"I have a feeling that this game is going to be good!"
A group of girls, who watched all of the games yesterday, were on the edge of their seats. The three of them were from Faith Academy, with one of them being Dingbang’s girlfriend.
She clenched her fists, narrowing her eyes on the pink team on the right side of the court.
"Those bastards," she muttered. "They made Dingbang cry!"
"Bingdang, calm down," her friend said. "That’s why we came to watch this game instead of the Juren Champions—so we could see those dogs get beaten to the ground!"
"Yeah, squish those dogs to the ground!"
A family of four turned to them with surprise before covering their kid’s ears.
Bingdang pursed her lips. "Not literal dogs," she quickly explained with a nervous chuckle.
The court was filled with excitement as the two teams finally took their places.
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Though it was technically the second game of the Nationals, for the Shizi Dogs, it felt like their first real challenge.
The Longyu Dragons stood across from them, with their ever-smiling star player, Calvin Wu, in the middle.
He was the Dragons’ fans’ pride, and they weren’t afraid to show it.
"Dragons fly, high in the sky,
With strength and pride, we’ll never die!"
"Bars," Coach Muchen said as soon as they were finished. Kai and Lina turned to their coach and simultaneously shook their heads.
"What?" Muchen muttered, finding his statement cool.
The volume of the cheer shook the stadium, rattling the nerves of anyone unprepared for it.
Kai felt it.
He hadn’t even set foot on the court just yet, but the pressure was already wrapping around him. He wanted in—every fiber of his being wanted to dive straight into the game from the first whistle.
Yet, Coach Muchen and Lina had convinced him to wait, to save his energy for the later quarters. He’d play the second through the fourth.
Sitting on the bench, Kai stared down at the hardwood as Yuze, Kun, Jinping, Jet, and Andy prepared to start the first quarter. Meanwhile, on the Dragons’ side, Guri, Fenhua, and Calvin stood tall.
Guri’s frown was unmistakable as he scanned the court, his gaze clearly searching for someone.
"Why is that bastard sitting down?" Guri muttered as he saw Kai on the bench. "He needs to see how good I’ve gotten."
Calvin and Fenhua chuckled at the younger player’s enthusiasm.
The match began with Yuze in the middle, facing off against the Longyu center for the tip-off.
Yuze had held back during yesterday’s game, preserving his energy for this moment. As the ball soared into the air, Yuze timed his leap perfectly, his hand grazing the ball before the Dragons’ center could react. Yuze’s precision earned the Dogs the first possession.
The Dragons’ center blinked in surprise, but Calvin’s reaction was different. His calm smile never wavered. "Don’t mind!" he called to his teammates. He moved into position, ready to defend.
The crowd murmured. "That guy’s pretty good," one Longyu fan whispered, impressed by Yuze’s play.
With narrowed eyes, Yuze pushed forward.
He couldn’t believe it.
He was really playing in the Nationals. Not only that, but he was playing against a team who made it into the top five of last year’s Nationals.
Yuze’s instincts told him to go straight for the kill, but he knew better.
This wasn’t a game where brute force would win. He pivoted and passed the ball to Kun, who caught it on the perimeter. Kun’s hands trembled slightly from the nerves, but he forced his body to relax.
Holding up one finger, he signaled for the play to begin. The team moved like clockwork, players spreading the floor. Jinping darted through the Dragons’ defense, cutting behind a screen set by Andy. Kun’s eyes locked onto him, and in a quick motion, he passed the ball.
Jinping took a step forward, pumping his arms as he prepared for a jump shot. But instead of rising, he glided past his defender with a swift side-step, slipping through an opening in the defense. He dashed toward the hoop and, with perfect timing, launched the ball off the backboard and into the net with a smooth lay-up.
The scoreboard lit up. The first point of the game went to the Shizi Dogs.
0-2.
On the bench, Nina and Rolan erupted in cheers, jumping up and down. Kai exchanged a look with Lina. There was no need for words. Their smiles said it all—this was possible.
But Calvin wasn’t the type to be rattled by a single play. If anything, the smile on his face widened. With a glance at Fenhua, he signaled for a counterattack.
The Dragons wasted no time. Calvin dribbled up the court with ease. Fenhua darted to the left wing, while Guri set a screen on the right. Kun and Jet scrambled to keep up, but Calvin was one step ahead. As he crossed half-court, Calvin faked a pass to Fenhua, causing the defense to shift in that direction.
Instead, he pivoted and passed behind his back to Guri, who was now open near the three-point line. The defenders rushed toward Guri, expecting him to shoot. But at the last second, Guri flicked the ball to Fenhua, who had silently slid into the paint, unnoticed.
With the defense caught completely off guard, Fenhua went for lay-up of his own.
2-2.
"Ah, lucky!" Calvin called out with a playful tone, his voice teasing as he jogged back on defense.
Kai’s eyes narrowed as he watched from the bench. There was something unsettling about the way Calvin played. The smile never left his face, as if this game was a light-hearted challenge rather than the battle it truly was.
And the Dragons’ fans fed off his energy, growing louder by the second. Some went wild, waving their team flags furiously, while others screamed Calvin’s name. Enjoy new stories from freewebnovel
The game pushed on, and while the Shizi Dogs fought valiantly, Calvin and the Dragons showcased why they were considered one of the top teams.
The scoreboard reflected the difference in experience. By the end of the first quarter, the Dragons led 23-16.
Kai clenched his fists.
This was the class of the Elite Five. Calvin was showing him exactly why he belonged among the best.
However, along with his clenched fists, a smile erupted on his face.
"I see," he muttered.
"It’s…tough," Andy said as he took a sip from his water. "We’re better, but there are teams that feel like the best."
"They’re one of those teams."
"Don’t mind," Kai said, imitating what Calvin had said in the beginning.
His heart pounded in his chest as he stood, ready for the next quarter.
Finally, the time has come. He thought it would still take long until he would fulfill his objective.
However, the opportunity was right in front of him.
It was time to start bringing down the Elite Five, one by one.