The Curtain Falls

The Kanagawa Prefectural Tournament's Final Four round-robin had reached the final stage of its first-day matchup: Miuradai High School versus Ryonan High School.

Over the final two and a half minutes, both sides scored four points, and Miuradai maintained its seven-point lead until the final minute began counting down.

"Is it... really over?"

Sighs rose from Ryonan's bench. Even Coach Taoka Moichi had given up hope.

With less than a minute left and a seven-point gap, they felt there was no way to turn things around.

"No!! Sendoh hasn't given up yet! He'll definitely find a way!!"

Aida Hikoichi shouted.

Even Sendoh, in a situation like this...

Taoka Moichi thought helplessly, but he did not say it aloud.

Ryonan still had possession. Only forty seconds remained, but Miuradai's defense was extremely tight, and Ryonan could not find a good opening.

At the top of the arc, Wu Yufei and Sendoh faced off.

"Isn't it about time you gave up?"

Wu Yufei said.

"Sorry. I hate trouble, but now that the game has come this far, giving up would be too much of a loss. So at least let me keep going until the end."

As Sendoh responded to Wu Yufei, he continued watching his teammates' positions.

Just as the two were deadlocked, Fukuda Kiccho, stationed in the paint, suddenly made a brilliant move—he ran out of the interior to set a screen for Sendoh!

Good chance!!

The moment Fukuda reached Wu Yufei's side, before Wu Yufei noticed him, Sendoh moved, sliding quickly toward the screen.

Wu Yufei hurried after him, only to slam squarely into Fukuda.

Oh no!!

Wu Yufei was alarmed and hurriedly moved around Fukuda, but Sendoh had already released the ball from beyond the three-point line.

Swish!!

The Three-Pointer dropped cleanly. With thirty-two seconds left, Sendoh had cut the gap back to four points!

"Nice one!!!"

The instant the ball went in, Taoka Moichi completely discarded a middle-aged man's composure and shouted in wild celebration with the players beside him.

Less than a minute ago, they had been down by seven points. It had been a deeply despairing gap.

But with Sendoh's Three-Pointer, the margin suddenly fell to four. Thirty seconds remained, giving everyone on Ryonan the right to dream.

If they could stop Miuradai's next possession, then hit another three and a game-winning two...

They could do it!! That possibility existed!!

"Let's go, Ryonan!!!"

Sendoh's Three-Pointer became the final lifeline for the entire Ryonan team, instantly raising their morale from rock bottom to a boiling point.

Naturally, the moment Miuradai inbounded the ball, the entire Ryonan team launched a frantic press, as though the Miuradai players were holding gold bars rather than a basketball.

Bang!!

The instant Wu Yufei passed to Ishiyama Jun, Koshino Hiroaki leaped in for a steal and forcibly poked the ball loose. It flew directly toward Sendoh!

"Please, Sendoh!!"

Slap!

Sendoh caught the flying ball, turned, and charged straight toward Miuradai's basket.

On Miuradai's side, Naito Tetsuya was at the very back of the formation, making him the closest to Sendoh.

There was no question about Naito's speed. As a former starting rugby player, he could run one hundred meters in under eleven seconds.

The two charged into the paint almost simultaneously and jumped at the same time.

"Don't foul him!!"

Seeing Naito swing his arm for the block, Wu Yufei cried out.

But it was already too late. Sendoh successfully drew Naito's foul and still flicked the ball into the basket.

In other words, if Sendoh made the free throw, the gap between the two teams would shrink to just one point.

And there were still ten seconds left in the game!

Swish!

How could Sendoh, already in peak form, miss such a crucial shot? Ryonan successfully pulled the score back to 95:96.

"Great!!"

On Ryonan's bench, some players were already crying tears of joy.

Just moments ago, they had been in hell. Now, they seemed to be in heaven.

Ten seconds remained! As long as they could steal the ball from Miuradai one more time and get it to Sendoh, he would definitely hit the game-winner!

Beep—!!

"Miuradai requests a timeout!!"

Coach Harada called his final timeout. He had thought he would not need it, but now he was glad he had saved it until this moment.

The players needed this precious minute to calm down.

"What is wrong with all of you?? You let them score six straight points! And in less than a minute at that!"

Harada's expression was grim as he directed a reproachful glare at Naito.

"Naito! You could have ignored Sendoh just now. So what if he made that shot? We would still have held a two-point lead. Now look at this—only a one-point difference. Aren't we just handing them the chance for a game-winner?"

"Coach, you're wrong. Even if the gap were two points, they would still rely on Sendoh's Three-Pointer for the game-winner. Sendoh is absolutely at his peak right now. He has confidence he can make that shot."

Wu Yufei interrupted Coach Harada's scolding.

The team's morale was already wavering. If the coach kept berating them, they would lose all fighting spirit, and then there really would be no way to play.

Wu Yufei raised his head. At that moment, every teammate turned to look at him.

