Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

The tension increased after Coach Xu Wei asked that particular question.

The coach's frown deepened, his gaze fixed on Kai, who sat there with a smirk tugging at his lips. Of course, Kai had an answer! He wouldn't stir up some drama just to come up empty-handed in the end.

'This kid,' he thought, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Kai sighed and leaned his elbows against his knees. "Since no one wants to cooperate," he began, "let's compete instead."

The veterans turned to look at him with disbelief.

"What did you just say?" Marcus growled.

Kai shrugged nonchalantly, pushing off the bench as he stood. "You heard me. If we can't play like a team, let's break into two and settle it that way. A competition within a competition."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Dong snapped. "We're in the middle of the Global Games, not some schoolyard scrimmage!"

Kai turned to Coach Xu Wei, ignoring Dong entirely. "Coach. The day after tomorrow, we're playing Japan. Like us, they haven't exactly been a dominant force in the Global Games."

"But let's face it—they're still ahead of us in standing. And since we don't have anything left to lose…"

He paused, looking at the two sides of the room. Even now, they were in factions.

"Divide us into two quarters. The first half goes to the veterans. The second half belongs to us—the Elite Five."

Caleb frowned, his face dark with irritation. "That's insane."

Kai tilted his head, smirk still firmly in place. "What?" he asked, mockingly. "It's not like you guys want to play with us. Or…" he paused, looking him in the eyes, "…are you not confident?"

The room went still. The veterans all frowned. Max glanced between them, feeling nervous for Kai all of a sudden. The old men looked like they wanted to punch him!

To be fair, this was the first time they were getting challenged in such a way by a 16-year-old.

"Watch your mouth, Kai," Marcus said coldly, his fists curling at his sides.

"Why?" Kai shot back.

"It's the truth. You veterans act like we're dead weight. You don't pass to us, you don't trust us. So what's the point of pretending we're on the same team?" He looked at the older players. "Or are you just scared you'll lose to us?"

Marcus's jaw tensed, and Dong let out a low scoff. "This is ridiculous," Dong muttered, shaking his head. "This is our last game, our last chance, and you want to pull something like this?"

"It's not ridiculous," Caleb said, chuckling coldly.

The young player leaned forward, competitiveness glinting in his eyes. "If they want to compete, then let's compete. He's right. We have nothing to lose."

Dong turned to glare at him. "But we do," he said. "Don't give into this kid's challenge. He clearly just wants to play for the next game."

Dong was definitely right. However, Kai wasn't going to let this go.

"There's nothing to lose," he chimed. "Let's be real here—advancing to the next stage isn't guaranteed. Everyone knows that. So let's gamble it. Let's play this one differently."

Marcus's face hardened, his fists tightening so hard his knuckles turned white.

Coach Xu Wei sighed heavily. He'd been silent during their argument, letting them talk, but now, finally, he stepped forward.

"Enough."

The locker room fell silent instantly.

Coach Xu Wei crossed his arms, his expression tired but firm.

"I've heard both sides, but now it's my turn."

He looked at Kai first, then at the veterans. "Honestly, I know you young guys are working hard, and I appreciate that. But you need to understand something."

Kai's smirk faded slightly, replaced with a more serious expression.

"The reason I haven't been using you as much isn't because I don't trust your skills," Coach Xu continued.

"It's because you're young. The guys on the court are older than you, stronger than you, and more experienced. You'll get devoured out there. Even Jian, one of your best, is struggling to keep up."

Jian, sitting near the edge of the bench, pursed his lips but didn't argue.

Coach Xu Wei sighed again, shaking his head.

"But." He paused, looking around at his players.

"Kai's also right. At this point, we have nothing left to lose. We've already lost the people's belief. The rest of the world thinks we're done for."

The room went quiet again, but this time it was different.

"So," Coach Xu said finally, "we'll do it your way."

The veterans looked stunned, not believing what they'd just heard. Kai blinked, clearly not expecting the coach to agree so quickly.

"We'll divide the game against Japan into two halves," Coach Xu Wei continued. "The first half will go to the veterans. The second half will belong to the Elite Five."

"And the price?" Caleb asked, his tone eager and competitive.

Coach Xu Wei looked at him with a small smile. "Bragging rights."

He paused, his gaze going back to Kai. "And I'll take into consideration the next line-ups from this point on."

Marcus opened his mouth to argue, but the words didn't come. Even Dong sat back, shaking his head but saying nothing. It was clear Coach Xu Wei's decision was final.

Kai allowed himself the faintest smirk as he stepped back, his confidence unshaken. "Fine by me."

Coach Xu Wei looked around at all of them, his voice sharp. "But let me be clear—this isn't a game between you and you. At the end of the day, we're still a team. The veterans and the rookies. So don't make the mistake of forgetting that."

"Yes, Coach," came the mumbled replies, though the tension was far from gone.

"Good." Coach Xu Wei grabbed his clipboard, signaling the end of the meeting. "Rest up. I'll see you on the game day."

"Dismissed."

The players began gathering their things, but the mood was still heavy. The veterans sat together, their expressions hard.

As Kai slung his bag over his shoulder, Marcus shot him a look. "You'd better back up all that talk."

Kai didn't hesitate. "I will."