Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog-Chapter 601: The Real One

[+100 XP]

[Current level: Enigma (593/600]

Kai's eyes widened. Only seven points and he would finally achieve another level! If he practiced more, then he might be able to upgrade before their next game.

The locker room felt like the animal kingdom. They had done the impossible. China's underdog team had clawed their way into the quarterfinals, securing a spot no one had believed they could reach.

Kai sat slumped on the bench, his chest still heaving as he caught his breath, his mind processing the magnitude of what they had just achieved.

"We did it," he murmured, his voice inaudible over the chatter and cheers of his teammates.

Marcus, standing nearby with a towel slung over his shoulder, gave him a rare smile. "Yeah, kid. We did."

Zheng stretched out his legs, leaning back against the lockers with a grin. "We're at the bottom of the bracket, sure, but hey, better than nothing, right?"

"Better than nothing," Max echoed, still riding the high of their victory. "Man, this feels good."

However, Jimmy was particularly quiet, sulking in the corner.

Jimmy sighed as he slung a towel over his eyes. They passed by his dad on their way to the locker room. And although he had congratulated the team, he didn't even glance toward his way.

The room fell into a comfortable laughter and celebration until the screen in the corner flickered to life. Everyone turned their attention to it, their chatter dying down.

The moment they had been waiting for—the announcement of the quarterfinal matchups—had arrived.

The names of the remaining teams flashed across the screen. One by one, matchups were assigned, the tension in the room increasing as they waited for their turn. Finally, the name "China" appeared on the screen, followed by their opponent.

"France," Zheng read out loud.

"The runner-ups for the Global Games 2020," Caleb said before sighing deeply.

"Are we sure this is random?" Max muttered, his brow furrowed.

Marcus crossed his arms. "If it wasn't, we'd be up against the US team. This is just how it is."

"Well, that's comforting," Jimmy said dryly, earning a few weak laughs.

Coach Xu Wei, sensing the unease, stepped forward. "Look, I know they're tough. But so are we. We've made it this far because we didn't give up, and we fought for every point. On Sunday, we do the same. Get some rest, eat well, and prepare yourselves."

***

The buffet hall was packed once more—though that wasn't surprising anymore. Kai walked in with his teammates, and the smell of food hit him instantly.

"Look at that!" Max exclaimed, pointing toward the dessert section. "Banana muffins! Finally!"

For the first time since the foreign delegates arrived, the banana muffins appeared in their usual spot! More so than that, the tray was actually full! The younger players were very happy.

However, their excitement was short-lived.

Standing at the buffet table, casually grabbing all of the muffins, was a group of players wearing yellow and black jerseys.

"The German team," Zheng muttered, his voice low.

One of the German players glanced over, locking eyes with Kai. He smirked before taking a deliberate bite of the muffin.

It was the first time Kai felt genuinely annoyed about the muffin situation. Of course, he was disappointed that their favorite dessert was nowhere to be found for the past few days.

However, finally seeing the culprit made him feel on edge.

"Our muffins," he muttered, his hands clenching into fists.

***

Later that night, Kai found himself unable to sleep. His thoughts were filled with images of their upcoming match with France's players. They had just passed a great obstacle, but he knew it wasn't that big to begin with. At least, not compared to what they were going to face next.

The real challenge started now. All of the teams they would face were worthy of having a podium finish.

Grabbing his gear, he slipped out of the hotel room and made his way to the outdoor court.

Dribbling the ball, Kai worked through his anxieties with the only way he knew how—training. His movements were sharp and focused, the sound of the ball hitting the pavement filling his senses.

He began practicing a move that he had accidentally done during the game with the South Korean team. It was a fluke at first, but he had done it. Now, he wanted to make it a signature move and add it to his roster of skills.

In fact, it made him even more famous after the game with the South Korean team! It had become some sort of challenge that teenagers and other basketball players tried to accomplish.

They called it the 'impossible reverse dunk,' and Kai was at the center of it. After the game, Kai's popularity skyrocketed once more, snatching those who originally idolized Park Jin-woo into his own fan club.

"Come on," he muttered, launching into the move. The ball grazed the rim, bouncing out.

He reset, trying again. And again.

He was so absorbed in his practice that he didn't notice the faint sound of someone arriving behind him until a voice broke the silence.

"Ah, I finally found you," the voice said. "You're harder to look for than I had realized. It's a good thing I stopped at the hospital like the nuns had said. Otherwise, I wouldn't have never seen you."

"Your tickets are quite expensive, too," the stranger yapped.

"Who the hell is interrupting my training?" Kai muttered.

Then, he turned sharply, gripping the ball tightly as his eyes landed on the figure standing a few feet away.

Kai's breath caught in his throat. He had to adjust his gaze. He didn't expect his eyes to go lower, but yet, they did.

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His face became pale as he stared at the person in front of him—one so familiar yet distant at the same time.

"Well, stop looking at me like that, Kaiden Tian," the boy smirked, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

Kai pursed his lips before speaking.

"Kai Guo," he whispered.

The real one.