Chapter 20: I love u Team
[Score Update:]
Orlando Hoops – 87
Vorpal Basket – 70
6:30 remaining – Timeout (Vorpal Basket Possession)
Locker Room – Tension Rising
The air was thick with frustration. The sound of heavy breathing, the occasional curse, and the squeak of shoes against the floor filled the room.
Ryan Taylor paced back and forth, rubbing his face in frustration.
"Shit… shit… shit…" he muttered under his breath.
Evan Cooper sat on the bench, unmoving, his eyes fixed on Coach Fred Mason. His face was unreadable, but his fingers were curled into a tight fist on his knee.
Brandon Young sat beside Evan, head down, fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white.
Lucas Graves sat slightly apart from them, panting, pouring water over his head before drinking. His golden eyes burned with exhaustion, but something else flickered beneath them—determination.
On the far side, Coonie Smith, Kai Mendoza, and Jeremy Park exchanged looks before exhaling heavily in unison.
"What will we do now?" Coonie finally asked, his voice low but sharp.
Evan lifted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing toward their so-called "coach."
"Coach, what should we do?"
The room went silent.
All eyes turned to Fred Mason.
But instead of answering—Coach Mason's gaze flickered toward Ethan.
He cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Ahem… Ethan, what should we do?"
Silence.
For a solid three seconds, nobody spoke.
Then—
"(This bitch.)"
The collective thought echoed in the minds of nearly every player except Lucas, who simply closed his eyes and sighed.
"(This lazy, incompetent piece of shit…)" Ryan Taylor gritted his teeth.
"(He really passed the responsibility AGAIN?)" Evan's fingers twitched.
"(You fat bastard, at least PRETEND to have a strategy…)" Coonie clenched his jaw.
Coach Mason had never been a real coach. And now, when things were at their worst, he was openly admitting he had no idea what to do.
Ethan sighed, rubbing his temple.
"Let me think."
.....
Ethan Side
A translucent blue screen materialized before him, visible only to his eyes.
His mind raced as he scanned his resources.
[Basketball Power System]
Name: Ethan Albarado
Level: Rookie
Upgrade Points (UP): 100
Shop Points (SP): 0
[Core Attributes]
[Offensive Attributes:]
Shooting Accuracy: 11Layup Skill: 4Dunk Skill: 3Dribbling Skill: 14Passing Skill: 5
[Defensive Attributes:]
Defense: 3Blocking Ability: 3Steal Skill: 4
[Physical Attributes:]
Stamina: 4Endurance: 4Speed: 9 (Base: 4 | +5 Upgraded)
[Skills]
Basic Power Shot
Basic Precision Pass
Basic Dribble
Magic Johnson Passing Vision (Intermediate Level)
Playmaker's Vision (Advanced)
[Active Cards Used]
[Team Synergy Card Activated] – All bench players +1 to attributes for 10 minutes.
[Defense Boost Card Activated] – Coonie, Jeremy, and Kai +2 Defense for 5 minutes
[Shooting Accuracy Card Activated] – Coonie Smith +3 Shooting Accuracy for 5 minutes.
.....
Ethan exhaled through his nose.
"(Okay… I still have 100 Upgrade Points, but my Shop Points are at zero. I need more resources.)"
There was only one way to get more SP.
Quests.
He shifted to the Quest List.
...
[Quest List – Available Missions]
[Quest: The Fearless Connector]
Reward: 1500 SP (+500 Bonus for Passion = 2000 SP)
Mission:
Compliment every teammate on something unique. No generic compliments.Have a deep, meaningful conversation with a teammate you don't normally talk to.Include someone who looks left out.Deliver a 30-second speech about why teamwork matters.Allow the team to ask one personal question, and you must answer honestly.
[Quest: The Unstoppable Challenger]
Reward: 1000 SP
Mission:
Initiate a dance battle with a teammate.Tell a funny or embarrassing secret about yourself.Challenge a teammate to an intense staring contest.Loudly cheer for yourself like you won a championship.Let your teammates dare you to do one challenge.
[Quest: I Love You, Team]
Reward: 1000 SP
Mission:
Tell every teammate "I love you."No matter how awkward or funny it feels, you must say it sincerely.This is about team bonding and morale.
...
Ethan's expression went blank.
"Shit… What the fuck is this?"
He scrolled back up. Then down. Then back up again.
Nope.
It was real.
Every single one of these quests was embarrassing as hell.
Ethan clenched his fists, feeling his soul physically reject this entire concept.
"(This is NOT easy. This is cringe as fuck.)"
But then—
His eyes flicked toward the scoreboard.
