Chapter 7: The Result
A week passed in the blink of an eye.
But for Dirga, every second was etched into his muscles, bones, and sweat-drenched clothes. The gym had become his temple, the weight rack his altar, the court his battlefield.
And now—finally—the system was ready to report the outcome of his dedication.
[Echo Open]
Name: Renji Dirgantara
• Height: 155 cm
• Weight: 47 kg
• System Level: Junior High School (0/100)
• Quests:
Recruit 5 members → Reward: Team Spark Lv.1, Synergy Vision
Daily Quest → Reward: Random Draw x1
• Skills:
Form Speed Lv.1
Passing Instinct Lv.1
Tempo Reading Lv.1
• Items:
1x Training Booster
2x Injury Booster
1x Fatigue Reducer
1x Super Booster
1x Growth Seal
1x Skill Scroll
• Shop: (Locked)
• Attributes:
•Scoring
Layup: 42/100
Dunk: 11/100
Post Score: 14/100
•Shooting
Mid-Range: 37/100
Three-Point: 32/100
Free Throw: 41/100
Unique Shot: 9/100
• Playmaking
Pass Accuracy: 52/100
Vision: 58/100
Ball Handling: 34/100
• Defense
Interior Defense: 18/100
Perimeter Defense: 24/100
Steal: 22/100
Block: 11/100
Rebound: 13/100
• Physical
Agility: 30/100
Strength: 20/100
Jumping: 20/100
Intelligence: 30/100
Endurance: 30/100
Item Info:
Fatigue Reducer: Removes fatigue penalties
Super Booster: Boosts one category (Physical, Shooting, Scoring, Playmaking, Defense) by 50–100% for 1–5 minutes.
Growth Seal: Randomly boosts one category by 100% for 2 minutes.
Skill Scroll: Allows learning a new skill in a chosen category.
...
"It's already been more than a week... the growth is good, and the items are better. But why hasn't my system level moved?"
He leaned back against the cold gym wall, the scent of polished wood and sweat hanging thick in the air. His arms were crossed, brows furrowed. He had worked harder in this past week than most kids would in their entire semester—but the system hadn't even nudged his level forward.
Dirga raised a brow and asked aloud.
[Echo.]
[Why hasn't my System Level increased?]
[System leveling requires official participation in recognized school tournaments. Daily growth enhances stats and unlocks skills but does not count toward experience until competitive performance is recorded.]
[So I'm stuck at 0 until I join tournaments…" Dirga exhaled sharply. "Fine. I'll just have to move faster.]
Even though he was back in his 12-year-old body, his basketball soul was forged in fire—in late-night gyms, in hostile crowds, under the pressure of FIBA's unforgiving lights. This wasn't just about improving anymore. It was about rewriting the fate that once failed him.
[Then how do I upgrade the skills? They're still stuck at Level 1.]
[When a skill reaches 100% experience, a special quest will be issued to upgrade it.]
Skill Progress
Form Speed Lv.1 (20%)
Passing Instinct Lv.1 (30%)
Tempo Reading Lv.1 (10%)
[From now on, display skill progress in my panel.]
[Understood, Host.]
Satisfied, Dirga pulled up his Skill Scroll—his reward for the daily grind. His heart skipped once. Then he activated it.
[Quick First Step Lv.1 unlocked.]
"Perfect," Dirga muttered, grinning.
It was a guard's bread-and-butter move—one of the hardest to master without natural burst. But now, he could finally recreate the kind of pressure NBA guards put on defenders with just one twitch of their foot.
In his previous life, he had a growth spurt and played center. That became the foundation of his game. Centers in Japan weren't as tall or physical as those in Europe, which worked to his advantage back then.
But when he moved to Europe, everything changed. He lacked the shooting and playmaking skills expected there. He had to rebuild his game from scratch. By the time he adapted and improved his playmaking and shooting, his defense had suffered. Such a frustrating trade-off.
This time, things would be different.
