With the Sharingan activated, the world seemed to unfold in slow motion through my eyes.

Every movement, every breath of the players around me was visible, predictable.

It wasn't just as if I could anticipate their actions before they even decided what to do; it was as if my body somehow understood, learned and my mind memorized it.

When Flash Thompson had the ball again, he passed to me as I appeared to his left.

I picked up the ball and took a step to the side to prevent the player in front of me from jumping and hitting the ball. Then I bent my knees and shot. The ball spun in the air and crossed the field in a perfect trajectory. I immediately turned my back to return, not even needing to look to know that I'd hit it, because with the Sharingan I was able to copy the throwing technique I'd seen the other players use during the game.

Flash approached me as we walked back to our part of the court. "That's how it's done, Lucas! That's you!"

Apparently, my version in this universe knew how to play basketball very well, and that's why everyone trusted me so much.

The tactic I used so that no one would notice that my eyes were absurdly red was to unequip and equip the Sharingan non-stop. There was no cooldown for this, so I was able to abuse it. After using it, I would deactivate it while keeping my head down so no one would notice. Honestly, it took a bit of mental effort, but it was better than being the anchor pulling the team to defeat.

As the game went on, I continued to use the Sharingan to analyze and copy the movements of the players around me. I studied them and then replicated them. The score quickly began to turn in our favor, and the frustration of our opponents became apparent. They just couldn't keep up.

On one of the final possessions, with the score 89-64, Flash inbounded the ball to me again. I dribbled past one opponent with a misstep and easily passed another with a spin move. When I got to the basket, I jumped and buried the ball hard. I didn't even know I could jump that high, but dunking in basketball was much more than just a matter of momentum and height.

When the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard showed an overwhelming victory for Midtown High School.

Midtown High School 91 x 64 Brooklyn High School.

We had won, and as much as the reason I had done so well was the Sharingan, I was smiling because I had done something my old self never thought possible: be the star of a school basketball game.

[Congratulations! You have completed the Side Quest "Classifying and Impressing"!]

[200 Card Points have been added to your Balance.]

[You received 1 Common Skill Card.]

[You received 1 Omniversal Anime Travel Ticket.]

"Wow, good job! I think this was your best game yet!" Flash said, slapping me on the back when we got back to the locker room. "Talking to Gwen alone yesterday gave you a lot of motivation, didn't it?"

"What? Lucas Hayes is dating Gwen Stacy? That's news!"

"It is!" agreed Kenny McFarlane, a tall blond boy from the popular kids. "I thought she'd never get involved with anyone after what happened with that weirdo Peter Parker..."

Hearing this, I quickly turned to Kenny. My body reacted before my mind could decide if this was a good idea or not. I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pushed him hard against the metal locker, making a loud noise that echoed through the locker room.

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Conversation immediately stopped, and all eyes turned to us.

"Don't talk about Peter Parker like that." I ordered, gritting my teeth.

The shock on Kenny's face showed that I had caught him off guard.

"W-what? Parker's already dead! And I was just kidding, man!" Kenny stammered.

"It's not funny."

The locker room was silent for a moment, and Flash approached to try to calm them down.

"Relax, Lucas. Kenny really is a jerk sometimes. He didn't mean anything."

Realizing that everyone was looking at us, I let go of Kenny, grabbed my backpack, and closed my locker tightly. My anger was so obvious that people even made room for me as I left the locker room.

People may have wondered why I reacted so explosively to hearing such a simple offense and, honestly, I can't give you an exact answer. Emotions aren't that simple. I think it was because I was feeling a bit guilty about hanging out with the people who had upset Peter, but that still wouldn't be such a plausible reason. In the end, it was just an impulsive action by a confused teenager.

"Hey, Lucas!" Flash called out after I exited the locker room.

"What?"

"Let it go! Let's not spoil the victory party! Let's go bowling with the guys tonight. It'll be fun, man. Let's celebrate the team's win." He gestured as if trying to convince me.

"No thanks, Flash. But I think I'll stay home today."

"Oh, don't do that, man. You played good today, you deserve a break. Besides..." A mischievous smile appeared on his face. "... Gwen will be there. And guess what? She asked if you wanted to go."

Those last words touched me in a way I didn't want to admit.

Gwen... Why would she ask about me? Why would she? Just because of a short conversation the day before and now? It didn't make sense... Or had she seen my eyes during the game?

I tried my best to hide the Sharingan from everyone, and especially from her during the game, so I always had my back to the bleachers where she was. Still, she was Spiderwoman, could she have noticed that my eyes were different when even my teammates on the court hadn't?

Yeah, it looked like I'd only get those answers if I accepted Flash's invitation and kept this friendship going a little longer.

"Okay. I'll go."

Flash gave me a big smile. "That's how you say it! We'll have fun, you'll see."

*

Later that day...

The bowling alley near the school was busy as usual after school. When I walked in, the first thing I saw was the usual group near one of the lanes.

I wasn't sure what to expect tonight, but the desire to understand what Gwen really thought of me was what pushed me forward.

Flash was the first to notice me, raising his hand in an exaggerated wave. "Lucas! I thought you ran away, man!" He laughed, and the others in the group turned to look at me.

So I forced a smile, trying to look confident, like someone who had been the star of the basketball team in a semifinal game, because I was.

As I got closer, I realized there was someone in the group I didn't know. A tall boy with brown hair and a serious look was standing next to Mary Jane. He seemed out of place, as if he was there more out of obligation than choice.

"Ah, Lucas, this is my best friend, Harry Osborn," MJ said, introducing the boy with a smile. "Harry, this is Lucas. He just started school this year, and he's on the basketball team."

"Osborn?" I repeated.

Of course I knew who Harry Osborn was, but I tried to pretend that I was just trying to remember.

"I know that name. Your family has a big business in town, right?" I continued, reaching out to shake his hand.

"Yes, the Oscorp. My father runs it all." Harry returned the handshake.

"Yeah, I think I've heard of it. Nice to meet you."

The conversation was interrupted by Flash, who stepped forward with his usual enthusiasm. "Okay, okay! Let's get down to business. Let's pair up! Gwen, how would you like to play with Lucas? You'd make a great team!"

My heart leapt. Of course Flash would suggest it, without even trying to hide it. I looked at Gwen, who smiled slightly and didn't show much surprise at the suggestion.

"Fine with me," she said, putting her phone back in her pocket.

"That's it! So, I think it would be cool if the other pairs were MJ and Harry, me and Glory, and finally Jason and Betty," Flash said, already handing out the cards without asking the others' opinions. "That way the eight of us can compete to see who gets the most points."

"I like that." Glory said.

"That's fine with me, isn't it, Harry?" MJ asked.

"Yeah, it's fine."

Gwen positioned herself next to me. "Let's see what you got, Lucas. You're a good shot, aren't you?"

"I think I used up all my energy in the game earlier, I hope we can work well together to beat the others!" I said, which made them laugh for a moment, and then I turned to the others and asked: "So guys, how about we all make things more fun with a bet?"

"Hmm. What do you suggest?" Betty asked.

"How about the couple with the lowest score has to kiss as punishment?" I suggested.

*

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