133 Against The Finnish Team (1/2)
”You're finally going to stop your one-man army display?” Amado sighed out in satisfaction. ”Jeez, you didn't leave us any room for movement and playing. And you aren't even tired. What an indefatigable inhuman being.”
”I've practiced my stamina to that extent.” Hayden stated in a matter-of-factly tone. ”Anyhow, this will be your first time utilizing and playing at my high level of pace. Be careful. It may quickly drain your stamina. I'll try to keep it at the minimum pace. When somebody is tired, inform me.”
”Yes, sir!” Everybody responded seriously. Hayden was the de facto captain here. A person whose skill was the greatest among any of them.
…..
The Philippine team and Finnish team lined up facing one another. Hayden noticed that everyone in the Finnish team, except for Erno Heikki, had soulless and dispirited eyes. They're the most literal definition of someone whose soul has been sucked out of their bodies.
Hayden, despite of the sinister nature of an Ability that can do this, didn't bat an eyelid. If he had this kind of Ability as well, he'd make use of it. It'd be stupid if he didn't. It'd be a waste if he didn't.
Needless to say, Hayden wouldn't use it in this manner. Still, using it in this manner was actually quite ingenious. As someone who had trust issues and social anxiety, Hayden even coveted this kind of Ability.
Nevertheless, he felt that it'd be boring of a world if he can do this. 'That's why there must be certain limitations to this. Anyhow, this kind of Ability cannot be activated here. It'd be a huge uproar in Overseers if somebody does.'
In due course, Hayden and Erno shook hands with a smile plastered on their faces. Their auras involuntarily crept out. Erno's was akin to that of an analytical, cold mastermind. In other words, a general.
'He has Supreme King as well, huh?' Hayden recognized the aura immediately. 'Though Starakt did say that the extent I can use my Supreme King without knowledge about Innate Gifts was off the charts…'
'What a powerful aura.' Erno was startled internally. 'Will my underlings be able to beat this powerful of a player?'
In all honesty, Erno feared Hayden the most in this Annual Youth Pride. A person termed as the 'Heavenly Emperor' is surely no joke. And this was backed by the back-to-back surrenders from the two teams that he faced.
He had to put in all of his effort in defeating those two teams and adapt, yet Hayden crushed them with pure skill and agility alone. Hayden was nothing short of an undefeatable monster in everybody's point of view.
…..
”He is indeed a true monster.” David's eyes had a glint of an unknown hunger in them.
”Maybe this is a product of someone who trends every time he moves?” Commentator Hayden joked. On-screen, #ChungDen flashed. ”The #ChungDen is currently number one worldwide! It has been confirmed that Hayden and Sung Chung-hee, a Korean idol and member of the world-renowned CHORUS, spent three hours in each other's company at Canteen of the World. Were they really on a date? Tons of speculations is circulating in the internet.”
”Heh, Hayden is definitely trying to show off.” David chuckled. ”It's commonplace for someone of that age to fall in love with those beauties.”
”Indeed. I actually am on team ChungDen. How about you, David?” Commentator Hayden lightheartedly spoke.
”I'm not someone who ships celebrities together, but if I have to choose, I will be on team ShuDen (Shu-Ching and Hayden).” David spoke. ”It's unpopular, sure. I'm simply joining it because the two's ages are the closest. I'm sorry, but I'm a fan of classical music.”
”It's fine, it's fine. Nobody will bash you for your opinion and tastes.” Commentator Hayden nodded in understanding. ”It is not the old era anymore. Oh, it's starting!”
”Surprisingly, the ball goes to the Finnish team!” David bridged with ease. ”It seems that Hayden is finally going to be given a tough time!”
”And the Finnish team is the first one to score with a long-ranged three-pointer!” Commentator Hayden chuckled in his surprise. ”This may be a tough match-up for our fellow Filipino.”
…..
”That's how it is, huh?” Hayden licked his lips from the blatant challenge from the past half-court three-pointer.
Receiving the ball, Hayden immediately chucked it to the opponent's basket. When this finished again, Erno passed the ball to the one who can score three-pointers and that man scored a three-pointer.
This exchange of long-range three-pointers persisted for five minutes. Each shot from the two was precise and accurate. Usually, these kinds of battle would be boring, yet Hayden's and the man's match was cutthroat and intense.
