After spending a few days adjusting to his new world, Dirga couldn't help but notice the small but significant differences between this timeline and the one he had lived before.
The biggest change was the timing.
In both lives, he started playing basketball after his parents passed away. That part was eerily consistent. But in his previous life, that tragedy happened right after primary school. He moved to Japan and began playing basketball in junior high. In this life, however, his parents died just after he graduated junior high. He still ended up in Japan, but this time, he had already begun playing basketball back home in Indonesia.
The second change was his school.
In his past life, he went to Toyonaka Junior High with his cousin Aoi, where his uncle, Takeshi Renji, was the head coach of the basketball team. Now, Takeshi wasn't coaching at all—he was a regular teacher at a brand-new school: Toyonakan Horizon. And because of his uncle's recommendation and a bit of persuasion, Dirga had enrolled there instead.
But the biggest difference?
What are you? Dirga asked silently in his mind, blinking in disbelief.
[A gift from the Basketball God—to honor your death on the court.]
Why me? he asked again, his heart thudding.
[That is for you to discover.]
Dirga sat in silence as he processed the answer.
He had struggled his entire previous life—barely scraping by as a pro. A bench player. A background figure in someone else's highlight reel. He had held onto hope with white-knuckled fists, believing that his chance would one day come. Despite rarely starting games, despite spending most seasons buried on the depth chart, his contract had kept getting extended—like the universe was dangling a carrot he could never quite reach.
Every season, Dirga thought, If they cut me now, maybe I can return to Japan and try again.
They kept renewing. He kept waiting.
And then... it ended.
Now, given a second chance, he had to ask himself:
Should I follow the same path again, knowing how bitter the ending is? Or should I change it all?
This time, he had experience. He had knowledge. And now... he had a system.
Maybe this was why the Basketball God had intervened—to finally give him the tools to realize the dream he'd never stopped chasing.
[Syncing System with Host...]
Name : Dirgantara renji
System level : High School
Inside Scoring : C - Shooting : C+ Playmaking : B Defense : D Physical : C - Mentality : A
Wait... these are my attributes? Dirga blinked at the screen only he could see.
[Yes, based on your current high school athletic form.]
[It's very bad, Host.]
Dirga groaned internally. His height was only 172 cm? That felt tiny compared to his former self. He remembered he hit a growth spurt in his second year—at least that much better stay the same.
As he continued thinking about how to move forward, a voice called out from downstairs.
"Dirgaaa! Don't take so long! We'll be late!"
It was Aoi, his cousin and the daughter of Uncle Takeshi.
"Coming!" Dirga shouted back.
He opened the door to find her still waiting with an annoyed expression.
Aoi was the very picture of traditional Japanese beauty: pale skin, sharp features, long flowing hair, and large, expressive eyes. She was taller than the average girl, and carried herself with a fiery presence that matched her personality.
"What took you so long?" she said, arms crossed.
"Sorry, sorry," Dirga said quickly. "I overslept."
"You overslept on your first week back at school? Seriously?" she said, shaking her head.
"Yes, ma'am," he replied with a grin.
They headed downstairs together, where Uncle Takeshi sat at the table, calmly sipping miso soup and reading the morning newspaper.
Even though it was 2009, and newspapers were still common, something about seeing it again after so many years made Dirga pause for a second. The rustle of paper. The smell of ink. It felt like a different world.
"What made you so late?" Takeshi asked without looking up.
"Sorry, Ojiisan," Dirga said, bowing slightly.
He felt embarrassed. Being late this early into the semester, especially when he was the nephew of a teacher, could make people talk. His uncle had a strict face, but Dirga knew he wasn't being harsh—he was just concerned.
"Fine. I'll drive you two," Takeshi said, folding the paper. "But this is the last time."
"Yes!" Aoi and Dirga said at the same time.
Aoi shot him a glare sharp enough to cut steel. Dirga chuckled. If looks could kill, he would have died twice already.
After dropping Aoi off at her school, Takeshi continued driving, the hum of the Honda filling the silence. The streets of suburban Osaka rolled by outside the window.
"So," Takeshi asked without looking away from the road, "how's school so far?"
"It's good," Dirga answered. "I'm planning to join the basketball team."
"Oh? Kaito's team, right?"
There was a pause. Then his uncle spoke again, his voice quieter this time.
"I believe in your talent, Dirga. Make it count."
Dirga turned to look at him. The words were simple, but coming from his usually stoic uncle, they meant everything.
"Thanks," he said softly.
Even without smiling, Dirga could feel how much his uncle cared. This second chance might have come from a god, but the people around him—Aoi, Uncle Takeshi, and maybe even Kaito—were part of why he wanted to make it count.
This time, he wouldn't settle for being background.
This time, he would chase the dream until he reached the top.