Extra Basket-Chapter 153 - 140: Loan Shark (16)

Hi everyone,

I’m really sorry to ask like this, but I’m struggling right now. Being a college student hasn’t been easy—especially with exams coming up and the daily expenses that never seem to stop. I’ve been trying to hold everything together, but lately, it’s been overwhelming.

If you’re able to help, even just a little, it would truly mean so much to me. Every small amount helps more than I can say.

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Thank you for reading this. And thank you, too, to those who continue to support my writing, I promise to keep giving it my all. Even just sharing this would be a big help.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you. 🙏

.....

...

Start of 4th Quarter

Score: Blazing Fox – 84 | Vorpal Basket – 83

The horn echoed through the arena like a war drum.

A new quarter.

The final quarter.

One more stretch before fate decided everything.

The air was thick not just with heat, but with expectation. Every fan leaned forward. Every breath held.

At half court, Ethan Albarado stood firm, fire burning behind his yellow eyes, though his chest rose and fell like bellows stoking a forge.

Across from him, Leonel Blaze calmly adjusted the white tape wrapped around his wrist not like an athlete preparing for play, but like an artist preparing his brush.

Then, with a calmness that cut sharper than any scream, he said

"This time... I’ll use all of my full percent now."

The words didn’t just hit Ethan.

They rippled.

Through the bench.

Through the crowd.

Through the entire court.

Evan’s eyes snapped wide.

"You’re saying that wasn’t your full strength?!"

Lucas exhaled hard, shoulders tight.

"...So the last three quarters were warm-ups?"

Louie scoffed, trying to hide the way a bead of sweat slid down his jaw.

"Tch. Showoff."

Behind Leonel, Coach Rios stood, arms crossed, unreadable.

He said nothing.

He didn’t have to.

The smirk on his face told the story.

On the sidelines, Ayumi gripped her clipboard, knuckles white.

Her voice trembled as she whispered

"Leonel Blaze... full power..."

She glanced toward Ethan.

He was frozen, staring at Leonel like a man trying to solve an impossible equation.

(If he was only using 70 or whatever percent before...)

(Then what does 100 percent even look like?)

...

Tip-off.

4th Quarter.

Ball: Leonel Blaze.

And immediately the court shifted.

His first dribble was wrong.

Not sloppy inhuman.

Faster.

Lower.

Tighter.

As if the ball itself feared disobeying.

Then he moved.

Instantly.

Gone.

Evan blinked. Too late. Already behind.

Lucas stepped up only to be erased by a jab-step so violent it felt like a gust of wind had knocked him off rhythm.

Brandon held the paint, arms up but Leonel spun past him like a phantom in motion.

Two defenders rotated in desperation.

Leonel jumped

Hung midair

Time paused

Then he whipped the ball behind his back, no-look.

Right into Malik’s cut.

SLAM.

The rim rattled. The gym exploded.

Blazing Fox: 86 | Vorpal Basket: 83

But the crowd’s roar wasn’t joy.

It was awe.

Fear.

Respect.

Ethan bit down on his lip, breath tight.

"That was... faster than anything I’ve seen..."

Brandon stepped in, voice urgent.

"What now, Ethan?"

Ethan turned toward the bench. The game clock ticked above: 7:56 remaining.

He didn’t hesitate.

"Then we change the pace. We don’t chase."

Lucas nodded. Determined.

"Make them adjust to us."

Louie grinned, but his voice was serious.

"That means it’s time for chaos, huh?"

Ethan shook his head.

Then locked eyes with them all.

"No... not chaos."

"Controlled insanity."

Next play.

Ethan brought the ball up, fingers calm on the leather.

But this time—

Vorpal didn’t rush.

No desperate drives.

No forced iso plays.

Just...

Stillness.

Then slow passes.

Off-ball cuts.

Cross screens.

Pin screens.

Slip screens.

Like clockwork ticking in reverse.

Every pass made the Blazing Fox hesitate just a beat.

Just long enough.

Then—

Flash cut.

Lucas Graves.

Exploded out of a curl, shoulder low.

Catch.

Two steps.

Drive.

The help defender slid late.

Reverse layup

Off glass. Smooth as silk.

Swish.

Score: 86 – 85.

And just like that, the game was still breathing.

The tide hadn’t turned but it had trembled.

..

Leonel came back down the court no wasted movement.

No hesitation.

No passes.

Just motion.

A blur.

His footwork spun Evan like a top wrong-footed, off-balance, helpless.

Pump fake.

Brandon bit hard and flew by like a gust of wind.

Leonel’s stepback three?

Flawless.

Perfect arc.

SWISH.

Score: Blazing Fox – 89 | Vorpal – 85 ƒгeewebnovёl_com

The court shook as if the earth itself had flinched.

A storm had cracked open above them.

The crowd gasped then roared, then fell into a hush.

As if they’d seen a god at work.

...

Back on the sideline.

Ethan’s chest heaved, lungs burning. Sweat traced down his neck, soaking into his collar.

But his eyes

They were burning.

Alive.

He whispered, low and cold:

"(I need more data...)"

"(I will analyze all your skills, all your patterns... every single one of them.)"

"(The day I finish analyzing is the day you lose.)"

Then, under his breath, barely a twitch of his lips:

"System."

[OPEN SHOP.]

[AVAILABLE ITEMS:]

Speed Boost (Small): +5 Speed for 2 Minutes — Cost: 120 SP

Clarity Card: 60 Seconds. Perception Enhanced. Decision-Making Elevated. — Cost: 400 SP

Shot Assist: Boosts shooting accuracy by 3 for one shot. Cost: 100 SP

Defensive Anchor: +5 Defense for 1 Minute. Cost: 110 SP

More...

