Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

Kai returned to the bench, smiling to himself. He had a lot of fun with the little game. Around him, the gym continued to murmur and cheer.

The students in the bleachers whispered excitedly, some feeling inspired to play basketball in order to play like him.

The new players looked at him, hearts practically shooting out of their eyes.

"I am flabbergasted," one said, shaking his head.

"I thought Caishen was the best among us," another muttered. "Kai made it look easy."

Kai didn't hear them, though. Instead, he went over to his old teammates and exchanged high-fives with Andy, Jet, and Shang.

Andy patted him on the back. "Man, you're still a beast. You're better than me at three-pointers now."

Kai humbly shook his head. "You're still the best at that."

Jet chuckled. "Yeah, that was like watching a professional. What happened to you?"

Shang smirked, nudging Jinping. "Bet Caishen thought he had a chance."

Jinping didn't hold back his grin. "Serves him right," he said with a satisfied tone, arms crossed as he leaned against the bench.

Kai glanced at Caishen, who was walking back toward the bench, appearing frustrated and disappointed.

Kai's smile softened. Before sitting down, he reached over and wrapped an arm around Caishen's shoulders. He didn't want any bad blood between them if they were going to be teammates!

"Hey," Kai started. "Don't let it get to you."

Caishen glanced up, not saying anything. However, the fact that Kai was making casual contact with him made his heart race from excitement. Deep inside his mind, he admired Kai for being such a great player.

"I'm just the best, that's all," Kai continued, making Caishen purse his lips.

Kai chuckled. "You're good—better than me when I first started out." He gave Caishen a reassuring squeeze before stepping back, looking him in the eye. "But here's the thing: stop thinking about just you."

Caishen frowned. "What do you mean?"

Kai gestured toward the court. "When you're out there, it's not about you anymore. It's about us—your team. You're not just playing for yourself. And when you face an opponent, you need to see them as stronger than they are. Even if they're not. Treat them like they're the best in the world."

Caishen's brow furrowed, and he crossed his arms. "But what if they're not? What's the point of thinking that way?"

Kai smirked. "Because it pushes you to be better. If you keep underestimating your opponents, you'll stop growing. You're young—you've got time to figure it out. But if you do…" He paused, "Who knows? You might even be like me when you graduate."

Those words definitely did the trick. Caishen's posture relaxed slightly, and he smirked once more.

"I know I can do that," he said.

Before Kai could respond, Lina clapped, capturing everyone's attention.

"Alright, boys, enough chit-chat. Let's get to training."

The group of players nodded, their chatter dying down as they prepared to hit the court again.

This time, Caishen didn't say a word. He simply nodded and joined the others, suddenly feeling more motivated.

Kai moved to follow them, but Lina stepped in front of him, placing a firm hand on his arm. "Not you," she said, shaking her head.

Kai raised an eyebrow. "What? Why not?"

Lina folded her arms. "You're tired. I can see it. You couldn't even play your best out there."

Kai tilted his head, a smirk tugging at his lips. "And how would you know that?"

Lina didn't budge. "Because I've seen you play at your best. That wasn't it."

Her words made Kai pause.

She wasn't wrong. He'd held back during the game, partly because it was supposed to be casual but also because fatigue had been creeping up on him.

Lina's expression softened slightly. "You don't need to push yourself now. What you need is rest and a different training regimen. Trust me."

Kai sighed, scratching the back of his neck. "Fine, fine. I'll sit this one out," he said, raising his hands in surrender.

Lina gave him a small, approving nod before turning her attention back to the court. As she monitored the players, Kai leaned back against the bench, letting out a slow breath.

He then decided to scrutinize his system. It had been the same for weeks now, showing no signs of improvement. But this time, something was different.

It wasn't an upgrade, much to his dismay.

Instead, there was a new addition to the display. A single word.

"Ranking."

Kai's eyebrows shot up, his heart skipping a beat. He focused on the word and the number next to the words 'Black Hole.'

"24…" Kai muttered under his breath, his eyes widening.

Did this mean he was ranked 24th in the entire world? The thought was insane. But it made sense. He'd been playing at an elite level, facing some of the best players on the planet.

Still, the revelation made him feel conflicted. Pride swelled in his chest, and so did determination.

The number had changed after he showed Julian the basics of basketball. So, that meant that Julian was the 25th in the world?

If that was the case and that he was truly 24th, it meant there were 23 players ahead of him. He wasn't at the top.

Kai pursed his lips, feeling excitement course through his veins.

He wanted to reach number one. But as he looked around the gym, at the familiar faces and the place he called home, a sobering thought hit him.

I can't reach it here.

The realization settled heavily on his shoulders. If he wanted to climb higher and surpass every obstacle in his path, he'd need to push himself beyond his current limits. This place, as much as he loved it, could only take him so far.

As he sat there, lost in thought, he felt a gentle tug on his hand. He turned to see Lina.

"You okay?" she asked, gently playing with his fingers.

Kai nodded. "Yeah."

However, Kai knew the real answer to that. His mind was racing, but it only held one event.

After the game… his conversation with Ethan Henderson.