In the stands, Seirin exchanged glances as Hyuga adjusted his glasses. He pondered aloud, "You think we should catch the next game, too?"
Their collective, intent gaze toward the adjacent court, where Fukuda Sogo and Onita were gearing up, offered a unanimous response.
Hyuga couldn't help but shake his head slightly, sharing their curiosity about the upcoming game.
The warm-up and opening ceremonies for both teams would take about half an hour, so everyone redirected their attention to the ongoing match between Kaijo and Too.
The fourth quarter commenced with Aomine swiftly taking control of the ball. He dribbled through Kaijo's defense with impressive finesse, flaunting his skills, and eventually unleashed a distinctive shot.
Aomine was clearly fired up, driven by the anticipation of facing Tsuna's team in their next match.
Kaijo's frustration was palpable, and even though the game drew close, they refused to give up, no matter how slim their chances seemed.
Inspired by Aomine's display, Kise was determined to replicate his move, much like several others on the court. Despite pushing himself to the absolute limit, Kise took a challenging shot.
His fatigued legs made it a struggle, but the ball rattled around the rim before finally dropping into the basket.
Both teams showed visible signs of exhaustion, yet Kaijo's determination remained unwavering, fueled by Kise's relentless effort.
Aomine, watching the tenacity in Kise's eyes, couldn't help but be reminded of Kuroko's own unwavering gaze.
In the midst of the heated game, Too made an attempt with their shooting guard, but a fumble led to a steal by Kise.
Kise confronted Aomine, who was keenly focused on predicting his next action.
With a rapid and crafty fake, Kise looked poised to execute a formless shot. He quickly passed the ball behind him to Kasamatsu, but Aomine's lightning-quick reflexes enabled him to deflect the pass.
Seeing Kise's astonished face, Aomine shook his head rather disappointedly.
"You've copied my moves well," he admitted. But then, his expression turned cold, and he added, "You made a critical error, though..."
"...I never pass the ball."
"Get up! You dimwit!" Kasamatsu scolded, provided Kise with words of encouragement in his own way, and reminded him that the game was still far from its conclusion.
The game pushed on, and the tension began to crumble as Kaijo initiated an attack. Moriyama went for a layup, but Aomine swooped in, snatching the ball and racing down the court, leaving Kaijo's defenders in his wake.
He reached Kaijo's defense line in a heartbeat, soaring into the air.
In a last-ditch effort to block a dunk, Kise leaped but came up short, crashing to the ground as the game came to a close with a score of 98-110.
"... Kise couldn't pull it off either, huh?" Kagami muttered, concern in his eyes as he watched Kise struggle to rise after attempting to copy Aomine's technique.
"He really pushed himself," remarked another observer, noting the visible strain on Kise's body.
Kuroko regarded the situation somberly, recognizing that imitating Aomine was taking a significant toll on Kise. He recalled the words Kazama had once said, wondering if he had foreseen this outcome.
His gaze shifted to the upcoming match between Fukuda Sogo and Onita High, leaving the current scene behind.
"Coach, do you think Onita High can hold their own against Fukuda Sogo?" Izuki inquired, his eyes fixed on the Fukuda Sogo team.
Aida pondered momentarily and replied, "I can't say for sure, but Onita High is a formidable team."
She gestured towards a player from Onita High with spiky dark-brown hair, some strands covering his eyes.
"Take Keisuke Kobayashi, for example. He's a top-tier player, though he may not quite reach the level of the Generation of Miracles. He's been consistently drawing media attention with his exceptional performance."
Aida nodded in agreement, then shifted her attention back to Tsuna, who calmly instructed his teammates. "While Kobayashi is a formidable player, he might not be sufficient to contain that particular individual."
Intrigued by the discussion, Kiyoshi turned to Alexandra, who was still accompanying them. Given that she was Fukuda Sogo's coach, she might have some valuable insights.
He asked her in English, "Coach, what's your take on who will win this match?"
