章 195: Second Half

In the break between halves, the Seiryuu players gathered around Jack Mercer, their breaths still labored from the intensity of the first half. The scoreboard displayed a narrow lead: 40-35 in Seiryuu's favor. But they knew well enough that Shinryu High would come back swinging. Jack's gaze swept over his team, each face showing a mix of exhilaration and exhaustion, their eyes gleaming with the thrill of leading against a powerhouse team like Shinryu.

Jack let a moment of silence settle over them, his calm presence grounding the players as they caught their breath. Then, with a firm but steady voice, he began, "I'm proud of you all. You've pushed through the toughest moments, and you've brought us here, ahead of Shinryu. But we're not done yet. We have to finish what we started."