Ace of the Bench

The gym was silent except for the sound of a ball hitting the hardwood, over and over again. Thump. Thump. Thump. Yuuto's arms moved on instinct now, sweat dripping from his forehead, his shirt clinging to his back. The familiar ache had turned into a fire crawling through his muscles.

"Keep going," Marcus's voice cut in from the baseline. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed, a half-smile tugging at his lips. "Thirty more dribbles. Then you can breathe."

Yuuto groaned, his legs trembling as he crouched into the stance. His right knee wobbled, but the brace held. His lungs burned, each inhale sharp and ragged. "Thirty more? I've already done two hundred."

"Two hundred and one," Marcus corrected, raising an eyebrow. "Don't get soft on me now."

Yuuto grit his teeth, forcing his hand to snap the ball against the floor again. Thump. The sound wasn't steady anymore it stuttered, slowed, bounced higher than he wanted. His body screamed at him to stop.

The system suddenly pulsed across his vision:

[New Trial Triggered: Mental Resilience Test]

Push through fatigue to unlock trait: Iron Will.

Objective: Endure through exhaustion without quitting.

Yuuto's stomach clenched. Of course. The system wants me to go past my limit again.

By the 15th dribble, his arms felt like lead weights. Sweat blurred his vision, and every bounce of the ball rattled up into his shoulders like a shockwave.

"I can't" Yuuto muttered, his voice hoarse.

Marcus clapped his hands sharply. "Yes, you can. Come on. Head up, Kai. You don't stop when you're tired. You stop when you're done."

Yuuto shot him a glare, jaw tightening. "Easy for you to say. You're not the one whose knee almost ended everything."

Marcus pushed off the wall and walked closer, crouching low to meet Yuuto's eyes. His expression wasn't mocking anymore it was firm, steady, almost unshakable.

"You think you're the only one who's tired? You think I don't remember you sitting in that hospital bed, eyes dead, saying you'd never play again? This" he tapped the ball mid-bounce, "is how you prove yourself wrong. Not to me. To you."

Yuuto swallowed hard, his arms trembling, but he didn't stop.

[Fatigue Level: 87%]

[Warning: Muscular efficiency dropping.]

87%… Yuuto's mind reeled. Everything hurts. My lungs feel like they're tearing apart. Maybe… maybe I should quit before I collapse.

Then, another system ping:

[Hidden Condition: If you quit now, progress toward "Iron Will" is lost.]

His eyes widened. So that's the catch. Either I keep going… or I lose it forever.

"Twenty more!" Marcus barked, clapping his hands.

Yuuto bit down on his lip so hard it nearly bled. His breath tore through his throat as he forced another bounce, then another. The ball felt heavier with each rep, like it was made of stone.

"Don't think about the number," Marcus urged, pacing around him. "Think about the rhythm. Ball, floor, hand, floor. Lock in. Just rhythm."

Yuuto closed his eyes. Thump. Thump. Thump. The sound filled his skull, replacing the pain. His arms still burned, his chest still screamed, but the rhythm drowned it out, pulling him forward one bounce at a time.

[Fatigue Level: 93%]

[Warning: Imminent collapse risk.]

His knees buckled, and the ball almost slipped. Marcus lunged forward, steadying him with a hand on his shoulder.

"You drop, we start over," Marcus said, his tone both harsh and encouraging. "Don't you dare give in now. You're right at the edge."

Yuuto growled, every muscle spasming, and forced the ball down again.

Thump.

"Ten more!" Marcus shouted.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Yuuto's world narrowed to that sound, his heart syncing with it, his will latching on like a lifeline.

[Fatigue Level: 99%]

[System Override Initiated.]

Yuuto's body suddenly felt… lighter. The burning sensation dulled, the ache in his shoulders fading just enough for him to breathe again. It wasn't that the pain disappeared it was that his mind stopped listening to it.

[New Trait Acquired: Iron Will]

Effect: Perceived fatigue is reduced. Mental resistance to exhaustion increased.

Reward: +1 Willpower | Stamina consumption decreases.

Yuuto blinked, his arms still moving. His breathing steadied, each inhale smoother than before. The ball's rhythm became steady again, crisp, controlled.

Marcus's eyes widened. He straightened, a slow grin spreading across his face. "You're still going?"

Yuuto exhaled sharply, sweat dripping from his chin. "I'm not done yet."

The next few dribbles came cleaner, sharper, like the exhaustion had been muted. Marcus stared in disbelief, then broke into a loud laugh.

"That's it! That's the Yuuto I know!"

Yuuto finally let the ball stop, catching it against his hip. His entire body shook, but his eyes burned with a clarity Marcus hadn't seen in months.

They both sank to the floor, backs against the wall. Yuuto's chest rose and fell like a drum, but his expression carried something new not relief, but determination.

Marcus handed him a water bottle. "So… Iron Man mode unlocked, huh?"

Yuuto chuckled weakly, taking a sip. "More like… Iron Will. Feels like… the pain's still there, but it doesn't own me anymore."

Marcus tilted his head, impressed. "That's dangerous."

Yuuto smirked. "That's basketball."

The gym was quiet again, but not empty. The echoes of the dribbles lingered in Yuuto's head, steady and unyielding, like a promise.

He looked at his hands, still trembling from fatigue, and tightened them around the ball.

From now on… no matter how much it hurts, I keep going. That's the only way back.