Morning light spilled through the gym's high windows as Kaito faced Riku across the empty court.
The air was cool, sharp the kind of quiet that came before a storm.
"I know it's you," Kaito said finally.
Riku's expression didn't flicker. "You'll have to be more specific."
"The game," Kaito replied. "Hoop Evolution. You're in it, aren't you?"
For a second, only the faint echo of a bouncing ball somewhere outside filled the silence. Then Riku set his bag down and leaned against the wall, arms crossed.
"…You're sharper than I thought."
Kaito's chest tightened. "So it's true."
Riku gave a slow nod. "I figured you'd connect the dots after that fadeaway. Didn't think it would take a whole day."
Kaito's hands curled into fists. "Why hide it?"
"Why did you?" Riku countered.
That hit harder than Kaito expected. He looked away.
They stood in silence, two players bound by a secret only they seemed to share.
Finally Riku spoke again, his tone calm but edged. "Don't get the wrong idea. Hoop Evolution isn't a game you just 'play.' It watches you, adapts to you. The more you push, the deeper it goes."
Kaito frowned. "What do you mean?"
Riku shouldered his bag. "You'll see soon enough."
And with that, he walked out, leaving Kaito with more questions than answers.
That night, Kaito sat in his room, the VR headset lying on his desk like an invitation he couldn't refuse.
He slipped it on. The world blinked to lime-green life.
Welcome back, Player Kaito.
System Notice: Special Event Unlocked.CO-OP CHALLENGE.
Team assignments will be randomized.
"Co-op challenge?" Kaito murmured. He'd never seen that before.
The court rippled and shifted. A timer appeared above the digital scoreboard: 00 : 30
A notification popped up:
Teammate found :Player AIZ_RK
Kaito's stomach dropped. "You've got to be kidding me."
Across the court, Riku's sleek black-and-silver avatar materialized, the same calm posture, eyes glowing faintly green under the visor.
Riku tilted his head. "Guess fate's got a sense of humor."
"Or the game does," Kaito shot back.
Before they could speak again, a robotic voice boomed overhead.
CO-OP CHALLENGE: SURVIVE THREE ROUNDS.
AI Opponents: Adaptive Level 7.
Bonus Reward — Core Access Key.
The court trembled as four AI avatars appeared tall, faceless figures with glowing circuits running down their arms.
"Level 7?" Kaito muttered. "I've only fought Level 3s…"
"Then stay sharp," Riku said, dropping into position. "These things learn fast."
The whistle sounded, and the first round exploded into motion.
The AI team came at them like lightning passes too precise, reactions too quick. Kaito sprinted to intercept, but the ball zipped past him before he could blink.
Riku cut across the court, stealing the next pass mid-air and landing clean.
"Move left!" he barked.
Kaito obeyed on instinct. Riku passed a perfect bounce straight to Kaito's hands. He fired a quick jumper. Swish.
"Nice," Riku said flatly. "Try not to miss."
Kaito glared. "You could say 'good shot,' you know."
"No time for compliments."
They fought through the first round, trading fast breaks and defensive stops. Riku's awareness was uncanny every play felt like he'd seen it seconds before it happened.
When Round Two started, the AI team changed formation, adapting to their style. Their passes grew unpredictable, their speed doubled.
Kaito lunged for a steal and got slammed backward by a glowing defender. His HP bar dipped dangerously low.
"Stay behind me," Riku said, his tone calm but sharp.
"I don't need a babysitter," Kaito snapped, pushing forward again.
The AI player feinted left, then spun right straight past him.
Kaito cursed. Riku blocked the shot at the rim with a glowing burst of energy.
The system voice chimed:
Special Ability Activated: Barrier Shield (Lv. 2)
"What,since when can you ..." Kaito began.
Riku cut him off. "Earned it last week. Keep up."
They regrouped, and this time Kaito watched how Riku moved ,the subtle rotations, the half-steps, the fake hesitation before acceleration. He wasn't just fast; he was precise.
Kaito started syncing with him, anticipating his rhythm.
Riku cut right. Kaito dashed left. Pass. Spin. Step-back. Dunk.
The score evened.
"Not bad," Riku said.
"Try to keep up," Kaito shot back.
The third round began ,and the court itself started to shift. The lime-green glow darkened, turning to a pulsating emerald as cracks of digital lightning split across the floor.
The AI avatars fused into two massive players, their bodies flickering with glitching code.
Final Round : Boss Stage.
"They're merging?" Kaito said in disbelief.
Riku's visor flickered. "Never seen this before."
"Guess we improvise."
The first giant lunged, arm swinging like a hammer. Kaito dodged, the shockwave nearly knocking him off his feet. Riku zipped in from behind, slamming a glowing pass off the backboard.
"Kaito ,finish it!"
Kaito leapt, feeling energy surge through him as the court lit up beneath his feet. He'd never jumped this high before.
Ability Combo Detected: Synchronize Mode (Trial)
A glowing line connected him and Riku mid-air. For an instant, their movements mirrored perfectly two halves of the same play.
Kaito's dunk crashed through the rim, shattering the digital glass into a storm of green light.
The arena froze. Then...
CO-OP CHALLENGE COMPLETE
Reward Unlocked .Core Access Key (Fragment 1 of 3)
Kaito landed, panting. "We… actually did it."
Riku nodded, equally winded. "Barely."
They turned toward the scoreboard but the lime-green display was glitching. The light pulsed erratically, symbols flickering between unreadable glyphs.
SYSTEM NOTICE — UNAUTHORIZED LINK DETECTED
WARNING: CORE LEAGUE ACCESS BREACH
"What's happening?" Kaito shouted.
Riku stepped closer, eyes narrowing. "The system's changing… this isn't part of the normal event."
The court began to distort. The lines twisted into spirals; the backboards folded like paper. A deep, mechanical voice different from the usual announcer echoed through the void.
PLAYERS IDENTIFIED.
SYNC LEVEL: 93 PERCENT.
ACCESS TO CORE LEAGUE GRANTED UPON TRIAL COMPLETION.
"Core League?" Kaito repeated.
But before either of them could move, the world around them fractured. The lime-green light exploded into shards of neon. Everything froze mid-motion ball, players, even the air like time itself had stopped.
Then darkness.
Only the voice remained.
Welcome, Chosen Players.
The real game begins soon.
Kaito jolted awake in his room, the headset sliding off his head. His heart pounded like he'd run a marathon. The VR goggles were still glowing faintly, even though the system was off.
He stared at them in silence.
Across town, Riku sat in his own apartment, headset still in hand, eyes fixed on the same faint lime glow.
For the first time, his calm mask cracked. "What have we gotten ourselves into…" he whispered.
Both boys, miles apart yet connected by that eerie light, knew one thing for sure
Hoop Evolution wasn't just a game anymore.
And whatever the Core League was…
it had just chosen them.