Extra Basket
Chapter 46 - 33: Ethan vs Miho (1)

Chapter 46: Chapter 33: Ethan vs Miho (1)

The gym was quiet, the tension thickening as Ethan and Miho stood facing each other. The moment felt charged, as if the air itself was waiting for something to give. Ethan glanced at Miho, who stood confidently with the basketball in his hands, eyes locked on him with a challenging gleam.

"What did you say again?" Ethan asked, his voice slightly incredulous as he tried to wrap his mind around what Miho was suggesting.

Miho smirked, unfazed by the question. "I said us one on one." His tone was calm, but there was a clear challenge in his eyes, a playful yet dangerous edge.

Ethan raised an eyebrow, not entirely understanding why Miho was so insistent. "I get it, but why?" he asked, genuinely curious about Miho’s motivation.

Miho tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing as he spoke with a mixture of respect and amusement. "Because I heard about you... the number 20, blond hair, the one who led your team to victory." He pointed to Ethan with a lazy gesture, as though he already knew what was coming next. "It was you."

Ethan felt a flicker of surprise, but he quickly masked it. "How can you be so sure?" he asked, not entirely convinced that Miho had been following his team that closely.

Miho casually pointed to Ryan Taylor, who was standing off to the side, still breathing heavily from the earlier 3v3 game with his teammates. "This guy blabbering about how if Ethan was here... my team would’ve been defeated."

Ethan let out a soft sigh, rolling his eyes internally. (This playboy...) He knew Ryan liked to talk, but this was a bit much. Still, it wasn’t entirely unexpected,Ryan had a habit of letting his mouth run freely.

Miho, noticing Ethan’s reaction, smirked even wider, clearly enjoying the situation. The tension between them was thickening, and Miho wasn’t backing down.

Lucas, on the other hand, didn’t take Miho’s attitude lightly. His fiery spirit couldn’t stand the unjust treatment of his teammates. Without a second thought, he stepped forward, crossing his arms, his voice firm and unwavering. "Apologize first to our teammates." He wasn’t going to let Miho get away with disrespecting their team, especially not after all the effort they had put into the game.

Ethan, still processing the situation, glanced at Lucas. He couldn’t help but think (This kid... he’s really sticking to his guns.) Lucas was always full of energy and righteousness. When he saw something he didn’t like, he wouldn’t back down. It was one of the reasons Ethan admired him, though it could also be a bit much at times.

Coonie, who had been quietly watching the exchange, let out a frustrated sigh and palmed his forehead. "Oh no..." he muttered, realizing where this was going. He knew Lucas too well to think this wouldn’t escalate quickly.

Kai Mendoza, standing a bit farther back, couldn’t help it. He burst out laughing quietly under his breath. "Oh, this is going to be good," he muttered to Jeremy, who was shaking his head, knowing this was probably the last thing they needed right now. "We’re really doing this, huh?"

Jeremy just sighed, rubbing his temples. He was used to Lucas’ sense of justice, but even he wasn’t sure how well this would go down.

Miho raised an eyebrow at Lucas’s demand, his expression shifting from casual to mildly annoyed. "What did you say?" His voice was laced with an edge, and he took a step closer to Lucas, clearly trying to assert dominance. "You want me to apologize? To you?"

Lucas didn’t flinch, meeting Miho’s gaze head-on. "Yes," he said, his tone unwavering. "You should apologize to our team first. You disrespected them by treating the 3v3 like a joke." There was no room for negotiation in his words. He wasn’t going to let Miho get away with belittling their effort. They had earned their victory, and Lucas wasn’t about to let anyone take that from them.

Ryan, Brandon, and Evan, who had been standing quietly off to the side, exchanged uneasy glances. They weren’t sure whether to back Lucas up or to stay out of it. Ryan, in particular, looked a bit awkward, like he wasn’t sure if Lucas’ sudden confrontation was going to make things worse or not.

Evan, still panting from the earlier game, gave a resigned shrug. "Can we just focus on playing? I don’t think Miho is going to apologize."

Miho’s eyes narrowed, clearly unamused. The playful energy he had been exuding moments ago was now gone, replaced with a quiet intensity. He had never been one to back down from a challenge, and he wasn’t about to let Lucas tell him what to do.

"Fine," Miho said, finally breaking the tension with a low chuckle. "If you want me to apologize, how about we settle this on the court?" His challenge hung in the air like an invitation, daring Lucas to take it further.

Ethan, sensing the brewing storm, stepped in before things could escalate any further. He turned to Lucas, placing a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. "Let me handle this, Lucas," Ethan said, his voice steady. He didn’t want things to get out of hand. They had a bigger game to focus on, and Miho wasn’t going to get under his skin.

Lucas hesitated, still fiery but clearly trusting Ethan to take care of it. "Fine.."