[Orlando Hoops – 87]
[Vorpal Basket – 70]
[6:30 remaining.]
And suddenly…
His pride didn't fucking matter.
His dignity didn't fucking matter.
What mattered was winning.
Ethan shut his eyes.
"(I have no choice…)"
He took a deep breath.
Then exhaled.
And with absolute deadpan seriousness—
He made his decision.
"(I have to say 'I love you' to every single person in this damn room…)"
...
Back in the Locker Room
Ethan stood up.
The entire team turned toward him.
Lucas Graves wiped his mouth with a towel, glancing up curiously.
Coonie Smith crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow.
Evan Cooper leaned forward. "You got something?"
Coach Fred Mason stiffened, hoping Ethan would cover for his incompetence again.
Ethan exhaled through his nose.
Then, with a perfectly straight face—
He looked every single one of them in the eye and said:
"I love you."
Silence.
Dead. Absolute. Silence.
A water bottle fell off a bench in the background.
Brandon Young blinked.
Ryan Taylor slowly turned his head, like he wasn't sure if he heard that correctly.
Coonie's jaw dropped.
Jeremy Park made a choking noise.
Kai Mendoza's face twitched.
Evan Cooper leaned back slightly. "Uh… what?"
Lucas Graves…
Lucas grinned.
"Heh. That's bold, Ethan."
Ethan didn't react.
He just took another deep breath.
Then, as if his soul wasn't slowly dying inside, he continued:
"I love you, Lucas."
"I love you, Evan."
"I love you, Ryan."
"I love you, Brandon."
"I love you, Coonie."
"I love you, Jeremy."
"I love you, Kai."
He turned.
Looked Coach Mason dead in the eyes.
And with the most strained, painful voice in human history—
"I love you too, Coach."
Coach Mason visibly shivered.
Coonie Smith, staring in horror, muttered under his breath.
"Bro… what the fuck?"
The room was frozen in time.
Ethan Albarado stood tall, expression blank, completely unfazed despite the absolute insanity he had just unleashed.
He had just told every single one of his teammates that he loved them.
And Coach Mason too.
Silence choked the air.
No one moved. No one breathed. No one knew how to process this moment.
Then—
"What the fuck."
Ryan Taylor was the first to break the silence, blinking in pure disbelief.
Coonie Smith's entire body twitched. "Bro… what the hell was that."
Jeremy Park had physically turned away, refusing to acknowledge what had just happened.
Kai Mendoza looked like he wanted to pass away. "I don't… I don't even know how to react to this."
Evan Cooper was massaging his temples. "I mean… I guess I appreciate it, but… dude…"
Lucas Graves?
Lucas was grinning his ass off.
He wiped sweat off his forehead, then laughing his ass off. "Ethan… I love u too… Hahahahah."
Ethan did not blink. Did not move.
Inside, his soul had already left his body.
"(I fucking hate this. I hate everything. I want to disappear.)"
But then—
[QUEST COMPLETE!]
[+1000 SP!]
Ethan exhaled.
It was worth it.
But just as he was about to turn away—
Coach Fred Mason, who had been absolutely silent this entire time, suddenly clutched his chest.
His eyes glazed over. His lips quivered.
"Ethan… you… you love me…?"
The entire room froze again.
Ethan's face physically twitched. "(Oh, fuck no.)"
Coach Mason suddenly let out a choked sob. "I… I didn't know you guys cared…!"
Brandon Young, looking horrified, slowly backed away. "Yo… what the hell is going on…?"
Ethan stared at Coach Mason.
Then stared at the exit.
Then stared at the exit harder.
"(I need to get the fuck out of here.)"
.....
Coonie Smith's Side
"That did NOT just happen."
Coonie refused to believe what his eyes just saw.
He glanced at Lucas, who was still smiling, clearly enjoying the scene.
"(That bastard is just watching this for entertainment…)" Connie Thought
Meanwhile, Ethan stood there, completely still, like a man who had just realized he sold his dignity for a power-up.
Coonie took a deep breath.
"Alright, We all heard some weird shit just now, but we're gonna pretend it didn't happen, got it?"
Jeremy Park nodded aggressively. "Yup. Absolutely. Erasing it from my brain immediately."
Kai Mendoza sighed. "Too late. I already have emotional damage."
Ryan Taylor rubbed his eyes. "That was the worst timeout in basketball history."
Ethan refused to acknowledge reality.
The trauma. The damage. The absolute cringe-fest he had just subjected his team to.
He tuned out the stares.
The horrified expressions.
The deep sighs of men questioning their life choices.
