Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

The fourth quarter continued with both teams feeling even more fired up than before. However, it was clear that one team was reigning on top.

The veterans sat in stunned silence, watching the young Chinese team on the court as though they were witnessing a miracle. Gina and David, too, could hardly believe what they were seeing.

"This isn't normal," David whispered, shaking his head. "How are they playing like this?"

Gina's eyes were wide, locked on the court. "They're playing at a professional level. It's insane. I feel like a mom watching my kids do well on an impossible challenge!"

Indeed, the Elite Five were a sight to behold. They anticipated each other's positions, rotated on defense, and pushed the ball with aggression.

Even Jimmy, who still refused to cooperate with Kai, was tearing through the defense with his scoring.

But for Kai, the court felt different now. The tension he had carried through the third quarter had melted away.

It felt more natural now, and he could feel his teammates in sync with him.

He glanced around, eyes sharp and focused. We can do this.

It was just as Zedong had said the night before. His voice rang in the back of his mind.

"The Japanese team's discipline is their greatest strength. They rely on their system. If you force them out of their rhythm, they'll crack."

Kai had smirked at the words, feeling the confidence settle deep in his chest. 'Then all we have to do is apply pressure.'

And now, here they were. The scoreboard read 89-87, the Japanese team clinging to a slim deficit with under two minutes left.

Coach Xu Wei stood at the edge of the court, arms crossed. But anyone who looked closely could see the glimmer of pride in his eyes.

On the court, Kai watched as the Japanese captain drove forward, his movements increasingly desperate. Kai knew it before it happened—Saito's forced pass to the wing, an attempt to reset their play.

Kai ran forward.

In a blur of speed, Kai snatched the ball mid-air, his fingertips brushing it just enough to disrupt the pass. The crowd jumped to their feet, gasping at the steal.

The Japanese players scrambled to recover, but it was too late.

Kai was gone.

He sprinted down the court like a bullet, the ball bouncing beneath his hand. Jimmy, who had been standing near the perimeter, realized what was happening and turned to give chase.

"Kai!" Jimmy shouted, his frustration boiling over as he raced behind him.

But Kai didn't stop. The space between him and the basket felt endless, yet every stride carried him closer. He could hear the roar of the crowd building and see the blur of the big screen above him, showing his determined face.

With one final, powerful leap, Kai rose into the air.

Time seemed to freeze.

The Japanese center leaped to contest him, arms outstretched, but Kai angled his body perfectly to evade the defender. The ball met his hand one last time, and with a resounding slam, Kai dunked it straight through the hoop.

Boom.

Kai hung from the rim for a heartbeat before letting go, landing lightly on the floor. He stood there for a moment, chest heaving, as the crowd erupted around him.

The scoreboard flashed: 94-89.

The buzzer blared. Game over.

The Chinese fans stormed the court, cheers echoing off the walls. Kai turned, a triumphant grin breaking across his face as Max and the others rushed toward him.

"You insane showoff!" Max shouted, slinging an arm over Kai's shoulders. "You had to end it like that, didn't you?"

Kai just chuckled, pushing his hair back as he caught his breath. Around him, the Elite Five were all grins and laughter, their earlier tension completely forgotten.

Jimmy, still panting, walked over, his expression caught somewhere between annoyance and reluctant admiration. "You didn't need to steal it from me, you know."

Kai smirked. "You wouldn't have passed anyway."

Jimmy opened his mouth to argue but thought better of it, shaking his head with a small grin. "Fair point."

The crowd's cheers continued to boom as the team returned to their bench, their faces flushed with youth and victory. On the big screen, Kai's face appeared, sweat dripping down his jaw, but his smile was unmistakable.

The girls in the crowd screamed, voices rising in pitch as they called out his name.

"Did you see that dunk?!"

"So handsome!"

In the stands, Jaw-Long groaned, shaking his head. "It's a good thing my sister isn't here. She would've liked him right away."

Beside Jaw-Long, the commentators couldn't help but laugh.

"Ah, such a handsome young man," David said, the admiration clear in his voice. "But more than that—what a player."

On the court, the Japanese team stood frozen, their shoulders slumped as they tried to process what had just happened. Saito Ren stared at the scoreboard, his jaw tight. 94-89.

The veterans in the audience sat in silence, their faces pale. None of them had expected this.

In the bench, Caleb's expression changed as realization hit him.

These were the players his older brother had lost to. He had known the Elite Five was a scary concept. He was a product of it. However, this year's Elite Five were…terrifying?

Just then, the holographic display flickered in Kai's mind's eye, showing his current stats.

[Upgrade available.]

He smirked, selecting the strength attribute without hesitation. His muscles already felt like they were burning with new potential. He definitely needed more strength for the next games—that is if they qualified for the next round.

Still, he was hopeful.

He glanced at his teammates. They looked exactly as they were—young, wild, and victorious.

Kai chuckled softly, drawing their attention.

"What?" Max asked, frowning.

Kai nodded toward the scoreboard. "Don't celebrate too early."

Jimmy frowned. "Why not? We won, didn't we?"

Kai leaned back, resting his hands behind his head as he glanced at the numbers again.

"We scored 46 points," he said quietly.

The team froze, confusion spreading across their faces.

Max blinked. "Yeah… and?"

Kai's smirk returned. "They scored 48."

Kai chuckled again, closing his eyes as he glanced at the bench, which still had looks of disbelief. "We might've won the game, but they outscored us this half."