Fujima... Your Era Is Over (2)

In Episode 169, Ryonan sometimes created opportunities for Yu Zhu to finish with powerful dunks in the paint, and sometimes fed Sendoh assists for outside shots. Ryonan's offense no longer carried its earlier oppressive force; instead, it gained a measure of composure.

Yet Shoyo's players refused to give up. Though every face was filled with resentment and pain, sweat had soaked through their jerseys, and their legs felt as heavy as lead, they still ran, defended, and tried to attack.

They still remembered that they had once been Kanagawa's second-ranked team. They remembered Shoyo's glory. Even if they lost, they would fight with that pride until the final second.

They might no longer have been able to win the game, but they did not want to lose Shoyo's spirit along with it.

In the stands, Shoyo's cheer squad broke the silence, and their synchronized chants rang out once more.

Shoyo!

Shoyo!

Shoyo!

The chants no longer carried their earlier fanaticism, but they held a sense of tragedy and respect.

Like a stone dropped into water, those chants instantly stirred the entire arena. Everyone was moved by Shoyo's resolve to persist despite knowing it was impossible.

The cheers that had originally been for Ryonan gradually subsided, and many neutral spectators even began applauding, cheering for Shoyo's perseverance.

Mu Shenyi stared at Shoyo's players, still struggling on the court, then looked at Chi Tong calmly passing the ball from the sideline. After a brief silence, he rose directly from his seat. "Let's go. There's no need to keep watching this game."

Hainan's players also stood up one after another. Their feelings were incomparably complicated, and they had become even more wary of Ryonan.

As Hainan's group departed, the game finally drew close to its end.

On the court, Chi Tong dribbled step