Now, Dirga had to rebuild himself from scratch after failing in Europe. There, he had tried to survive as an undersized forward—too slow for a guard, too small for a center. He scraped by on grit, IQ, and team-first play. But it wasn't enough.
This time, he would start with a clean blueprint.
He would mold himself into a complete player: explosive, versatile, and terrifying.
"I'll become the kind of player I always feared… The one who controls the rhythm of the entire game."
He took one final glance at the interface, then dismissed it.
...
The next morning dawned bright and clear. Osaka's spring carried a subtle bite, but it was nothing compared to the chill of facing down elimination games with your career on the line.
Dirga slid into the back seat of his uncle's Honda Civic. The familiar engine hum and worn-out leather seats offered a strange kind of comfort.
"You excited? First day of school." Takeshi grinned from the front.
"Yeah," Dirga replied with a small smirk. "More than excited."
He adjusted the collar of his uniform. The mirror reflected a boy's body—but behind those eyes was the mind of a seasoned athlete. The boy who once faced giants on the international stage.
"This time, I won't miss my window.
"This time, I'll build it from the ground up—my team, my dream, my future."
As the car turned the final corner, the full view of Osaka Horizon Junior High unfolded before him.
An elite international school nestled in the heart of Toyonaka, it was known for its academic excellence, global student body, and expansive club programs. But its basketball team?
It didn't exist—yet.
That's why Dirga was here.
Not to join a legacy.
Not to chase someone else's shadow.
But to build it himself.
"I'll carve out history from zero. This school will become the birthplace of champions."
The basketball club had just been approved by the student council. Kaito Nishida, the vice president with a weak heart and sharp mind, had backed Dirga's proposal. No coach, no court time, no gear—just an empty clubroom and a clipboard.
That was all he needed.
"I'm not here to join a winning team.
I'm here to create one."
...
The entrance ceremony was a blur of tradition—flag-raising, speeches, applause. Most students were preoccupied with uniforms, schedules, and clubs. But Dirga's sharp eyes scanned the stage with purpose.
And then he saw him.
"Kaito Nishida…?"
Standing behind the podium, the second-year student gave a calm, poised address.
"As Vice President of the Student Council, I welcome you all to Horizon."
Dirga smirked. So this is your other side, huh, strategist?
But that wasn't the only surprise.
As the student council president took the stage, a subtle shift ran through the first-year crowd. The whispers stopped. The air turned heavy.
He was big.
Not just tall—massive. A presence that demanded silence before he even spoke.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Rikuya Asano. I am the student council president. I hope we can make this year a good one—together."
A simple greeting. A calm voice. But Dirga's instincts were screaming.
This guy... is a monster.
In his past life, Dirga had seen that name echo across national headlines.
Rikuya Asano—the Sleeping Titan of Japan.
Back then, no one had even heard of him until his first year of high school, when he suddenly exploded onto the scene as the most dominant center in the nation. People thought he came out of nowhere. But in truth, he had been here all along.
He just never played in middle school.
"He was a third-year... hesitant, unsure. Maybe he didn't want the spotlight. Maybe he thought he didn't belong."
Dirga's eyes narrowed, the system's soft glow flickering in his mind.
"He's still hesitating. That means there's still time."
This time, Dirga would not wait for fate to act.
He would recruit the Sleeping Titan before the world woke him up.
.
Class 1-C.
Dirga sat at his desk, window seat, second row from the back. The warm sun poured in beside him as the teacher introduced herself with a cheerful tone.
"I'm Hiroko Matsuda, and I'll be your homeroom teacher! Let's have a great year together!"
It was time for introductions.
Most kids gave simple dreams—doctor, engineer, idol, vet.
Then it was Dirga's turn.
He stood slowly. The classroom quieted.
His voice was calm, steady—but behind it was fire.
"My name is Renji Dirgantara.
I dream of playing in the NBA.
Not just playing—winning championships.
And I won't stop until I do."
Silence.
Then murmurs.
Eyes turned toward him with a mix of disbelief and awe.
But Dirga didn't care what they thought.
Because he had already tasted that dream once.
And this time, he would take it with both hands.