Ethan nodded. "Don’t worry. I’ve got this."

He turned back to Miho, his gaze firm and resolute. "Alright, Miho. You want a 1v1? Fine"

Miho’s grin returned, but it wasn’t just a smirk now, it was a challenge, one that Ethan wasn’t going to back away from. "I’m looking forward to it, Ethan. Let’s see if you can live up to the hype."

....

The gym had fallen into a tense silence as Miho Park and Ethan Albarado stood face to face, the air thick with unspoken challenges. Their teams were gathered around, watching with a mix of curiosity and anticipation.

Miho broke the silence, his voice calm but carrying an edge. "Captain, I’ll be the referee," he said, addressing Davis Conner, the towering power forward of Eastgate Wildcats. But before anything could go further, Armi Hassuf, the ever-thoughtful shooting guard of the Wildcats, interjected. "It should be me," he said, his tone suggesting he was more than capable of handling the responsibility.

Miho glanced from Davis to Armi, his eyes narrowing as he let out an exaggerated sigh. "Silent." He wasn’t in the mood for a back-and-forth. "I’ll let Ethan choose who’s going to be the referee." Miho gestured toward Ethan, tossing the decision onto him as though it was just another part of the game.

Ethan felt the weight of the moment. Both teams were watching, waiting for his decision. After a moment’s pause, he looked over at Evan, who had been standing off to the side, still catching his breath from the earlier game.

Then Ethan thought for a moment, assessing his options. He knew Evan was the most level-headed of his team, and considering the tension already brewing, it would be best if someone like Evan was in control. He turned to the Captain, his eyes locking with Evan’s. "You be the referee, Captain," Ethan said, his voice steady.

Evan, still catching his breath from the earlier game, looked up, slightly taken aback. "Me?" he asked, clearly not expecting to be put on the spot like this. He glanced over at the others, but Ethan’s gaze was unwavering.

Ethan nodded, his expression serious. "Yeah, you’re the most neutral one here, Evan. It’ll be fair if you do it."

Evan looked around the room at his teammates, who were all either smirking or giving him encouraging nods, before sighing in resignation. "Fine."

With that, he moved to the side, getting into position. Everyone was now waiting for the game to officially begin, but Miho had one more thing in mind. He wasn’t about to jump into the action without having a little fun first.

"Now," Miho said, his voice filled with the same playful yet cocky tone that had been present since the start of the encounter. "Let’s shoot from the free-throw line. One of us is going to start first, right?"

Ethan smirked, knowing exactly where Miho was going with this. He wasn’t in the mood for traditional warm-ups. Instead, he wanted to shake things up a little.

"Nope, how about rock-paper-scissors?" Ethan suggested, folding his arms. "We can save time and get right to it."

Miho, momentarily taken aback by the suggestion, tilted his head to the side. "Hmmm..." He clearly hadn’t expected that response. It wasn’t the usual way to determine the start of a one-on-one game, but he wasn’t going to back down now. "You know, that sounds pretty good," he admitted after a brief pause. "Now that I think about it, you’re right. Let’s do it."

With a grin, Ethan raised his hand and got into position. "Rock, paper, scissors. Best of three."

Miho, with his usual self-assurance, mirrored Ethan’s stance. "Let’s make it interesting, then," he replied with a sly smile, already preparing to challenge Ethan in this different, more unconventional way.

The rest of the players, including both teams, stood quietly by, watching the small exchange with amusement. This wasn’t the typical way to start a serious one-on-one game, but everyone knew that Ethan and Miho weren’t about to play by the usual rules.

As the tension in the room thickened, all eyes were on the two players, waiting for them to determine who would start this game of skill and pride. Ethan’s mind was focused, but his body was relaxed. He had been in situations like this before where the start didn’t matter, but the finish certainly did. This was just a small part of proving who had control on the court.

And so, with a playful challenge hanging in the air, the first round of rock-paper-scissors began. "Rock, paper, scissors!" they both shouted, the game of fate beginning in a way nobody expected.

........

As Both Ethan and Miho threw their hands forward in sync, each watching the other intently. There was a momentary pause before they revealed their choices.

Ethan:rock

Miho:paper

"Ha!" Miho grinned widely, his eyes twinkling with the thrill of victory. "Looks like I won the first round!"

He said, his voice dripping with playful arrogance as he gave Ethan a teasing look.

Ethan, who had been confident moments ago, only sighed in response. "Yeah, yeah. You got lucky."

Miho chuckled, clearly enjoying the moment. "Luck has nothing to do with it. It’s all skill."

The players from both teams, who had been watching eagerly, couldn’t help but laugh at the banter between the two. Even though this was a game of rock-paper-scissors, it felt like the start of a real showdown. Everyone was on edge, waiting for what would come next.

