High schools were stricter, with academics and college entrance exams taking priority.
But no matter how strict the rules were, they still couldn't stop basketball fans from desperately wanting to watch Game 7.
That mostly applied to first- and second-year students, though.
Seniors who had already finished their entrance exams could relax at home on the couch and watch the game in comfort.
Their parents would even give them some spending money so they could enjoy the game with snacks, finally relaxing after all their hard work.
At universities, things were much more lenient.
Plenty of students simply skipped class, went back to their dorms, and watched the game while hoping Blake would win the championship.
The professors didn't mind much either.
Some professors who loved basketball even told their students they didn't have to come to class and could stay in their dorms to watch the game and cheer for their favorite team.
Some even knew how important Game 7 was and didn't want students skipping class and losing credit because of it.
So they simply set up a projector and put the live sports broadcast on the classroom screen.
"Nice!"
"Wow! Our professor is awesome!"
"Professor, I love you!"
The basketball fans were thrilled by the gesture, while the students who didn't care about the game were free to do whatever they wanted.
"Go Suns!"
"Go Blake!"
The professor himself was a Blake fan, pumping his fist as he cheered.
"Yeah!"
"Let's go, Suns!"
"Bring home the championship!"
The students joined in, roaring along with him.
The noisy little classroom suddenly felt almost like an arena.
Once students entered university, studying was no longer the only thing that mattered. More accurately, independent learning became the focus.
College students weren't supervised nearly as closely as they had been in high school.
It was up to them.
That also meant professors tended to be more flexible and open-minded, which was exactly what the student fans wanted.
Some universities even organized huge gatherings on their athletic fields, setting up giant screens so thousands of students could watch Game 7 together.
And it wasn't just students.
Many companies also adjusted their work schedules so employees could gather around large televisions in cafeterias and watch the game.
Everyone was going crazy over Game 7.
Not just because it was the Finals.
Not just because it was a winner-take-all Game 7.
For Blake's supporters, there was something even bigger at stake.
If Blake could lead the Suns to the championship, it would become a historic achievement and a source of enormous pride for everyone who had followed his journey.
...
Now the entire world was watching this matchup.
Back at the arena, another hour passed before players from both teams began coming out for their pregame warmups, making their final preparations for Game 7.
"Boom!"
The moment the Suns emerged from the tunnel, the home crowd erupted as one, waving banners and roaring at the top of their lungs.
The energy reached another level when Blake stepped onto the court.
"The Emperor! The Emperor! The Emperor!"
The fans chanted Blake's new nickname as loudly as they could, over and over again.
Every one of them was hoping he would once again become the "Sun God," win Game 7, and lead the Suns to the championship.
Both teams were already warming up, and the arena was packed.
"Black Mamba" Kobe Bryant, John Wall, Yao Ming, Yi Jianlian, "The Answer" Allen Iverson, Michael Jordan, "Batman" Scottie Pippen, and many other players and basketball stars had all arrived.
And there were plenty of celebrities too.
Taylor Swift, "Black Widow" Scarlett Johansson, television star Yoo Jae-suk, Roger Federer, Lionel Messi, and many other major names had shown up as promised.
And those were far from the only ones.
The atmosphere inside the arena was electric.
"The game is finally about to start!"
"I believe in 'The Emperor' Blake completely! He can finish this comeback and carry the Suns to the championship!"
"Let's go, 'The Emperor'!"
"Blake is the best!"
"Let's go, Suns!"
The fans shouted themselves hoarse.
But just as Blake stepped onto the court and began warming up, a sharp-eyed fan noticed something.
"Oh my God! I think I just spotted something huge. Look at the black sneakers Blake is wearing!
"That design...
"And that circular logo...
"Those are the Blake Su Generation, aren't they?!"
"What?! The Blake Su Generation?!"
"My God, they really are! The shoes Blake is wearing tonight look exactly like the original Blake Su Generation concept design!"
"Wait, weren't the Blake Su Generation supposed to go on sale after the series ended? That means sometime after tonight's game!
"They're still only available for preorder right now."
"Idiot, that applies to regular customers. This is Blake we're talking about. They're literally his signature shoes. What's wrong with him wearing them early?"
"Hahaha! Good point!"
"Damn, the Blake Su Generation are finally here! Even just seeing them on the big screen, or from this far away, they look incredible."
"They look amazing!"
"I don't care. I already signed up for the release, and I'm getting a pair tonight no matter what!"
"Same here!"
"Haha! I'm definitely getting the Blake Su Generation too. And Blake wearing them early tonight is actually perfect.
"We get to watch the most important Game 7 possible while also seeing how the shoes perform."
"Exactly! They already look great, and even though Blake himself obviously makes them look better, we can still get a sense of the Blake Su Generation's quality, cushioning, bounce, and everything else."
"Exactly!"
"..."
Yes.
For tonight's Game 7, Blake had stepped onto the court wearing the Blake Su Generation, his signature shoe that would not officially go on sale until after the game.
The Blake Su Generation was recognized almost immediately, sparking excited discussion throughout the arena.
And that was exactly Wagner's plan.
Just hours before the official release, he wanted "The Emperor" Blake, a player with both enormous popularity and elite ability, to wear the shoes on the biggest possible stage.
Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
If Blake delivered another spectacular performance in them, the appeal of the Blake Su Generation would instantly skyrocket and send demand through the roof when sales opened later that night.
Wagner certainly knew how to market a product.
Of course, the plan had only gone forward after Blake approved it.
More precisely, Blake had tried on the Blake Su Generation himself first.
He liked them.
And only after deciding that the shoes were good enough that they wouldn't interfere with his performance did he agree to wear them.
Amid the roaring atmosphere inside the arena, Mia Quinn and Yoona had naturally arrived as well.
They took the front-row seats Blake had arranged for them and immediately became two of the most eye-catching people courtside.
"The home-court atmosphere is amazing!"
Yoona smiled brightly as she took in the fiery energy around them.
"Blake is definitely going to win tonight and lead the Suns to the championship!"
"Of course."
"He has to win!"
Mia Quinn nodded firmly.
"Oh, Quinn, look!"
Just then, Yoona gently nudged Mia Quinn and leaned closer to whisper in her ear.
"Look behind us. There are two people dressed as Superman.
"They're taking this pretty seriously."