After leaving the basketball hall, Kenichi Uesugi suddenly remembered—he'd already played in two games. But how much experience had the template system accumulated?
Without hesitation, he dove into his consciousness to check.
[Template Character: Kise Ryōta][Experience: 12%](0% unlocks the Primary Talent. 50% unlocks the Advanced Talent. At 99%, there's a chance to awaken the Ultimate Ability!)[How to Gain Experience: All in-game stats are converted into experience. The better the stats, the more experience you earn!][Primary Talent: Ordinary Imitation – Awakened](Able to mimic all moves you've seen, as well as the basic techniques Kise Ryōta has witnessed.)[Advanced Talent: Perfect Copy – Not yet awakened](Can perfectly replicate all moves at the level of the Generation of Miracles.)[Ultimate Ability: ZONE – Locked](Requires a specific emotional trigger to enter.)[Ultimate Mission: Reach 100% experience and win the national championship to unlock the second stage of the system—enter the next world!]
You never truly know until you look.
Kenichi was stunned when he saw it—12% experience already!
A wide grin spread across his face. It was clear now: the better he performed, the faster the system grew.
In today's match alone, he had dropped a game-high 37 points, with impressive supporting stats across the board. Combined with his breakout performance during the rookie tournament a few days earlier, his experience bar had surged.
At this rate, Perfect Copy isn't that far off...!
Kenichi clenched his fists in excitement.He couldn't wait for the next game.
But before that...
I'll be heading to Kyoto in two days. I'd better put on a show and rack up some serious stats!
Meanwhile in Kyoto – Luoan High School Basketball Hall
Captain Takai Akihiro was leading intense training drills as Luoan prepared for the national tournament qualifiers.
Suddenly, Coach Kasahara stepped onto the court, clapping loudly to get everyone's attention.
"Everyone, listen up! There's something I forgot to mention earlier," he said as the gym fell silent."The day after tomorrow, we'll be playing a practice match against Ryonan High School from Kanagawa. Get ready!"
"Ryonan?" one of the newer players asked, confused. "Didn't they make the semi-finals in nationals last year?"
"That was Kainan," someone corrected. "They're Kanagawa's powerhouse team."
"So what kind of team is Ryonan?"
"I don't know."
"Never heard of them."
"Are they even good enough to play us?"
It was clear—no one on the team knew or respected Ryonan.
Then, a buzz-cut player stepped forward. "Coach, we're one of Kyoto's seeded teams. Our goal this year is to break into the top 8 at nationals! Isn't it a waste of time playing against a team with no competitive track record?"
Several others nodded in agreement.
Coach Kasahara could only smile helplessly."Ryonan's coach, Taoka, is an old friend and senior of mine. I couldn't turn him down."
"But don't worry—next time, I'll line up a stronger opponent for you."
The room quieted down, though the air was still filled with unspoken doubt.
Ryonan High School – Departure Day
After two solid days of preparation, Ryonan's basketball team was finally ready to hit the road. Their training tour would take them through Kyoto and Tokyo, with scheduled practice matches against two high-level opponents.
The first stop: Luoan High School.
The journey was long, but Coach Taoka Moichi had his reasons. Competing against local teams meant risking their strategies being exposed to future national rivals.
That's why he'd pulled every string, called in every favor, and nearly exhausted his network to arrange these games. Top-tier teams were reluctant to spar with a school like Ryonan—a team that hadn't even qualified for nationals yet.
But Taoka believed that would all change this year.
This year, Ryonan will make it to nationals—and make a name for itself!
After hours on the road, Ryonan's team finally arrived at Luoan High.
Coach Kasahara personally came out to greet them.
"Senior Taoka, it's been a long time. You're still as energetic as ever!"
"Kasahara, thank you for making this match possible. I truly appreciate it."
"Of course. I'll make sure everything runs smoothly."
After exchanging pleasantries, Kasahara led the team into the gym.
Just as they stepped inside, a short-haired student casually dribbled a ball onto the court. Kasahara quickly waved him over.
"Fukao! This is Ryonan's coach, Mr. Taoka."
The student didn't even stop."Ryonan? Never heard of them."
He dropped that cold remark and walked away, not sparing a glance at the visitors.
The players behind Taoka fumed in silence, fists clenching.
Kasahara gave an awkward chuckle. "Ah... Fukao's personality is a bit... blunt."
Taoka smiled politely. "It's fine. It's only natural—we're not well-known yet."
But the moment he turned away, his expression darkened.
The players knew what that meant—Coach Taoka was furious.
In the locker room, the tension was thick.
As everyone changed into their jerseys, Taoka finally spoke, his voice low and tight:
"You all saw what happened out there."
"Not just Luoan—every team in the national competition looks down on us."
"We will change that. We must qualify for nationals and show everyone who Ryonan really is."
"But today—TODAY—we start by crushing Luoan! Do you hear me?!"
His voice thundered in the locker room. It wasn't just anger—it was passion, frustration, and years of struggle boiling over.
This team was his life's work.
He had sacrificed too much to let them be mocked.
"We hear you!" the players roared back in unison.
The fire had been lit.
And the real game was about to begin.