Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

Kai realized he could copy Calvin's skill right away. It made him break into a sweat, but it was something within his skill. So, without hesitation, he used it not only because he wanted to widen the gap but also because he wanted to show Calvin a valuable lesson.

One that would make him a better player.

Just then, the buzzer sounded, and the third quarter had finally ended.

The audience couldn't believe it—especially those who came to support the Longyu Dragons. They were expecting the Dragons to struggle during the semi-finals, at least! Not at the group phase!

As Kai made his way back to the bench, the others looked at him with amazement.

"How did you do that?" Shang asked.

Jet shook his head. "I just felt his popularity skyrocket even further. My jealousy is through the roof now."

"That was so cool," Andy said, patting his back.

Kai smiled. However, his focus was on Yuze.

"Sit this one out," he said.

Yuze pursed his lips and nodded. If this was a couple of months back, he would have refused. However, things were different now. He trusted his teammates very much.

"Renren," Yuze said.

Renren nodded and stretched his arms.

"I'm ready," he smirked. "You look like you were struggling against Fenhua."

Yuze clicked his tongue. "Let's see you do better."

Renren's smirk widened. "Watch me."

Meanwhile, the atmosphere on the other bench was the complete opposite.

"Calvin," Fenhua said.

"I'm fine," Calvin responded like it was an auto-reply.

"Calvin," Fenhua sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose. "Listen to me—"

"I'm fine!" Calvin said, much louder than he had expected. "Just. It's still doable. We're just getting started."

Fenhua clicked his tongue and did the unthinkable. He slapped Calvin—hard.

It took the attention of those near them, and his teammates gaped at the scene. Meanwhile, Coach Hope shook her head and massaged her temples.

"Guys," she said.

"You're not okay," Fenhua said. "When are you going to admit it?"

"But I am," Calvin stubbornly said.

Something flashed in Fenhua's eyes; then he became serious. The bench turned silent, feeling something bubbling inside the chest of their captain.

"You're sitting this one out," he said.

Calvin's eyebrows instantly furrowed. "What do you mean? I told you—I'm fine."

"I don't care," Fenhua spat.

"I'm the captain. You are my player. Coach," he said, turning to Hope for help.

Coach Hope nodded and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Listen to your captain," she said.

Calvin felt like his system—everything he was used to—crumbled right to the ground.

"But—" Explore stories at My Virtual Library Empire

"No buts," Coach Hope said. "Dafu, replace him."

"Is there any problem here?" the referee asked since it was taking them so long to go back to the court.

Coach Hope shook her head. "None," she said. "The players will be right out."@@novelbin@@

With that, she nodded at Fenhua, who gathered the new roster of players. Calvin was stubborn and wanted to go with them, but Fenhua placed his hand on his chest, pushing him with full force.

It took Calvin aback.

"Don't," he warned. "Not before I get even more disappointed in you."

Calvin felt a pang in his chest, and with Fenhua's statement, he sat right back on the bench.

The Dragons' fans murmured in confusion, unsure of what to make of it. Calvin Wu, the star, sitting out? That wasn't something you saw every day.

Kai glanced at Calvin, who was staring down at his lap. For a moment, he pitied the guy. However, Kai knew that Calvin would hate to be pitied.

With that, he decided to do his best—even in front of this new player.

Meanwhile, the ball was in Fenhua's hands as he brought it up the court. His target? Renren, the Shizi Dogs' tall point guard, a towering presence who, despite his height, had quick hands and sharp instincts.

Fenhua narrowed his eyes, sizing Renren up. They hadn't faced off directly yet, but Fenhua could tell that Renren was a player who didn't back down easily. He dribbled forward, then suddenly switched directions, attempting to break past Renren with a burst of speed.

But Renren slid in front of him, blocking his path. His footwork wasn't as quick as Fenhua, but his size made up for it.Fenhua gritted his teeth, trying to push past with brute force, but Renren held firm.

It was a battle of wills—Fenhua's relentless drive against Renren's unyielding defense. But it became obvious that Renren had the upper hand. His long arms and height made it difficult for Fenhua to maneuver, forcing him into awkward positions.

Fenhua faked once, twice, but Renren didn't bite, his arms swaying like a wall.

Fenhua spun, looking for an opening, but none came. In frustration, he passed the ball out to Dafu, resetting the play. But even as Fenhua handed off the ball, Renren was right there, never letting up, always pushing him to his limits.

Fenhua cursed under his breath, his legs burning from the effort. He could feel the strain as Renren kept coming at him, wave after wave.

"Damn it!" he muttered, eyes flicking around for help. He saw his teammates locked in their own battles, each struggling against the formidable Dogs.

The gap on the scoreboard widened—7 points, 9 points—but none of them gave up. They were visibly struggling, their faces flushed, their breaths heavy, but they didn't quit.

Calvin saw it, felt it. His teammates weren't afraid to show their struggle; they weren't afraid to acknowledge the mountain in front of them.

"Damn it," Fenhua cursed again, louder this time. He wanted to do more, to break through this wall the Dogs had built, but every attempt felt like hitting a brick wall.

At that moment, something shifted inside Calvin's mind.

As his eyes scanned the court, he realized something. Despite the struggle, despite the exhaustion weighing down on them, none of his teammates were backing down.

They were all still in it, fighting tooth and nail. They weren't afraid to show that they were being pushed to the edge, that they were hurting.

But they kept going.

"How cool," he muttered.

The thought came unbidden, but Calvin felt it deep in his chest.

And just then, it made sense—Kai's statement.

"Don't just smile there and act like you didn't work hard."

Calvin was afraid…he really was.

He didn't want to appear like he was trying, only to fail in the end.

He didn't want to show he worked hard, only to lose the game.

However, there he saw his teammates—showing their struggles.

And maybe, just maybe, it wasn't so bad after all.