eyes were filled with confidence, and it was only directed at one person.

"This is the class of the Elite Five," he whispered as he walked past Kai.@@novelbin@@

Kai stood there, wide-eyed. He couldn't believe what he just witnessed.

Guri and Fenhua greeted their star player with high-fives. Coach Hope sighed in relief while Coach Muchen frowned deeply.

"This is too much," he said to Lina. "How could he make a dunk from that far?"

"Unpredictable," Lina said while shaking her head. "He truly is unpredictable."

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Meanwhile, Kai had just snapped out of his daze.

A dunk from that far out? His frown deepened. "I've got to wipe that smile off his face," he whispered.

The game continued, the ball quickly shifting back into the Shizi Dogs' possession. Yuze passed the ball to Andy, who dribbled just outside the arc, trying to shake Guri off him. Guri kept the defense tight, but Andy wasn't fazed. He stepped back just far enough and released a clean three-pointer.

The ball sailed through the air, spinning high above Guri's outstretched hand, and swished through the net.

"YES!" Andy pumped his fist as the scoreboard ticked up. Guri scowled, frustrated, but there was no time to dwell. The game was moving fast.

56-57.

Fenhua clicked his tongue. "We told you to guard him well."

Guri scratched the back of his head. "But—," he muttered. However, with Fenhua's glare, he quickly became subdued. Something brewed inside his mind, but he didn't say anything.

"I can do this," he said, giving himself a pat on the back.

The Dragons inbounded the ball, and once again, it found its way to Calvin. This time, he moved to the sideline, slinking over toward the corner of the court. It looked like he was in no-man's land, no one paying close attention.

"One more," Calvin smirked as he prepared his special move.

Calvin moved with deceptive speed, positioning himself for a sneaky shot. He was certain no one would stop him.

Just as Calvin rose up for another dunk, Kai's body reacted purely on instinct. From the other side of the court, Kai emerged, meeting Calvin's shot mid-jump.

Calvin's eyes widened, and for a moment, he wanted to retreat. However, he had no choice but to commit to the shot.

Kai's arm extended as high as it could go, his fingers grazing the ball—

Swat.

Kai slapped the ball out of Calvin's hands with enough force to send it flying toward the baseline. The crowd gasped in unison, eyes darting between the two players in shock.

"What?! He blocked it?!" someone yelled.

Calvin landed, momentarily stunned. His face twisted in disbelief as he turned to see Kai standing there, eyes locked onto him, jaw clenched.

The two of them met gazes on the ground. Instead of a smile, a shocked expression was even on Calvin's face.

'Better,' Kai thought.

However, it still wasn't enough.

The next time, a frown would grace Calvin's face.