Evan, who had been quietly observing as the referee, motioned for them to continue. "Alright, alright, enough with the trash talk. One more round. Get it over with," he said, trying to maintain order. The match wasn’t even officially started yet, and they were already getting sidetracked.

"Fine," Ethan muttered, rolling his eyes, but there was a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Miho had gotten the upper hand, but that wasn’t going to shake his confidence.

"Rock, paper, scissors!" they both shouted again, launching their hands forward with intensity.

This time, both players threw their choices with even more focus. Ethan’s eyes were narrowed, determined not to let Miho walk away with another win so easily.

Ethan:paper

Miho:scissors

Miho laughed out loud as he raised his hand triumphantly. "Two in a row! Looks like it’s my game, Ethan." He was practically beaming with pride.

Ethan just shook his head. "Alright, alright, you win.

As the game was about to begin, Ethan silently reached out to his system. He needed to know more about his opponent.

In his mind, he spoke to his basketball AI system. "(System, can you scan Miho’s attributes? His status?)"

The system’s voice responded promptly, calm and clear, as always. "(Affirmative, host. Scanning now...)"

Ethan waited as the system processed the information. He needed to know what he was up against. A high-level player like Miho could be a serious challenge, and Ethan wasn’t the type to go into a game without knowing everything he could about his competition.

Miho Park (Point Guard)

Level: Elite

Core Attributes:

[Offensive Attributes:]

Shooting Accuracy: 13

Layup Skill: 11

Dunk Skill: 7

Dribbling Skill: 14

Passing Skill: 12

[Defensive Attributes:]

Defense: 14

Blocking Ability: 10

Steal Skill: 15

[Physical Attributes:]

Stamina: 12

Endurance: 13

Speed: 14

Effectiveness:

Silent Shadow: Miho has the ability to shut down offensive plays without ever drawing attention to himself, slipping into the background while executing precise steals and locks on opposing players.

Quickstrike Instinct: Known for explosive plays in transition, Miho is able to capitalize on any lapse in defense, turning turnovers into fast-break opportunities with deadly efficiency.

Awakened Effectiveness:

Tempest’s Edge: In high-pressure moments, Miho’s focus sharpens to an incredible degree. His speed and reaction time are heightened as he reads the game at an accelerated pace, making him nearly impossible to defend when he shifts into "Tempest’s Edge," a state of heightened awareness and reflexes. During this time, his defense is virtually impenetrable, and his scoring ability becomes lethal, especially on breakaways and contested shots.

Ethan’s mind raced as the system presented Miho Park’s status, his gaze sharpening as he processed the information. The sheer magnitude of Miho’s attributes hit him like a ton of bricks. Miho wasn’t just any player, he was an Elite level talent.

"Holy shit, he’s good..." Ethan thought, feeling a mixture of awe and caution. "Similar to Alec Storm... but different."

Miho’s Shooting Accuracy (13) was phenomenal. Ethan knew this meant Miho could score from anywhere on the court with deadly precision. His Dribbling Skill (14) was likely the reason he could slip past defenders so effortlessly, and with Passing Skill (12), he would be able to set up his teammates in ways Ethan might not even see coming.

But what truly set Miho apart were his Defensive Attributes. Defense (14), Steal Skill (15), and Blocking Ability (10) meant that Miho could lock down almost anyone, and if Ethan wasn’t careful, Miho would snatch the ball away in an instant. His Silent Shadow ability made him a stealthy defender, always lurking in the background, shutting down plays before anyone could even realize it. The Quickstrike Instinct was even more dangerous, allowing him to capitalize on turnovers, turning defense into offense at breakneck speed.

And then, the real kicker: Tempest’s Edge a heightened state of awareness and reflexes that made Miho nearly impossible to defend in crucial moments. Ethan could only imagine how tough it would be to play against him in one of those high-pressure situations.

"This guy... no wonder he’s the captain of the Eastgate Wildcats." Ethan thought, biting back a grin. "He’s not just good. He’s damn good."

However, Ethan wasn’t about to back down. He was no stranger to tough opponents, and Miho’s talent only made him more determined to show what he was capable of. He had the Basketball System, after all, and if there was one thing Ethan knew, it was how to turn his opponents’ moves against them.

With a deep breath, Ethan stood tall, his eyes narrowing as he focused on Miho, who was still grinning with the cocky confidence of someone who knew they were about to dominate.

"I’ve got to be careful... I can’t let him get the ball easily. I’ll have to watch his every move." Ethan thought, steeling himself for the upcoming showdown.

Miho’s eyes gleamed as he raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the mental battle. "Ready to lose, Ethan?" Miho said with an arrogant smirk, already dribbling the ball in his hands with an effortless rhythm.

Ethan cracked his neck and gave Miho a confident smile. "We’ll see about that."

The game was on.

To be continue

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