Instead—
He focused on his system window.
….
Ethan's POV
"(Shit… that was embarrassing.)"
I mentally scrolled through the system shop, ignoring my wounded dignity.
We had 6:30 left.
We needed a miracle.
And I needed to spend wisely.
I had 1000 SP.
Enough for one big skill or several cards.
My mind raced.
I needed something that wouldn't just make me stronger… but my entire team.
A teammate skill.
Something that could turn the tide.
System Shop – Available Skills & Cards
[Skills Section]
Jordan Shooting Form – 1000 SP
Kobe Shooting Form – 1000 SP
Magic Johnson Court Control – 1200 SP
Nash Pick & Roll Mastery – 800 SP
Stockton Assist Machine – 1000 SP
Duncan Defensive Anchor – 1200 SP
Iverson Crossover Package – 900 SP
Dwyane Wade Slashing Instinct – 950 SP
[Cards Section]
Team Synergy Card – 500 SP (Boosts All teammates' attributes boosted by +2 for 10 minutes.)
Defense Boost Card – 300 SP (+2 Defense for 5 minutes for two teammates)
Shooting Accuracy Card – 400 SP (+3 Shooting Accuracy for 5 minutes for one player)
Speed Burst Card – 250 SP (+2 Speed for 3 minutes for one player)Iron Stamina Card – 450 SP (+3 Stamina for 5 minutes for one player)
Leadership Command Card – 800 SP (All teammates perform better when following your lead)
...
"(Shit… this is hard.)"
I stared at the options.
Do I buy a legendary shooting form? Or do I buff the whole team?
Time was running out.
I needed to decide.
...
Lucas's side
Lucas sat on the bench, towel draped over his shoulders.
Ethan hadn't moved for 30 seconds.
His eyes were locked on nothing.
It was unsettling.
"(This dude is straight-up staring into the void…)"
Coonie nudged Lucas. "Yo, is he okay? He looks like he just entered a different dimension."
Lucas smile. "Yeah. He's probably thinking some strategies."
Jeremy crossed his arms. "Well, it better be something good, 'cause we're getting smoked out there."
Ryan Taylor rubbed his temples. "For real. If we don't get back in the game, we're done."
Lucas exhaled, looking at Ethan.
"(C'mon, man… whatever you're planning… make it count.)"
....
[Ethan Pov]
I gritted my teeth.
"(No choice. I gotta do it.)"
I moved fast.
My SP was going to zero, but fuck it.
....
[PURCHASE CONFIRMED!]
✅ Leadership Command Card – 800 SP
✅ Team Synergy Card – 500 SP
SP Left: 0
System Notification
📢 [LEADERSHIP COMMAND ACTIVATED!]
All teammates now instinctively follow your plays and commands with higher efficiency.Improves teamwork and trust.
📢 [TEAM SYNERGY CARD ACTIVATED!]
All teammates' attributes boosted by +2 for 10 minutes.
…..
System Notification – Unexpected Reward
📢 [CONGRATULATIONS! Since you have permanently increased multiple teammates' attributes, you have earned +500 SP!]
…..
I froze.
"(Holy shit.)"
That was unexpected.
I quickly pulled up my system window, my fingers twitching.
"(500 SP… What should I buy…?)"
…..
I glanced around the locker room.
My teammates were pumped up.
Evan was stretching. Ryan was cracking his knuckles.
But then—
My eyes landed on Lucas.
He was sitting on the bench, towel draped over his shoulders, breathing heavily.
His golden eyes were still sharp…still burning with determination…but I could see it.
The exhaustion.
The toll of Absolute Mimicry.
His hands were shaking just slightly.
He was running on fumes.
"(Shit… If we're gonna win this, I need him at full power.)"
I looked back at my system window.
"(Is there something that can instantly restore stamina? Like… a potion? Or a pill?)"
…..
System Response – Stamina Recovery Items Available
Stamina Pill (1) – 200 SP
💊 Effect: Instantly restores stamina to full, as if completely refreshed.
Stamina Bottle (30 capsules) – 2000 SP
💊 Effect: 30 uses, each restoring stamina to full.
Vitamin S (1 Bottle) – 1000 SP
🥤 Effect: Restores half of stamina when consumed.
…..
I grinned.
"(Oh, this is perfect.)"
I scrolled down to the Stamina Pill and immediately purchased it.
📢 [PURCHASE CONFIRMED! STAMINA PILL (1) ADDED TO INVENTORY.]
...
I closed my system window, feeling satisfied.
Lucas had no idea what was coming.
He was about to owe me big time.
To be continue