'Ding. Congratulations, Host.'
The mechanical voice echoed calmly inside Souji's mind—far too calm for what was about to happen.
'You have obtained the following items from the Beginner Package:
— Talent: Absolute Fundamental
— Talent: Adaptive Reflex
— Talent: Unbreakable Body
— Training Plan ×3 (Matching Type)
— Recovery Potion ×10
— Shop Points ×1000'
Souji's pupils shrank.
Talents?
Plural?
Before he could even process the meaning behind that word, the system continued without pause.
'Beginning talent integration.
Estimated time: 10 minutes.'
"Wait—!"
That single word never reached completion.
The moment Chip finished speaking, agony detonated inside Souji's body.
It wasn't pain in one place.
It was everywhere.
Bones screamed as if they were being crushed, shattered, and reforged simultaneously. Muscles tightened violently, then relaxed, only to be torn apart again. His nerves burned as though molten metal had been poured directly into his bloodstream.
Souji's vision fractured into blinding white shards.
His heart slammed against his chest.
Then—
Darkness.
His small body collapsed backward onto the bed, limbs twitching uncontrollably as the talents were forcibly engraved into his existence.
Ten minutes later.
Souji's eyes snapped open.
He sucked in a sharp breath, coughing as if he had just surfaced from deep water. His chest heaved violently, sweat soaking through his shirt and sheets alike.
For several seconds, he couldn't move.
Then—
He clenched his fingers.
The sensation was immediate.
Clear.
There was no lag between thought and action. No resistance. His hand moved exactly as his mind commanded—precise to the point of discomfort.
"…Chip."
'Yes, Host.'
"If you're going to do something like that," Souji muttered through clenched teeth, staring at the ceiling, "you could at least warn me first."
'If the Host had been informed in advance,' Chip replied evenly,
'there was a high probability of involuntary vocalization. Such behavior would have raised suspicion from your parents.
Therefore, forced integration was the optimal choice.'
Souji went silent.
"…You're a cruel system."
'Correction: efficient.'
Souji let out a long breath and rubbed his temples.
"Fine. No more complaints. The talents are integrated now, right? Show me my status."
'Understood.'
A translucent blue screen unfolded before his eyes.
Status
Name: Tendou Souji
Age: 7
Overall Evaluation:50−
Talents:
• Absolute Fundamental
• Adaptive Reflex
• Unbreakable Body
• Talented Learner
Attributes (Elementary Phase):
• Physical: 25 (+)
• Skills: 45 (+)
• Mental: 80 (+)
Skills:
• Basketball Fundamentals (Upper-Intermediate)
• Meta-Vision (Fragment)
Shop Points: 1000
Souji leaned forward, eyes scanning every line carefully.
"…This isn't bad."
Not overwhelming.
But far from weak.
"Explain," he said. "Overall. Talents. Skills."
'Yes, Host.'
'Overall Evaluation represents your current basketball impact when Physical, Skill, and Mental attributes are combined.
The system classifies players as follows:'
40–49: Bench
50–59: Rotation
60–69: Starter
70–79: National
80–84: Elite National
85–89: King
90: Quasi-Miracle
91–99: Miracle
100+: God (Unmeasurable)
Souji clicked his tongue.
"…So I'm still at the bottom."
'Correct. But your growth curve is abnormal.'
"…That's slightly comforting."
'Talents,' Chip continued, 'are innate authorities that define growth direction and ceiling.'
'Absolute Fundamental:
All basketball actions adhere to optimal fundamentals.
No wasted motion.
No flawed mechanics.
Errors are corrected instinctively.'
Souji's breathing slowed.
That wasn't a buff.
That was a doctrine.
'Adaptive Reflex:
Your sensory perception is enhanced.
You adapt to rhythm changes, spatial shifts, and opponent behavior faster than standard evaluation.'
'Unbreakable Body:
Your body will not suffer career-ending injuries, hidden damage accumulation, or irreversible degradation.'
Souji frowned.
"…That sounds broken."
'Incorrect,' Chip replied.
'It removes negative variance. It does not grant strength.'
"…Figures."
'Talented Learner:
Due to dual-soul existence, your comprehension speed, pattern recognition, and conceptual absorption exceed normal parameters.'
Souji nodded.
"That explains a lot."
'Skills are techniques developed through usage and understanding.'
'Basketball Fundamentals (Upper-Intermediate):
Dribbling, shooting, passing, footwork, and positioning are above age-standard but lack elite-level refinement.'
Souji scowled.
"I've played basketball for many years."
'Report:
Host's experience consists of informal street games and three-on-three matches.
Host lacks structured five-on-five systems, defensive schemes, and high-level tactical exposure.'
Souji froze.
"…That hurt."
'Clarification: this is not an insult. It is an evaluation.'
"…You didn't have to say it like that."
'Meta-Vision (Fragment):
Partial court-wide perception.
Allows prediction of movement and positional outcomes.
Cannot operate passively due to insufficient game knowledge. (Requirement: Mental 90+)'
Souji exhaled.
"So I have the blueprint… but not the execution."
'Correct.'
Silence settled over the room.
Then Souji laughed quietly.
"…Honestly? This is better than I expected."
He clenched his fists.
"Absolute Fundamental alone is insane."
'Note,' Chip added,
'this talent resembles that of Timothy Duncan.'
Souji's eyes lit up.
"See? I—"
'However,' Chip interrupted,
'Duncan's talent evolved into Fundamental God at the professional level.
Host's current state is not comparable.'
Souji's smile vanished.
"…You really like crushing dreams."
'Correction: managing expectations.'
Souji leaned back.
"Then why can't I just max out now? Isn't this the Basketball Legend System?"
'Affirmative,' Chip replied.
'Legends are not born complete.
They are accumulated.'
Souji sighed.
"So much for soloing five Miracles."
'Recommendation: abandon that notion.'
"That impossible?"
'The Generation of Miracles are singular prodigies.
No individual dominates them alone.'
Souji stared at the ceiling.
"…Yeah. I figured."
He sat up, eyes sharpening.
"Then what do I do now?"
'Host should begin utilizing the Training Function.
Simulated environments will accelerate experiential growth by confronting the Host with diverse opponents.'
"…Simulated basketball?"
'Correct.'
A spark ignited in Souji's eyes.
"Good."
He clenched his fist.
"Then tomorrow… the grind starts."
Souji loved basketball.
Kuroko no Basket thrilled him—but Slam Dunk had shaped his soul.
As if responding to that thought—
'Notice: World Integration Complete.'
Souji stiffened.
'This world follows Kuroko no Basket as its primary structure.
The Slam Dunk timeline has been fully absorbed.'
His breath caught.
'Elite players from that era have been reassessed under Miracle-era standards.
Some exceed prior limits.'
The room felt tighter.
'Due to integration, future events may diverge.
Fates are no longer fixed.'
Souji shot upright.
"…Wait."
'Host may encounter individuals previously considered impossible.'
Souji stared at the screen.
"WHAT?!"