The gym smelled like sweat and pressure.
Michael stepped inside the Eastern Regional Fall Circuit and immediately felt eyes on him. Coaches with polos and clipboards. Recruits with matching duffel bags and expensive sneakers. The chatter of AAU veterans who'd played under real lights, not cracked backboards and hallway whispers.
He stood alone.
No entourage. No branded gear. Just a black hoodie and a beat-up pair of Hyperdunks.
Perfect.
[Entering Competitive Environment: XP Scaling Increased]
He glanced at the players warming up. A few had the look—smooth handle, bounce in their step, real spacing IQ. This wasn't pickup ball. This was the stage before the stage.
His bracket team was a mishmash of unsigned talent. No one knew each other. No chemistry.
Michael didn't mind.
He introduced himself with action.
First scrimmage: he ripped the ball from a four-star combo guard on the first possession and went coast-to-coast with a reverse finish.
Second possession: help defense block from the weak side.
Third: jab, crossover, spin, fadeaway.
[Progress: 3.87%][Skill Chain Activated: Iso Efficiency +1]
His teammates took notice.
"Yo, what school you play for?" one asked, wide-eyed.
Michael shrugged. "A quiet one."
As the games continued, scouts moved closer to the baseline.
He wasn't dropping 40. He didn't need to.
His game was surgical. Every cut, every pass, every closeout looked like he'd done it under pressure. Like he already knew what was coming.
Midway through the second half of Game 2, a regional scout scribbled something down.
"6'9. Guard instincts. Feels like a pro. Not flashy—just terrifyingly efficient."
Another one asked the coordinator, "Where the hell did this kid come from?"
Michael didn't smile.
He was locked in.
Late in the final game, down by 3 with under a minute left, the ball found him.
He didn't hesitate.
Step-back three. Over a 6'7 defender.
Swish.
Next play: he pressed full court, baited a bad pass, stole it, and slammed it home with two hands.
The gym erupted.
He walked back to the bench, calm, eyes scanning the floor.
[Progress: 4.21%][Skill Unlock: Clutch Instinct Tier I]
After the final whistle, players dapped up, scouts whispered, and phones were already out.
Michael sat on the bleachers, towel around his neck.
One of the coaches approached.
"You got a name, kid?"
"Michael Schmidt."
"You got a handler or AAU team?"
"Nope."
The coach raised an eyebrow. "You do now. We're running another circuit in two months. You'll hear from me."
Michael just nodded.
Because he knew he would.
The whispers were turning into conversations.
The system dinged.
[Noticed By Regional Scouts – Milestone Triggered][Progress Boost Applied: +0.3%]
[Total Progress: 4.51%]
And this?
This was only the beginning.