"Huha… Huha…"
Unlike the cheers echoing throughout the stadium, Oliver didn't feel good at all.
He had used the system's newly granted skills almost immediately—but the energy cost was massive.
Using Sonic Dash felt like having half his life sucked away just to sprint across half the court. And that long-range three-pointer from Accurate Shooter made him see stars, with his breathing becoming ragged and unsteady.
No matter how powerful the system's skills were, if he didn't have the physical stamina to wield them, it meant nothing. After this game, he had to find a way to improve his fitness—otherwise, his basketball career would be over before it began.
Oliver bent over outside the three-point line, gasping for air.
The scoreboard read 14:32. Still a long way to go before they could close the gap.
Accurate Shooter would only enhance his next five shots, so to make full use of it, he had to sink four more three-pointers. But given his current physical condition, he'd be lucky to make one more. Pushing for another might make him collapse on the court.
Beep!
The referee blew the whistle. Possession to the opponent.
Kaede Rukawa took the inbounds pass and instantly drove into Wako Junior High's defense. Oliver clicked his tongue and opened his arms to intercept.
Damn it. If my body weren't this weak, turning this around would've been easy...
Then, a red dot blinked at the edge of his vision, and a prompt popped up.
> Random Mission: Steal from Kaede Rukawa (Incomplete) Reward Skill: Quick Recovery
Quick Recovery?! A skill like that was exactly what he needed!
His eyes lit up.
Just a few seconds later, Rukawa reached him, pounding the ball into the floor with increasing tempo. He dropped into a low stance and shifted to fast, low dribbling.
"This guy…"
Oliver grinned and lowered his body too, stretching his arms like a hawk preparing to strike.
"Oh! What a moment! Oliver has completely reignited Rukawa's fighting spirit! Another one-on-one showdown is coming!"
The commentator's excitement was contagious. The crowd buzzed with anticipation.
Kaede Rukawa versus Oliver. Who was better?
Oliver smirked. He remembered Rukawa well from the original story: cold, stoic, fiercely independent. But on the court, the guy had unmatched pride and competitiveness.
Oliver respected that.
But right now? He was going all-out.
"Beep."
A quick system ping brought up Rukawa's stats:
Name: Kaede Rukawa
Age: 16
Height: 187cm
Weight: 75kg
Strength: 70 (Excellent)
Stamina: 60 (Good)
Speed: 80 (Excellent)
Skills: 70 (Excellent)
Accuracy: 70 (Excellent)
Vertical Jump: 75 (Excellent)
Talent Skill: Rapid Scorer (+3 Speed, +2 Skill, +2 Accuracy)
"Yep. He's strong," Oliver muttered.
But not invincible.
His own body only had an endurance stat of 55—worse than Rukawa's lowest attribute. His speed and strength? Pathetic 20s.
Still, he had something Rukawa didn't: game knowledge and system assistance.
He signaled the center behind him with a subtle glance. The teammate gave a small nod in response.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Rukawa made a powerful feint to the left. Oliver didn't fall for it. As Rukawa shifted back to the right, Oliver stayed close—and just as planned, Rukawa collided with the center lying in wait.
The ball popped free. Oliver swiped it.
"Steal! Beautiful teamwork! Oliver and his center read Rukawa like a book!" shouted the commentator.
Beep!
> Mission Complete: Steal from Kaede Rukawa
"Get reward."
> Skill Gained: Quick Recovery Fully restores physical stamina. Cooldown: 24 hours.
Perfect timing.
"Quick Recovery!"
A cool rush surged through Oliver's body. The fatigue melted away. His head cleared. He was back in peak form.
He grinned at Rukawa, surged forward, and drove into the paint.
Layup. Swish. Score!
The stadium erupted.
16:32
And Oliver knew—he had cracked the code. The opponent's strategy centered completely on Rukawa. If Rukawa got shut down, the rest of the team faltered. Even his layup just now was uncontested.
Rukawa may have individual brilliance, but he was a solo player. No trust in teammates. Low stamina. That was the chink in his armor.
Oliver winked at his team. They moved accordingly.
As Fuqiu served the ball, Oliver stole it mid-pass. Rukawa tried to chase, but the center and guard were already on him.
Swish. Three-pointer. Score.
Then again.
Another steal. Another long three. Score.
The stadium went wild.
22:36!
From hopeless to heart-pounding.
"RUKAWA! MARK THAT SHORTY! Give us the ball!!" roared the Fuqiu coach.
Rukawa nodded grimly.
Oliver chuckled. "Coming to mark me personally? What about your team?"
Swish!
His teammate took advantage and nailed a layup.
Now with Rukawa tethered to him, Fuqiu had lost their star offensive power.
Meanwhile, Oliver's earlier heroics had fired up Wako's morale. Everyone played at full throttle.
Another dunk. Score: 26:36!
Rukawa couldn't stand it anymore. He broke away from Oliver to intercept a pass—but it backfired. Wako passed quickly to an open Oliver.
Squeeeaaak—Rukawa screeched to a stop in front of him.
Oliver jumped.
Rukawa jumped to block.
"Gotcha."
Oliver grinned mid-air and flicked the ball behind him in a bounce pass.
"What?!"
The pass landed in his teammate's hands.
"3Q, Oliver!"
The three-pointer missed—but the rebound came back strong. Their power forward leapt, caught it, and tipped it in!
Crowd: ROARS!
"This is incredible! Wako is blitzing! Fuqiu has no control left!" screamed the commentator.
"Oliver changed the entire rhythm!" someone shouted in the stands.
"Changed it? He created it!"
Clock ticking.
46:52
In Fuqiu's bench area, the coach sighed.
"We lost."
"Huh? Coach? But we're still leading!" a sub asked.
"No. We've lost the rhythm. And…" he stared at Rukawa on the court. "Rukawa's stamina is done."
Inside the court:
Huha… Huha…
Rukawa gasped for breath.
"You can't do it all alone," Oliver said gently. "Rebounds, steals, shooting—if you never pass, your team will never grow."
He looked Rukawa in the eyes.
"A player who doesn't trust his teammates can't win."
Beep!
> Hidden Mission: Assist King (Completed)
Huh? That counted?
"Get reward."
> Skill Gained: Magic Pass Next pass will flawlessly reach the target. Energy usage varies. Cooldown: 3 minutes.
Nice. More skills, more wins.
Rukawa repeated Oliver's words in his mind—but his body couldn't keep up anymore.
20 seconds left.
Beep!
Final play.
Oliver launched a long three-pointer at the buzzer.
"GO IN!!"
The crowd stood. Time slowed.
Swish.
55:54.
Wako wins.
"YEEAAAAAHHHH!!!"
The crowd exploded in cheers!
The teammates swarmed Oliver.
The commentator, breathless, announced:
"Wako Junior High School turns defeat into victory!"
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