John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, USA.
Haizaki Shogo stood at the departure gate, looking at Nijimura Shuzo and Nash, who had come to see him off. He hugged them one by one.
"No. 6 will always belong to you, Shogo."
"Thanks. I like the No. 6 jersey."
Haizaki's eyes lit up slightly.
Jabberwock's No. 6… forever mine. So Nash really does trust me that much.
"If there's another chance, I'll call you again."
"I'm looking forward to it."
He then turned to Nijimura Shuzo. "Senpai, sorry for disturbing your parents these past two days. I really enjoyed my stay."
"Haha, what are you talking about? Come back anytime you're in the U.S. You're always welcome at my place."
"Alright. I definitely will."
Haizaki waved to both of them and boarded the flight back to Tokyo. Nash and Nijimura, however, did not become as familiar as Haizaki might have expected.
Well… different worlds don't always align. That's probably what it means.
Nijimura was never invited into Nash's circle. In other words, he didn't meet Nash's standard.
Haizaki let out a soft sigh.
I introduced them, but if they don't click… there's nothing I can do.
The plane took off and soon entered cruising altitude. Haizaki leaned against the window, watching thick white clouds drift past as everything from this overseas trip replayed in his mind.
Jabberwock's training camp. The arrogance when he first arrived. The integration into the team. The intensity of the matches. Paris. The exhibition game. The pressure. The focus. The victories. One scene after another.
This trip… was worth it.
He had seen many things he had never seen before—beautiful, overwhelming, almost unreal. More importantly, his vision of the world had expanded.
After a week of training with Jabberwock and the Paris exhibition match, he had grown significantly in every aspect, especially in his mentality when facing strong opponents. He was calmer now. More composed.
Even during his street battle against Gareth a few days ago, he had clearly felt that something had changed. But what exactly had changed… he couldn't put it into words.
Still… I feel good.
A faint smile appeared on his lips. He had flown to the U.S. by plane, and now he was returning the same way. Even the same airline.
That's fate, huh.
But none of that was his greatest gain.
The real gain… was the invisible status screen only he could see.
======
Status Panel
Name: Haizaki Shogo
Height: 193 cm (growing)
Weight: 80 kg (growing)
Position: Small Forward (growing)
Number: 6 (Fukuda Sogo Academy / Jabberwock)
Strength: SS-Class
Agility: SS-Class
Endurance: SS-Class
Jump: SS-Class
Explosiveness: Extreme
Special Skill 1: Pillage
Steal someone else's skill and convert it to your own style and rhythm, forcing the opponent's unconscious breakdown and preventing them from using the same technique again.
Special Skill 2: Zone (Stage Two)
Entering "Zone" consumes a large amount of stamina but boosts all abilities to their peak and expands vision. The second stage of Zone reduces stamina consumption significantly.
Special Skill 3: Ferocity
A skill forged through life-and-death trials in a survival-of-the-fittest world. Grants explosive power, strength, instinct, speed, and the vision of an ancient beast, ignoring intimidation.
Special Skill 4: Devour (Soul Fusion Evolution Skill)
Absorb others' skills, turning them into permanent abilities. Each absorption consumes 1 Devour point.
Energy Points: 1
Special Constitution: Exceptionally Strong Body (11% Development)
A body "chosen by God." Even without training, physical attributes naturally reach human limits. At 20% development, all attributes reach peak human perfection. Beyond 20%, it enters unknown evolution territory.
=======
This trip to America wasn't just about exhibition games. Another purpose was to analyze this special constitution and observe Jason Silver, the one who possessed it.
Haizaki's conclusion was simple.
Jason Silver… had barely begun to use it.
Wasted potential.
That realization made Haizaki act without hesitation. He spent one precious Devour Energy Point.
And he stole it.
That was the real reason for his growth. It wasn't just improvement—it was transformation.
Now, his physical stats had all risen dramatically. None had yet reached their final limit, but Haizaki could feel it clearly.
It was close.
Very close.
Strength, agility, endurance, explosiveness… and even unknown abilities would continue evolving. It was a growth rooted in potential itself, and it felt as though his entire body had been washed clean from the inside out.
If Shimizu Rena were here, she would have noticed it immediately.
At this moment, Haizaki Shogo was radiating something almost… divine.
He had carefully considered the decision to consume such a rare Devour Energy Point because he understood one fundamental truth.
Whether it was basketball, combat, or anything else—
Everything ultimately came down to one thing.
The body.
Without a strong body, everything else was meaningless.
That was the reason.
That was the logic that convinced him.
The Zone was the ability to unleash potential.
But the Exceptionally Strong Body was the ability to create potential.
The two complemented each other perfectly.
Haizaki slowly closed his status panel. He had read every line carefully, not missing a single detail.
Good… this really was a good day.
He had taken another step forward.
Toward the future.
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