Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

The midday sun beat down on the fragrant campus of the University of Shanghai.

Well, how fragrant could a university campus be?

Filled with students who were away from home, having no time to wash and dry their clothes properly, and, of course, eating canned goods expired from the last year due to their student debts, the University of Shanghai was anything but fragrant.

Yet, a subtle flowery scent filled the streets as Kun got out of his new secondhand car, leaning against it as Yuze made his way outside.

"We should have taken your car," Kun said, shaking his head.

"It's too noisy," Yuze muttered.

"It's a sports car that your dad bought! It's the best car I've seen on campus, but you don't take it out for a drive."

"Yours is better," Yuze said, adjusting his archery gear.

"Oh, I want this kind of problem," Kun said, clasping his hands together and looking up at the sky.

Yuze merely scoffed as he stood straight.

Then, Kun looked at his get-up and shook his head in disbelief. "I still can't believe you're doing this."

Yuze shrugged, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "What else am I supposed to do?" he said, holding onto his brand-new archery gear.

"Basketball might not be for me now. My lower body's weak, but still, my upper body's great. The coach even says I'm a prodigy."

Kun laughed. "Archery, though? From basketball to this? Never saw it coming."

"Life's full of surprises," Yuze replied, pulling the bow from his bag.

As they walked toward the archery range, a few students from the basketball team passed by, their conversation carrying over.

"Hey, have you heard the news?" one of them asked.

"What news?"

"Kai Guo is going to L.A."

"For what?"

"To join the L.A. Lions."

Kun stopped in his tracks, his jaw dropping slightly. He turned to Yuze. "Wait, is that real?"

Yuze, however, didn't look as surprised. He tilted his head, exhaling softly. "That kid…" he muttered, shaking his head. "So, this is how far he's come, huh?"

One of the basketball players overheard and grinned.

"Wait, you're Yuze, right?" he asked.

Yuze tilted his head to the side and nodded.

"Weren't you teammates with Kai from before?"

"How do they even know that?" Yuze muttered.

Kun chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. As a newbie player for the school's basketball team, he felt like he had to boast about everything he knew—and along with that, he had divulged that he knew Kai Guo and was on the same team as him before with Yuze.

Yuze saw the look on Kun's face and shook his head. With that, he faced the basketball players again and nodded.

"What do you think?" they asked. "A lot of people are saying he's too young for the international pro leagues. Maybe a little cocky, too."

Yuze didn't respond for a while. He tightened the string on his bow before smirking.

"Kai can do it," he finally said.

The tallest among them raised an eyebrow. "Why are you so sure?"

"Because," Yuze said, casually stretching his arms, "he'll keep on improving. There's no limit to his skills."

The basketball players exchanged glances, unsure if Yuze was being serious or just biased.

Another one folded his arms. "You really think he can handle the pressure? The FBA is a whole different beast."

Yuze smiled as he faced them again.

"Because you said that, Kai would only get stronger."

"What?" they asked in confusion.

"Kai thrives under pressure," Yuze said. "The more you underestimate him, the more he'll make you shut your mouths."

Kun chuckled and shook his head, amused as the basketball players' jaws dropped.

***

The off-season of the FBA had already started, which is why the seats weren't packed as usual for most games. However, since two popular teams were facing off, the venue was nearly filled to the brim.

The New York Nobles were facing off against the L.A. Lions, but the Lions were struggling. By the time the final buzzer rang, the Nobles had secured a glorious victory, winning by 30 points.

Santiago Marquez, the Nobles' star point guard, wiped the sweat from his brow as he leaned back against the bench, a triumphant grin on his face.

"As expected," he said, tossing a towel over his shoulder. "With Steven retired and Romeo still out, it's much easier to crush them."

Julian chuckled as he sipped his water. "Ah, yes. And those two had the audacity to bench me during the finals last season. They're lucky I'm feeling generous."

Santiago shook his head in amusement while Julian continued smirking in victory.

Just then, one voice cut through the noise.

"Hey," Augustus Brown casually said. "Did you guys hear about that Kai Guo kid?"

A few heads turned in his direction, their curiosity piqued.

"What about him?" Julian asked, raising an eyebrow.

Augustus leaned forward, an interested grin spreading across his face. "He's going to be playing for the L.A. Lions next regular season."

The bench fell silent for a moment before erupting in murmurs of disbelief.

"No way," someone said.

"You're serious?"

"Isn't he a high school student?"

Augustus nodded, his smile widening. "Yup. He's gonna be the youngest player ever in the league." He turned to Julian and added with a lighthearted laugh, "Guess you're dethroned, Julian."

Julian's smile faltered, and his fists clenched at his sides. He forced a chuckle, trying to mask his frustration. "Yeah, sure. Whatever."

Santiago noticed his reaction and leaned closer. "What's the matter, Julian? You jealous of the new kid?"

He shook his head, his jaw tightening. "No. Why would I be?"

"But haven't you played with him in the Global Games?" Augustus asked, causing

Julian to bite his lip. "Is he any good?"

Santiago chimed in. "Yeah. Is he?"

Julian hesitated, his pride battling with his honesty.

In the end, he couldn't take it. He slung his towel over his shoulder and abruptly stood up.

"Whatever, I'm out of here," he said, causing the other players to turn to each other with inquiring eyes.

Julian couldn't bear to reply to the question even if he already knew the answer.

Because, yes, Kai Guo was good.

Utterly good.