'I see what he's doing.' Hayden glanced at Erno. 'He wants to tire me with this method? Well, it is clever. Unfortunately, it's me.'
Hayden, the paranoiac that he was, trained his stamina to last an entire 40 minutes without any performance loss and playing at full capability. In fact, Hayden has measured that he can last an entire two hours of uninterrupted basketball gameplay and stay at the optimal level. This was without his essence energy circulation.
At the two-minute-and-thirty-second mark, the sharpshooter of the Finnish team was substituted, clearly exhausted. Meanwhile, Hayden's expression was that of absolute nonchalance, as if what he did was a trivial matter.
'Tsk, this guy is impossible to wear out.' Erno clicked his tongue, passing the ball into one of his teammates. He bit his thumb. 'Should I do my five-man full-on concentration? But if I do, some of these guys might not make it…'
This should be explained: Erno's Ability is named Marionette Parasite. From its name alone, you can infer that it is an Ability that can plant parasites on people's minds and control them manually.
That's exactly what its first Level power does. Plus, it steals a percentage of brainpower from the parasite's host, easing the burden on Erno on manipulating the targets.
Its Level 2 power reinforces the power of the parasites and adds on an application of a 'basic AI.' Well, it isn't an AI, but more of that its host retains part of their personality while they're being inhabited by the parasite.
On top of this, Erno can see, feel, hear, taste, and smell everything that every host does. Including pain, except that Erno can turn that off. This was as long as the host was within 100 meters away from him.
The finisher to this Ability is that if the host is a wielder, he can activate their Abilities when controlling them. It can also be dispelled by Erno voluntarily.
As for its limits, in its current state, the Ability allows Erno to manipulate solely 20 people at once and that it can be easily sensed by the host once they get out of the 100-meter range.
Lastly, its method of 'planting' is through eggs fabricated from Erno's blood. What Erno can do is convert his blood into eggs that can either be planted on food, or by wounding targets. The eggs are tasteless and is as small as a dust particle.
However, there is one crucial weakness for Erno's Marionette Parasite. It is that it cannot plant itself on people stronger than Erno. As a Level 2 wielder, this meant that Level 3 wielders and above were off-limits. Most Level 2 wielders were susceptible to the Marionette Parasite.
Going back to the match, Erno wanted to sit out the match and control the people from the sidelines. It would be the best to concentrate his brainpower on his manual manipulation.
After all, every one of the ten people he has planted the Marionette Parasite on were the best 16-year-old basketball players in Finland. With his precise manipulation, their capabilities will be boosted by twofold.
As such, the second Hayden shot the ball to tie the score at 168, Erno himself substituted out. Sitting down leisurely, Erno cracked his knuckles. He was going to give it his all right from the start.
His eyes changed as his hands, which were resting on his thighs, wriggled. On the court, one of his team members courageously brought the ball to the half court line.
Faced with said team member, Hayden naturally attempted to steal the ball. Unanticipated by Hayden, the youth skillfully passed from behind the back. That man brought the ball further into the court.
Regardless, Hayden's reaction time, being enhanced by the passive of Divine Perception, allowed him to react immediately. He was a step too late as the man broke past through the unusual box defense of Hayden's team.
The Finnish teams' agility was astonishingly high. Although not on par with Hayden's own, their collective agility was higher than Hayden's own team. This allowed them to score two points over the Philippine team.
Hayden's and Erno's eyes met. Hayden snorted in amusement. Erno's skin crawled due to this snort. His first impression of Hayden changed, becoming that of a 'challenge-loving introvert to the point of masochism.'
'Yet he's still intelligent and has a personality of not at all what you'll expect from a masochistic introvert.' Erno was the first to break the gaze with Hayden. 'A tough opponent, and a reliable person. The type of person you'd want to befriend.'
With the ball on Hayden's team, Hayden was the one to receive the ball again. Erno was prepping himself to face Hayden when Hayden wound up his arm and shot a sniper three-pointer. This put the score at 171-170, in favor of Hayden's team.
'Crap, he can still do this!' Erno couldn't believe the cunningness of Hayden. 'An efficient and focused man who never missed a single shot. What kind of monster did that Jorge awaken?'
Shortly, the ball returned to the hands of the Finnish team. Before the whistle blew, Hayden slightly raised his right hand, made a peace sign, and shook it once. This was the hand sign that meant Hayden was going to pass the next time they are in possession of the ball.