Ari was focused on enjoying the school motion. A fading image moving past his eyes, while the bus cruised through Yoshimura. That's when he heard a voice.
"Did you practice it?"
Ari and Haruto turned to find Isami Nagi staring at them from across the aisle. Staring at them with crimson eyes and a weary expression. He had been thinking about this question. It was gnawing his conscience.
"Practice what?" Haruto asked curiously.
"The CSRP." His voice was ready despite his fatigue. He was demanding honesty. "Did you two practice that drill together?!"
Several nearby students perked up, suddenly interested as to this alteration.
Haruto looked genuinely shocked. "No, we just met today We were randomly paired."
Isami's eyes dismissed Haruto entirely and shifted to the pale boy. "You."
His own expression was blank. And Isami couldn't tell what was thinking. Behind those black eyes.
"No," Ari said simply. "We didn't practice."
The bus was then silent. Isami watched Ari's face very carefully. He didn't hide the fact that he was searching for deception, for any tell that might reveal a lie.
He found nothing.... But a void.
"Tch". A sound of frustration and then the Prince Cobra turned away, returning to his seat without another word.
[ISAMI NAGI IS NOT ACCUSTOMED TO LOSS]
[HE ASSUMED PREPARATION WAS THE ONLY EXPLANATION TO YOUR TRIUMPH]
[AS EXPECTED HE IS OBSESSIVELY COMPETITIVE]
Of course he was. You could tell from how he moved. How he walked. That intense fire in his eyes. Even how breathes. And Ari wondered.... Could he match that determination. Could he reach that level of obsession..
The bus parked up to the first-year dormitory building, and Ari got his first proper look at where he'd be living.
Less a dormitory and more a château. French country architecture rendered in pale stone, three stories tall but spread wide across manicured grassy grounds. Tall windows with dark shutters. Steep slate roofs that had ornate dormers. Ivy climbing the western wall in carefully... Like nature was helping make things beautiful. The building had presence, history. As old as Yoshimura itself which was established in 1998.
To most adults that wasn't very old. But to the students of Yoshimura that would very well be an ancient time in human history
A path of willow trees separated the male dormitory from the female one. The latter protected by high brick walls that were somehow even more beautiful than the exposed male building. The female dormitory looked like something from a fairytale, all elegant curves and private gardens glimpsed through iron gates.
But the male building was impressive in its own right: Castle like., with other parts extending in multiple directions to maximize room capacity while maintaining aesthetic integrity. The ground was a path of gravel, some hedges. There were benches positioned at the wide sides.
Second buses were arriving as Ari and Haruto disembarked, bringing more exhausted first-years back to their dorms. The time was 2:31 PM. Early afternoon, but it felt like midnight after the morning's exertion.
"Hey," Haruto said, pulling out his phone. "We should exchange numbers. In case, you know, we both make it to Day Two."
"Good idea."
They swapped contact information, then room numbers. Haruto in Room 219, Ari in Room 347.
"Opposite ends of the building," Haruto observed. "Of course."
"At least we're in the same class." Ari added as he kicked a random gravel stone that hit the leg of the bench.
"True. See you tomorrow?"
"If we survive."
"When we survive," Haruto corrected with optimism. "Think positive."
They parted ways, and Ari trudged up the stairs along with other boys whose rooms were on the third floor. The dormitory's interior matched its exterior.
Hardwood floors, high ceilings with exposed beams and large ancient looking brick pillars falling down.
Walking up the stairs alone, tired. It gave a grandeur feeling of megalophbia.
Liike living in a museum of tasteful wealth.
Getting from one point to another would be exhausting
The building was genuinely massive, designed more for aesthetic grandeur than efficient navigation. Ari's room was at the far end of the east wing, requiring a five-minute walk through corridors that felt endless.
Finally, he reached Room 347, unlocked it, and stepped inside.
His still-unpacked suitcase sat exactly where he'd left it, mocking him with its unopened presence.
"Tomorrow," Ari muttered. "I'll unpack tomorrow."
He showered wit lukewarm water
He let it work the soreness from his muscles. Then he changed into oversized pajamas that made him look even more skeletal. His dark wet hair spread across the pillow as he collapsed onto bed, pale skin making him resemble a corpse laid out for viewing.
But if someone else saw the sight, indeed he looked beautiful. Like a sickly prince.
The thought of academics crept back in. Haruto's warning about how far they'd progressed in the curriculum. The amount of material he would need to cover just to catch up. And he wasn't a regular student. He was a scholarship student. The school, his parents, everyone would expect him to excel academically while somehow also making the basketball team.
"Ughhh." The groan came from somewhere deep in his chest as he pressed his hands to cover his face in frustration.
But.
His hands fell back to his sides.
