Tennis: Phoenix Experience Card, Claiming the World No. 1 Spot

Xia Tian is reborn in 2012 at the London Olympics, the sole Chinese men's tennis player left in the draw. His first-round opponent is world number one Novak Djokovic, and fans across the country expect him to get crushed. The Big Tennis King System activates at the same time, and his first training reward is an Eishin Phoenix Experience Card. After being bageled 0-6 in the first set, Li Xiang clenches his fists. "Winning even one game would count as a victory."

In the second set, the Phoenix Card activates. A one-handed backhand blasts past the baseline, followed by a string of ace serves. The stadium erupts. Djokovic gets broken, and Lendl sits up straight in the box. Xia Tian fights back from 0-6 to 5-3, then holds serve to take the second set. The commentator's voice trembles. "Chinese men's tennis has snatched a set from the world number one!"

At the start of the deciding set, Xia Tian breaks Djokovic repeatedly. Djokovic starts slowing the pace, bouncing the ball for more than ten seconds at a time. Xia Tian closes his eyes, and a prompt appears from the System: "Defeat Djokovic to permanently unlock all of Eishin Phoenix's core skills." He returns to the baseline, the stadium lights shining on his white kit.

"In this set, I'll make the world remember my name."

This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to actual people or events is purely coincidental. Do not imitate.