Sudden Change

Sawakita Eiji gritted his teeth and forcibly adjusted his center of gravity, trying to seal off Chi Tong's driving lane. But Chi Tong twisted his ankle again, switching the basketball from his left hand to his right. As if weightless, he gave a light feint in front of Sawakita Eiji, carrying the ball left.

Then came another small crossover, and he slipped directly through the opening on Sawakita Eiji's right.

The ball changed hands three times, and Chi Tong's ankles twisted three times. Every crossover precisely tore apart Sawakita Eiji's defensive rhythm.

Sawakita Eiji's center of gravity was completely dragged off balance by Chi Tong's rhythm.

On the first crossover, Sawakita Eiji lunged left. On the second, he stopped abruptly and turned right. By the third crossover, his footwork had already become messy, his body leaning too far forward as he nearly lost his balance.

This is bad!

The instant Chi Tong drove past his right side, Sawakita Eiji's body suddenly pitched forward. His ankle twisted, and he nearly fell to the floor.

A wave of gasps rose from the stands, as though Sawakita Eiji would crash heavily to the ground in the next second and become another victim of Chi Tong's Ankle Breaker.

Sawakita Eiji clenched his teeth, forcefully pushed off with his right foot, and planted his toes hard against the court, wrenching his center of gravity back into place.

The muscles around his waist tightened instantly. He spread his arms to maintain balance, like a climber struggling at the edge of a cliff as he forcibly steadied himself.

Sweat slid down Sawakita Eiji's forehead, and his chest heaved violently.

Ha!

This guy was terrifying!

Sawakita Eiji's eyes were filled with unprecedented shock and fear.

Damn it!

Sawakita Eiji gritted his teeth and immediately chased after Chi Tong.

There was not much time left. If Sacred Radiance scored again, they would really be in trouble!

Feeling the footsteps closing in behind him, Chi Tong's expression remained calm, but his eyes had already fixed on Bright Marsh's basket.

At the same time, two more figures appeared before him—the point guard and shooting guard of Bright Marsh, closing in from the front and back.

Chi Tong's pupils contracted, halos flickering within his two-colored eyes. Just as he prepared to use Ankle Breaker again, his movement suddenly halted.

Hmm?

Seeing this, Sawakita Eiji's eyes immediately flashed with confusion.

His brows drew together as a question rose in his heart. What's going on?

Was he about to pull some trick again?

Chi Tong's endless stream of bizarre moves had left him somewhat shaken. He feared that his opponent would suddenly use that move again—the one that had just made him lose his center of gravity.

Just as he prepared to observe further, Chi Tong's next action left everyone staring in astonishment.

Rather than using Ankle Breaker as everyone expected, or forcing his way through, Chi Tong suddenly took a lateral step-back without any warning. At the same time, he flicked his wrist, and the basketball, as if pulled by the hand of fate, traced a strange arc as it flew straight toward the wing.

And there, Sendoh had already quietly shaken off his defender and arrived completely unmarked.

At that instant, Sawakita Eiji's pupils shrank sharply. Sento stood rooted to the spot, his gaze slightly unfocused as he watched the spinning basketball fly toward him.

As though answering some call of fate, it drew a flawless trajectory through the air and landed steadily in his arms.

"What is this..." he murmured instinctively, as though he had yet to recover from Chi Tong's unexpected pass.

At that moment, Chi Tong's casual voice reached his ears. "What are you waiting for?"

"You can shoot threes, right?"

"Let them see what our ace can do!"

Chi Tong turned his head slightly, a faint smile at the corner of his lips, his eyes carrying an unexpected hint of trust and anticipation.

In that moment, Sendoh's eyes widened sharply, as if he could not believe what he was seeing.

Was this Chi Tong?

The cold, arrogant Chi Tong from before, unwilling to cooperate with others, seemed like an illusion that had never existed.

Coming back to his senses, Sendoh did not hesitate in the slightest. He burst into motion, quickly creating distance with the ball. His steps were light yet firm, and in the blink of an eye, he stood beyond Bright Marsh's three-point line.

Not good!

Everyone from Bright Marsh's expressions changed dramatically, alarm bells ringing in their hearts. Sawakita Eiji abandoned Chi Tong without hesitation, turned, and sprinted straight at Sendoh. He had to stop this shot!

However, it was already too late!

Sento jumped and released the ball in one fluid motion, without the slightest hesitation. The basketball drew a perfect arc through the air. A crisp swish sounded as it dropped through the net.

Sacred Radiance 81, Meisei 80!

On the court of Sacred Radiance versus Bright Marsh, the air seemed to freeze, and time itself seemed to stretch. There were only thirty-four seconds left before the end of the game. The entire arena held its breath, every gaze locked firmly on the center of the court.

Meisei had possession, but at this moment, they were like prey driven into a corner.

On Sacred Radiance's side, Sendoh and Chi Tong stood shoulder to shoulder, their eyes blazing and their momentum soaring.

Sento did not ask Chi Tong why he had chosen to pass at such a critical moment, and Chi Tong did not explain.

They did not need words between them. A single glance was already enough.

In perfect understanding, the two fixed their gazes on Sawakita Eiji across from them, their eyes radiating unquestionable fighting spirit.

They both knew that as long as they stopped this next possession, the scales of victory would completely tip toward Sacred Radiance. As long as they held out for these final thirty-four seconds, they could truly breathe easy.

At that moment, Chi Tong and Sendoh were like two insurmountable walls standing between Meisei and victory. Their gazes, their positioning, and their presence seemed to form an invisible barrier that firmly suppressed everyone from Meisei.

As for Qie Yuan Sunren, Kobayashi Koichi, and Yamamoto Ryu, Chi Tong and Sendoh tacitly ignored them at this moment.

The three of them were like neglected young wives, but there was nothing to be done about it. In this peak clash that would decide victory and defeat, they did not even have the qualifications to interfere.

This was not disdain. It was simply the cruelty of reality.

Chi Tong and Sendoh's rhythm had already risen to a height beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Every exchange of glances, every shift of their feet, every transition between offense and defense felt like a conversation between geniuses.

Qie Yuan Sunren, Kobayashi Koichi, and Yamamoto Ryu were like spectators standing outside the door. They could only watch helplessly, unable to truly step onto that battlefield.

Their strength was what it was. If they were forcibly allowed to join in, they would only become obstacles for Chi Tong and Sendoh.

As expected, the ball for Meisei fell into Sawakita Eiji's hands. Chi Tong and Sendoh had anticipated this long ago.

In the current situation, Sawakita Eiji was the only offensive option Meisei could rely on.

Sawakita Eiji was Meisei's final hope, their only chance to turn the situation around.

And now, the game had entered its final निर्णायक moment.

Sacred Radiance versus Meisei—the final act of this fierce battle was about to fall at this very moment.

Sawakita Eiji stood beyond the half-court line, his gaze sharp as a blade and his aura erupting like a volcano. Carrying the ball, he charged into Sacred Radiance's half like a beast released from its cage, every step seeming to strike the beat of a drum with an oppressive rhythm.