But it wasn't all bad. He'd survived Day One. Earned skill points. Made it to the next round—probably. The list wasn't out yet, but his performance, while embarrassing athletically, had shown enough in CSRP to potentially justify advancement.... And he did better than a lot of other people in the running. Not the forty yard dash of course but the stamina drills that began and ended day one.
"System," he wheezed. "Show me what...." He yawned scratching an itch in his pale ribs. "Show me what I'm working with."
[CURRENT STATS - TORU ARI]
[PHYSICAL:]
[POWER: 25/100]
[STAMINA: 40/100]
[VERTICAL: 26/100]
[SPEED: 38/100]
[BASKETBALL:]
[SHOOTING: 28/100]
[DEFENSE: 18/100]
[ATHLETICISM: 28/100]
[IQ: 72/100]
[PASSING: 31/100]
[SKILL: 18/100]
[SKILL POINTS AVAILABLE: 30.0]
Thirty points. A substantial amount. Ari stared at the numbers, calculating, weighing options.
His shooting was decent but could be better. His defense was abysmal. His athleticism was improving but still mediocre. And his skill—the stat that governed ball handling, footwork, coordination was still a sad thing at 18...
He knew what he wanted to do.
"All thirty into skill," Ari decided. "Confirm purchase."
[CONFIRM: 30 SKILL POINTS → SKILL STAT]
[COST: 30 POINTS]
[SKILL: 18 → 28 (+10)]
[PROCESSING...]
[IMPROVING MOTOR PATTERNS...]
[UPDATING MUSCLE MEMORY...]
[NEURAL PATHWAYS CREATED...]
[PROPRIOCEPTION]
A quick intense sensation. Immediate and profound.
His neurons connected themselves. New muscle memory being hammered in place while the old comfortable contractions were being improved.
His body's understanding of spatial relationships improved. His hands felt more capable, more precise. The thousand tiny movements that constituted "basketball skill" becamee more accessible.
It still wasn't enough. He knew that. A skill stat of twenty-eight was below average even for high school players. But it was progress. Measurable, undeniable progress.
[SKILL: 28/100]
[STILL BELOW AVERAGE]
[BUT_]
"I know", Ari said out loud. "We'll get there."
Only one category remained below twenty: defense, sitting at a pitiful eighteen.
He'd worry about that later.
Sleep tried to claim him, ah it was wonderful. Just a wonderful slumb_
His phone buzzed. A sound that shook him awake. His tired eyes searched through to the top right corner of his phone. 4:12 PM. He'd been unconscious for nearly two hours.
A LINE notification: Yoshimura Basketball - Day 1 Results Posted
His eyes opened wide. He opened the link with trembling fingers.
The list was alphabetical, organized by class. He scrolled, heart pounding:
Aihara Haruto - 1-C - ADVANCED
If Haruto made it, then Definetly—
Isami Nagi - 1-C - ADVANCED
"Wow that's so shocking.".
He kept scrolling down past names he didn't recognize.
Toru Ari - 1-C - ADVANCED
He'd made it.
Well yes he was pretty sure he would.
But the relief flooded through him, so intense it was almost painful. Day One was over, and he'd survived.
But then he opened Instagram and saw that the official Yoshimura Basketball account had posted the same list publicly. And usually that wouldn't be a problem they were just 150 random names of first years But_
If only
If only they didn't post it along with their student profile. Along with their pictures.
The comments were brutal:
"Twig boy made it? Really?"
"Chubby kid and skeleton boy both advanced. This is a joke."
"They definitely cheated on CSRP. This isn't fair."
"Can't wait to see them get destroyed on Day Two."
"Frauds."
Ari and Haruto had become even more infamous. The tall goth who couldn't jump and his chubby partner who could barely run. Internet mockery incarnate.
Ari dropped his phone on the bed and stood, moving to the bathroom to brush his teeth. His large pyjama was a funny sight on him
Ari came back out of the bathroom with the taste of fluoride on his tongue and fell on his bed.
He slept whenever exhaustion claimed him, regardless of schedule or social convention. No routine, no consistency. Just collapse when necessary, wake when possible.
[YOU DO NOT SLEEP LIKE MOST HUMANS HOST]
"Mmm."
[YOU POSSESS VOLITIONAL CONTROL. DEEP SLEEP WITH A CONCIOUS SOUND DECISION]
[LIKE YOU AREN'T A HUMAN AT ALL]
Then new text appeared:
[DAILY QUESTS AVAILABLE]
"No," Ari groaned immediately. "Absolutely not. I can barely stand. No way I'm doing any daily quests."
