Is Zack really that good?
Well, the answer depends on how you look at his growth over this past summer.
Back in his freshman year, "Zack" had some jaw-dropping raw talent—serious static potential. But Coach Prose only saw him as a benchwarmer, a backup plan for the team.
Why?
Because that version of Zack, on his very first team practice, proved with his lackluster performance that he wasn't worth betting on.
Prose still remembers that day like it was yesterday.
When opponents taunted and mocked him on the court, Zack didn't push back. Not even a spark of fight. Instead, he shrank away, dodging confrontation so much that Prose had to yell, "Kid, you're playing basketball, not hide-and-seek!"
And what made Prose throw his hands up in frustration? After that practice, Zack just… gave up. Completely checked out.
Talent's great and all.
But without a tough heart—without konjou—how're you gonna cash in on the gifts the heavens gave you?
Fast forward to this summer. When Prose heard Zack had crushed "The Beast" in the Valley Cup, his first thought was, "No way, did I hear that right? Were they playing sumo or something?"
At the end of last semester, Prose had caught a glimpse of Zack from a distance.
He could still picture it: Zack waddling along, his body jiggling with every step, looking like a giant meatball.
Even after the Valley Cup, when Prose double-checked the rumors, he couldn't wrap his head around Zack beating The Beast.
Not until that bright, sunny afternoon.
Not until Prose saw the change in Zack with his own eyes.
Not until Zack looked him in the eye and said, "Coach, I wanna play basketball."
That's when it hit Prose: the Zack standing in front of him was a completely different guy from the one in his memory.
By the end of summer, Prose watched Zack grind away at his fundamentals.
Watched him shed that extra weight with sheer, relentless willpower.
To Prose's seasoned eyes, Zack was still a rough gem, needing time and care to shine. But after observing him these past weeks, Prose was convinced—this kid, growing stronger every day under his watch, was like a beast ready to break out of its cage.
As long as Zack kept at it, stayed grounded, the day he burst free, the entire college basketball world would hear his roar.
Like a tiger's cry scattering the forest's beasts.
"You know, Viktor," Prose said, turning to his assistant coach on the court, his face lit with anticipation, "the beast from Wake Forest is about to break loose."
"So that's why you picked North Carolina for his college debut?" Viktor asked, raising an eyebrow.
Prose grinned. "Only a team like North Carolina is worthy of this beast's first show."
Viktor nodded. "How much time you giving him?"
Prose rubbed his chin. "Fifteen minutes. Even by November, he'll still need time to get used to the college game's pace. But those fifteen minutes? He's gonna be the core of the floor."
Viktor thought for a moment. "What do you think he can do out there?"
Prose set down his tea cup. "I don't know. But I can't wait to find out."
…
Under Prose's watchful eye, Zack nailed the grueling training plan the old coach had laid out for him. By the time September faded into history, Zack's weight had dropped to 141.5 kilos.
Compared to his earlier rapid weight loss, the pace had slowed down a bit.
Still, no matter how tough it got, Zack set a goal to hit around 130 kilos before the big November showdown with North Carolina.
In October, keeping his promise, Prose finally let Zack join the team's regular practices.
"Starting to realize college ball ain't as scary as you thought, huh?" Prose said with a warm grin, watching Zack shine in a team scrimmage.
Zack nodded, catching his breath.
"That's why I had you train solo for a month," Prose went on. "Team practices help you gel with the squad, learn the playbook, and get the team's vibe. But solo training? That's what unlocks your potential."
Prose knew the old Zack had shaky fundamentals and bad habits.
No matter how much talent he had, it was useless if he couldn't show it on the court.
But after a month of intense training, with his basics getting sharper, Zack's insane raw talent was starting to come alive.
And that wasn't all.
Lately, Zack's dynamic talent—the kind that makes you move like lightning—was starting to stir.
In college basketball, it's not unheard of for a player to suddenly take off in a semester because their dynamic skills click. Still, when Zack noticed how much more agile he'd become, he could hardly believe it.
A body over 205 centimeters tall, with this kind of coordination? It was unreal.
Everyone knows taller guys tend to be clumsier—it's just physics. Yao Ming became the NBA's top pick partly because, before bulking up, he had the rare agility of a guy over 220 centimeters.
Zack had no idea how far his coordination could go once he fully shed the weight.
But one thing was clear: the old Zack in his memories didn't have this.
To Zack, his body must've undergone some kind of insane transformation during his weight loss.
And yeah—don't forget, before he unlocked the Peak System, Zack was chugging a daily nutrient supplement from the system.
"All the potential boosts I got from the system won't kick in until I fully activate it," Zack thought, clenching his fist. "So when I do, I'm in for an epic power-up, right?"
In that moment, Zack was more hyped than ever for the day he'd fully unlock the [Peak] System.
He wanted to see for himself if his body's static and dynamic talents could go toe-to-toe with the superhumans from his memories.
In October, as planned, Wake Forest played four warmup games against weaker D1 schools.
With Paul leading the charge, Wake Forest cruised through all four.
"Man, Chris is something else," Zack said, watching from the sidelines. "He promised to join Wake Forest last year, and he was already studying the Demon Deacons' tactics."
No surprise—none of the NBA stars in Zack's memories were slouches.
After months of hanging with Paul, Zack realized something. If Paul was as "useless" as the haters in his memories claimed, how'd he end up known as the Point God?
Huh? Who called him that?
Uh… who knows? Point is, after spending time with Paul, Zack saw him in a whole new light.
"Next game's against North Carolina," Paul said one day after their last warmup game in October, eyeing Zack's increasingly chiseled frame.
"I know. It's gonna be my college debut," Zack said, trying to sound cool despite the butterflies.
Paul saw right through him and smirked. "Want some tips on handling pre-game jitters?"
Zack shook his head. "Nah, don't make me sound like a wimp, Chris. I've got a heart full of konjou."
Paul shrugged, then held out his fist. "You got it wrong, Zack. Next game's not just your debut—it's our first time teaming up in a college game."
The next second, their fists bumped—big fist, small fist. Zack felt his nerves melt away. "Thanks, Chris. You're a real one."
"You too, Zack," Paul said, giving his back a pat.
The North Carolina showdown was coming fast.
Watching the tall-short duo exchange "nice guy" cards from the sidelines, Prose couldn't shake the feeling that in this upcoming battle, more than one beast might break free.
Yup.
In this clash with North Carolina, Wake Forest might just unleash two beasts.
Because of Felton, Paul had been waiting for this day.
Every time Paul remembered what the North Carolina coach told him—"We've got Raymond, so sorry, we can't give you the minutes you want"—it lit a fire in him.
Sure, back in high school, Felton might've been the better point guard.
But Paul never believed he couldn't surpass him one day.
And now, a golden opportunity was staring him in the face.
Even if it was just a friendly.
Paul wanted to show North Carolina's coaches.
Show them that between him and Felton, he was the better one.
…
PS: Yo, this new story need some love—add it to your collection, drop some votes, and spread the word!
(Chapter End)