The fourth quarter was a completely different story.
Everyone treated it as the last quarter of the game and went in with the mindset that they’d end it there instead of going into overtime, and so both teams spared no effort and energy.
Once the opposing team takes the lead, the coaches immediately call for a time-out to disrupt their momentum.
It was already the second time-out of the fourth quarter.
“I think the Class Zero seniors are going to do something over there.”
Kim Yuri pointed to the bench where some students are distributing ionized drinks to the athletes.
I wonder how they were able to reserve that spot, but the Year Two Class Zero students were sitting right behind the bench.
“Now the game’s at its climax!”
“The freshman ace shooter is doing his best, so we seniors should do something too!”
“That’s right! It’s time for us to do something for Eungwang High’s victory!”
Geum Chansol and Wang Chansol were taking out something.
I heard that they got in trouble with Jegal not too long ago for trying to attack the chairman’s office and so they’re laying low as they watched the sports games.
It seems like they’ve laid low long enough and decided to do something since this was the last game.
’…I don’t think they’re going to do anything that’ll harm our school. Should I wait and see first?’
The game resumed.
As the time expired, both teams played even more explosively.
Soon, free throws were given to the military academy’s team because of a foul from Eungwang High.
The opposing team’s power forward took position and prepared to shoot the free throw.
The Class Zero senior jerks suddenly got up from their seats.
“Let’s go! Block the free throws!”
“Summoning the court’s guardian, Jegal-ssaem!”
Each of them took out a huge panel with Jegal’s face printed on it.
From the perspective of the athletes, about 20 huge faces suddenly popped out of the audience.
Shoot!
As if the player’s concentration was shaken, the ball bounced off the rim.
The Class Zero jerks made a fuss, saying that they succeeded thanks to Jegal.
“Alright! That’s Your Majesty Jegal for you!”
“Let’s go!”
Distractions like this from fans were common in the KBL, and even in the NBA.
Of course, it’s strictly prohibited for fans to directly inflict harm on the athletes.
Something like pointing a laser light at athletes’ eyes is strictly prohibited.
However, it’s common for fans to distract players with funny costumes or eye-catching performances from the stands.
I don’t know if the Eunwang High players were aware that those crazy jerks would pull a stunt like this in Game 3, but the military academy players were dumbfounded and just laughed it off.
“We can’t lose!”
“We’re doing it too!”
Some people seated near Eungwang High’s goalpost moved.
It seems like some bald guys were up to something.
‘…Wait. I know those guys!’
The bald guys were those who beat up Do Sihoo in Gari Mountain in Hongcheon.
It looks like they’re up to something.
A free throw was soon awarded to Eungwang High, and it was the point guard who was about to take it.
As a cheering flag of the military academy rose, a song sung by the Saint of Naejang Mountain suddenly played.
As soon as the rap part began, a bald man dressed in a towel, as if to imitate a monk’s clothing, appeared and lip-synced behind the flag.
With a serious face, the guy perfectly imitated my playable character’s performance on Playlist.
Maybe it’s because they’re Do Sihoo’s friends, but they’re all crazy just like him.
Shoot!
The point guard burst into laughter and missed the free throw.
The game continued, and the next one awarded a free throw was Yoo Sanghoon.
The military academy’s players and cheering squad looked nervous as they were well aware that Yoo Sanghoon has a 100% free throw percentage so far.
Jang Namwook, who was in the cheering squad for the military academy, seemed to hesitate about whether he should stop the interference or not.
Yoo Sanghoon glanced at the Class Zero seniors and saw them preparing something.
He chose to silently prepare for the free throws.
“I think they’re preparing something worse this time!”
“Everyone’s laughing around there.”
It was hard to see what was going on since a cheering flag was covering the scene, but they seem to be trying something unusual.
There was a lot of booing, and the Class Zero seniors were the loudest.
Did they forget that they started this petty fight?
Yoo Sanghoon raised his hand leisurely as if signaling that he was alright.
The audience soon calmed down after that.
And soon, the secret weapon of the military academy was revealed.
“Solar Zone!”
Civilian cadets with extremely short hair posed with their eyes wide open.
Behind them was some guy.
As if it was an energy wave, it looks like there’s a halo above his head.
I couldn’t take my eyes off that shiny head for a moment as well.
However, Yoo Sanghoon took the shot without any problem.
The basketball left Yoo Sanghoon’s hand and went through the ring with a perfect arc.
“It went in!”
“It’s in! He wasn’t distracted!”
As the free throw was counted and the score went up, the crowd began to cheer Yoo Sanghoon’s name.
“Look at this.”
Hani, who was watching the broadcast on a device with subtitles, suddenly urged us to look at a hologram.
It showed Yoo Sanghoon shooting the free throw just a few seconds ago.
The kids looked at the screen and gasped in shock.
“Heol…”
“Wow…!”
Not only Hani, but also others who watched the broadcast through their devices buzzed.
I didn’t say anything, but I was extremely shocked.
‘Yoo Sanghoon shot the free throw with his eyes closed!’
The device showed Yoo Sanghoon with his eyes closed.
Ever since he succeeded in the free throw, Yoo Sanghoon’s movements improved significantly.
In particular, he was now challenging Do Sihoo to a one-on-one, as if he was not scared of his impenetrable defense.