[VIEW THE QUESTS BEFORE REFUSING YOU....WHATEVER YOU ARE]
[DAILY QUEST: MOBILITY & RECOVERY]
[QUEST 1: SPINAL STRETCH]
[DURATION: 20 MINUTES]
[PURPOSE: IMPROVE MOBILITY, REDUCE STIFFNESS]
[REWARD: 4 SKILL POINTS]
[QUEST 2: HIP OPENING]
[DURATION: 15 MINUTES]
[PURPOSE: INCREASE RANGE OF MOTION]
[REWARD: 4 SKILL POINTS]
[QUEST 3: CALF RELEASE]
[DURATION: 10 MINUTES]
[PURPOSE: REDUCE TENSION, PREVENT INJURY]
[REWARD: 4 SKILL POINTS]
[QUEST 4: YOGA PRACTICE]
[DURATION: 30 MINUTES]
[PURPOSE: FULL BODY RECOVERY]
[REWARD: 4 SKILL POINTS]
Ari stared at the translucent words. These weren't conditioning drills. Weren't explosive exercises. They were... gentle. Restorative. Exactly what his fatigued, lanky body needed after being pushed to its limits.
[RECOVERY IS TRAINING]
[YOUR BODY IS IN NEED OF THIS]
[OR YOU WILL BE USELESS TOMORROW]
Ari sighed. He didn't bother to change out of his night wears.
The spinal stretches were harder than expected. His back was so tight from the day's exertion that even gentle movements felt like work.
But gradually, his sore muscles gave in to the power of the stretching and his long vertebrae were finally released. Breathing came much much easier.
Hip opening was similarly challenging but rewarding. His hips, locked from years of minimal athletic activity fought every stretch before grudgingly yielding.
Ari's body was long fluid. His birth marks scattered across his back and lower body. An evil grace of tender porcelain skin
His soft calf, a bad sign for a basketballer felt a divine empowerment.
All that running had turned his lower legs into tense and tender cables. Working them out was painful but still divine.
The yoga practice
"Yoga time", He said in a breath. Ari walked towards his suitcase. Opening it up. Trying to see if there was anything he could use in place of a mat.
Then.
[THE GEAR WILL GIVE YOU THIS]
A magical beautiful black mat with golden lines forming bohemian circular designs. It appeared out of nowhere with black smoke. And the smoke flowed away to the air of the room.
"What the fu_!", Ari leaped on his bed in fright. His back was against the wall. A cold violent sweat ran through him as his chest pushed in and out.
[WHY DO YOU ALWAYS SCREAM LIKE A LITTLE GIRL]
"You just", he pinched the bridge of his nose with closed eyes. The system had no sense of consideration. At least not at this moment.
"You just summoned a mat. Materalised it out of the air".
[.....]
[SO?]
[HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN TORU ARI THAT I COME WITH A STORE]
[WHERE YOU MAY BUY AND PURCHESE CERTAIN OBJECTS FOR SKILL POINTS]
Ari tensed as he finally came back down and used his bare pale feet to warily tap the black mat. It was soft with some sort of foam that was pushed in by the weight of his foot. The golden outlines of it and it's fur was somehow glowing the darker the day was. Glowing in his shadow. It was beautiful.
"Of course I remember. But still give a warning next time."
[WHAT UNGRATEFULNESS TO THE GEARS GIFTS]
[THOUGH]
[YOU ARE EXTREMELY BROKE IN TERMS OF BOTH ABILITY AND SKILL POINTS SO I AM SURE YOU WILL NOT BE BUYING ANYTHING FROM THE STORE SOON]
Ari cast the floating message a laser eyed look before he gave a fake smile. "Thank you gear".
The system displayed each pose. The first was Setu Bandhasana.
Ari saw the illustration of the 2d silhouette. Was a rather simple position.
Gently he laid on his back and let his legs rest. He rarely thought of yoga. He usually thought it was for stressed moms and rich weird men.
Even he didn't know where that thought process came from.. maybe it just never clicked as masculine to him. He was raised in a very traditional outlook after all.
His wet hair which was usually a black mess of curls and baby hair was still wet with wafer and was sticking to the sides of his dewy cheek. The thin abundant strands of hair underneath his hairline stuck to his forehead. It looked like a design of sort.
His abdomen was flexed and his abs contracted as he strained his butt and back to raise his pelvis up.
"Well...", He adjusted and found his leg footing as his knees left the black met, "This is a new... experience".
The silk top of his night outfit slid down toward his chest, baring his flat abdomen to the rooms cold evening air.
It was soft looking and his belly was sunk in and then out. The black birthmarks just above his narrow waist and around his small navel would expand and move in each breath he took.
He arched his back further and naturally his throat exposed and his neck bent on the mats black fur strands.
Water drops from his wet hair was skidding down his pale forearms which laid under his raised waist.
"Imagine if I had a roommate. And they'd see me like this." He chuckled to himself as the final seconds of the position finished.
Maybe it was actually for the better he was alone.
He sat on the mat resting on one hand. His knee was to the floor and tucked under another leg.
Waiting for the system to show the next position. Was also a simple one. Bhujangasana.
