Aomine's response was a mere grin. Dispensing with any formal reply, he swiftly transitioned into a defensive stance.
In the heat of the moment, Tsuna acknowledged his good fortune. Almost faltering in his attempt to swipe the ball, Aomine's swiftness outpaced his expectations.
'And his primal instincts are still dormant. I can't help but wonder if I'd be able to steal the ball from him if his instinct did awaken...'
As his eyes remained affixed on Aomine's vigilant defense, Tsuna acknowledged his prior underestimation of the Generation of Miracles.
In short order, he began a leisurely dribble, gradually closing the distance between himself and Aomine.
However, in a split second, his pace transformed, the ball dancing between his hands, passing beneath his legs, and darting behind him in a dizzying display, a tactic aimed at bewildering Aomine. The maneuver proved spectacularly effective.
"His dribbling's even faster than when he faced me!" Nijimura burst out, an unmistakable mixture of surprise and awe etched onto his features. A sentiment shared by the entire onlooking assembly.
Aomine was left stunned, he reacted instinctively as his eyes following the blur of the ball as Tsuna executed a swift move. However, Tsuna changed direction abruptly, catching Aomine off guard.
Caught off balance, Aomine stumbled and fell to the court. Tsuna's grin widened as he tossed the ball towards the hoop without even looking. The shot was flawless, and the ball sailed through the net.
"Whoa, what just happened?" Sekiguchi blurted out, clearly confused.
"That's what's called an Ankle Break," Midorima explained, adjusting his glasses.
"Ankle Break?"
Akashi chimed in, "It's a basketball move where a player changes direction so suddenly that it trips up the defender."
"That's correct," Nijimura added, his surprise evident. He hadn't realized Tsuna's skill level was this high.
Even Murasakibara put down his snacks, his attention fully on Tsuna in amazement.
"Let's play some more, Tsuna!" Aomine's enthusiastic voice cut through the air, his spirit undaunted even after his fall. It was a remarkable display of someone defeated, yet still eager to keep playing.
"...I'm not sure if we have enough time," Tsuna murmured, his gaze flicking to the clock on the wall a little distance away from the court. After a moment's consideration, he nodded, a small decision forming. "But yeah, let's squeeze in a couple more."
Aomine's face lit up with enthusiasm. "Haha, let's do it!"
The two players quickly engaged in two more rounds of one-on-one. The outcomes of these games left everyone who was watching astonished. Aomine, the skilled player he was, found himself soundly defeated. Regardless of the tactics he tried, Tsuna effortlessly countered each move, while Aomine struggled to do the same. Tsuna's techniques were simply unbeatable.
As they packed up, ready to head home, Tsuna glanced at the disheartened Aomine and gave a sympathetic shake of his head. He understood that Aomine's frustration didn't stem from losing but rather from the fact that their playtime had to come to an end.
Once he left the court, Tsuna informed Sebas that he intended to head home alone. Despite Sebas' resistance, Tsuna's decision stood firm, and Sebas reluctantly conceded.
As Tsuna made his way toward the gate, he noticed that the nearby court was still illuminated, its lights casting a glow on the surroundings. It didn't take a leap of logic for Tsuna to figure out who might be there.
"Guess I'll check it out," he murmured to himself.
Approaching the unused court, Tsuna noticed Midorima also heading in the same direction. Their curiosity seemed to align.
"You're curious too?" Tsuna inquired as they reached the entrance.
Midorima nodded in agreement. The two of them entered the court area. To their surprise, there was no one there. Just moments earlier, they had distinctly heard the sound of a basketball being dribbled, yet now, there was an eerie silence, and no sign of anyone around.
"...Am I hearing things?" Midorima mumbled, adjusting his glasses in an awkward gesture.
"No, you're not," Tsunayoshi assured him upon catching Midorima's muttering.
"That can't be right. There's nobody here," Midorima insisted, his glasses receiving another adjustment. Tsunayoshi couldn't help but notice Midorima's growing unease, evident in his perspiring forehead.
"Are you afraid of ghosts, Shintaro?"
"No, I don't believe in such nonsense," Midorima denied, yet Tsunayoshi could see the anxiety in Midorima's increasing sweat. It was a side of Midorima that Tsunayoshi hadn't expected to witness.
'Huh, this is quite amusing.'
"Actually, there really is someone here," Tsunayoshi stated with a serious undertone.
Midorima hastily adjusted his glasses once more, his complexion turning paler. He interpreted Tsunayoshi's words as a reference to a potential ghost sighting. Little did he know that Tsunayoshi was merely describing a student with light blue hair neatly combed to one side. The student's blue eyes had a vacant expression, and his relatively fair skin gave him a somewhat ghostly appearance.
He was Tetsuya Kuroko.
As the door creaked open, Kuroko momentarily halted his training, casting a curious gaze toward the entrance. His attention was caught by the sight of two students entering – one with black hair and the other with dark green hair.
'That's Tsunayoshi Kazama and Shintaro Midorima from the first string,' he noted mentally, watching them enter. However, his surprise was palpable when Tsuna's gaze locked onto his own. It was rare for anyone to notice him, given his near-invisible presence directly.
'Wait, he can see me?'
"Midorima, can't you see the light blue-haired student over there?" Tsunayoshi addressed Midorima, gesturing discreetly toward Kuroko.
A mix of bewilderment and unease washed over Midorima as he turned to Tsunayoshi, his throat audibly working as he swallowed hard.
"...Seriously, I'm not joking right now." Tsuna seemed momentarily at a loss for words, his surprise causing him to switch to English unintentionally.
Convinced of Tsuna's sincerity, Midorima finally turned his attention in the direction indicated by Tsuna's pointing finger.
Initially, it seemed like there was no one there. Midorima was about to chide Tsuna for pulling a prank on him, but then his vision focused on a figure – the light blue-haired student – who stood on the court, basketball in hand. Midorima's eyes widened in astonishment.
'He's nearly invisible.' Midorima shifted his gaze to Tsuna, ready to question him about this unexpected sight. Yet, before he could utter a word, Tsuna was already heading toward the mysterious student.
"Hey there, what are you up to?" Tsuna inquired, feigning curiosity.
"Training, Kazama-kun," the light blue-haired student replied in a calm tone that matched his expression.
"Oh, do you know me?"
Now, it was Tsuna's turn to be genuinely taken aback.
"You're well-known, Kazama-kun, especially after your victory against Nijimura-senpai," came the reply from the light blue-haired student, his demeanor so impassive that it hardly conveyed the weight of his words.
"...Is that so?"
Observing Tsuna's stunned reaction, Midorima's lips curled slightly, clearly savoring the moment.
"Ahem, by the way, what's your name again?" Tsuna redirected the conversation.
"I am Tetsuya Kuroko. Pleased to make your acquaintance," the light blue-haired student introduced himself calmly as he bowed in classic Japanese introduction.
Tsunayoshi nodded in acknowledgment before responding, "Although you seem to have recognized me, I suppose I should properly introduce myself, too. I'm Tsunayoshi Kazama. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"...and this guy here is-"
"Shintaro Midorima-kun. I'm aware of him. Every single one of you that got admitted to the first string is also quite renowned," Kuroko interjected, stopping Tsuna's introduction in its tracks, while Midorima nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders.
"Right," Tsuna's lips twitched slightly at how stiff this conversation was as he continued, "Anyway, the school facilities were about to be locked, wanna come and hang out with us?"
---
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