The spectators, who had been cheering wildly moments earlier, suddenly shivered, as though an invisible hand had closed around their throats.
The deafening cheers abruptly faltered. In the arena of more than twenty thousand people, only the cameras remained.
Their shutters clicked amid the faint whistle of that imposing aura sweeping through the air.
Among Sannoh's white uniforms, Fukatsu's unusual gaze grew colder, his steady presence like solid ice.
Sawakita Eiji crouched slightly, clenching both fists. The fighting spirit in his eyes nearly burst free as he fixed his gaze on Chi Tong and Sendoh opposite him.
Masashi Kawata let out a low growl, his muscles bulging. His overwhelming power seemed to weigh down even the air around him.
Among Ryonan's blue uniforms, Chi Tong still stood perfectly straight. His mismatched eyes were calm, yet a fathomless pressure slowly radiated from him, holding Sannoh's aura at bay. Sento's smile gradually faded, his eyes sharpened like an eagle's, and he leaned slightly forward, already in peak fighting form.
Yu Zhu straightened his back like a towering guardian beneath the basket, blocking all of Sannoh's pressure.
Though Fukuda, Jizhao, Yueye Hongming, and the others could not help tensing up, none of them backed down. They stayed close behind Chi Tong, uniting the team's fighting spirit.
Soon, that terrifying, invisible pressure vanished as swiftly as it had appeared, as though it had never existed.
The air at center court began flowing again. The spectators' stalled cheers gradually returned, now tinged with cautious awe.
Linlang and the Sannoh players withdrew their gazes almost simultaneously. Without hesitation, they turned and headed for their respective benches.
Ryonan's bench.
The players had barely settled onto the bench when Chi Tong spoke calmly. His voice was quiet, yet carried an unquestionable authority that reached every Ryonan player clearly.