Extra Basket-Chapter 76 - 63: White (19)

Zeke Monroe reset his dribble, this time with a bit more force—his knuckles flexing as the ball snapped against the hardwood. His eyes danced across Lucas’s frame, searching for any hitch, any flinch, any tell.

Nothing.

Lucas was still.

Balanced.

Patient.

Like he knew what Zeke would do next.

Zeke huffed through his nose.

"I admit you are good, tsk"

His voice was low, almost impressed—but edged with irritation.

Then he burst left—a move honed in street battles and silent courts like this one.

Lucas matched it. Instantly.

Pivot right.

Zeke tried to throw him off with a sharp Eurostep into a half-spin.

Lucas didn’t react—he moved.

Before the shift even completed, he was already there, his feet mirrored, body balanced.

Zeke tried to fade back—

But Lucas read it.

Poke.

The ball popped free, bouncing once.

Lucas lunged low and snatched it clean, dragging it in with both hands like it was life or death.

Silence.

No gasps. No noise.

Except Charlotte’s voice from the far side.

"Let’s go, Lucas!" she shouted, not in panic, but sharp, clipped focus.

She was already moving into the break.

Ethan took off up the sideline, sprinting. Louie signaled from the opposite wing. Evan trailed the middle, reading the rotation.

Lucas didn’t hesitate.

He darted up the court—his yellow eyes sharp. A glance to Charlotte, who cut across mid-court. Zeke chased behind, close.

Lucas dropped a no-look bounce pass between his legs—the kind that would make White Chocolate proud.

Charlotte caught it in stride.

Two steps.

Pull-up jumper from the elbow.

Splash.

Score: 11–8.

Still no crowd to cheer.

Just the sharp sound of the net snapping, the bounce of the ball, and Charlotte’s breath as she landed and turned back, cool and collected.

"Next time, Zeke," she said softly, brushing past him on the way back to defense.

Zeke froze for a moment. Then turned.

Vin was already calling the play from backcourt.

Silas grabbed the ball to inbound.

Ethan looked at them both and thought,

("Alright... I still need time.")

....

Meanwhile Thunderhawks vs Vorpal Basket

The Thunderhawks looked... confused.

Izzy glanced at Eva.

"They’re running weird sets. Who’s coaching this now? I thought they were headless chickens."

Eva didn’t answer. Her eyes narrowed as she tracked Coonie calling out another signal.

"Ghost Swing."

It wasn’t even a real play Fred had ever approved. This was Ethan’s hand-me-down genius — disguised passes, unpredictable positioning, chaos with purpose.

And it was working.

Coonie jabbed left, then passed it behind his back to Josh, who was trailing up the wing. Josh faked a shot, drew two defenders, and immediately kicked to Kai in the opposite corner.

Wide open.

Bang.

Vorpal 31 – Thunderhawks 30.

Coach Fred actually dropped his clipboard this time. "What... what is this? Who TAUGHT them that?!"

Jeremy looked smug. "Who else but Ethan"

....

Meanwhile back to underground game

1:07 left in the second quarter. Score: 11–8. Venganza ball.

The air was tight. The kind of tension you don’t breathe through—you feel it pressing on your ribs.

Ethan stood at the top of the key, sweat trickling down his cheek as he watched Vin Cruz dribble the ball with casual precision. The leader of Venganza—Dante’s older brother—moved like water, all smooth flow and quiet control. Nothing about him screamed dominance, but it was there. In his presence. In the way he commanded without speaking.

(They’re not just faster. They move like they know where we’ll go. Is it instinct? Memory? No... it’s familiarity. Trust.)

Ethan’s mind kicked into overdrive.

"(System open shop cards)"

"Initiating..."

He could feel the HUD in his mind flashing softly. He blinked, focused.

[Basketball Power System] Activated...

User: Ethan Albarado

Shop Points (SP): 3000

UP: 0 (Used)

Ethan’s finger twitched near his imaginary menu as if he could physically feel the urge to spend. But he didn’t. Not yet.

