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墨書 Inktalez
As the final whistle blew, both teams saw the indication on the electronic Virtual Screen: 5-.
There was no doubt that both teams had given their all in this match. From start to finish, even in the last ten seconds, there was still suspense. With a failed breakthrough, Star Team lost the first round by a narrow three-point margin, while Ice Dust Team managed to secure their first victory with great difficulty.
"Lost is lost; there's no point in regretting it. If I had to choose again, I would still pass the ball to you."
With those simple words, Feng Ling knelt on the ground, his knees trembling. As a gentle breeze brushed past him, tears of sadness involuntarily streaked down his cheeks. No one could see the turmoil within him as his teammates hurried to help him up. After exchanging handshakes and gestures of respect, they returned to their player area.
The scoreboard showed a three-point lead for the first match. Winning this first game had been incredibly tough, resulting in an increase in injuries and fatigue among players. Even with the coach sitting on the sidelines giving instructions, it was of little help. Both teams' player areas fell silent as Ice Dust Team desperately needed rest to recover their stamina. They consumed specially formulated drinks to replenish their depleted energy, especially under the scorching sun where failing to hydrate made it difficult to endure.
Even with designated shaded areas in the player zone, the oppressive heat continued to trouble their weary bodies. The ice they desperately needed had to be supplied in large quantities. Freya was busy creating a simple cooling device using ice and a fan. A refreshing Cool Breeze flowed from the fan, making it feel as though they were in an air-conditioned room.
Everyone was quiet; all closed their eyes and fell into deep thought. At some point, snoring sounds resembling a pig's came from one side, as if the noise of the arena had been completely shut out. In this silent world, they could sleep endlessly.
"Let them rest; don't make any noise. You go prepare more ice for cooling," Freya instructed a nearby staff member.
The girl who looked like a student was a newcomer who had just joined Ice Dust Team. Freya was about to hand over her tasks when she seemed to understand the seriousness of the situation and did not hesitate. The manager's role already carried significant pressure; usually, after training sessions, they were busy tidying up but were not mere caretakers. More often than not, they needed to prepare materials for players or address specific situations well ahead of time before competitions.
The duration of matches varied between one and a half to three hours. In faster matches, suspense could be lost by the third round of play, and only after twelve minutes would the match truly conclude. Strong teams often had powerful bench players who substituted non-starters while trying to preserve their main players' stamina. Main players would take the court primarily to adjust their condition and would exit once the match lost its suspense for maintenance and rest.
To conclude a match meant that there had to be at least one intense game ongoing; four matches could be happening simultaneously at any time, with meals, sleep, and rest being resolved during transitional waiting periods.
Some spectators couldn't wait that long and would go home to sleep or watch last night's live stream online.
This match placed a considerable burden on all members of Ice Dust Team, and even injured players had to recover quickly within a short time frame. Sometimes competitions were just that unfair; this aspect tested their ability to perform under pressure.
In the second and third rounds of competition against Storm Team and Thunder Team respectively, everyone on Ice Dust Team struggled but managed through what was ultimately their third match. The advantage against Thunder Team lay in their aggressive man-to-man defense until Freyr made a long-distance shot at a crucial moment—a super long-range three-pointer that sealed the game.
The scores reflected an extremely low outcome of 1-18. Although this was Thunder Team's third match, winning it was merely a result of exhausting their opponents' key players in earlier rounds. Most starters adopted a defensive strategy on the court, which made it impossible for them to score through touchdowns or close-range breakthroughs easily.
The Command Tower's defense against long-range shots faltered due to fatigue during critical moments; however, in this match, Long Xingchen and Xiu played simultaneously. Long Xingchen delegated scoring responsibilities to Reksa while taking on passing duties himself, delivering beautiful passes that allowed Xiu's rapid movements to penetrate deep into enemy territory. As long as they got close enough for Freyr's decisive shot at the line, victory was assured.
Thunder Team's Command Tower became merely a guardian who blocked numerous incoming shots while Freyr's shooting power and speed were formidable—he aimed for ten shots per round. Through passing plays and triangular offensive strategies that tore through defenses, they secured an impressive three-point advantage to win the match.
