Intrasquad Match (1)

Sendoh chuckled foolishly from the side. Though he had expected it, when Chi Tong actually said it, he was still at a loss for words.

No one knew how long had passed, but the air was still filled with the shock brought by Chi Tong's declaration.

You really dared to say that!

Yueye Hongming finally snapped out of his shock, his tone full of disdain and contempt. "Do you know how hard it is to win a championship?"

And yet you were boasting so shamelessly here!

Ikegami Ryoji stepped forward next, his voice carrying a trace of sarcasm.

"Exactly. You just got here, and your mouth is already way too big, isn't it?"

He stared at Chi Tong, his gaze full of doubt.

Chi Tong stood there with an unchanged expression, as though those words were nothing more than a passing breeze.

He slowly raised his eyes and calmly looked over the Lingnan Basketball Team. There was not the slightest hint of wavering in those heterochromatic eyes, only unquestionable certainty.

"I have always believed that victory is the only meaning of competitive sports."

"I led my team to a championship in middle school. I can do the same in high school."

"To me, victory is everything."

"From beginning to end, I have never lied about anything, and I never will."

"If I say I will lead Ryonan to a championship, then I will. It is not a possibility. It is inevitable."

At that point, a sharp yet commanding aura suddenly erupted from Chi Tong. "Because I am absolute!"

The entire gymnasium fell into an eerie silence again. Everyone was stunned by his words, frozen in place as if struck by lightning.

Tiangang Maoyi stood where he was, opening and closing his mouth repeatedly, but in the end, he could not say a single word.

In all his years of coaching, he had never seen a newcomer so righteous and undisguised in declaring that he would win a championship. Chi Tong was so confident that Tiangang Maoyi almost felt as if the team had truly already won.

Everyone's minds were still a complete mess.

Sendoh silently held his forehead from the side, looking utterly exhausted.

Only Shendai Liufei watched Chi Tong with stars in her eyes.

Uozumi was certain that this brat was extremely unlikeable. He wanted to speak up and teach him a lesson, but for some reason, he simply could not open his mouth.

Xiangtian Yanyi had long since opened her mouth wide, her mind in total chaos.

Oh my God... who exactly is he?

He actually dared to say he would lead Ryonan to a championship, and he even seemed so confident. Where did he get that confidence?

After an unknown amount of time, everyone finally recovered from Chi Tong's shocking words.

Yueye Hongming did not know what to say back to Chi Tong, so he could only turn to Sendoh and give him a look that said, You figure it out.

"Are you sure this guy's brain is normal?"

Shishang Liang'er did the same, looking at Sendoh with a meaningful gaze. You never said the guy you brought was this arrogant.

Tiangang Maoyi also looked at Sendoh, seeming to want to speak but stopping himself. The sight was rather comical.

"You'd better hope everything you said before is true, or else..." Sendoh was drenched in cold sweat under their stares and hurriedly pulled Chi Tong along as he spoke.

"Hahaha, well, now that everyone knows each other, let me introduce my teammates. This is our Ryonan Basketball Team's coach, Tiangang Maoyi. This is our team captain, Yu Zhu..." Sendoh introduced the Ryonan Basketball Team members to Chi Tong one by one.

With Sendoh making light of the situation, the atmosphere in the gym gradually warmed up again.

Tiangang Maoyi finally spoke.

"Alright, since everyone is here, we need to test the newcomers' abilities. Let's start with an intrasquad match. The newcomers will be one team, and the upperclassmen will be the other."

As he spoke, he gave Chi Tong a meaningful look.

Though he did not know exactly how strong Chi Tong was, anyone who dared to boldly claim he would lead Ryonan to a championship should not disappoint him.

Upon hearing the coach, the upperclassmen all turned their eyes toward Chi Tong in unison. Their looks were not friendly; they carried provocation and ill intent, as if they were looking at an arrogant fool about to be torn apart.

They had already secretly made up their minds to teach this newcomer, who did not know his own limits, a lesson.

"Weren't you saying you've never lost?"

"In a moment, we'll make you cry for your daddy and beg us to call you grandpa!"

With that thought in mind, the upperclassmen were more fired up than ever.

Seeing his teammates like this, Sendoh gave Chi Tong a look that said, Good luck with that.

Chi Tong, however, showed no concern at all. His expression remained unchanged, as if he did not care in the slightest about the coach's arrangement.

Shendai Liufei consciously walked to the sidelines, found a quiet spot, and silently waited for the match to begin.

Very soon, the intrasquad match between the first-year newcomers and upperclassmen was about to begin. Both sides took their positions.

"Um... hello. My name is Xiangtian Yanyi. Please take care of me."

Xiangtian Yanyi walked up to Chi Tong and spoke somewhat timidly.

Chi Tong turned to look at her. His heterochromatic eyes met Xiangtian Yanyi's gaze, and in that instant, it was as if an electric current shot from the soles of her feet to the top of her head. Her entire body froze, and even her breathing seemed to halt for a moment.

What was that?

Why did I feel unable to move just from looking into his eyes?

A storm surged within Xiangtian Yanyi's heart.

Chi Tong's gaze was clearly as calm as water, yet it somehow carried an awe-inspiring pressure.

Chi Tong followed the ball's movement, then merely replied in an even tone.

Hearing those words, Xiangtian Yanyi's heart jolted. She immediately nodded in response as Sento assumed a defensive stance, his eyes locked onto Chi Tong as fighting spirit rose in them.

"Let me see just how strong you are now!"

Chi Tong's expression remained calm, and he answered unhurriedly, "As you wish."

Since Chi Tong was the tallest among the newcomers, he naturally took on the task of the opening tip.

He stood opposite Uozumi, showing no sign of intimidation just because his opponent was an upperclassman.

On the contrary, he merely stood there quietly, yet an aura faintly stronger than Yu Zhu's radiated from him.

"You brat!"

Yu Zhu was secretly startled. He had never seen a newcomer possess such a powerful aura, and he involuntarily raised his guard.

The whistle suddenly rang out through the gymnasium, officially opening the intrasquad practice match.

Chi Tong and Yu Zhu jumped almost simultaneously, reaching toward the basketball flying through the air.

Although Yu Zhu was a full ten centimeters taller than Chi Tong, at the instant they rose into the air, their palms reached almost the same height. Chi Tong's hand was even slightly ahead.

"What?"

Uozumi's eyes narrowed, and his heart jolted. He never expected Chi Tong's explosiveness to be this astonishing!

The next instant, Chi Tong's palm gradually passed Yu Zhu's—first by one finger, then by half a palm, and finally by an entire palm.

Seeing this, the expression on Yu Zhu's face completely changed, replaced by incredulous shock.

"You've got to be kidding!"

"This guy's explosiveness is absurdly strong, and even his vertical leap is this terrifying?!"