"Careful, Dirga. You still remember how to take the bus, right?"
"Yes, Ojisan."
Like always, my uncle's tone was serious, even though the question was light. He had a habit of worrying too much, but I didn't mind—it was comforting in its own way. Today, he decided to drop me off at school himself. As the car pulled into the school parking lot, the sounds of early morning practice hit me immediately.
Out on the field, the baseball team was already swinging bats and shouting from the dugout. Not far off, the soccer team was running drills with military precision. The air was filled with the scent of cut grass, sweat, and youthful ambition.
It was only 6:30 AM.
The energy was unreal.
I stepped out of the car, shouldered my bag, and took a deep breath. The cold morning breeze hit my skin, but my heart was already warm with anticipation.
Without waiting, my legs moved on their own—I sprinted toward the gym.
[System Booting...]
I felt a soft flicker in my mind as the system interface appeared. The gentle blue hue was almost soothing now, like an old friend saying good morning.
"Right... the system," I muttered, slowing my steps.
So much had happened yesterday—my first meeting with Kaito-senpai, the grueling training, and passing out the moment I got home. For a second, I'd actually forgotten about the very thing that set me apart in this life.
But if I wanted to move forward, I needed to stop calling it "System." It felt too robotic. Too... detached.
"Do you have a name?" I asked aloud.
[You may assign one.]
I paused. A name...
Something simple. Something cool.
"How about... Echo?"
[Name saved: Echo.]
Perfect.
"Echo, show me my status."
[Status – Echo Interface]
• Name: Renji Dirgantara
• Height: 145 cm
• Weight: 40 kg
• System Level: Junior High (0/100 XP)
• Active Quests:
▸ Recruit 5 Members → Reward: Team Spark Lv.1, Synergy Vision
▸ Daily Quest → Reward: Random Draw x1
Skills
• Form Speed Lv.1
• Passing Instinct Lv.1
Items
• Training Booster x2
• Injury Booster x1
Shop : Locked
Attributes
Scoring
• Layup: 30
• Dunk: 5
• Post Score: 5
Shooting
• Mid-Range: 30
• Three-Point: 25
• Free Throw: 25
• Unique Shot: 0
Playmaking
• Pass Accuracy: 20
• Vision: 20
• Ball Handling: 10
Defense
• Interior Defense: 5
• Perimeter Defense: 10
• Steal: 2
• Block: 1
• Rebound: 2
Physical
• Agility: 20
• Strength: 5
• Jumping: 5
• Intelligence: 30
• Endurance: 20
"Still at base level," I muttered. "Figures."
"Echo, how do I raise these stats?"
[Through training and quest completion. For accelerated results, you may use a Training Booster. It temporarily increases physical growth and adaptation rate.]
I glanced at the two Training Boosters in my inventory. If I was going to get stronger fast, I couldn't just save these forever.
"Alright... use one."
A faint warmth spread through my chest, down to my limbs. It felt like someone had flipped a switch in my body—my muscles felt lighter, my breath deeper.
I reached the gym doors. A small sticky note greeted me:
"I already unlocked the gym. I'm meeting the teacher to discuss club registration. – Kaito."
So Kaito-senpai was already making moves behind the scenes.
That meant I had the gym to myself.
"Echo, show me today's Daily Quest."
[Daily Quest – Physical Foundation]
• Jogging – 2 km
• Push-ups – 50 reps
• Planks – 5 sets (1 min each)
• Cone Drills – 15 minutes
• Vertical Jumps – 50 reps
• Free Throws – 50 shots
• Dribbling Practice – 60 minutes
• Layups – 50 shots
Reward: Random Draw x1
"Looks like a full session," I exhaled, dropping my bag. "Let's get to it."
I started with a light jog around the gym's perimeter. My shoes squeaked with every step, but my breathing stayed steady. The booster was already kicking in—I could feel the difference.
Next came the push-ups and planks. My arms shook, sweat poured from my brow, but I pushed through. This wasn't just a quest—it was survival. I had to bridge the gap between this body and my old self.
After the physical stuff, I moved to the drills.
"Echo, switch to VR Mode."
[VR Court Activated.]
In an instant, my surroundings shifted. Holographic defenders appeared on the court, moving in real time. I dribbled past them, practicing fakes, crossovers, and fast breaks. Each move felt sharper than yesterday. Faster.
"Layups," I whispered.
Fifty shots. Left, right, spin, backboard—clean and precise. I focused on each motion, burning the form into my muscle memory.
Just as I was finishing my last few reps, the gym door burst open.
"DIRGAAA!"
I turned mid-layup to see Kaito-senpai standing at the entrance, a grin on his face and papers in hand.
"Yo!" I called out, panting. "You're back early."
"Don't stop. Finish up and meet me in the clubroom."
He disappeared as quickly as he came.
I shook my head, chuckling. "Yes, captain."
I took a deep breath, bent over with my hands on my knees, breathing hard. Every muscle ached—but it was the good kind of pain.
And then, I finished my final set of layups.
[Daily Quest Complete.]
[Reward Acquired: Random Draw x1]
[Training Booster Active – Physical Attributes +15]
"Fifteen points?! That's insane!"
"Echo, that's not normal, is it?"
[Correct. This rate of growth is temporary. You are currently in a rapid development stage, and your body responds well to training. Such gains will diminish as your base stats grow.]
So this was a limited-time window. I had to take advantage of it now.
"Alright. Open the reward box."
[Random Draw: Training Booster x3 Acquired]
"No way... I got three more?"
With four Training Boosters now in my pocket, I couldn't help but smirk. Things were looking good.
I grabbed my towel, wiped my face, and headed toward the clubroom.
Kaito was already inside, standing in front of a whiteboard. His glasses were pushed up, and his marker was moving fast.
I stepped in quietly, still catching my breath.
"You sure like schedules, huh?" I joked.
"Structure is everything," he replied without looking. "Come take a look."
I walked up and read the calendar he'd written. The board was packed with dates and arrows—like a war plan. For someone with a weak heart, Kaito sure didn't hold back.
[Osaka Horizon Basketball Club – Schedule Draft]
• April – Training Camp
• May – Spring Tournament (Prefecture Level)
• June – National Qualifiers
• July – Regional Tournaments
• August – All-Japan Junior High Championship
• September – School Year Starts, Club Recruitment
• October – Winter Tournament
• November – The Last Tournament
• December to March – Intensive Training
...
"So that's our season?" I asked.
"Rough outline," he replied. "Most schools stop by October. But there's a lesser-known tournament in November. It's unofficial, but good for real-game experience."
"Sounds like a plan."
He capped his marker and turned to me.
"If we're going to do this seriously, I want to see your level firsthand."
I blinked. "What?"
"One-on-one. Just a quick match."
"I just trained for two hours, you know..."
"I won't go all out. Promise."
I stared at him for a moment. He looked calm—but I could feel a fire behind those eyes.
I smirked. "Fine. Let's play."