I stared at Taiga from across the court, eyes narrowing. He was different. The way he moved, the energy he carried—this wasn't the same raw and reckless player I first met.
"…Echo, open Synergy Vision Level 2. Target: Taiga Okabe."
A familiar blue glow flashed in my vision. His profile appeared.
[Echo Open]
• Name: Taiga Okabe
• Height: 176 cm
• Weight: 73 kg
Skills:
• Raw Power Lv.3
• Rebound Instinct Lv.2
• Hustle Drive Lv.2
• Tunnel Vision Lv.1 -> Focused Frenzy Lv.1 ( When adrenaline spikes, the user enters a state of hyper-focus that enhances physical effort and decision speed toward a single goal—scoring, blocking, or rebounding.)
•The sun Lv.1 (Legendary Skill) – When Taiga's morale peaks, his presence ignites the court. "The Sun" boosts his team's skills, attributes, and morale—turning him into a living engine of momentum. As long as his spirit blazes, the whole team shines brighter.
• Defense
Interior Defense: 65/100
Perimeter Defense: 45/100
Steal: 33/100
Block: 52/100
Rebound: 73/100
…
I blinked, taken aback.
"…A Legendary Skill?"
[Echo Response]
[Legendary Skills are extremely rare. Most players only ever develop Common at best. This is the first time you've seen a Legendary skill manifest, so I withheld the information until now.]
"But why him? There are others on this court who are more skilled."
[Skill doesn't determine legendary growth. It's about passion, timing… and overcoming inner limits. Those who shine through adversity light the spark. Taiga met the conditions, and "The Sun" was born.]
Dirga exhaled slowly. It was unexpected, but a good problem to have. If Taiga's legendary skill had awakened, the team had just gained a massive asset. Still, that didn't solve the immediate problem—winning this game.
Their team feeds off morale—energy, confidence, emotion. That's why their attributes spike so drastically when they're fired up. If I let their momentum build again like in the last game...
"The Sun" might fully activate.
I need to crush their spirits before they catch fire.…
….
The whistle blew.
"Alright! Final match of the day! There's no trophy," Kaito yelled, tossing the ball upward, "but the losing team gets to clean the gym!"
The crowd roared louder than ever. The atmosphere was electric. Word must've spread—now everyone was watching.
…
We assembled. I turned to my team.
"Yuto. Same as last game—establish your dominance in the paint. Guard Taiga physically. Make him feel your presence."
"Got it."
"Hiroki, don't hesitate. Find space, move to your hot zones. I'll get the ball to you."
I looked around at my team.
"They're flying high right now, riding the last win. But that's also their weakness. Their confidence is everything. We're going to slam the door shut before they get going."
"On us."
"With us."
"We'll win!"
"YEAHHH!"
…
Tip-off.
Taiga and Yuto leaped. Taiga's vertical was impressive—but Yuto was heavier, more solid. Still… Taiga won it, barely tapping the ball toward Rei.
But I'd already read it.
I sprinted in and intercepted the pass before it even left Rei's hands. Momentum mine. Yuto stepped in with a screen—perfectly timed.
I cut inside, took two strides, and laid it in.
2–0.
A small basket—but a massive statement.
…
"Okay! It's just two points!" Taiga shouted, clapping his hands.
Trying to hold their energy up, huh?
The next possession, Shouta took the ball, dribbling up the court. I shadowed him closely. Defense isn't my strong suit, but pressure causes mistakes.
He faked left. I blocked.
He spun right. I stayed on him.
No space. He panicked but managed to swing the ball to Rei—open look.
But Yuto was ready, using his frame to smother the shot.
Ball bounced wildly—my instincts kicked in. I snatched it, turned, pulled up from mid-range.
4–0.
And it began.
6–0.
8–0.
11–0.
Their offense faltered. Taiga was confused, agitated. The confidence they thrived on was cracking fast.
I could see it in his expression. His fire—flickering.
…
"Taiga… it's okay. We can win this," Shouta said quietly, placing a hand on his shoulder.
Rei nodded. "Believe in my shooting."
Taiga closed his eyes. Exhaled.
"…My bad. Let's go."
And with that, the fire returned—dimmed, but burning.
…
They began to push back.
11–3.
Rei nailed a corner three.
11–5.
Shouta found a gap and laid it in.
13–7.
13–10.
15–10.
15–12.
I tightened my jaw. They were clawing back.
17–14.
This momentum swing…
[Echo Alert]
Activating Flow Lv.1. Boost: 120%
…
It felt like electricity coursed through me.
My vision sharpened. My senses lit up.
My body felt hot—like something was burning inside me. But not painfully. Just—intense.
19–14.
19–17.
They weren't backing down. Neither were we.
It came down to one final possession.
…
Dirga's body screamed in protest, but he pushed forward.
The court turned into chaos
A block.
A fumble.
A steal.
A scramble.
A desperate second chance.
Time bled away.
The ball slipped free again—this time landing near me. I grabbed it, heart pounding, mind racing. My body screamed, but I ignored it.
Backpedalled to the three-point line.
Taiga rushed me, desperate.
I crossed. Step-back.
He reached.
Too late.
I rose.
Released.
The gym held its breath.
Swish.
21–17.
Game.
…
And just like that—
I dropped to the floor.
Exhausted.
But smiling.
Because we won.