First he laid on his stomach completely. The mat was so soft Ari could sleep then and there. But his large pale hands raised his body chest high and arching. Like a cobra. While his legs and thighs were still in contact with the mat.
He took a deep exhale. This was ...a ....'It certainly stretches the back and lower torso' Ari thought. He focused on making his hands to stop his body from shaking.
Then as the illustration moved.
Ari groaned having to follow it's direction and arch even more, cocking his head back as if thrusting his chest to the air.
"This is so weird."
[YOGA HAS EXTREME BENEFITS]
Ari's chest shook in mirth as he scoffed half physical pain, and half emotional reaction. "Spare me that. You see this....a...a lot on YouTube."
[LESS TALK TORU ARI]
[FINISH THIS AND YOU CAN GO TAKE YOUR SLUMBER]
Ari closed his eyes and let the muscular stretch consume him. He gulped realising how difficult it was to maintain these positions. His chest which was revealed now had the clear outlines of his ribs and of his collar bone. The skin was thinner there. And he lacked the powerful undertone of bodily apperance most basketballers had.
No no. His own skin was more of a delicate pale porcelain cup with dots. Some naturally birthmarks and some the effects of puberty decorated the place under those same collar bones.
After Ari did the Virabhadrasana II. And then the Uttanasana. Before finally he was done. He stood feeling he gained 2 inches. His back was pleading, "what have you done to me?"
Ari folded the black golden mat and put it on top of his briefcase.
[DAILY QUESTS COMPLETE]
[+16 SKILL POINTS EARNED]
[CURRENT TOTAL: 16 POINTS]
[NOW YOU MAY SLEEP]
Ari collapsed back onto his bed. Satisfaction of having accomplished something productive, even though it felt weird to him in a freaky way. Maybe yoga wasn't all bad. His stats appeared in his vision once more and now had_
[SKILL POINTS AVAILABLE: 16.0]
But he almost forgot one important variable that occurred today. A discovery. He'd gain an ability. And it was at level one. He was excited but at the moment and at this moment he was much too tired to acknowledge it truly. "System, explain the Heavenly Shot ability to me."
[ABILITIES: HEAVENLY SHOT]
[CURRENT LEVEL: 1/3]
[DESCRIPTION:]
[IT IS A HIGH-RELEASE SHOOTING TECHNIQUE]
[IN TRUTH: IT ALLOWS YOU TO EXECUTE JUMPSHOTS AND FADEAWAYS AT AN ABNORMALLY HIGH RELEASE POINT]
[CURRENT RELEASE HEIGHT: 11-12 FEET]
[DIFFICULTY TO BLOCK: VERY HIGH]
[CONSISTENCY: MODERATE]
[PROGRESSION:]
[LEVEL 1: HARD TO STOP ]
[LEVEL 2: REUSABLE GO TO MOVE]
[LEVEL 3: MASTERY - NEARLY UNBLOCKABLE]
"Nearly unblockable huh", Ari used his back to shift himself up so his neck also rested on the soft pillows. He closed his eyes ready to sleep but still talking. "How do I increase the level then?"
[TO IMPROVE:]
[PRACTICE THE TECHNIQUE EXTENSIVELY]
[INCREASE RELATED STATS]
[RELATED STATS = SHOOTING, ATHLETICISM, SKILL]
[THE ABILITY EVOLVES WITH YOUR DEVELOPMENT]
"So abilities have three levels total?"
[...YES. EVEN A BABY COULD TELL THAT MUCH]
[LEVEL 3 = MASTERY]
[MOST PLAYERS NEVER REACH LEVEL 3]
[IT REQUIRES DEDICATION]
Ari thought about this, then made a decision.
"All sixteen points into shooting."
[CONFIRM: 16 SKILL POINTS → SHOOTING STAT]
[SHOOTING: 28 → 33]
[MUSCLE MEMORY HAS BEEN APPLIED]
The changes were subtler this time but still noticeable. His muscle memory for shooting refined itself.
[SHOOTING: 33/100]
A cold powerful breeze carried the breath of the willow trees below and slammed into Ari's window. It was a smell. The smell of rain
Ari rose from his bed and moved to the window. Outside, dark clouds gathered on the horizon—beautiful thunder clouds, carrying the coming rain, illuminated from within by purple lightning.
The sky was transforming from afternoon blue to evening purple, the light was just dim.
It was such a sight to behold. Castle-like buildings spread out over grass and long pine trees and the willow trees. He could see the Yoshimura arc from afar. Veiled by the shadows of the clouds.
Clouds that rolled in slowly and inevitably. The promise of change. Lightning snuffed and sparked again. All from deep within their masses, too far away to hear the sound thunder but at least we could see it.
AriToru went back to his bed and pulled the soft blanket over his body. Tomorrow would be a beautiful day.