Updated Shop Cards Available:

Speed Boost Card (+2 Speed for 5 minutes) – 200 SP

Shooting Accuracy Card (+3 Shooting Accuracy for 5 minutes) – 200 SP

Team Synergy Card (All teammates gain +1 to all attributes for 10 minutes) – 300 SP

Defense Coordinator Card (Team defense +2 for 10 minutes) – 300 SP

Clarity Card (Slows perception of time slightly, enhances decision making for 60 seconds) – 400 SP

Flow Trigger Card (Unlocks user’s rhythm and boosts reaction speed +3 temporarily) for 2 minutes – 500 SP

Etc...

"Hmm..."

Too many tempting options.

Speed Boost? Too short.

Team Synergy? Big lift, but costly.

Instinct Trigger? Effective, but draining.

(No. Not yet. I can’t blow it all here. There’s two quarters left. This isn’t the right time—For now I need to analyze more.)

He minimized the HUD and stepped up.

...

Back on the court, Vin passed off to Kaia Volt, who grinned brightly—too brightly.

But that wasn’t Kaia anymore.

That was Zaia—her childlike alternate personality. She dribbled with glee, spinning in circles before darting past Charlotte with a sudden burst of speed.

"Whee! Catch me if you can!"

"(Her footwork’s erratic... but deliberate. Like she’s playing at basketball.)" Ethan analyzed. "(Unpredictable. That’s her weapon.)"

Zaia lobbed it inside. Dante didn’t even look. He just knew where Silas was.

Boom.

Silas caught it mid-step and powered through Evan Cooper again. Elbow. Shoulder. No whistle.

Layup.

12–8.

Ethan gritted his teeth, jogging the ball up the court, but his mind was racing.

"(Not yet....)"

....

Charlotte stood at the baseline, ball in hand. She locked eyes with Ethan.

He gave a subtle nod.

Cutting sharply in front of her, he took the inbound with both hands and began dribbling up the court, slow and measured.

The underground court felt tight. Every sound was louder. Every step sharper.

Zaia, giggled from the top of the key. She bounced on her heels like a kid in recess.

"Whee~ Let’s play again!"

Ethan’s eyes never left her.

(Her movements are scattered... but calculated. She’s baiting. Testing where I’ll commit.)

He crossed over to the left. Zaia shifted immediately, light on her toes.

He went right.

Zaia hopped into place again, almost too early.

(They anticipate based on each other’s positioning. They’ve done this a thousand times. They’re not guessing... Hmmm)

Charlotte sprinted up from the corner, suddenly crossing behind Ethan’s right.

Dante took a step toward her. Zaia followed—biting too early.

But it was a slip screen.

Charlotte faked the pick and darted away just as Zaia committed.

Ethan took one step forward, sold the drive, then whipped a bounce pass behind his back—around Dante’s outstretched arm.

Charlotte caught it in motion on the left wing.

Zeke rotated over fast—arms up.

Pump fake.

Zeke flinched, just enough.

Charlotte didn’t shoot.

Instead, she spun lightly on her heel and kicked the ball out to the corner—where Lucas stood, knees bent, ready.

Lucas didn’t waste time.

He fired the three.

The ball soared. Arc clean. Perfect rotation.

(Trust the shot.) Ethan thought, still just crossing the top of the key.

Swish.

12–10.

No cheers. No crowd. Just the soft whip of the net and the sound of sneakers scuffing the concrete.

Ethan exhaled slowly, jogging back.

Then glanced at the Venganza formation as Silas took the ball from the net and passed it to Vin Cruz.

(I can’t waste my Shop Points yet. Not until I understand their structure completely... This is still information gathering.)

As Vin jogged it up the court, Lucas ran next to Ethan and whispered low.

"Evan... I think they’re running a mirrored triangle off the pivot."

Ethan nodded.

"Yeah, that’s what I think too... Hmm."

They both turned to face the oncoming wave.

(Not yet. Just a little more. Keep analyzing...)

....