"Heh, wouldn't you say the situation is just right now? There's only a one-point difference left, and we have no choice but to make a last stand, right?"

After Sendoh had scored six straight points, Wu Yufei's previously completed mission target had once again been surpassed by Sendoh by one point in the "scoring" category.

In other words, the next ten seconds might only decide the outcome of a game for Miuradai. But for Wu Yufei personally, they would decide the outcome of his entire life.

"Do you want to win?"

Wu Yufei asked.

"Obviously!!"

"Of course we do!!"

"Who would want to lose after getting this far?!"

His teammates roared in response.

"Good."

Wu Yufei nodded, then stood up and threw the towel in his hand to the floor.

"Then show your final toughness and determination, and finish this last possession! Ryonan looks pretty happy over there. They think they've reached heaven. Then let's kick them from heaven straight back into hell!"

"Roar!!!"

Miuradai's players roared in response to Wu Yufei and followed him back onto the court.

Ryonan 95:96 Miuradai, a one-point gap, ten seconds remaining!

Miuradai possession.

"Hahhh!!"

Uozumi stood in front of Naito, constantly harassing him, determined not to let him inbound the ball comfortably.

Seven...

"Here!"

Wu Yufei immediately came up to receive the pass, appearing to Uozumi's right, but signaling with his eyes toward Uozumi's left.

"Not a chance!!"

Hearing the call from behind his right side, Uozumi naturally shifted his position quickly to block him. But in the next instant, Wu Yufei abruptly planted and cut back, rapidly changing direction to Uozumi's left.

"Catch it!"

At last, there was a passing lane. Naito immediately got the ball to Wu Yufei.

Five...

The moment Wu Yufei caught the ball, he saw a swiftly reaching hand from the corner of his eye.

Without hesitation, Wu Yufei spun away from the steal, instantly accelerated past Sendoh beside him, and charged toward Ryonan's half.

Four...

When Wu Yufei reached the frontcourt, Fukuda Kiccho and Koshino Hiroaki immediately swarmed him like madmen. From the look of it, they were willing to foul if that was what it took to stop him.

Three...

At that moment, Wu Yufei felt calmer than ever before. The movements of the two men in front of him seemed to have slowed several times over.

Two...

Wu Yufei somehow accelerated again, forcing his way through the encirclement before it could fully close at the final moment and reaching Ryonan's paint.

In truth, even if Wu Yufei had simply stood still with the ball and run out the final two seconds, Miuradai would have won the game.

But Wu Yufei did not do that, because he was still one point behind Sendoh!!

He jumped and went up for the layup!!

Under Ryonan's despairing gazes, and the excited eyes of his teammates and Miuradai supporters in the stands who were practically about to leap up, the basketball was gently flicked from Wu Yufei's hand.

Bang... swish!

In the end... a beautiful bank shot went in!

At the same time, the referee blew the final whistle.

Did it count?!

That was what Wu Yufei cared about most. The instant he landed, he immediately looked toward the scoreboard at the sideline.

When he saw Miuradai's 96 flip to 98 on the scoreboard, Wu Yufei finally could not contain his excitement. He stood where he was and threw back his head with a roar.

"Yes!!"

They had won! This time, they had truly won!

Not only had the team won the game, but he had also won the ace showdown against Sendoh.

No matter how the audience viewed the two men's performances in this game, Wu Yufei had successfully achieved the targets required by his mission. That was enough.

Dragged from hell to heaven, then kicked from heaven back into hell.

In just one short minute, everyone on Ryonan experienced the greatest ups and downs of their lives. Many players instantly broke down in tears on the spot, utterly unconcerned that they stood in the middle of a stadium filled with thousands.

Yet that was the cruelty of competitive sports, and also their charm.

Where there was victory, there would inevitably be defeat. Where there was laughter, there would inevitably be tears.

On the stage of competitive sports, joy and sorrow always appeared together.

Wu Yufei looked at Sendoh. At this moment, among the entire Ryonan team, only Sendoh had not cried... oh, and Coach Taoka. After all, he was a composed middle-aged man who had seen his share of storms.

"...Hah..."

In the end, Sendoh did not cry either. He merely closed his eyes, remained silent for ten seconds, then let out a long breath.

"Players from both teams, please gather at center court immediately."

The referee understood both sides' feelings at this moment, so he did not rush them. Only after those who needed to celebrate had done so, and those who needed to cry had wiped away their tears, did he announce it.

"98:95, winner: Miuradai High School! Bow!"

"Thank you for the game!!" X2

The players from both teams bowed.

"That was a wonderful game."

Sendoh came before Wu Yufei and extended his hand.

"You were great too. Next up are Kainan and Shohoku. They're tougher opponents than we are. Good luck."

Wu Yufei immediately extended his hand and shook Sendoh's.

"Likewise."

Seeing their respective aces being so friendly, the remaining players naturally began shaking hands or high-fiving as well, exchanging congratulations or a few unconvinced remarks.

And with that, the game truly and completely came to an end.