Kobe's private training camp officially wrapped up on an evening in the eighth week.
After the final set of grueling defensive slides, Kobe called everyone to a halt.
He stood in the center of the court, sweat dripping down the side of his face.
"Training camp ends here," Kobe said, his tone as rigid as ever. No warm well-wishes.
"Stay focused. Stay hungry."
After that, he walked over to Link and patted his shoulder. "One-year contract. Your choice. Don't mess it up!"
"I won't," Link replied, short and firm.
The camp was over, but Link's journey was far from done.
---
Back in Los Angeles, he immediately threw himself into follow-up training.
His [Athleticism (Advanced)] mission had entered the final sprint.
Link maintained about five hours of high-intensity training every day. He put all outside distractions on hold, his mind locked solely on the court.
Finally, after another month of grueling work, the long-awaited system notification rang clearly in his head.
[Training Progress: 10000/10000]
[Congratulations, Host. Mission Complete!]
[Rewards: Speed +20%, Strength +20%, Agility +20%, Vertical +20%, Balance +20%. Unlocked Skill: Stamina Boost Lv3]
[Stamina Boost Lv3: Significantly increases stamina recovery speed and fatigue tolerance (Passive Skill). Bonus Effect: Reduces stamina consumption during continuous running and physical contact.]
[Athleticism Ratings — Speed: A, Agility: A, Strength: A-, Vertical: B+, Balance: A+]
[Congratulations, Host. Balance rating increased to A+.]
[Advanced Training currently locked due to insufficient rating requirements.]
[Locked Advanced Training: Explosive Burst (Requires Speed and Agility at A+), Superhuman Leap (Requires Vertical at A+), Absolute Core (Requires Strength and Balance at A+).]
[Host can further improve ratings by repeating Athleticism (Advanced) training.]
[Congratulations, Host. Overall Player Rating increased to B-!]
The long grind was finally over!
In an instant, Link felt a surge of incredible power erupt from deep within his bones, flowing through every limb.
His heart beat with more force. His thigh muscles felt packed with explosive potential. His physique had become more symmetrical, yet radiated power. Moving laterally felt effortless now; the stiffness was gone. He felt just as fluid as point guards known for their agility.
With his seclusion training over, Link started handling some business matters.
With Andrew pushing hard behind the scenes, he officially signed his contract with the Lakers.
Link had rejected a 3-year, $22 million offer from the Spurs, choosing instead to re-sign with the Lakers on a 1-year, $9 million deal.
This move shocked the media. They reported on Link's sudden "arrogance," questioning why he would turn down three years of guaranteed money for a gamble on a bigger future contract.
Meanwhile, the commercial empire Andrew had planned for him was steadily taking shape.
Leveraging the popularity he'd built up during the season, he signed several carefully selected local endorsement deals. Link shot print ads and videos as required by the sponsors. The income was decent and eased his temporary financial pressure.
Most importantly, the partnership with Under Armour officially kicked off.
Link signed a two-year shoe deal. No signature shoe yet; he had to wear any UA basketball model during games. The pay wasn't huge, but it came with rights for future priority cooperation, potentially including a custom logo and a full product line. Of course, those discussions would only happen after Link made an All-Star team or All-NBA squad.
Mike Statham's offer also became a reality.
Link carved out two weeks to visit the set of the movie Glory Road. His role wasn't big, mostly consisting of a few on-court scenes and locker room dialogue. He played an Asian player taking the court alongside his black teammates, fighting for the team and for racial dignity!
Acting was a completely new challenge for Link. Fortunately, the role was closely tied to basketball, and the acting required wasn't too complex. It mostly just asked him to show his true colors as an athlete.
The shoot was tight and efficient. As he left the set, Statham gave him a hug.
"Thanks for joining us, Link. You're more natural on camera than I imagined. You've got talent. Looking forward to working with you again."
Filming wrapped, with the global release expected in a month.
There was a fun little episode during the shoot.
When they were filming at Texas Western College, the school's basketball team happened to be holding a training camp. At the school's urging, Link led a team of cast members in a friendly game against the varsity squad.
Link went into "god mode," dropping a monstrous stat line of 52 points and 17 rebounds, leading the actors to a victory over the college team.
---
Link's offseason was incredibly productive.
His system training missions were progressing steadily. After finishing [Athleticism (Advanced)], he used his brief downtime to work on his off-hand, completing the [Off-Hand Layup (Intermediate)] mission.
Although this training didn't unlock a new skill, his left-hand finishing ability saw a tangible improvement.
He pulled up his system panel again.
[Host: Link]
[Shooting Ratings — Three-Point: A+, Mid-Range: B-, Free Throw: B+, Catch & Shoot: A-]
[Athleticism Ratings — Speed: A, Agility: A, Strength: A-, Vertical: B+, Balance: A+]
[Finishing Ratings — Layup: B+, Off-Hand Layup: B, Contact Layup: C-, Drawing Fouls: D]
[...]
[Unlocked Skills: Focused Shooter Lv3, Stamina Boost Lv3, Quick Release Lv2, Soft Touch Lv2]
[Overall Player Rating: B-]
At the same time, the numbers in Link's bank account were rising.
accompanied by Andrew, he went out and bought a Range Rover. The total price was close to $200,000. Link wasn't into sports cars; the Range Rover was much more his style.
Link's life was simple. Aside from shooting commercials, he just shuttled between his apartment and the gym every day.
Until one evening, his phone rang. The screen displayed "Isabella Rodriguez."
"Mr. Prophet, is your seclusion over?"
Her voice carried a sweet smile.
"For now, yeah. What's up?" Link leaned back on the sofa, his body finally relaxing.
"I'm in Hawaii. My last outdoor shoot just finished. It went smoother than expected, so I have a few full days off."
She paused, her tone softening. "The scenery here is beautiful. I thought... maybe you need a vacation away from basketball and training?"
The line was quiet for a moment. "Of course, if you feel you need to keep training, or have other plans..."
Link was stunned for a second, then joy washed over him.
The high-intensity offseason was nearing its end. His physical load had reached its limit, and his business affairs were in order. Maybe, before diving into the new season, he really did need a complete disconnect—to clear his cache and reload in a better state.
"That sounds..." Link smiled. "...like an offer I can't refuse."
A soft laugh came from the other end. "Okay. I'll wait for you."
Hanging up, Link walked to the window.
He hadn't seen Isabella all offseason. This was the perfect chance to relax before the pressure of the season kicked in again.