payment.

August 15.

With some fatigue, Billy headed to a basketball hall, a small arena in a green area. The call was crucial, arriving after 5 PM, when Michael rested with the guys, recovering from a day of continuous play from 9 AM to 5 PM to improve his level after being in baseball. Billy nodded to place bets; this time, he could be more daring and bet in multiple casinos and betting houses. He hoped to scrape about five million in sports bets.

-This way, Mr. Carson- commented a security team member. Upon seeing him, the guard wanted to ask for an autograph. The basketball team often talked about the great artist of the moment and how he had inspired them with his comic, which now featured one of the most grandiose final arcs, with thrilling national matches and the eagerly awaited quarterfinals of the competition.

Billy saw that the author had finished the manga "Slam Dunk" and had spent much time imagining and extending how to compose the entire scene. He made some quick adjustments to advance to the quarterfinals, with Sakuragi/Will on the bench, helplessly watching the boys win a close victory in the quarterfinals but lose in the semifinals against a solid team based on the Spurs, a defensive team with the most promising player of the prefecture, standing 2 meters tall.

Thus, Will/Sacramento High's team loses in the semifinals, becoming the fourth team in the country.

Ending the series, he paved the way for a second season in Sakuragi/Will's life, married to Hanna/Haruko, re-entering the professional world as a rookie, showcasing what it means to be a rookie in the NBA. He planned to draw inspiration from some players, depicting the climb to the top and the struggle to succeed as expected, highlighting the mediocre skills not yet fully polished, as the average NBA level is one of perfection in all aspects. He hoped this would be a spin-off of at least 200 chapters.

-Sir, may I have your autograph? - asked the security guard, with a look of embarrassment. Michael had already signed a paper for all team members.

Billy observed the man, in his forties, slightly overweight, with a receding hairline, looking tired.

-Of course, do you need a dedication? - Billy asked.

-Yes, it's for my son Tim, - the guard replied.

-Do you have a pen or pencil? - Billy inquired, carrying only a portfolio with pre-signed gifts.

The man's smile faded, feeling the urge to hit himself over something so simple.

-Let me give you a good point; I'll wait for you. I'll be out in half an hour; you can get some paper. Perhaps, I'll ask for you. What's your name? - Billy said.

-Charlie Hampson, - the guard replied.

-Well, Charlie, I hope we can get that autograph signed for Tim Hampson. If I have any spare merchandise, I can give you something, but I came for the basketball players, so I can't promise anything, - Billy said, patting the man's shoulder.

-Y-yes, I'll try, - the man stammered, opening the gym door as a team of two-meter-tall men, some shorter, ran back and forth in a nearly unbelievable scene.

Billy crossed the gym doors and took a seat as he received an unexpected call, deciding not to answer it for now. He needed to remain silent and hold that meeting much later. In the stands, watching the basketball game, there were four teams in the arena, moving intensely back and forth in training. It was 5:10 PM, with no sign of stopping. Billy arrived a bit later than expected, adjusted his portfolio on his knees, and decided to close his eyes.

As the sound of balls, shouts, whistles, and shoe soles filled his mind, he felt a certain exhaustion and needed to pay attention to these symptoms. He took a breath and heard two loud whistles. The clock showed 5:25. When the whistle sounded, there was applause.

In the other corner, the tallest man, possibly the most popular player in America, nodded, with a rebellious look on his face despite being in his thirties. Next to him were Scottie Pippen, Charles Barkley, and other Bulls players.

-Didn't expect you to show up,- Michael Jordan joked. -Your agent could have mentioned that you're one of the busiest people in America. A pleasure, you can call me Michael.-

-I have such a tight schedule that time can become my most valuable asset, but someone mentioned you wanted to see me. It's incredible to meet you... Sometimes we underestimate fame,- Billy replied, shaking Michael's hand.

Looking at the other members.

-I'm Charles, - said a dark-skinned man with gigantic hands.

-Charles Barkley, when I have time, I sometimes watch the sports channel to unwind, - Billy commented.

-Then you know who I am,- questioned a sweaty Scottie Pippen.

-Of course, you're Scottie Pippen, Steve Kerr, and Patrick Ewing,- Billy replied, greeting all the basketball stars, who smiled back at him.

-As you know, a guest shouldn't come empty-handed to a meeting. Let's take a seat; my portfolio might just be where you'll see some magic happen,- Billy said, pulling out some "Slam Dunk" mangas. He had around 500 volumes reserved from the first 30 chapters before Nike's sponsorship—a collector's piece with Billy's signature.

-These are the first volumes I printed before Nike offered to sponsor my comics. There was no such intention when I started, so they are all in black and white and without sponsorship details. They are my most cherished volumes. Do any of the guys like 'Slam Dunk'?- Billy asked, handing over six volumes from the eight he brought, keeping four and one for the security guard.

-I think I'll ask around,- commented Steve Kerr, heading to the locker room. "Slam Dunk" is the best-selling comic in North America, with a total of 485 million copies sold. Each volume sells at least a million copies, with some surpassing two, three, four, five, or even the record eight million copies.

-So, this is almost unprecedented, - commented Michael Jordan.

-You could say that. It has my signature and is one of the first editions. You have 23/50,000, so consider yourself lucky,- Billy said, unwrapping a comic that came in a bag.

-This, on the other hand, is a color draft, drawn and painted by me. So far, I've only given away three drafts. I used to make two or three books by hand. This is one I've kept,- Billy explained, handing over the bag, which looked glorious to Michael's eyes—the number 4, in color, with incredible details.

Then, Patrick Ewing asked a question that caught Billy off guard for a moment.

-Hey, I know you're a genius, but why are there so many white guys playing basketball? Don't get me wrong; those guys can't play,- Patrick said, earning laughs from his teammates, who awaited the response with some intrigue.

-Oh... I was a 9-year-old kid when I created the series, so some things are a bit childish,- Billy began, giving a brief overview. -It's also a way to distinguish characters. We need distinctions, and that's why we use costumes in comics. But since this one is based on real life, I had to play with hairstyles, hair color, and skin color... This comic, in particular, has almost 400 characters. It's a challenge to manage so many characters, and despite my exceptional talent, I tend to repeat myself. So, I do my best to organize the characters. Why do you think a basketball player wears glasses?- Billy asked.

-Makes sense... but damn,- Patrick said.

-Be careful with those volumes; they are scarce and valuable,- Billy cautioned.

-Makes sense,- Jordan added.

-It's more than logical. When I started, I didn't have a team to help me, and everything was up to me. I colored and made drafts because I needed to gain perspective. But black-and-white prints are painful. So reducing and increasing skin types gave me advantages. Now I use it as a way to adapt my comics for the people who buy them,- Billy explained.

***

Later that night.

-Steve, I didn't expect your call,- Billy said, surprised.

-Neither did I, but it seems you're the majority shareholder of Apple—something I didn't expect. Have you heard about the merger between Apple and NeXT?- said Jobs over the phone.

-I have some time tomorrow afternoon. I'm in Los Angeles,- Billy replied.

-Perfect, I won't take up more of your time. We'll finalize everything in person,- Jobs said, smiling at how quickly he could arrange meetings with Billy. He liked that kind of efficiency. Though he knew the young man and his business acumen, who knew what to expect? He didn't regret investing in NeXT; the kid is said to be the best animator in America. However, there's a debt to settle, and his domain is Apple.

...