4:00 A.M.
The world was quiet.
Still half-asleep.
Streetlights humming softly, the sky barely beginning to lighten.
Axiom walked through the campus alone.
His footsteps echoed faintly against the pavement.
Cold air.
Sharp.
Clean.
He exhaled slowly, breath visible for a moment.
"…Game's coming."
Not fear.
Not doubt.
Just focus.
He entered the building.
Locker room.
Fluorescent lights flickered on overhead.
He changed quickly.
Gym shorts.
Compression shirt.
Shoes tied tight.
No wasted movement.
No hesitation.
Then—
He stepped into the gym.
The sound hit him immediately.
Basketballs.
Shoes squeaking.
Voices.
The team was already there.
Running drills.
Stretching.
Shooting.
Some glanced at him.
Then did double takes.
"…That's him?"
"…That's the new captain?"
A few of them walked over.
One guy, tall, solid build, gave him a nod.
"Yo."
"You're Axiom, right?"
Axiom nodded.
"Yeah."
The guy smirked.
"Heard about yesterday."
"…You really made Ian fall like that?"
Axiom shrugged.
"He did it to himself."
The guy laughed.
"I like that."
Another one stepped forward.
"You playing tomorrow?"
"Yeah."
"…Good."
"We needed someone."
Axiom nodded slightly.
"Let's win."
That was enough.
They smiled.
Respect.
Not full yet.
But starting.
Then—
Across the court.
A different group.
Leaning.
Watching.
Not smiling.
Not welcoming.
One of them scoffed.
"…This guy?"
Another crossed his arms.
"He's not our captain."
A third spoke, louder.
"Ian's the captain."
Axiom heard it.
Didn't react.
Didn't look.
Just walked onto the court.
Picked up a ball.
Dribbled once.
Thump.
The sound cut clean through the gym.
Everything else felt… slower for a second.
His Dama stayed controlled.
Hidden.
But his presence—
Different now.
Not overwhelming.
But grounded.
Stable.
He shot.
Swish.
Clean.
No rim.
No hesitation.
One of the guys behind him muttered:
"…That was smooth."
Across the court, one of Ian's supporters clicked his tongue.
"Lucky shot."
Another added:
"He's not lasting."
Axiom caught the rebound as it bounced back.
Dribbled again.
Thump.
Then finally—
He looked at them.
Calm.
Unbothered.
Not angry.
Just… present.
They felt it.
Not pressure.
Not fear.
But something steady.
Something that didn't move.
Didn't bend.
Didn't care about their opinion.
One of them frowned slightly.
"…Tch."
Coach walked in at that moment.
Clap.
Clap.
"Alright!"
"Everyone on the court!"
The gym snapped into motion.
Players gathered.
Some standing behind Axiom.
Some standing across from him.
Split.
Clear.
Coach looked at Axiom.
"…You're early."
Axiom nodded.
"You said 4:30."
Coach checked the clock.
4:28.
He smirked slightly.
"Good."
Then his voice hardened.
"Listen up."
"This is your new captain."
Murmurs.
Some agreeing.
Some not.
Coach didn't care.
"I don't care if you like it."
"I don't care if you don't."
He pointed at Axiom.
"You follow him."
Silence.
Then—
One of Ian's guys spoke.
"…What if we don't?"
The gym froze slightly.
Coach looked at him.
Cold.
"Then you don't play."
No hesitation.
No negotiation.
The guy went quiet.
Axiom didn't say anything yet.
Didn't step forward.
Didn't assert dominance loudly.
He just stood there.
Ball in hand.
Then—
He spoke.
Simple.
Calm.
"If you want to win…"
He bounced the ball once.
Thump.
"…follow me."
No shouting.
No anger.
No ego.
Just certainty.
The gym went quiet.
Even the ones who didn't like him…
Felt it.
And for the first time—
They weren't just looking at him as the guy who embarrassed Ian.
They were starting to see him as something else.
A leader.
The tension in the gym hadn't fully disappeared.
It had just… settled.
Like dust after something heavy dropped.
Coach clapped his hands once more.
"Alright."
He looked toward one of the players standing near the front.
"You."
The guy stepped forward.
Tall.
Broad shoulders.
Not flashy—but solid.
The kind of player you could tell had been grinding for years.
Coach gestured toward him.