Alexandra was taken aback by the sudden switch to English by Kiyoshi. She chuckled and said, "Oh, you can use Japanese. I speak Japanese, so feel free to use it, haha."
She removed her glasses and observed Kobayashi, sensing a strong aura from him. Alexandra expressed her opinion, saying, "I agree with your lovely coach. He's quite skilled."
However, her attention quickly shifted to Tsuna, and she felt an intense and unfathomable aura like a bottomless pit coming from him.
And as the saying goes, "When you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you."
So, she hurriedly put her glasses back on and concluded, "...but he's not good enough."
Agreeing with one another, the Seirin team nodded in unison.
They had witnessed Tsuna's incredible abilities, even though they hadn't seen the extent of his full power. They had tentatively placed him on the same level as the other members of the Generation of Miracles.
The crowd's cheers interrupted their contemplation as the game between Fukuda Sogo and Onita High commenced.
On the court, Fukuda Sogo took possession of the ball and swiftly passed it to Tsuna.
With deft skill, Tsuna took control of the ball and cast a sidelong glance toward a particular individual. A confident smirk crept across his face as he signaled to his teammates to maintain their positions.
Then, without hesitation, he bolted forward all on his own.
"He's going solo!"
"Talk about reckless!"
"Whoa, that guy's fearless!"
The crowd erupted into cheers once more, electrified by Tsuna's audacious move.
Simultaneously, Aomine grinned widely while observing Tsuna's bold move.
Amongst the crowd, the onlookers from Too wore expressions of intrigue, and even the departing Kaijo players couldn't resist a glance back at the court. Kise, in particular, stared intently, his eyes fixed on Tsuna and his impending action.
Kobayashi's face twisted with disapproval as he sensed an undercurrent of disrespect.
He stepped up to Tsuna and voiced his displeasure, "You're quite the arrogant freshman, aren't you?"
Amid it all, Tsuna remained unfazed, facing off with Kobayashi's defense. He executed a deft pivot to his right, catching Kobayashi off-guard, and in a swift, unexpected shift, Tsuna crossed over to the opposite direction. It left Kobayashi visibly frustrated and surprised.
This mesmerizing maneuver sent the crowd into a frenzy. Onlookers from other teams gaped in astonishment at Tsuna's agility and skill.
Tsuna pressed on, displaying masterful ball-handling skills to maneuver past Kobayashi's defensive efforts.
As he neared Onita's basket, the stadium was hushed, and anticipation settled over the crowd.
In a heart-stopping moment, Tsuna soared into the air, and a collective gasp seemed to escape the spectators.
Every eye in the arena remained locked onto Tsuna. Time itself appeared to stand still, the atmosphere charged with electrifying tension.
As Tsuna soared higher, the subtle rustling of clothing, the distant hum of the audience, and even the creaking of seats went unnoticed. All that mattered was this breathtaking moment. The world seemed to narrow down to this singular, suspended leap.
With a thunderous slam, Tsuna executed a resounding dunk that sent shockwaves echoing through the stadium.
It happened a split second after the game's commencement, catching everyone off guard.
Stunned by the awe-inspiring leap, the once-hushed crowd suddenly erupted into a frenzy of cheers.
The sheer spectacle they had just witnessed ignited a wildfire of excitement that spread like wildfire across the stadium. Fans clapped, screamed, and jumped out of their seats, overwhelmed by the sheer brilliance of Tsuna's dunk.
In the stands, various teams, including Seirin, Shutoku, Too, and Kaijo, stared in open-mouthed astonishment.
Aomine, who had been closely observing, couldn't contain his laughter. His joy was evident. He was thrilled that Tsuna's skills were as sharp as ever.
He mumbled before leaving alongside his team, "...Ah, finally. Can you push me to give it my all, Tsuna?"
---
Do you want to read 15 chapters ahead of the schedule? Here's where you can find them:
p@treon.com/mythoast