Ogiwara fell into contemplative silence as he observed the ongoing spectacle. Their previous quarter's showdown had already filled him with awe, and now it seemed like there was even more to uncover.
"I've got to step up my game," he thought resolutely.
It was his unshakable resolve to keep playing, to avenge what these basketball monsters had done to his love for the sport. Ogiwara knew he'd be swiftly overpowered unless he improved.
Tsuna faced the challenge of trying to pierce Aomine's relentless defense, and he swiftly recognized that it wouldn't be a walk in the park.
"This is going to be tough," Tsuna muttered under his breath.
He executed a quick crossover to the left and pivoted in the same direction, hoping to create some space. But Aomine, akin to a predatory beast, was relentless in his pursuit, shadowing Tsuna's every move. This time, Aomine managed to swipe the ball away.
With the ball in his possession, Aomine moved past Tsuna's defense and infiltrated Fukuda Sogo's defensive line. The players from Fukuda Sogo were ready to thwart his progress, but Aomine proved to be unstoppable.
Tsuna raced to catch up with Aomine, but the latter appeared to have an uncanny awareness of a looming threat behind him. Swiftly sidestepping, Aomine executed one of his unconventional, formless shots that swished through the basket.
Nijimura clenched his teeth, "Those unorthodox shots are simply incredible."
While Tsuna had been able to slip past Aomine's defense occasionally, the tables had turned since Aomine unleashed his beastly instincts. As the game unfolded, Aomine relentlessly hindered Tsuna's attempts to make a comeback. As a result, Too Academy managed to level the score with Fukuda Sogo shortly after.
Observing the expressions on his teammates' faces, Tsuna wore a concerned frown and directed his gaze toward the bench. He locked eyes with Alexandra and signaled for her to call a timeout.
Alexandra acknowledged his gesture, and shortly after, the referee signaled for a timeout. At this point, Too Academy had managed to pull ahead in the score.
As the Fukuda Sogo team took their seats, Alexandra, their coach, remained silent, awaiting Tsuna's guidance.
With a calm demeanor, Tsuna didn't utter a word but exchanged nonchalant glances with his teammates.
"Why? You think we're losing control?"
The question hung heavily in the air, and Tsuna's teammates understood his discontent, which rendered them silent.
Tsuna, acknowledging their silence, shook his head. His eyes drifted to Aomine and his confident team on the opposite bench. With a commanding presence, he began to speak.
"Concentrate on the game. I won't accept any lapses in your focus," he declared firmly.
His words had an impact, and his teammates' eyes widened as they recognized their mistake. Aomine's impressive skills had left them awestruck and unfocused, but Tsuna's words were a wake-up call.
"The game has only just begun. That was only the appetizer..." Tsuna remarked, glancing at the scoreboard that showed Too in the lead.
Reinvigorated, his teammates nodded in agreement.
On the opposing bench, Imayoshi couldn't help but notice the shift in Fukuda Sogo's players' expressions. He mumbled to himself, "They should be rattled right now, and the timeout was well-timed, but..."
Coach Harasawa concurred, "Indeed, but that young captain sensed it instantly and rallied them back to focus."
Imayoshi couldn't help but slightly narrow his eyes as a realization hit him, "But it wasn't the coach who called that timeout..."
He fixed his gaze on Tsuna, a frown forming. Imayoshi was starting to understand that Tsuna had full command over his team, which was a rather intimidating revelation.
He voiced his thoughts, "Is that guy really a freshman?"
Harasawa's concerns mirrored those of Imayoshi. It was an almost unbelievable feat, especially for a freshman.
Seeking a solution, Harasawa turned to Momoi, who observed Aomine's intense concentration. He queried, "Momoi, is there anything you know about Kazama that might help us to keep the momentum on our side?"
After a moment's contemplation, Momoi replied, "...Tsuna's always been a calculating one, so he might not tap into that beastly instinct like Aomine."
But then, her expression shifted, and she added, "But he never lost his smile, even when Aomine turned the tide. It was only when his team lost focus that he lost it. So, he definitely has something up his sleeve."
She also pondered, "He's one of the very few people that I couldn't see through after all..."
They observed Tsuna, who had regained his composure and wore his usual expression as his team refocused. Everyone knew the game was far from over.
Imayoshi frowned as he sensed something peculiar about Tsuna when they had momentarily seized momentum. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, and hearing Momoi's words only deepened his suspicion. Their battle was far from finished.
As the referee blew the whistle, signifying the game's continuation, both teams were poised on the court. The game pressed on, the ball now in Aomine's capable hands.
"Why do they have to interrupt this? It's getting fun. Don't you think so, Tsuna?" Aomine grinned as he dribbled the ball around, probing for openings in Tsuna's defensive stance while Tsuna diligently shadowed his every move.
Tsuna responded with a chuckle but wore a serious expression, his eyes sharp and calculating.
"...I might not be able to use beast instinct," Tsuna thought silently as he tracked Aomine's every step.
The longer they remained locked in this defensive standoff, the wider Aomine's eyes grew. An instinctive alarm echoed within him as he scrutinized Tsuna, who now exuded an overwhelming pressure that seemed to encompass his entire being.
Aomine couldn't shake the feeling that someone was eyeing him like a predator stalking its prey, and that icy gaze bore down on him.
Tsuna understood that rulers ought to retain their rationality to promote the prosperity of their subjects, and a conqueror must guard against indulgence while expanding their dominion.
Tsuna's cold voice cut through the tense atmosphere, "...Similarly, a hunter cannot forsake his humanity to hunt his prey."
A shiver coursed through everyone on the court. They felt it deep within their bones, the intensity of the pressure emanating from Tsuna.
The players from Too Academy wore expressions of shock and astonishment, their eyes widening in disbelief. In contrast, the Fukuda Sogo team wore knowing smiles, understanding that Tsuna's declaration about the game had merely just started was not to be taken lightly.
"...I can feel it from up here."
Midorima stared intently at the court below, his eyes wide with astonishment.
His skin tingling with an eerie sensation, Kise couldn't contain his curiosity. "Midorimacchi, doesn't this pressure remind you of someone?"
Midorima nodded in agreement and turned his gaze to a person in the stands. This individual wore a smirk, clearly aware of the tremendous pressure emanating from Tsuna.
Midorima adjusted his glasses, contemplating the potential outcome of a face-off between these two forces. "I wonder what would occur if they were pitted against each other."
Back in the game, Aomine's grin broadened as he felt the mounting pressure. He swiftly shifted his body to the opposite side, sensing Tsuna hot on his heels. Aomine then took a step back before executing another quick crossover move.
Nijimura marveled at Aomine's exceptional agility. It was a sight to behold.
Yet, Tsuna shadowed Aomine's every step, keeping up with his extraordinary movements. Aomine's grin grew wider as he leaped to the side, rotating his body to take his formless shot. The ball left his hand with a confident flick.
But to Aomine's astonishment, his shot was met by a swatting hand. He turned to see Tsuna, who had blocked his formless shot. A chill coursed down Aomine's spine as he met Tsuna's icy gaze.
Tsuna coldly said, "Is that the best you've got, Daiki?"
Title: Hunting a beast!
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