"This is the vice captain."
He turned to Axiom.
"You two will be working together."
Axiom nodded.
Coach continued:
"He'll brief you on how the team runs."
"You'll talk. Figure it out."
Then he added, almost like a warning to everyone else:
"Because whether you like it or not…"
"…this is your leadership now."
With that, Coach stepped away.
Leaving the two of them standing there.
For a moment—
Silence.
Then the guy stepped forward and extended his hand.
"…Reggie."
"Axiom, right?"
Axiom took his hand.
Firm handshake.
"Yeah."
Reggie nodded.
"…Good."
He didn't smile much.
But there was no hostility either.
Just… honesty.
"I'll say it straight."
He crossed his arms after letting go.
"I hope you're a better captain than Ian."
No sugarcoating.
No hesitation.
Axiom didn't react negatively.
"…Why?"
Reggie exhaled through his nose.
"…Ian wasn't a captain."
That made a few players in the background glance over.
Reggie continued anyway.
"He had the title."
"He had the clout."
"But he didn't lead."
His eyes sharpened slightly.
"When things got tough…"
"He disappeared."
Axiom listened.
Carefully.
Reggie looked him directly in the eyes.
"This team doesn't need a name."
"It needs someone who can actually guide it."
A small pause.
Then—
"…So I'm watching you."
Not a threat.
Not disrespect.
Just truth.
Axiom nodded.
"…That's fair."
Reggie blinked slightly.
He probably expected resistance.
Or ego.
But there was none.
Axiom continued:
"I don't know everything yet."
"But I'll learn."
He picked up the ball again.
Spun it once.
"…And I'll make sure we win."
Reggie stared at him for a second.
Then—
A small smirk.
"…Good answer."
He nodded toward the court.
"Come on."
"I'll show you how things work here."
They started walking together.
Side by side.
Not as rivals.
Not as strangers.
But not fully allies yet either.
Something in between.
As they stepped onto the court—
Reggie spoke again, quieter this time.
"…By the way."
Axiom glanced at him.
"That thing you did yesterday…"
"…against Ian."
A small pause.
Reggie smirked slightly.
"…That was clean."
Axiom chuckled.
"…He tripped."
Reggie shook his head.
"Yeah."
"…Sure he did."
Behind them—
Some of the players who were against Axiom watched closely.
Still skeptical.
Still unsure.
But now—
There was something new in the air.
Not just doubt.
Not just resistance.
Curiosity.
Because if the vice captain…
Respected him—
Then maybe…
There was more to this new captain than they thought.
Reggie didn't waste time.
He pointed across the court.
"That's Malik."
Tall. Long arms. Lean build.
"Best defender we've got."
Another.
"That's Jason."
Stockier.
"Inside scorer. Strong in the paint."
Another.
"Eli. Shooter. Don't leave him open."
"And over there—Devon. Fastest on the team."
Reggie kept going.
Names.
Strengths.
Weaknesses.
Who passed well.
Who didn't.
Who got nervous.
Who played selfish.
Axiom listened.
Didn't interrupt.
Didn't ask questions.
He just… absorbed.
Everything.
Every name.
Every detail.
Locked in.
Reggie stopped after a minute.
"…That's the core."
Axiom nodded.
"…Got it."
Reggie blinked.
"…That fast?"
Axiom smirked slightly.
"Yeah."
Reggie studied him for a second—
Then nodded.
"…Alright."
Axiom stepped forward onto the court.
Clapped once.
"Listen up."
The gym quieted.
Not fully obedient yet—
But attentive.
That was enough.
He walked toward the equipment room, grabbed a set of vests, and tossed them out.
"Red team."
He pointed.
"You. You. You…"
One by one.
And not randomly.
The ones who had been watching him with doubt.
With attitude.
With resistance.
They ended up wearing red.
Then—
"Blue team."
He pointed again.
Reggie.
Malik.
Eli.
Others.
Balanced.
Clean.
Structured.
Reggie noticed immediately.
"…You split them on purpose."
Axiom didn't look at him.
"…Yeah."
Reggie smirked.
"…Good."
Axiom stepped back.
"For now…"
He crossed his arms.
"You play."
"I'll watch."
The whistle blew.
The game started.
Fast.
Immediate energy.
Blue team moved well.
