Amidst the roaring stadium crowd, Midorima and Kise silently observed the unfolding spectacle. Both wore expressions of astonishment as they took in the game.
"The match has barely started, and they're already pulling off incredible moves," Kise remarked, speaking loudly enough for Midorima to catch his words.
Midorima adjusted his glasses and commented, "This game resembles yours, Kise. They're both highly eager to face each other."
Kise's eyes widened in surprise, and he inquired, "Did they used to have one-on-one matches too?"
"That's right," Midorima confirmed, glancing towards a specific section of the audience where he noticed a red-haired teenager with a wide smile, seemingly enjoying the game.
"Did you see that, Reo? Akashi!" Kotaro couldn't contain his amazement at the display of skill from Tsuna and Aomine.
Mibuchi nodded, acknowledging the incredible talent on the court.
"Indeed, they're both exceptional players, aren't they?"
A hint of concern lingered in Mibuchi's eyes as he watched the game unfold.
As he observed Akashi, who appeared to be thoroughly enjoying the match, Mibuchi couldn't help but think, "I get it now. He also warned us to be cautious of Fukuda Sogo's captain."
"Woah, the game's underway, huh? Hahaha!" A hearty laugh resounded as the group turned to find their teammate, Nebuya, had finally arrived.
"You're late, Nebuya!"
Kotaro grumbled.
But Nebuya laughed heartily and apologized to Akashi before joining them to watch the game.
Back in the game, Aomine couldn't help but chuckle with glee as he observed Tsuna's retreating form.
Imayoshi got hold of the ball as the game pressed on. Sensing Aomine's enthusiasm, he didn't waste a moment and passed the ball to him.
As the game unfolded, Too Academy's coach couldn't help but notice that it had turned into a one-on-one showdown between Tsuna and Aomine.
Harasawa turned to Momoi with a question. "Momoi, did you give Kazama's data to Aomine?"
Momoi offered a wry smile and shook her head. "Aomine turned down the data just like usual..."
Harasawa's expression darkened.
The game wasn't playing out as they had hoped. Tsuna had an uncanny read on Aomine, making it challenging for him to score. Even their collective defense couldn't contain Tsuna's skillful maneuvers.
As time passed, Fukuda Sogo held a slight lead in the first quarter, scoring 26-20.
Both teams retreated to their benches, gearing up for the second quarter.
On Fukuda Sogo's bench, everyone appeared focused and ready. Ogiwara wore an appreciative grin. "Aomine is truly something, isn't he? A class of his own..."
The others agreed, understanding the exceptional skill Aomine possessed.
"Tsuna, maybe we should just let you and Aomine have your one-on-one match," Nijimura teased, recognizing the intensity of the showdown between the two.
Tsuna simply shook his head with a smile. The others chuckled along at this.
Observing Aomine across the court, who seemed to be grinning wider than usual, Tsuna wondered aloud, "...Shuzo, doesn't he look strangely familiar?"
"What do you mean? Of course, he's familiar. We're all from Teiko," Nijimura replied, puzzled by Tsuna's comment.
Tsuna shook his head, trying to explain further. "No, it's not about Teiko. Daiki, he's the kind of player we know well..."
Everyone on the bench turned to scrutinize Aomine more closely, attempting to discern what Tsuna was getting at. Ogiwara's eyes widened as they observed, and he turned to Tsuna.
"Can it be true? He's already like a monster..." Ogiwara questioned in disbelief.
"Well, what's your take on it?"
Tsuna grinned and left it to their imagination.
On the other side, Too Academy remained largely quiet. They found it challenging to get into the game, thanks to the intense pressure Tsuna was putting on their ace, Aomine Daiki, who was a member of the Generation of Miracles.
Sakurai voiced his thoughts, "It's like playing against another Generation of Miracles player."
Momoi, well aware of Tsuna's incredible skills, shook her head. If Tsuna had remained in Japan, he could have easily earned a place among the Generation of Miracles.
But now wasn't the time to dwell on that.
She turned to their coach, Harasawa, and inquired, "Coach, should we adjust our strategy a bit?"
If they continued to focus solely on Aomine, they knew they couldn't change the course of the game.
However, Aomine was getting into the flow and seemed to enjoy the match more than anyone. He grumbled before saying, "Keep passing me the ball. This is getting exciting. Just don't interfere."
Wakamatsu was furious at Aomine's attitude and stood up, questioning him, "What the heck are you saying?"
Aomine's icy glare sent a shiver down Wakamatsu's spine, triggering an internal alarm that screamed danger. It felt as though a predatory beast was locking eyes with him.
Wakamatsu's eyes widened in astonishment. He had experienced this eerie sensation in the changing room, but now it was amplified, baffling him. "What on earth..."
The rest of the team also sensed the change, with Momoi looking worried at Aomine. Harasawa picked up on Aomine's unrelenting desire to play and nodded to Imayoshi, conceding, "Alright, let's go with your approach."
Imayoshi couldn't help but shiver when he looked at Aomine. Then, he turned his attention to Tsuna, thinking, "Looks like you've unleashed a beast, Tsunayoshi Kazama."
As the second quarter kicked off, Ogiwara passed the ball to Tsuna. Aomine was in Tsuna's face from the get-go, marking him closely, like a shadow.
Aomine's silence was enough of a response for Tsuna. He picked up his pace and maneuvered to Aomine's left side, making the defense chase. Aomine shadowed Tsuna closely, mirroring his every step.
But Tsuna had a plan. He altered his course with a swift body rotation and darted to Aomine's right. He believed he had outwitted Aomine's defense.
However, a sudden presence behind him made Tsuna's instincts kick in. He quickly stepped back as an opposing hand reached for the ball he held.
Tsuna's maneuver hadn't worked, and Aomine was right back in his defensive stance, blocking Tsuna's path. The players from Fukuda Sogo couldn't believe their eyes.
Kise expressed his frustration. "What in the world was that?"
He clenched his teeth, knowing he'd never pushed Aomine this hard during their previous match.
Midorima shared in the surprise, adjusting his glasses before describing how Aomine's movements resembled a wild beast's.
"...Beast instinct, huh? Seems like you're getting serious, Daiki..." Tsuna sported a sly grin as he faced Aomine, noticing how Aomine's defensive stance now appeared more natural and at ease.
Imayoshi, even though he had a hunch, found himself genuinely surprised. He squinted his eyes slightly and quietly pondered, "...Aomine's instincts have dulled since he stopped taking things seriously..."
"Even when playing against Kise, he never had to dig deep and unleash his full potential..."
Watching Tsuna dealing with Aomine's now intense defensive form, Imayoshi grinned and expressed his gratitude, "Thanks to you for bringing out the beast in him. Our team just got a lot stronger."
---
Big thanks to TreVon White, TOKA?, Jackrome, BigTurner, tsunade666, & Kenneth Soon for joining us as patrons. Your support means a lot to me, and I'm thrilled to have you on board! 🙌😄
Do you want to read 15 chapters ahead of the schedule? Here's where you can find them:
p@treon.com/mythoast