The offense of the Confronting Thunder Team required exhausting physical effort to steal and intercept the ball in order to win. In the world of Crazy Basketball, positioning was particularly unique, with the main focus being speed. His genetic modifications had enhanced his speed, allowing him to reach his physical peak at any moment. This was a capability he possessed.
However, relying solely on speed for defense was insufficient. On the command platform, Long Xingchen could deliver beautiful passes and also serve as the Command Tower Commander guarding the rim. Both aspects allowed him to fully utilize his positional abilities.
Mobilizing the game and being proactive were the best strategies to defeat the Thunder Team. Winning the second match had already given them a six-point advantage. However, during the Confronting Storm Team's match, all players began to show signs of fatigue by the third quarter. The goal was constantly under threat; even if Long Xingchen could execute the most beautiful passes, if they failed to score on offense, their opponents would swiftly capitalize on their positioning to score seven points.
After enduring three quarters against their opponents, he collapsed from exhaustion in the fourth quarter. Long Xingchen could only transform into the Command Tower, standing by the rim to fight for dignity and prevent further score escalation. Freyr exerted all his strength to score, but managed only six points throughout the game, making two baskets. Thus, the results of one side's elemental zone Score competition were announced.
As follows:
First place: Storm Team - 9 points
Second place: Ice Dust Team - 7 points
Third place: Star Team - 4 points
Fourth place: Thunder Team - 3 points
The Ice Dust Team had already qualified for the Reincarnation Tournament, while after a long wait, two teams from the Tyrant Zone also broke through.
As follows:
First place: Blue Poison Tyrannosaurus Team - 9 points
Second place: Viper Team - 7 points
Third place: Giant Lizard Team - 4 points
Fourth place: Shark Team - 3 points
The four teams, as the top two from each zone, would compete for the next championship honor.
With time running late and no other matches scheduled, the crowd of spectators dispersed after watching late into the night.
The sleep time was not sufficient, and the Ice Dust Team could only return to Cambrian Hall to squeeze in one night. They had just arranged their resting spots when, in less than four hours, morning arrived. Just a few hours earlier, they had been fighting hard, and this brief return to slumber only temporarily alleviated their fatigue. The exhaustion felt by all four teams was likely similar; perhaps teams with deeper benches could withstand the fatigue a bit better.
For the Ice Dust Team, which had only two substitutes rotating from the bench, fatigue was undeniable. No one had fallen behind during the crucial moments. By the time everyone finished showering and came out, Long Xingchen was already dressed and groomed, sitting deep in the changing room of Cambrian Hall.
"Captain, we are ready to go," everyone seemed to say in unison. Long Xingchen frowned slightly as he sat on the chair, gazing out at the gray scenery outside. He suddenly remarked, "Our next opponent has been revealed. Unfortunately, it's the Blue Poison Tyrannosaurus Team, the reigning champions for several consecutive years. We need to be prepared; otherwise, we might quickly fall behind in points."
Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent again. Perhaps some newcomers were still unaware of the formidable nature of the Azure Poison Tyrannosaurus. Being a championship team that had held the title for years meant they would not take lightly a newly formed team like theirs. Many teams aspired to dethrone them but ended up as mere supporting characters.
"What are we afraid of? Now that we’ve encountered them, let’s pull them down from their throne; we will be the new kings," Adams shouted.
Xiu awkwardly chuckled, "Those who don’t understand will just squawk. I envy your naivety. But it’s true; this is a chance for you all to gain experience. This time, we challenge their authority directly. If we want to win, we must strictly follow the captain's strategies."
Long Xingchen furrowed his brow and hesitated for a moment before slowly sighing, "To be honest, I don’t have many solutions either. If last year's lineup were here to challenge this year’s champions, it might have worked. The good news is that three out of last year's strongest five-man squad are still on this team. We need to confront a trio with stronger offensive capabilities: a center, a runner, and a passer—Meng, Kino, and Ao are known as the Iron Triangle of offense. With our current defense, there’s no way we can balance out the gap between us."
Long Xingchen paused for a moment in silence before continuing, "This is our last resort."
"Understood? When we take the court, let’s do our best to win!" Xiu looked at the offensive routes on the strategy board. In this team, apart from Long Xingchen, he was the second Commander. Everyone gathered around glanced at the tasks on the board and nodded after memorizing them.
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