Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

"See that?" Muyang exclaimed, resting his elbow on Kai. The younger player watched him with amusement. "You think you can beat that? We ought to put you in your place!"

Caleb, on the other hand, clicked his tongue. Despite the small gap, he wasn't satisfied? Why? Because there was still a gap. His perfectionist self came out once again.

Nonetheless, he felt confident that the Elite Five wouldn't be able to beat them.

Marcus felt his heart racing in his chest. He didn't know how long he had felt such a way—so alive. It brought him back to when he first started playing basketball.

Jaw-Long watched as the younger players warmed up on the side of the bench.

"Ah, cute babies," he cooed. "They think they can beat us. They're working so hard."

The Elite Five didn't say anything as they continued warming up. The truth was, they were all pretty tired since they spent the entire night going over the Japanese team's playing style.

Just then, the buzzer sounded, and they glanced at each other, knowing what was coming next.

The gym was more filled now, with the crowd wanting to see until the end of the game.

As the Elite Five stepped onto the court, murmurs filled the arena. They were surprised as the young players were finally granted a chance.

"Wait a minute," Gina said, her voice rising with disbelief as she adjusted her headset. "Are the young players actually stepping in now? This early in the second half? And it appears like it's all the Elite Five, with none of the older players guiding them!"

David leaned forward, eyes narrowing with interest. "Looks like it, Gina. And there's Kai Guo right there. Everyone's been waiting for this kid to play. The question is—can he live up to the hype? I know what he can do in the high school league. Will he be able to carry it on to the big league?"

"That's what we'll find out," Gina replied, skeptical but intrigued. "For now, though, I'll say this: they're down by four points. If they don't close that gap fast, it could be over before they start."

Marcus watched the young players with an unreadable expression, a small smirk curling at the corner of his lips.

'Show us what you've got,' his eyes seemed to say.

Kai stood at the center of the court, the scoreboard glowing behind him:

48-52.

Four points. He stared at the numbers for a moment, a calm smile crossing his face.

It was doable.

He turned to look at his teammates—Max, Zheng, Jimmy, and Jian—all of them stretching and bouncing in quiet focus.

They didn't need words. He gave them a nod, a simple tilt of his chin, and that was all it took.

A silent understanding passed between them.

This was important.

Getting the first points of the third quarter would set the tone for the rest of the game.

Kai's gaze drifted to the Japanese team. They looked as confident as ever, even more so now that they were faced with younger players.

Kuroda Takeo was already standing near the paint, a hulking wall that loomed over anyone who dared enter his space.

But this time, the Chinese team had something Japan didn't.

The Elite Five.

The whistle blew, snapping the tension in half, and the third quarter began.

Japan's players took their positions. As they gauged each other's movements, the crowd continued talking about the young players outside the court.

"Woah!" someone exclaimed. "They're actually going to do this?"

"I can't believe it. Kai Guo's really playing," another voice murmured. "He's actually much more handsome in real life."

"I think he's just eye candy," someone snorted, prompting a round of laughter.

The Japanese team had possession to start the quarter. Saito Ren moved with his usual composure, directing traffic as he approached half-court. His movements were smooth. Kenji drifted to the perimeter, ready to shoot if the ball came his way.

Kai and his teammates locked eyes for a fraction of a second.

"Now," Kai murmured.

Jian exploded off the line, rushing toward Ren in an unexpected burst of speed. The Japanese point guard was quick to react, pivoting to avoid the steal, but Jian's sudden aggression threw off the play.

Ren passed to Kenji as planned, but Kai was already there.

Kenji barely had time to get his hands up before Kai lunged, swiping the ball cleanly and bolting down the court.

"Whoa!" David's voice cracked with surprise. "A steal from Kai Guo! That was lightning fast!"

"Kai's moving down the court now—Japan's scrambling to catch up!" Gina added, her voice quick and excited.

Kai didn't hesitate. He was a step ahead of everyone, already visualizing the next move as his feet pounded against the court.

Takeo, Japan's defensive anchor, was rushing back to meet him, his massive figure already planting himself under the basket.

But Kai didn't slow down.

Max was trailing on Kai's right, and Zheng cut across the key, drawing Takeo's attention for just a second. It was all Kai needed.

He feinted hard to the right, driving straight into the paint, and the second Takeo shifted his weight to block him, Kai spun left. Takeo stumbled, just half a step out of position, and Kai rose for a mid-range jumper.

The ball left his fingertips in a clean arc, spinning smoothly through the air.

For a second, everything froze.

The crowd held its breath. Even Japan's defenders, wanting to contest, could only watch as the ball swished through the net.

"Two points for China!" David shouted, his excitement palpable. "Kai Guo just made that look easy!"

Gina let out a short laugh, incredulous. "Did you see how he shook off Takeo? That spin was unreal!"

The gym burst to life again, filled with both cheers and stunned murmurs.

On the Chinese bench, Muyang's grin faltered as he stared at the court. "Did he just…?"

On the court, Kai landed lightly on his feet, already jogging back into position. He glanced at the scoreboard—52-50.

Two points down.