Perhaps the others also felt Yoo Sanghoon get in the zone, every possession was passed to Yoo Sanghoon, and the cheering squad enthusiastically chanted his name.
All the Eungwang High students in the stands, including our classmates, got up to cheer.
“No!”
“It’s that guy again!”
As Maeng Hyodon exclaimed, Do Sihoo appeared like a shadow the moment Yoo Sanghoon received the ball.
Do Sihoo showed an incredible defensive play today, and his scoring ability is almost half of Yoo Sanghoon’s.
After being blocked a few times by Do Sihoo earlier in the game, Yoo Sanghoon avoided a head-to-head confrontation with him and opted to pass the ball to other players.
However, Yoo Sanghoon attempted to break through the defense this time as he took the shot.
It was his signature bank shot that frustrated me several times before when we played one-on-one.
‘…It’s a close call. His shooting form isn’t that good because of Do Sihoo’s blocks earlier!’
Do Sihoo’s hand grazed the basketball while it was in the air.
And…
The ball hit the ring and spun around a few times before it fell to the bottom of the net.
“It went in!”
“Eungwang High turned the tables again!”
The gym became filled with shouts of joy from Eungwang High students.
The team members much taller than Yoo Sanghoon stroked his sweaty head and patted him on the back.
After that, Yoo Sanghoon’s onslaught continued.
Although he couldn’t completely blow Do Sihoo off, he shot several times through his annoying defense.
With Eungwang High taking the lead, the game was almost at its end.
It was thirty seconds until the end of the game.
Eungwang High’s cheering squad and other supporters led the countdown.
The military academy didn’t give up until the end, so they also shouted the numbers in a nervous manner.
The countdown finally almost came to an end.
“3! 2! 1!”
Whistle!
Buzzer!
Wooooaaah!
The buzzer sound indicated the end of the game and shouts from the audience erupted.
The basketball coach, staff, and bench players who were sitting down ran toward the players.
Yoo Sanghoon was sure to be today’s MVP, and he was buried under the tall players who swarmed around him.
“We won!”
“Did we just win?”
The kids in our class shared the joy of victory.
Maeng Hyodon was still awkward with the girls, but he mindlessly gave everyone a high five and sang along with our school’s hymn.
Soon, as the players calmed down and lined up in the middle, the head of the military academy appeared with a trophy.
The athletes from the military academy bowed once as the head passed them and headed to the Eungwang High team.
He shook hands with Eungwang High’s basketball team and hung a medal on each player before finally handing them the trophy.
Clap! Clap!
The basketball team captain lifted the trophy and the audience applauded and cheered.
At the end of the award ceremony, the players flocked to their coach and threw him up in the air.
The next person to be tossed was Yoo Sanghoon, who was wearing the MVP medal.
Yoo Sanghee, who was watching it all, finally burst into tears.
She laughed and nodded as the others from the cheering squad soothed her, and I felt something strange.
It’s because of Do Wonwoo, who was just standing there.
‘…That’s odd.’
Do Wonwoo wasn’t looking at Yoo Sanghee.
Come to think of it, he suddenly looked like the Do Wonwoo that I knew from the PMH game.
‘Why isn’t Do Wonwoo hideous today?’
As I was lost in thought, the players came to the cheering squad.
They gave the trophy to the cheering squad, and everyone took turns in holding it up high.
Finally, the basketball players of Eungwang High thanked the audience and the cheering squad and stepped down to prepare for the closing ceremony.
Until the end, Do Wonwoo didn’t look ugly at all.
***
The priest bound by the Spiritual Word skill knew that he would be dragged to an abyss like this, bound to never see the light again.
Therefore, before he lost consciousness, he prayed to the Demon God of Greed that he served.
— Almighty Avaritia, your servant is being tested for his faith.
Unable to resist the desire to “see” and to “share what he saw”, his third eye opened and shared everything he’s seen with the other demons.
The priest couldn’t bear being silent about the crow that he had seen, and the tiger beside him.
Even if it’s at the cost of losing his eye and all the blessings of spirit that he had so far.
— Lead me so that I can prove my faith.
And the voice of the demon god resonated in his mind.
— My priest is very greedy.
The priest knew that those were the last words that Avaritia would whisper to him.
Immediately after that, he lost consciousness because of Yellow Tiger’s sudden attack.
But the priest had no regrets.
Even if he loses his strength, his skills, and the blessings from his demon god, even if the divine altar collapses and rots, his “Eye” will remain.
His desire was fulfilled.
“You suddenly disappeared so I wondered where you went.”
Inside the lab where the poison mist disappeared.
The priest of Invidius walked to the innermost part of the greenhouse.
Seeing the altar where the poison and magic almost collapsing, the Indivius’ priest could guess what happened to the Avaritia’s priest.
“Hahaha! I see. You’ve been captured.”
Not long ago, the priest of Invidius broke a frozen point, a freeze-type otherworld.
He was watching Avaritia’s priest carry out his tasks, but his eye was suddenly blocked.
When he could see again, the celebration of the humans proceeded as if nothing happened.
Indivius’ priest felt pleasant to see the greenhouse almost completely dead.
Indivius, the Demon God of Jealousy.
The priest who served Indivius was always seething with jealousy.
However, at this moment, he was free from jealousy as he thought that everything he’s seeing now would soon be his.
It wasn’t long before he found what he wanted.
“There you are!”
At the top of a rotten tree, a purple eyeball was out in the open.
