After another week of intense training, Zack's muscle memory was kicking in hard. His open-shot accuracy had noticeably leveled up.
Under Paul's senpai-like guidance, Zack was also getting a deeper grasp of pick-and-roll timing and positioning.
Pick-and-roll, or *sukuriin* as they'd call it on the court, might seem like a basic skill, but it's got layers. It's not just Roshi would probably say it's deceptively complex. Even in the NBA, some big men's pick-and-roll game is so bad it's practically a crime. They either fail to block the defender or mistime the roll, leaving their ball-handler trapped in a double-team.
On the court, while drilling *sukuriin* with Paul, Zack started reading Paul's every move like a manga, picking spots based on Paul's playstyle.
Paul was floored—and thrilled.
Floored because he hadn't realized his kōhai had such killer basketball IQ. Thrilled because, in less than twenty days, they'd built some serious *kizuna*—chemistry that felt almost telepathic. To Paul, Zack was like a mind-reader, totally in sync with his game.
Too bad Zack didn't know what Paul was thinking. If he did, he'd probably smirk and say, "As a thirty-year Paul stan, who in the world knows you better than me, *aniki*?"
Oh, and here's something else: during these training sessions, Zack unlocked another hidden mission.
**[Hidden Mission: Iron Wall] Triggered.**
*Now that you've found your calling, you're dead-set on becoming a pick-and-roll master. But if *sukuriin* were that easy, why do so many NBA players botch it like amateurs?*
**Mission Objective:** Successfully execute 100 pick-and-rolls for teammates in official matches.
**Reward:** Iron Wall Badge.
**Note:** The system will judge the quality of your *sukuriin* to determine success.
After triggering two hidden missions back-to-back, Zack was starting to see a pattern. This [Peak] system tied to him was dishing out missions based on his real-life grind. He wasn't sure what these badges did yet, but he had a gut feeling they'd give his basketball skills a serious *power-up*.
"Alright, keep practicing. It's time for my extra meal," Paul said, tossing the ball to Zack on the open-air court.
Paul was convinced he was still growing, and with college ball demanding a stronger frame, he'd been scarfing down extra meals between training sessions to fuel up. But when Zack caught sight of Paul's meal today…
He knew this pint-sized *senpai*—who could barely dunk without a trampoline—was messing with him on purpose!
There, in Paul's lunchbox, were several steaming, fragrant pieces of *karaage*—fried chicken cutlets that smelled like heaven.
Zack swallowed hard, mentally drawing a thousand tiny circles around Paul in his head.
*Damn you, Paul! You're testing me with THIS?*
Sitting under the hoop, Paul caught Zack's expression and flashed a mischievous grin. "This *karaage* is from the best fried chicken joint in town. The owner says he uses over a dozen spices just to marinate it. Want a piece, Qin?"
Zack was 100% sure now—Paul was doing this on purpose.
But Paul wasn't just being a jerk. He figured if he was gonna help his kōhai out, he might as well toughen up Zack's willpower too. Sure, Zack had been rock-solid on his diet lately, but Paul wanted to make sure he wouldn't crack under temptation later. A little *shugyō*—mental discipline—never hurt anybody.
What, you think Paul was just pranking Zack because they'd gotten closer lately? Nah, Chris Paul's not *that* guy… right?
But here's where Paul didn't see it coming.
Zack was practically drooling, ready to tackle Paul for that *karaage*. Yet, after a deep breath, he steadied himself and said, "Chris, didn't you notice? That *karaage*'s overfried."
*Huh?!*
Paul blinked, looked at Zack, then down at his lunchbox, his face morphing into a total *shitsumon māku*—a big question mark.
Zack didn't miss a beat. "That's clearly Malay-style *karaage*. No batter coating, so it's all about nailing the frying time and heat. Look at those spices on the surface—they're turning that overcooked curry-brown."
With that, Zack turned away, pretending Paul didn't exist, and went back to shooting hoops.
And Paul?
A breeze blew by, and he just sat there, clutching his lunchbox, frozen like a statue.
As a *karaage* connoisseur, this was the most flavorless day of his life. After Zack's comment, even his beloved fried chicken lost its spark.
He chewed a few bites, then set the box down, curiosity piqued. "This *karaage*… it can be done better?"
Zack nodded. "If it's fried to perfection, the meat's crispier, fluffier, stickier. The skin's thinner, tighter, like it's hugging the chicken."
Paul looked up. "You've had *karaage* that good?"
Zack shrugged. "Had it? I can *make* it."
Paul eyed Zack's convincing frame and said, "Qin, you gotta cook me some sometime."
Zack grinned. "Sure thing, Chris. But not now. In my current state, I'd probably eat the whole batch before it's done. Once I'm back to fighting weight, I'll whip you up *karaage* so good, it'll blow your mind."
Paul's eyes widened, a million ants crawling under his skin. Suddenly dead serious, he marched over, gave Zack a swift kick, and barked, "Then what're you standing around for? Move it, man! You haven't even hit your training quota today!"
Zack: "…"
Staring at Paul's no-nonsense face, Zack couldn't believe it. The *god of point guards* was this obsessed with *karaage*?
And what's more, their little exchange somehow triggered *another* hidden mission.
**[Hidden Mission: Karaage Brothers] Triggered.**
*Your bro Chris Paul's going all out to help you slim down. The least you can do is keep your promise and cook him a legendary *karaage* feast once you're back in shape.*
**Mission Objective:** After activating the Peak system, get a five-star rating from Chris Paul for your *karaage*.
**Reward:** Karaage Brothers Badge.
**Note:** This badge only activates when you and Chris Paul are on the same team. It massively boosts the chances of Paul dropping perfect passes to you.
Zack froze, staring at the text in his mind.
All he wanted was to ball, and now this dumb system was testing his *cooking* skills?
"Guess some novels aren't that far from reality," Zack thought, chuckling to himself as he recalled a story he'd read about wooing Kobe with gourmet food.
…
**(Chapter End)**