Clean passes.
Spacing.
Reggie controlled the pace naturally.
No Dama.
No enhancement.
Just skill.
Pure experience.
Red team—
More aggressive.
Less coordinated.
Trying to prove something.
Trying to win individually.
Axiom watched everything.
Every pass.
Every mistake.
Every hesitation.
Ten minutes passed.
Score:
Blue — 7Red — 5
Axiom tilted his head slightly.
"…Interesting."
No Dama.
None of them.
Not a single one.
Not even Reggie.
And yet—
They were strong.
Skilled.
Refined through repetition.
Through discipline.
Through experience.
This will be interesting.
Axiom stepped forward.
Clap.
"Alright."
The game stopped.
Everyone looked at him.
"I've seen enough."
They gathered slightly.
Breathing heavier.
Waiting.
Axiom pointed to one of the blue team players.
"You."
"Switch out."
The guy blinked.
"…Me?"
"Yeah."
He stepped out.
Confused.
Axiom walked onto the court.
Picked up the ball.
"…Now I'll play."
Silence.
Then—
Murmurs.
"He's playing?"
"Finally…"
"Let's see it…"
Even the ones who didn't like him—
Were watching now.
Reggie stepped in front of him.
Guarding.
A small smirk on his face.
"…Don't hold back."
Axiom smiled slightly.
"…I won't."
He bounced the ball once.
Thump.
The sound echoed.
And just like that—
The gym's attention shifted.
Completely.
Because now—
They weren't watching a captain.
They were watching a player.
And they were about to see…
What he could really do.
Axiom stepped onto the court.
Ball in hand.
He looked at Reggie.
"Stay close."
Reggie raised an eyebrow.
"…How close?"
Axiom smirked slightly.
"As close as you can."
Reggie nodded once.
"…Got it."
The coach tossed the ball in.
Blue team possession.
The ball moved quickly—
Pass.
Pass.
Then—
Axiom.
He caught it.
Thump.
The moment the ball hit the floor—
Everything changed.
His stance lowered.
His eyes sharpened.
And for just a second—
He remembered.
Callie's movement.
Cammy's speed.
The flow.
The instinct.
Then—
Another image in his mind.
Fast.
Wild.
Unpredictable.
Daiki Aomine.
"…Alright."
He moved.
Not straight.
Not predictable.
Fluid.
Unorthodox.
He dribbled once—
Then shifted sideways at an angle that didn't make sense.
The defender hesitated.
That was enough.
Axiom slipped past him.
Another defender stepped in—
Axiom spun.
Low.
Fast.
Gone.
Reggie kept up.
Barely.
Axiom didn't look at him.
Didn't need to.
He felt him.
Pass.
Behind his back.
Without looking.
Reggie caught it mid-run.
"…What—"
He didn't question it.
Shot.
Swish.
Clean.
"1."
The gym went quiet.
Ball reset.
Again.
Axiom got the ball.
This time—
He didn't drive.
He stepped back.
Three-point line.
Shot.
Swish.
No hesitation.
No rim.
Again.
Pass.
Cut.
Receive.
Shoot.
Swish.
Again.
Fake.
Spin.
Step back.
Swish.
The rhythm built.
Faster.
Sharper.
Cleaner.
Red team couldn't react.
Couldn't predict.
Couldn't keep up.
One defender tried to press him hard—
Axiom shifted direction mid-dribble in a way that broke his stance completely.
The guy stumbled.
Axiom didn't even look at him.
He passed.
Reggie scored again.
Then—
Axiom took over.
Three-point.
Swish.
Another.
Swish.
Another.
Swish.
"…What is this…"
One of the players whispered.
Reggie laughed under his breath.
"…He's feeding me and scoring…"
"…This is insane…"
Then—
Axiom caught the ball near half court.
No one was on him yet.
He looked at the hoop.
Then—
Shot.
From full court.
The ball flew.
High.
Long.
Perfect arc.
Everyone watched.
Swish.
Silence.
Then—
"…No way."
Even the coach's eyes widened slightly.
Axiom was already moving again.
No celebration.
No pause.
Next play.
He drove toward the baseline.
Defender in front.
Another behind.
He jumped.
Too far.
Too deep.
Out of bounds.
Or it should've been.
Mid-air—
He twisted his body.
Reached behind the net.
