"I'm homeee!"
Dirga kicked off his shoes as he stepped into the house, drenched in sweat and slightly limping. His expression? A mix of exhaustion, disbelief, and... awe.
Takeshi peeked from the kitchen, raising an eyebrow. "How was training?"
Dirga blinked, still not entirely back from whatever court-side war he had just survived. "...I played with Kaito-senpai."
Takeshi let out a low whistle. "Oof. Let me guess—he beat you into the ground?"
Before Dirga could answer, Aoi popped her head out from the living room, cutting in like she always did. "Who's Kaito?"
"My senpai... and team captain," Dirga muttered, flopping onto the couch. "He's a monster."
Takeshi burst into laughter. "Sounds about right."
...
Earlier That Afternoon
"I'll warm up first," Kaito said, casually stretching his limbs with that ever-composed face of his.
"Okay," Dirga nodded.
They jogged, stretched, and shot casually for five minutes. Nothing serious. But the air shifted the moment they took position at the top of the key.
"First to eleven. Standard 1v1. Ten minutes max."
Kaito checked the ball to Dirga.
From the first dribble, Dirga knew—this wasn't going to be easy.
Dirga moved with precision, his passes crisp and footwork clean. He used his smaller size to his advantage, slipping past Kaito a couple of times to score.
But then...
Kaito started to read him.
The senpai's rhythm changed. He didn't chase the ball—he led Dirga into traps. Every fake Dirga tried was met with calm, calculated counters. Kaito's defense was airtight. His offense? Sharp, unpredictable, lethal.
Spin move. Step-back. Fadeaway.
6–2.
Dirga gritted his teeth. What is this guy...?
He tried to shift tempo, tried to bait a foul—but Kaito's control over pace was near perfect. He never overexerted, never rushed. Just flowing, like water finding cracks in stone.
8–3.
And then, at the eighth minute, something changed.
Kaito slowed.
His shoulders tensed. His breathing grew louder. His movements—while still smart—lost some of their sting.
And his face... paled.
He clutched his chest briefly but kept playing.
Dirga noticed. He scored a couple of quick buckets, narrowing the gap.
But Kaito sealed the game with one final drive—one smooth, elegant layup past Dirga's right.
10–4.
I turned around. "Kaito-senpai, you okay—?"
His hand was on the wall now, trying to steady himself.
"Okay, that's enough," I said, walking toward him.
But Kaito shook his head, stubborn. "I said... one more point."
His voice cracked.
"Kaito—"
He stumbled.
I ran to catch him.
"Echo!" I shouted in panic, forgetting it was all internal.
[Warning: abnormal condition detected in nearby target.]
[Strong fatigue and blood pressure drop. Immediate rest recommended.]
"Kaito-senpai, sit down!"
He finally gave in, lowering himself to the ground, sweat dripping from his chin like rain.
I knelt beside him, trying to process everything. The monster I couldn't touch for 8 minutes… now looked completely human. Fragile, even.
"Sorry… I didn't want you to see that," Kaito muttered.
"What… was that?"
He gave me a faint smile.
"Looks like I overdid it again."
Kaito leaned back against the wall, his breath still uneven.
I sat beside him, unsure what to say. I'd never seen anyone so dominant… and then so suddenly fragile.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"…I have a heart condition."
His words hit harder than I expected.
"It's called congenital heart disease. My heart's not strong enough to keep up with long periods of activity," he said quietly, eyes on the floor. "I can only play seriously for about five minutes at a time. Ten, if I push myself. But after that, I need rest. At least ten minutes."
I looked at him, stunned.
"But… you were moving like a pro. Like you didn't even break a sweat."
He chuckled weakly. "I've trained my body to compensate. Efficient footwork, minimal wasted motion. But no matter how hard I train… I can't fix my heart."
There was a bitterness in his voice, not self-pity—but frustration.
"It's my limit… and my liability."
I clenched my fists, the echo of the game still fresh in my body.
"But even with that… you still destroyed me."
He smiled, almost apologetically. "That's because I've had years to work around my weakness. You're good, Dirga. You read the game better than most your age. But right now, you're still raw. That's not a bad thing… It just means you have room to grow."
Dirga sat beside him in silence.
He'd fought monsters before—in his past life, he'd faced professional athletes on the biggest stages.
But never like this.
Never someone whose body couldn't keep up with his mind... yet still stood taller than giants.
...
Later That Night
Dirga lay on his bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling. Sweat dried on his skin, but the heat of the match still pulsed in his chest.
[System Notification]
[1v1 Match Completed: Loss Recorded (4–10)]
First Official Match Registered. Post-Game Reflection System Unlocked.
Analyzing game data...
Analysis Complete.
Dirga sat up. "Wait, what? Reflection system?"
Echo's voice answered calmly.
[This is your first official match since system synchronization. As such, a post-game reflection is automatically triggered]
"You never told me this existed."
[You've never played an official match until now. The system only activates under real conditions—pressure, effort, stakes. Not during solo drills or scrimmages]
Dirga frowned. "So what, now I get a grade every time I lose?"
[Not a grade. A mirror. For growth]
A pause.
Then came the report.
[Opponent: Kaito Nishida]
[Analysis: Tempo Manipulation – Advanced Decision-Making – Exceptional Court Awareness – Tactical Tier.]
[Post-Game Reflection Summary]
– Outcome: Loss
– Team Contribution: N/A
– Leadership Influence: N/A
– Decision-Making: Above Average
– Physical Output: Intense
System Evaluation: Host need to train more
Rewards :
[System skill Unlocked: 'Tempo Reading (Lv.1)]
[Passive]: Slightly enhances ability to read opponent rhythm and adjust reactions accordingly.]
Dirga stared at the message.
That... felt right. Kaito wasn't just fast or skilled—he dictated how the game moved. Like a conductor controlling every note.
"Echo. Be honest. How did I do?"
[You performed with composure and experience. But your instincts still outpace your current body. You relied too much on what you remember—rather than what you can currently execute]
Dirga lay back down, exhaling sharply.
"…Yeah. That tracks."
[You're not him yet. But you're closer than most]
Dirga smiled faintly in the dark.
He had lost. Badly. But instead of shame, there was clarity. The path forward felt real now—not a dream or a second chance, but something he had to fight for again.
Kaito-senpai... thanks for showing me where I stand.
He closed his eyes.
Tomorrow, he'd train harder. Smarter. Not just to win—but to become someone worth challenging.!