Score: 13–10

Time Left: 40.0 seconds

Possession: Venganza

The underground gym echoed only with breath and bounce. No crowd, no cheers—just tension.

Vin Cruz dribbled past half-court, eyes calm, posture loose. He glanced to his right.

"Daniel. Curtain."

Daniel nodded. One simple word was enough.

"Got you."

Silas stepped out high. Dante pointed once. Zeke circled around—then reversed direction last second.

Lucas blinked.

"Wait—" he muttered.

Zeke snapped toward the wing. Vin hit him with a bullet pass.

Lucas chased, arm extended—but Zeke didn’t shoot.

"He’s baiting you," Ethan warned, too late.

Zeke pivoted, no-looked it back to Vin, now floating top of the arc.

Evan rotated—but Vin was already in motion.

"This one’s for the silence," he whispered, smooth release.

Splash.

15–10.

Charlotte tossed the ball in quick to Ethan—but Venganza wasn’t backing off.

"Go. Trap early," Vin ordered. His voice was low, calm—deadly.

Zaia and Daniel pounced at Ethan at half-court. Their movement wasn’t wild—it was synced.

"Clock’s still running, Ethan," Zaia giggled. "Faster~!"

Ethan spun out—barely—and tossed to Charlotte. But she hesitated—Kaia (or was it Zaia?) danced in front of her like it was recess.

Daniel leapt—tip.

Zaia caught the loose ball mid-air and twirled once before slinging it forward.

"Go, Vin!"

Vin caught it on the run, zipped a behind-the-back pass toward Dante.

Dante gathered. One dribble. Launched.

Boom.

Dunk.

17–10.

Time Left: 23.4 seconds

Lucas jogged back, exhaling sharp.

"Damn it... that tempo’s insane."

Ethan was already checking his HUD.

[Basketball System]

Defense Coordinator Card (Team defense +2 for 10 minutes) – 300 SP

Clarity Card (Slows perception of time slightly, enhances decision making for 60 seconds) – 400 SP

Flow Trigger Card (Unlocks user’s rhythm and boosts reaction speed +3 temporarily) for 2 minutes – 500 SP

(Their flow—it’s not just strategy. It’s trust. They don’t doubt each other. That makes their movement twice as fast—because there’s no hesitation.)

(If I break that trust, even for a second... I create space. But to do that—I need to see clearer, and move cleaner. Clarity + Flow Trigger. That’s the combo.)

He minimized the HUD.

.....

Charlotte inbounds again. Ethan brings it up. Venganza waits—but the pressure’s invisible.

No full-court press. No flashy stance.

Just eyes.

Watching.

"He’s watching feet now," Ethan muttered, eyeing Dante. "He’s counting steps."

Lucas came around a stagger screen—Dante disrupted it. Zeke intercepted the path.

Charlotte flared left—Zaia floated right with her.

Louie tried to screen—bumped Daniel, but Daniel held ground. No foul. Nothing soft.

"Clock, Ethan!" Evan barked.

7.4 seconds.

Ethan took the handoff, drove right—Daniel cut it.

Spun left—Zaia switched instantly.

Kickback to Lucas.

3.2 seconds.

Lucas jumped. Zeke leaped with him.

Contested fadeaway.

Miss.

Silas jumped, yanked the rebound. Elbow-high.

Buzzer.

End of 2nd Quarter.

Score: Venganza 17 – Ordinary 10

As Venganza jogged to their bench area, Vin tossed the ball casually to the ref, wiping sweat from his chin.

"Same look," he told his teammates. "They’re stuck in a rhythm loop. Don’t let ’em improvise."

Daniel sat, sipping water.

"Brother... I think Ethan Albarado that guy... he um got something... the way he’s reading us."

Vin nodded, calm.

"Don’t worry... He’s not that big of a deal."

"He thinks too much that’s his weakness."

Zaia swirled her bottle like a wand.

"Let me play more~ They’re fun when they panic."

Zeke chuckled softly.

"We are the best hahaahhah."