Released the ball at an impossible angle.
Before his feet touched the ground—
The ball hit the backboard.
Dropped in.
Swish.
The gym exploded.
"WHAT?!"
"No way—"
"That's illegal—"
"…No it's not…"
Reggie just stood there for a second.
"…Yeah."
"…He's him."
The scoreboard climbed rapidly.
Red team barely touched the ball.
Barely scored.
Final—
89 to 5.
Silence.
Complete.
Total.
Silence.
Every single person on the court…
Was staring at Axiom.
He stood there.
Ball in hand.
Breathing steady.
Not even tired.
Reggie walked up slowly.
Shook his head.
"…Alright."
He looked around.
Then back at Axiom.
"…Yeah."
"You're the captain."
No one argued.
Not a single word.
Because they all saw it.
Not just skill.
Not just talent.
But control.
Awareness.
Leadership in motion.
And for the first time—
Every single player on that team understood something clearly.
They weren't just looking at a new captain anymore.
They were looking at someone…
Who could carry them to victory.
The silence lingered.
Heavy.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Axiom bounced the ball once.
Thump.
Then he stopped it in his hand.
"…Alright."
He looked around at all of them.
One by one.
Every single player.
"…Do I have your respect now?"
No arrogance.
No anger.
Just… direct.
For a second—
No one spoke.
Then—
Reggie nodded.
"…Yeah."
One by one—
Heads nodded.
Even the ones who had been glaring at him earlier.
"…Yeah…"
"…We get it…"
"…You're legit…"
Axiom gave a small nod.
"…Good."
Then his expression sharpened slightly.
"Because the worst thing a team can have…"
A short pause.
"…is discord."
The word landed.
Clear.
Heavy.
He looked directly at the group that had doubted him before.
"If you show that kind of attitude again…"
His voice stayed calm.
But there was weight behind it now.
"…I will bench you."
No hesitation.
No bluff.
"…Not because I don't like you."
"…But because you'll break the team."
Silence.
The ones who had been scowling earlier—
Froze.
Not out of fear.
But realization.
He wasn't emotional.
He wasn't reacting.
He was thinking about the team.
Only the team.
Axiom stepped back.
Then clapped once.
"Alright."
"For the next two hours…"
He pointed to the court.
"You play."
"I'll correct you."
He scanned the group.
"And if I don't know your name…"
He pointed.
"Say it."
One by one—
They spoke.
"Derek."
"Marcus."
"Ty."
"Eli."
"Devon."
"Jason."
Axiom repeated them.
Not out loud.
But in his mind.
Faces.
Names.
Positions.
Strengths.
Locked in instantly.
Reggie watched him.
"…You already got it, don't you?"
Axiom smirked slightly.
"…Yeah."
Reggie shook his head.
"…Crazy."
The game started again.
But this time—
It wasn't a match.
It was a lesson.
"Marcus—your stance is too high. Lower it."
"Derek—don't force the drive. Pass earlier."
"Eli—good shot, but your release is late. Fix your timing."
"Devon—your speed is your weapon. Stop hesitating."
"Jason—use your body more in the paint. You're stronger than him."
Every correction—
Precise.
Immediate.
Useful.
No yelling.
No insults.
Just clear guidance.
They adjusted.
Then improved.
Then adjusted again.
Within minutes—
The difference was visible.
Passes cleaner.
Movements sharper.
Decisions smarter.
Reggie caught a pass and laughed.
"…Yo."
He looked around.
"We're actually moving better already."
One of the guys who had doubted Axiom earlier nodded.
"…Yeah…"
"…This feels different…"
Axiom stood on the sideline.
Watching.
Analyzing.
Guiding.
His Dama stayed controlled.
But his awareness—
Expanded.
Every movement.
Every mistake.
Every opportunity.
He saw it all.
Two hours passed.
And by the end—
The team wasn't just practicing.
They were evolving.
Faster.
Stronger.
Smarter.
Better than they had ever been before.
Reggie walked up to Axiom again, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"…Alright."
He looked back at the court.
Then at Axiom.
"…You didn't just take over."
"…You fixed us."
Axiom shook his head slightly.
"…We're just getting started."
Reggie smirked.
"…Good."
Because now—
They weren't just a group of players anymore.
They were becoming something else.
A team.