Ace of the Bench

The sunlight outside had softened into a warm, late-morning glow, spilling through the blinds and painting Yuuto's room in streaks of gold. The air was thick, humid, and heavy, clinging to his skin and making his lungs pull harder with every breath. Sweat still lingered from the previous day's physical drills, clinging to his shirt like a second skin.

Yuuto sat cross-legged on the floor, basketball beside him, his back straight, eyes closed. His room was quiet no chirping of birds, no hum of distant traffic just the subtle rhythm of his own heartbeat. Today, the system's quest demanded mental focus, the kind that didn't rely on muscles or joints but on every neuron he could command.

A soft chime pulsed in his vision.

[System Notification: Daily Quest – "Visualization Drill"]

Mental Reps: Layups, dribbles, and shooting

Focus for at least 20 minutes

Maintain form and sequence in imagination

Reward: +1 Court Vision | +1 Willpower

Yuuto exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders, loosening his stiff neck. He traced the seams of the basketball absentmindedly, the familiar leather grounding him as he closed his eyes tighter.

"Focus," he whispered to himself. "I can do this. I have to do this."

The first image that formed in his mind was the court. Hardwood stretching beneath the bright, overhead lights, faint scuffs from previous games, and the smell of sweat and rubber in the air. The bleachers were empty, silent, but in Yuuto's mind, it was alive with potential the echoes of bouncing balls, sneakers squeaking, and the rhythmic thump of his heartbeat.

He saw himself holding the ball, knees bent, core tight. He pictured his right foot planting, the left following. His muscles weren't moving in reality, but his mind made them feel real: the stretch in his hamstrings, the tension in his calves, the weight of the ball balanced between his hands.

[System: Visualization Progress… 10%]

Yuuto started with layups. He imagined approaching the basket from the right wing, pivoting sharply, knees flexed, body balanced perfectly. The ball left his hands in a smooth arc, fingers flicking the final spin. It swished cleanly through the net in his mind's eye.

He repeated the sequence. Again, and again.

The first ten mental reps were deceptively easy, the motions smooth in the mind but slightly shaky. Sweat prickled on his forehead, and a dull ache in his shoulder reminded him of reality. It was one thing to imagine; it was another to simulate fully, muscle memory engaged even without physical movement.

By the twentieth rep, he started noticing the subtle details: the angle of the wrist, the trajectory of the ball, the tension in his core as he pushed off. He envisioned defenders closing in, forcing him to pivot quickly, adjust his shot mid-air, land balanced and ready.

[System: Visualization Progress… 35%]

The mental strain was almost physical. His heart raced as if he had sprinted laps; his breathing was slightly heavier, even though his body remained still. Muscles twitched involuntarily, small spasms reminding him that even imagination demanded something of him.

Next came dribbling sequences. Yuuto visualized a rapid crossover, switching the ball from right to left hand, pivoting around an imaginary defender. He imagined moving past the three-point line, pausing, then accelerating to the hoop.

"Control… feel the ball," he whispered, fingers tapping lightly on the floor to mimic dribbles. Each tap echoed faintly, a grounding rhythm. He could almost feel the textured surface under his fingertips, the bounce, the shift of weight as he moved side to side.

The complexity grew. He visualized defenders pressing from multiple angles, forcing him to react instantly. Every mental decision had to be precise hesitation would mean a turnover.

[System: Visualization Progress… 57%]

Yuuto's chest burned slightly, a mixture of focus and adrenaline. His legs twitched under him, subtle micro-movements as if preparing to physically push off. He clenched his fists, gripping imaginary ball control, visualizing how his eyes darted to teammates, the court's spacing, open lanes, angles of attack.

He noticed his breathing slow deliberately, timing each inhale and exhale with the imagined dribbles. Rhythm became key. The mental drill was exhausting, demanding the same precision and patience as physical training.

Finally, he moved on to shooting sequences, combining what he had done with dribbles and layups into complete plays.

Yuuto imagined receiving the ball from a teammate, pivoting on his right foot, faking left, then spinning toward the basket. His mind recreated the resistance of defenders, the crowd's roar, the squeak of sneakers cutting across polished wood. Each shot was intentional, measured, perfect in form.

He envisioned the ball leaving his hands, a gentle flick of the wrist, the spin rolling smoothly. Swish. Each imaginary shot rang in his mind like a victory, reinforcing timing, mechanics, and confidence.

He repeated this over and over, integrating his court vision. He imagined defenders' positions, anticipating their movement, adjusting his strategy. The mental images sharpened his awareness. He could see the court layout, teammates' runs, gaps forming like watching a chessboard come alive.

[System: Visualization Progress… 80%]

By the fifteenth minute, sweat beaded his forehead, dampened his hair. His chest heaved slightly, not from running, but from intense concentration. Mental fatigue weighed on him, heavier than physical strain sometimes, demanding relentless focus.

"Don't… stop… can't stop…" he muttered under his breath, gritting his teeth. He forced his mind to stay sharp, replaying the sequences, adjusting, correcting errors he could only perceive internally. Every detail—hand placement, arc of shots, timing of dribble was scrutinized.

[System: Visualization Progress… 95%]

Yuuto's fingers tapped lightly against the ball as if simulating the last dribbles and shots. He envisioned a defender closing in on his left side, forcing him to pivot sharply, and in one fluid motion, he spun, leapt, and released the ball. In his mind's court, it swished cleanly through the net.

He opened his eyes slowly, chest heaving, hands trembling lightly around the ball. Reality was still stillness, but something within him had shifted. Muscle memory, timing, and decision-making felt sharper. The sequences he ran mentally now felt physically plausible.

A soft golden glow appeared in front of him.

[Quest Complete]

Reward: +1 Court Vision | +1 Willpower

Yuuto exhaled, sinking back on his heels, fingers still pressed into the ball. He flexed his wrists experimentally, imagining the next sequence: dribble, pivot, layup, swish. The mental rehearsal had left him exhausted, but stronger, more aware. He could feel the difference—his eyes processed space differently, his anticipation sharper, his decisions quicker.

[System: Passive Observation – "Path of the Comeback" 20%]

He allowed himself a small, exhausted grin. Visualization wasn't just mental it was practice, rehearsal, training. Every imagined shot had prepared him for the real thing. Every mental pivot, feint, and spin strengthened his body as much as any drill.

Yuuto pressed the ball to his chest, breathing slowly, deliberately. His leg still throbbed faintly a reminder that recovery was ongoing but the ache no longer consumed him. Today, he had trained the mind. And the mind, he realized, guided the body.

He whispered softly, almost in awe:

"I'm seeing the court again… in my mind. And soon, I'll feel it again."

The sunlight continued to pour through the blinds, casting a warm halo around him. Dust motes floated lazily, golden in the light, as if celebrating the quiet victory. Yuuto flexed his fingers experimentally, feeling renewed control and focus.

For the first time since the injury, he wasn't just surviving. He was preparing to dominate.

He leaned back, letting exhaustion wash over him, smiling faintly. The basketball remained close, his tether to reality, to dreams, to what he would reclaim.

"I'll keep going… every mental rep, every step, every bounce," he whispered. "Until I'm back."

And for the first time, the room wasn't just a bedroom. It was a court. A battlefield. A place where he could rebuild, inside and out.