The ride home after beating the two-time champions did not feel like a normal bus ride.
At first, it was loud.
Music blasted from someone's speaker. Cholo was replaying the final shot for the tenth time. Tony kept shaking his head in disbelief. John Paul was half laughing, half shouting every time the ball kissed the backboard before dropping in.
But slowly… the noise softened.
Laughter faded into quiet conversations. Then into silence.
Not an empty silence.
A meaningful one.
They weren't just happy.
They were vindicated.
For months, they had carried the label: "That team that surprised the champs in preseason." Analysts had shrugged off their earlier win. Commentators called it a fluke. Fans debated whether Buffalo had simply caught Komodo on a bad night.
But this time?
They beat them in a real game.
Under pressure.
On national broadcast.
With everything on the line.
Tony leaned against the window, watching city lights streak past.
"We really did it," he whispered, almost afraid to break the calm.
Across the aisle, John Paul scrolled through his phone and suddenly froze.
"Guys… it's everywhere."
He turned the screen around.
Every sports page. Every highlight reel. Every trending topic.
Elias rising from nearly the logo.
George closing hard.
The ball hanging in the air forever.
Backboard.
Bounce.
Net.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Cholo let out a low whistle. "That shot's gonna follow you for life, bro."
Elias didn't smile.
He watched quietly.
Not with pride.
Not with arrogance.
But with memory.
He remembered 5 a.m. workouts alone in an empty gym. He remembered critics saying he wasn't built for big moments. He remembered losses that felt like scars.
"It wasn't just the shot," Elias said softly. "It was all of us."
Coach Ed, seated at the front, heard that.
And he smiled.
But League on Notice the whole thing.
By morning, the entire league was buzzing.
In the Titans' locker room, their star forward Marcus slammed a towel into his locker.
"They just embarrassed the champs again."
Their head coach shook his head. "No. They didn't embarrass them. They outworked them."
In the Voltures' gym, their point guard Leo watched the highlight over and over.
"If Buffalo can beat Komodo… we can too."
That was the dangerous part.
The illusion of invincibility was broken.
Confidence began spreading across the league like electricity.
And confidence is contagious.
Then came other teams to.test the Buffalo. But little that they know they will learn one thing, the sleeping beast has awaken.
Game 1: Buffalo vs Titans
The first test after the Komodo win came against the Titans.
From tip-off, Buffalo looked ruthless.
Elias attacked early, dropping 12 points in the first quarter alone — floaters, mid-range pull-ups, a deep three that silenced the crowd.
Tony dominated the paint with authority — 18 rebounds, 4 blocks. Every swat echoed.
By halftime, it was 55–28.
The crowd that came hoping to see Buffalo fall instead witnessed a statement.
Final score: 103–54.
Elias finished with 32 points, 8 assists.
The arena erupted when he was named MVP again.
Titans' head coach admitted post-game, "They're different. Hungrier. It's like they don't just want to win — they want to prove something every possession."
Marcus, their star, nodded quietly. "That's not the same Buffalo team from last season."
Game 2: Buffalo vs Voltures
The Voltures tried to slow the pace.
Zone defense. Physical screens. Trash talk.
It didn't matter.
Elias dissected their defense patiently — 28 points, 11 assists. He didn't force anything. He controlled everything.
John Paul hit three consecutive corner shots that broke the Voltures' spirit.
When the final buzzer sounded at 90–60.
Voltures' coach stared at the stat sheet.
"We prepared for them," he said in the press conference. "But preparation doesn't matter when a team plays like they're chasing something bigger."
The crowd had begun chanting a new phrase:
"Un-de-fea-ted!"
Game 3: Buffalo vs Spiders
This one was different.
The Spiders were disciplined. Smart. Physical.
Their star guard Renzo matched Elias bucket for bucket.
Late in the fourth quarter, it was tied.
Tension filled the arena.