Ethan’s mind raced.

(No. No more waiting. If I don’t understand him now, we’ll lose before I can make another move.)

[PURCHASE: Speed Boost — Confirm?]

"Confirm."

[120 SP DEDUCTED. SPEED BOOST APPLIED.]

[CURRENT SPEED: +5]

His muscles tightened.

Legs lightened.

Everything around him slowed slightly.

But it wasn’t enough.

[PURCHASE: Clarity Card — Confirm?]

"Confirm."

[400 SP DEDUCTED. CLARITY CARD ACTIVATED.]

[Clarity Active — 60 seconds.]

[Perception Enhanced. Decision-Making Elevated.]

And in an instant —

The world hushed.

The arena blurred into a muted hum.

The roar became an echo.

Even his heartbeat slowed.

He saw everything.

The angle of Leonel’s foot.

The tilt in his hips.

The pre-rotation in Jace’s knee before he ran off a screen.

It was like reading the future.

Ethan’s eyes sharpened.

"I need your data, Leonel."

...

Back on the court.

Leonel caught the inbound and moved again.

Fast. Right lane.

But Ethan...

...was already there.

Lucas blinked.

"He read him?"

Leonel skidded to a stop, confused. Crossover. Left.

Ethan slid, perfect timing, cutting off the path.

Jace cut sharply faking a step-back.

Ethan’s hand lashed out blocked the passing lane.

Leonel froze.

"What...?"

"You’re hesitating," Ethan said, eyes like a hawk. "Are you second-guessing yourself now?"

Leonel’s jaw tensed.

"You..."

Behind Ethan, Evan was shouting:

"Fast break! Ethan, give!"

But Ethan didn’t pass yet.

He didn’t need to react. He knew.

The court unfolded in his mind like a blueprint.

"Lucas, back door!"

No questions.

Lucas cut. Behind the screen.

Wide open.

Ethan spun. Whip-pass. Clean.

Lucas caught rose and SLAMMED it in.

Score: 89 – 87.

The arena ignited.

Ayumi jumped from the bench; fists raised.

"YES!!"

Ryan slammed the floor.

"THAT’S our captain!"

...

Back on the other end...

Leonel’s eyes narrowed.

He inhaled once.

Calm.

But his pupils flicked.

"He’s mimicking my perception..."

He looked again at Ethan who stood tall at the top of the key.

He was studying him.

Dissecting him.

Move by move. Bit by bit.

But even as Ethan kept pace mentally rewinding Leonel’s footwork, timing, and the angles of his passes the faint, mechanical chime echoed in his mind.

[Clarity Card — 45 seconds remaining...]

[30 seconds...]

Ethan’s pulse didn’t quicken.

It slowed.

Not because of fear, but because his thoughts were locking into place like gears in a clock.

"(It won’t last forever.)," he thought, calmly.

"(But I don’t need forever.)"

"(I just need to find... the crack.)"

A pause. A breath. Then —

"(Because I knew it — that first read I made? It wasn’t me being a genius... it was Leonel being surprised. Off balance. He didn’t expect me.)"

"(That’s why I got him. That’s why it looked like I could keep up. But now—)"

Ethan glanced across the court.

Leonel wasn’t blinking.

His posture had lowered, muscles coiled.

Eyes sharper.

That calm, calculating chill had returned.

"(He’s completely guarded now.)"

"(No more cracks. No more surprises.)"

Leonel dribbled once, then again testing spacing.

Ethan mirrored, but already... he could feel it.

His vision just slightly dimmer.

His breath just a little heavier.

[Clarity Card — 20 seconds remaining...]

And still, Ethan refused to retreat.

"(This is the moment I lose, or the moment I level up.)"

"(I need more data. Every micro-movement. Every rhythm cue. The lift in his foot before he steps. The shoulder drops before a fake. I need all of it.)"

He narrowed his eyes.

"(Not just to stop this play — but to understand him.)"

Leonel moved.

Quick left jab step.

Ethan twitched. Reacted.

Then right a half-beat slower. A hesitation.

Ethan didn’t bite.

(He’s using rhythm sync to confuse reads. I see it. He speeds up... only to slow down... trying to mislead my instincts.)

Lucas called out, "Screen coming, Ethan!"

But Ethan didn’t even glance at the screener.

He was locked on Leonel.

"(Wait... right there. That heel movement. He always lifts it a microsecond before his crossover — THAT’S the tell.)"

Leonel crossed.

Ethan jumped the lane just as he passed out of it.

Not a steal. But almost.

Leonel’s eyes widened briefly.

Then narrowed again.

"Tch."

"(He’s closing in faster than I thought.)"

[Clarity Card — 10 seconds remaining...]

Ethan’s hands balled into fists as he slid across court, rotating with the help of Evan and Lucas.

"(Come on... come on... just one more pattern. One more habit I can lock in before the Clarity ends.)"

Leonel faked a step back.

But his eyes cut sideways.

(Noah. Baseline cut.)

Ethan read it. Leapt into the passing lane—

Hand tips the ball bounces loose Lucas grabs it.

Fast break again.

SLAM.

Crowd ERUPTS.

Score: 89–89.

[Clarity Card — DEACTIVATED.]

Ethan slowed.

Like hitting a wall.

Suddenly everything was faster again.

Breathing ragged.

Sweat burning his eyes.

Body screaming.

But he smiled.

Just slightly.

Because in that one-minute burst...

He found it.

The crack.

The tell.

The sequence.

"(I’ve got you now, Leonel Blaze.)," Ethan thought, "Bit by bit, I’m downloading your entire game... and the next time we meet at that spot on the court—"

"I’ll be the one controlling the rhythm."

To be continue

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