While Isagi was busy searching for his path to improvement, Shinichi quietly drifted into sleep.
As his consciousness sank deeper, he once again found himself in that familiar space.
"Alright, same routine as always. Time to spin the wheel," Shinichi muttered, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.
Despite having plenty of points saved up, his hoarding instincts as a gamer made him reluctant to spend too much at once.
Instead, he limited himself to spending 100 points daily for a ten-spin pull, just to test his luck.
But unlike his first pull, which had seemed like a generous newbie reward, subsequent attempts yielded little of value.
He hadn't seen anything noteworthy since, not even a hint of the purple glow that signified a rare trait.
Realizing that switching his focus to a new build wouldn't bring much benefit, he decided to forgo summoning any new "servants" for now.
[Ding! Congratulations, you've obtained the following temporary traits. Please select one to store permanently:]
[Genius (Blue)]
[Farsighted (White)]
[Mediocre (Blue)]
[Irritable (White)]
[Ear-Movement Skill (Blue)]
[Left-Handed (Blue)]
[Devour (Gold)]
[Copying Eye (Gold)]
[Wild Instinct (Blue)]
[First Step (Blue)]
"Yes—ah!" Shinichi's initial cry of joy at the sudden golden glow was immediately followed by anguish as he realized the cruel irony of his situation.
"Why?! After all those pulls with nothing good, now I get this jackpot, and I can only choose one?! Nooo!" He dropped to his knees in despair, like a tragic figure in a snowstorm, gazing skyward with a long, drawn-out wail.
It took him a while to calm down and shake off the bittersweet feeling of hitting the jackpot under impossible circumstances.
"Alright, let's analyze this rationally. The two gold traits are clearly game-changers, just based on their names. But even the last two blue traits are great options. Wild Instinct, for instance, might be based on something like the ability from Kuroko's Basketball—enhancing your strength by channeling animalistic traits according to your style and personality."
"And the fully realized potential of Wild Instinct should be excellent," Shinichi muttered to himself, his expression a mix of agony and regret.
"The ultimate strength of this trait likely depends entirely on the user. Its current blue-grade quality is probably because I drew a lower grade version, not because its cap is inherently low."
If this had shown up during the earlier drought of mediocre pulls, he would've picked it without hesitation.
It could easily be a hidden gem that surpasses typical grade evaluations. But now… what a cruel twist of fate.
The other trait, First Step (Blue), was similarly appealing. It was the kind of trait that had immense universal applicability in almost any sport.
For a blue-grade trait, it might even rival anything outside of the Genius tier. Yet, its lower grade meant Shinichi had no choice but to pass on it in this crucial moment.
"Which leaves me with the final two," Shinichi said, his gaze locking onto the two golden traits radiating an irresistible brilliance. Both were undeniably overpowered, game-changing abilities.
"Copying Eye... This one's the easiest to assess. The ability is practically spelled out in the name. It's the kind of cheat skill that's standard for top-tier prodigies in any sports anime."
His mind raced as he imagined the potential of copying and mastering any technique or move he witnessed. It was a trait that could skyrocket anyone to the top, but… there was still the other contender to consider.
Just the name Copying Eye brought countless iconic characters to Shinichi's mind—legendary figures from sports anime who wielded similar abilities.
Characters like Ryota Kise from Kuroko's Basketball, Niou Masaharu from Prince of Tennis, and even Reo Mikage from Blue Lock, who had yet to awaken his potential.
Moreover, with this system's trait-driven summoning mechanic, owning such a trait meant summoning spirits with similar capabilities was entirely possible.
Were there even more geniuses in sports anime who lacked the ability to copy others' skills?
For instance, Ryoma Echizen from Prince of Tennis replicated his teammates' signature moves at times.
Akashi Seijuro from Kuroko's Basketball, with his Emperor's Eye, might not copy the Generation of Miracles' unique skills, but he could likely recreate the techniques of lesser players with ease.
The Miya twins from Haikyuu!! also attempted to replicate the freak quick attack at the very beginning.
Perhaps the reason why these other prodigies didn't showcase copying abilities was simply because they chose to walk their own path, deeming imitation beneath them.
This made Copying Eye not only an explicitly powerful trait but one with enormous potential for growth.
"But still…" Shinichi took a deep breath, his gaze drawn irresistibly toward another trait.
Its name was deceptively simple—just one word—but it pulled him in like a black hole.
Despite Copying Eye's overwhelming appeal, Shinichi's fingers hovered and then moved toward the gravitational pull of Devour.
The moment his decision was made, a message popped up:
[You have selected the trait Devour (Gold). Would you like to use this trait as a catalyst to summon a heroic spirit?]
"Ah, I've done it now," Shinichi muttered, rubbing his temples in frustration.
He knew full well that Copying Eye had been the safer choice.
After all, this system didn't simply grant you the ability outright.
Take his training with Kobe Bryant, for instance—he'd spent ages trying to acquire the ability and still hadn't succeeded.
Moreover, anyone with a copying ability in fiction was almost always a genius.
Sure, there were exceptions, but most of them were exceptional teachers too—Akashi Seijuro had trained multiple "phantom sixth men," and Tezuka Kunimitsu's leadership and coaching talents were undeniable.
But those with Devour abilities?
Without exception, they were lunatics.
Almost none of them operated within the bounds of sanity, and they usually acted on pure instinct.
Teaching?
Forget it.
Shinichi couldn't help but worry he'd just summoned someone more trouble than they were worth—someone useless and always causing problems.
"Still… this is Blue Lock. Just seeing the word Devour feels right. There's no way I couldn't take it."
He tried to convince himself, justifying the decision in his head. "Besides, guys with copying abilities in anime always end up as stepping stones anyway. Copying isn't truly your own. But devouring others, breaking them down, and absorbing their talents to make them yours—that's true growth. Yeah… that's it."
Resolving himself, Shinichi tossed the golden, glass-like trait orb into the summoning circle.
The circle began to glow faintly, the orb disintegrating into shimmering golden particles.
As the particles were absorbed into the formation, an intense golden beam shot into the sky.
"The effects for golden traits really are a step above purple ones," Shinichi thought, squinting against the brilliance as he tried to make out the figure emerging from the light.
"Sportswear? At least it's an athlete... Wait, basketball gear again? And gray-silver hair… Devour... Great. Definitely summoned a handful."
"Well, well," the newcomer drawled, lazily picking at his ear as he emerged fully into view. His expression was a mix of amusement and menace, his gaze predatory. "You've got yourself a nice little setup here. Makes me jealous."
The youth's smile turned sharp, his eyes gleaming with malice. "I feel like taking everything you've got for myself."
"Shogo Haizaki, huh? Of all people, I had to summon you," Shinichi muttered, pressing his fingers to his temples in frustration.
First, he'd summoned that obsessive lunatic—a player so fixated on one-on-one duels that Shinichi couldn't even begin training without enduring their constant challenges.
Now, he had this guy to deal with.
"Wait!" A sudden idea struck Shinichi, and he smacked his right fist into his left palm. "Why didn't I think of this earlier?"
With a flash of light, the shimmering violet-gold shirt of a certain summoned spirit materialized on the court.
"Why don't you two fight it out first? Settle things between yourselves before we talk," Shinichi suggested with a grin.
He stepped back, folding his arms as Haizaki's grin grew sharper, his gaze turning toward the newly arrived challenger.
The tension in the air grew thick as both figures sized each other up.
"This is going to be fun," Shinichi thought, leaning back as if to enjoy the show.
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