Elias drove hard, absorbed contact, finished with a reverse layup that sent the Buffalo bench exploding.
Final: 76–69.
Elias: 30 points, 6 rebounds.
Renzo, shaking his head afterward, said, "He doesn't panic. That's what separates him now."
Spiders' coach added quietly, "They don't blink anymore."
Game 4: Buffalo vs Phoenix
Phoenix came out aggressive.
Fast breaks. Early three-pointers.
They led in the first half.
For the first time since Komodo, Buffalo looked rattled.
In the locker room at halftime, Coach Ed's voice was calm but firm.
"Do you want to protect a record? Or prove you deserve it?"
Elias responded in the third quarter.
Step-back jumper.
Steal.
Transition dunk.
The crowd roared back to life.
Final: 71–58.
Phoenix's head coach sighed. "They absorb pressure like veterans."
Game 5: Buffalo vs Orca
A defensive battle.
Low scoring.
Every possession felt heavy.
Orca's center bullied inside, forcing Tony into foul trouble.
With two minutes left, Buffalo trailed by two.
Elias hit a contested three.
Silence from Orca fans.
Then a collective gasp.
Final: 65–60.
Orca's captain said afterward, "They don't quit. Even when they're ugly."
Game 6: Buffalo vs Bulldogs
The Bulldogs tried intimidation.
Hard fouls. Shoves. Words exchanged.
Cholo got knocked down hard and stayed on the floor a second longer than usual.
Elias extended his hand, pulling him up.
"We finish this together," he said.
Late-game execution sealed it.
Final: 73–67.
Bulldogs' coach admitted, "They're not flashy. They're relentless."
The Commentators Reactios during the next broadcast, nearly laughed in amazement.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Buffalo is 13–0."
The standings flashed on screen:
Buffalo – 13–0
Komodo – 11–2
Spiders – 11–3
Phoenix – 10–3
Bulldogs – 10–4
Orca – 9–5
Voltures – 6–7
Titans – 5–9
"No one predicted this," the analyst added. "And what's scarier? Elias Moreno has been MVP in every single one of these wins."
Crowds across arenas now came with a new question:
Will tonight be the night they fall?
Instead, Buffalo kept winning.
Komodo's Silent Fire
Inside Komodo's facility, things were colder.
Coach Fran replayed Buffalo's games on a projector.
"They're sharper," he said.
George clenched his jaw. "We see them again."
Jimmy nodded. "Next time, we finish."
There was no panic.
Only quiet fire.
Champions don't crumble.
They adjust.
Inside Buffalo's Locker Room
Despite the hype, Buffalo's locker room remained grounded.
After practice, Tony said, "Everyone's chasing us now."
Elias tied his shoes tighter. "Good."
Coach Ed gathered them.
"Thirteen and zero means nothing," he said. "The hardest part isn't climbing. It's staying up."
Silence.
They understood.
Expectation is heavier than hunger.
The League's New Energy
Arenas felt louder.
Fans booed Buffalo harder.
Opposing players celebrated every small run against them like championships.
Because beating the undefeated team meant something.
The league had never felt this alive.
Media debates raged:
Is this a new dynasty?
Can Komodo reclaim the throne?
Are we witnessing a power shift?
A Quiet Moment
One night after practice, long after teammates left, Elias stayed behind.
The arena lights were dim.
He walked slowly to the same spot where he hit the buzzer-beater against Komodo.
He bounced the ball.
Once.
Twice.
He rose up.
Swish.
The sound echoed in the empty gym.
He didn't smile.
Didn't celebrate.
He simply exhaled.
Because he understood something most fans didn't.
The shot that changed everything?
That was just the beginning.
The semifinals were approaching.
But everyone knew before it happen the fans is excited because the last game of the regular season is what they secretly wanted:
Buffalo vs. Komodo.
Not just for pride.
Not just for revenge.
But for legacy.
One team defending a throne.
The other team is defending their clean slate, their undefeated record.