His gaze instinctively shifted toward Avira. Just as she began to sidestep, preparing to intercept the ball in his hands, he casually flicked his wrist. Without any warning, the ball sailed toward a quiet, unassuming figure in an inconspicuous spot—Ashton.
Ashton caught the ball with a stunned expression, as though he hadn’t realized what had just happened.
“When did he get there?!”
A player from Whitewall exclaimed in surprise, immediately rushing forward to block him.
Ashton stared at him blankly, seemingly puzzled. With an almost casual motion, he redirected the basketball, aiming it toward the hoop.
From his position, the hoop was still quite far away. Yet, without taking a single step, he simply flung the basketball.
Swish.
The brown ball traced a graceful arc through the air and effortlessly fell through the net.
Everyone froze in place.
The sheer distance, that unintentional-looking expression, and the ease with which he had thrown the ball—it was as if he hadn’t even put in much effort—and yet, he’d scored?
Oh my god…
Was Eastwest full of monsters this year?
Ashton, seemingly oblivious to the strange looks he was getting, quietly walked back to Avira’s side.
“That was amazing…” Avira reached out and ruffled his hair, like rewarding a well-behaved pet. “Keep it up.”
“Mm…”
A faint, beautiful smile appeared on Ashton’s lips. His bright eyes gleamed like the sky illuminated by dawn, breaking through layers of clouds to reveal the deepest azure above.
Seated on the sidelines, Asake’s brow furrowed slightly.
His deep purple eyes glimmered with an enigmatic light, like coral stones refracting the colors of an unclear meaning.
Whitewall’s morale was completely crushed.
As a strong team, they were superior to most others in various aspects. But in terms of speed and skill, Orson and George surpassed them, and Avira was even more of a force to be reckoned with. As for Ashton, his rapid improvement was nothing short of astonishing.
This was Eastwest’s first time playing a formal match together. Normally, due to the lack of suitable opponents in the basketball club, they primarily trained through three-on-three scrimmages. Yet today, their teamwork seemed particularly seamless.
At the same time, they realized something else that was crucial.
Coordinating with Avira was exceptionally difficult.
Her defensive breakthroughs were unstoppable, and her dunks were flawless. But no matter how hard they tried to synchronize their plays with her, they simply couldn’t keep up with her speed.
George’s gaze lingered on her, his chest burning with emotion.
He suddenly felt deeply grateful for the day he had gone to the gym and encountered Avira—and basketball again. It felt as though his life, which had long since been stagnant and hollow, had been reignited with something vibrant and alive. A feeling he hadn’t experienced in a very, very long time.
Avira…
You opened that door, obliterating my dull, stagnant world completely.
So now, let’s create a new world together.
The rhythm of the entire game was almost entirely under Eastwest’s control. George’s defense was utterly impenetrable. It was as if he had erected an invisible force field within the court. Scoring against them was so arduous that their opponents eventually gave up.
This wasn’t just playing against a subpar team—it felt…
It felt like playing against Sandfield.
Sandfield, a team legendary in youth basketball, was the only one that had ever made Whitewall feel completely powerless on the court. And now, this supposedly “worthless” Eastwest basketball team was giving them the exact same feeling!
“I told you…”
Avira effortlessly broke through several defenders, suddenly leaping into the air and slamming the ball into the hoop with a heavy dunk.
Still gripping the rim, she turned her head and caught sight of the stunned expressions on her opponents’ faces. “Don’t let people win too easily.”
The whistle blew—“Game over!”
The scoreboard read 43:105.
It took a moment after the referee officially announced the end of the match for the audience to react—“That was incredible!”
“This… feels just like watching a Sandfield match!”
“Lady Avira! Marry me, marry me, marry me!”
The applause and cheers surged like tidal waves, engulfing the entire arena in their overwhelming intensity.
“Man, you’ve been up there long enough,” came a voice from behind.
Orson reached out and gently lifted Avira off the hoop.
“Maybe it’s because…”
