The final whistle blew.
Sweat clung to every jersey like a second skin. Breaths came out in sharp bursts. And the mountain echoed with the sound of triumphant cheers.
Horizon had done it.
They'd beaten the Kurama team in a full seven-game war.
Dirga collapsed on the floor, staring up at the ceiling of the mountain gym with a grin so wide it could've split his face in two.
No more gray food.
That alone made it feel like they'd won a national title.
Taiga immediately broke into a breakdance spin—on the hardwood. Aizawa hopped on one leg, howling something nonsensical about "tummy justice." Even the unshakable Rikuya cracked a smile as the rest of the team dogpiled into a massive, chaotic group hug.
It wasn't just about basketball anymore.
It was about survival.
They had stared into the cursed abyss known as nutritional gray paste for two days straight—and tonight, they walked away free.
