The second day of the school year felt almost identical to the first—routine, uneventful, and quiet. But Dirga had already made up his mind. After school, he would go straight to the clubroom. No distractions. No detours.
As the final bell rang, Dirga walked alongside Taiga through the school hallways.
"So now we're five, right?" Taiga grinned, swinging his bag over his shoulder. "Dirge, that means we can officially play in matches!"
"Yeah," Dirga nodded. "But we still need substitutes. We can't afford to play every game without rest—it'll destroy us in the long run."
"Pfft, I can play the whole game!" Taiga laughed boldly. "No problem!"
Yeah… that's Taiga. Always impulsive, always full of energy. What can I do?
They stopped in front of the clubroom. Dirga raised his hand and knocked lightly before opening the door.
"Excuse me…"
The door creaked open, and Dirga was met with a surprising sight—Kaito-senpai, Rikuya-senpai, and even Aizawa-senpai were already inside, waiting.
"You look surprised, Dirga-kun." Aizawa's calm voice echoed. "I've decided to officially join this club. It seems... interesting."
Another wild card, huh?
Dirga met Kaito's eyes and gave a small nod—a silent signal. They both understood. Aizawa was a talent they needed to keep invested. Keeping him interested was crucial.
Kaito stepped forward, clapping his hands to bring everyone's attention together.
"Since we'll be a team from now on," he said, "we need to know each other—our strengths, our weaknesses. So today, let's do a light scrimmage, some training, and then we'll sit down and talk about our future."
That's Kaito-senpai for you. Willing to show his own weaknesses if it means building trust. It needs to be done.
And me?
I still have to complete my daily quest
…
We walked into the gym, sunlight cutting across the wooden floor. The echoes of our footsteps faded as we took our spots, the five of us standing in a half-circle. It wasn't much, but it was a team.
"Alright," Kaito-senpai clapped his hands lightly. "Let's start with a warm-up. Two laps around the court, and then ball handling drills."
It felt natural. My body responded to the rhythm of the court, and I could tell Taiga was holding back his energy just barely. Aizawa was smooth and efficient in his movements, barely wasting a step. Rikuya, calm as ever, didn't say much, but his eyes scanned everything—evaluating.
After drills, we started a light scrimmage—3v2 with rotating pairs. I took the chance to observe Kaito closely.
At first glance, he moved smartly—always positioning himself well, knowing where to cut and when to pass. But midway through the second rotation, I saw it.
His movement slowed.
He clutched his chest—not obvious, not dramatic—but just a slight hesitation. The kind of subtle falter you only notice if you've played at high levels. The moment he needed a burst to drive, he opted for a pass. He never overexerted, never sprinted unless necessary.
Kaito was managing his energy.
A weak heart, he'd told me during our one-on-one. But seeing it now, during a real team setting, it hit differently. It wasn't just a limitation—he had adapted his entire playstyle around it. Short bursts, smart cuts, surgical plays. No wasted motion.
"Take five," I called out casually, wiping my face with a towel as I jogged over to him.
He looked at me and nodded, understanding.
"I need to tell you all something," he began, his voice calm and steady. "As your captain, I want us to grow together. And that starts with honesty."
We listened. Even Taiga, usually impatient, quieted down.
"I have a heart condition," Kaito said plainly. "It limits my stamina. I can't play full games, and I won't be the fastest or the strongest on this court. But what I can give—are my eyes, my decisions, my understanding of the game."
No one said anything right away. Aizawa raised an eyebrow but didn't object. Rikuya, arms crossed, simply nodded. Taiga scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"Senpai… is that why you rarely move too much?" Taiga asked.
Kaito gave a soft smile. "Exactly. I have to pace myself. But I can still contribute. And I'll lead us in every way I can."
I stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"We'll cover the court. You cover the chessboard," I said.
With that, we continued our exercise. Kaito knew how to train to maximize his limitations.
…
[SYSTEM ALERT]
Quest Complete: "Daily Quest"
Rewards: Random Draw [Shooting attribute +30, Playmaking +20]
[SYSTEM ALERT]
Quest Complete: "Recruit 5 members"
Objective: Gather 5 member
Rewards: Team Spark Lv.1, Synergy Vision Lv.2
Dirga made a puzzled expression.
"What?" he muttered to himself. He knew the quest to recruit five members, so it made sense… But having completed it, even he hadn't expected this. It made it easier than expected to complete.
And then there was the random draw… It was literally random. His previous quest had given him boosters, and now—this.
He couldn't decide if he should be angry or just enjoy the boost.
[Echo Open]
Name: Renji Dirgantara
• Height: 155 cm
• Weight: 47 kg
• System Level: Junior High School (0/100)
• Quests:
Daily Quest → Done
• Skills:
Form Speed Lv.1 (48%)
Passing Instinct Lv.1 (82%)
Tempo Reading Lv.1 (38%)
Quick First Step Lv.1 ( 18%)
Team Spark Lv.1 (10 %)
Synergy Vision Lv.2 (8%)
• Items:
2x Training Booster
2x Injury Booster
1x Fatigue Reducer
Shop: (Locked)
•Attributes:
•Scoring
Layup: 42/100
Dunk: 11/100
Post Score: 14/100
• Shooting
Mid-Range: 60/100
Three-Point: 40/100
Free Throw: 50/100
Unique Shot: 9/100
• Playmaking
Pass Accuracy: 70/100
Vision: 64/100
Ball Handling: 50/100
• Defense
Interior Defense: 18/100
Perimeter Defense: 24/100
Steal: 22/100
Block: 11/100
Rebound: 13/100
• Physical
Agility: 35/100
Strength: 25/100
Jumping: 20/100
Intelligence: 30/100
Endurance: 50/100
With his previous reward and this one, Dirga's attributes received another solid boost. He decided to focus more on his mid-range shooting. After all, with his small frame, three-point shooting wasn't his strength. His growth spurt might come soon—if it followed the usual patterns. Even Taiga was already taller than him. Maybe Japanese genes were just that good.
[echo explain about the new skill]
Team Spark Lv.1 : Increases team synergy and coordination.
Synergy Vision Lv.2 : Lv.2 adds an extra attribute visibility and futher boost the vision and game reading
A nice set of skills to help the team's performance.
"Come here, we need to discuss something," Kaito-senpai shouted from across the gym.