....

Meanwhile Vorpal’s Bench

Ethan sat at the edge of the bench, arms on his knees, breathing steady—but fast. The sweat in his hair dripped like clock ticks. The HUD hovered faintly in his mind.

Ethan’s mind buzzed with the weight of the decision, his focus narrowing like a camera lens.

He was deep in the system now, eyes flickering slightly as his thoughts merged with the HUD. The only thing that mattered was timing. They were outmatched in too many ways, but this... this could tilt the balance. His teammates were worn, but still focused. Venganza had already gained the rhythm, and they were comfortable. Too comfortable.

"I need to start disrupting their timing... they’re too synced."

He felt the pulse of his own heartbeat, the rhythm of the game starting to sync up with his mind. This was the window. He just had to act before the game closed it completely.

As his fingers twitched, hovering over the two cards in his mental shop.

Clarity Card

(400 SP)

Slows perception of time, boosts decision-making for 60 seconds.

Flow Trigger Card

(500 SP)

Boosts reaction speed by +3, unlocks rhythm for 2 minutes.

Total: 900 SP

Together, those two cards would cost him 900 SP, leaving him with 2100 SP. A solid chunk of his points—enough to make a big impact. But would it be enough?

"(Worth it?)" Ethan thought, mentally running through the possibilities.

The Clarity Card would give him the edge for a brief period, but it only lasted for 60 seconds. That might be enough to get him to the right spot for a key pass or shot, but it wouldn’t change the flow of the game entirely.

The Flow Trigger Card, however, had the potential to completely change how he moved—boosting his reaction speed and giving him a rhythm to work with for two full minutes. It could give him the edge he needed to keep up with the Venganza players’ fast movements, their quick reads of the game. Two minutes... That was almost a full quarter of momentum.

Charlotte, still seething from the frustration of the second quarter, crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Ethan, who sat motionless, eyes locked onto the court.

"Ethan, you good?" she asked, her voice tight, low, and clipped with tension.

Ethan didn’t respond.

His eyes were distant, scanning the hardwood with an intensity that made it seem like he wasn’t just watching a game—he was reading a code. The weight of a hundred calculations swirled behind his quiet gaze. Every pass, every step, every shift of Venganza’s defense—it was all forming a pattern.

Lucas leaned forward, panting as he wiped sweat from his forehead, legs slightly trembling from the relentless pressure of the game.

"Ethan?" he tried again, waving a hand in front of his teammate’s face. "Yo, we still here, man?"

Ethan blinked. Not like someone waking up from sleep—but like someone locking a piece of a puzzle into place. His eyes finally moved, glancing to Lucas. He didn’t look tired. He looked... sharp.

"Let me think..." Ethan said quietly.

But his voice held a new weight to it. Not hesitation—focus.

Ethan then activated the Flow Trigger Card and the Clarity Card, willing the system to surge through him.

And his teammates looked at each other, unsure what was going through his head. They couldn’t see the HUD. Couldn’t feel the way his eyes tingled slightly as the system processed the double card activation. They just thought he was strategizing.

"He’s plotting something," Louie muttered to Evan.

"Better be good," Evan replied, arms crossed. "We don’t have time for another silent epiphany. Venganza’s cooking."

Charlotte turned to them, still staring at Ethan like she was trying to will an answer out of him. "He’s not the type to just freeze. Give him a sec."

"(It’s time to execute my plan.)" Ethan thought firmly, making up his mind.

[Card Activated]

[Card Activation: Flow Trigger & Clarity Cards]

Speed Boost Activated

Decision-Making Enhanced

Ethan felt a burst of energy flood his system, a sudden sharpness in his senses. The world slowed down for a moment, every detail standing out with clarity. He could feel his movements become lighter, faster. His thoughts snapped into place, his body now reacting before his brain even processed the situation.

He rose from the bench with a new intensity, his eyes scanning the court.

Then he look at his teammates

"I have a plan." Ethan said, his voice calm but decisive.

It was time

To be continue