Sakurai's eyes widened as he stared at Aomine sprawled on the court.
The rest of Too Academy's players wore expressions of shock, sharing the same disbelief. Wakamatsu couldn't help but think, "...Aomine got played like that? That monster?"
Imayoshi, still recovering from the surprise, yelled urgently at his team, "Get back in position. He's not done!"
His command shook them out of their astonishment. Sakurai, Wakamatsu, and Susa exchanged determined glances and quickly repositioned themselves, ready for Tsuna's next move.
While Tsuna controlled the court, Aomine lay on the floor, Tsuna's words echoing in his mind.
"...Pathetic, he called me?" Aomine mumbled, initially in disbelief.
But gradually, disbelief transformed into fury. His eyes glinted with intensity as he roared, "Even if it's you, Tsuna, how can you dare to call me pathetic!"
His shout went unheard amid the focus on Tsuna, who possessed the ball. However, Momoi winced, a pained expression crossing her face upon hearing Aomine's frustrated outburst.
Filled with fresh resolve, Aomine tried to get back on his feet, keeping his gaze on Tsuna, who effortlessly outmaneuvered Too's defense.
Yet, his determination was met with a sudden, searing pain coursing through his entire body, causing his legs to crumple beneath him. Aomine's eyes widened in astonishment as he tumbled back to the floor.
"What's happening?"
Aomine muttered, his voice tinged with confusion as he grappled with his unresponsive body.
As Momoi continued to watch Aomine, she pieced together the situation. Her eyes welled up, and she covered her mouth with her hand, trying to stifle her tears.
Harasawa, sensing something amiss from Momoi's reaction, darkened his expression and headed over to the coach's stand to request a timeout.
Tsuna, fully aware of the unfolding situation, pressed forward. He skillfully eluded Too's defense, soaring into the air for another thunderous dunk that snapped the spectators out of their daze.
The crowd quickly recovered from their initial shock, and a wave of excitement rippled through the stadium as they realized the incredible play unfolding before their eyes.
Tsuna remained unfazed by the thunderous cheers engulfing the stadium.
His focus was solely on Aomine, who struggled to regain his footing. Aomine's body betrayed him, repeatedly crumbling to the floor in a desperate attempt to rise.
It was a heartbreaking sight for Momoi, who looked on from the side as Aomine refused to accept defeat, making one valiant yet futile effort after another.
The referee called for a time-out, and the entire Too team snapped out of their collective shock. They rushed to Aomine, who clearly needed assistance, while Momoi, sobbing loudly, hurried to his side.
Tsuna felt a twinge of guilt when he saw Momoi's tearful expression, but he shook it off and headed back to his bench with his team.
Taking their seats, Tsuna's teammates fixated their astonished gazes on him. Their faces clearly mirrored their disbelief.
Tsuna shook his head, "Stop gaping, guys. Need a reminder to get back in the game?"
He glanced at the opposing team's bench and continued, "This game isn't over..."
Nijimura shifted his attention to Aomine, who had been brought over to Too Academy's bench by his team. He questioned, "...I doubt their coach will let Aomine continue playing in this condition."
Tsuna nodded in agreement. However, Tsuna's eyes flashed with a glint as he watched Aomine struggle to get back on his feet.
Aomine had forsaken his rigorous training regimen since losing his fervor for basketball. He felt there were no more adversaries worthy of his full potential.
However, neglecting his training had a price - it meant his body couldn't perform at its peak. Although entering the zone could force his body to perform to its fullest, to confront an opponent of Tsuna's caliber under these circumstances was akin to a death wish.
Tsuna rose to his feet, capturing the attention of everyone in the room. He declared, "...Let's stick to the plan we discussed in the locker room."
Nijimura and the rest of the team blinked in surprise as they remembered the strategy they had crafted for this quarter. This even prompted Haizaki, who rarely shared his thoughts, to speak up with a look of astonishment. He asked, "...Did you actually predict this turn of events?"
Tsuna shook his head, ignoring the question. Instead, he turned to Nijimura and said, "There's a slight adjustment. I want you to switch with me."
"What? Why?" Nijimura asked, his head slightly tilted in confusion.
"Just do as I say..."
Tsuna replied, eyes scanning the stands and spotting a red-haired teenager in the audience. He fixed his gaze on those standing beside the young man and continued, "And this time, I need you to give it your all..."
Nijimura was initially taken aback, but soon, an excited grin spread across his face. He was eager to showcase his skills.
Meanwhile, on the Too Academy bench, a contrasting atmosphere enveloped the team.
Aomine struggled to stand, gritting his teeth in frustration. He glared at Coach Harasawa, insisting, "Coach, I can keep playing..."
Tears streamed down Momoi's face as she watched, unable to say a word to dissuade Aomine.
Wakamatsu was ready to confront the situation when Imayoshi intervened, placing a restraining hand on him. Wakamatsu turned to look at Imayoshi and, although disgruntled, refrained from causing a scene.
Coach Harasawa wore a deep frown. The reality of Aomine's condition and their dwindling chances of victory settled heavily on him. Ideally, they should replace Aomine to prevent further strain and potential injury.
However, the piercing gazes from Aomine made Harasawa realize that although Aomine was often unpredictable and unreliable off the court, he carried immense pride. Halting him now might lead to lingering resentment, which would be detrimental to the team.
Aomine was their ace, and unity was crucial.
Harasawa sighed and reluctantly relented, cautioning Aomine, "Alright, but the moment I sense you're pushing yourself too far, I'm pulling you out, no matter what you say."
The rest of the Too Academy team didn't protest. Their coach's decision was non-negotiable. They could do little, and even Imayoshi, who might have been their voice of dissent, seemed to agree with the coach. They had no choice but to accept it.
With the referee's whistle echoing through the stadium, the game resumed.
Imayoshi took control of the ball, skillfully dribbling it down the court. He eyed the Fukuda Sogo defense, noticing a shift in their positioning that made him widen his eyes.
Aomine, despite his struggling condition, also picked up on the change, and he gritted his teeth in frustration. His gaze darted to Nijimura, who was guarding him before he shouted in Tsuna's direction.
"How dare you! Tsuna, don't you fucking dare to run away from me!" Aomine's shout echoed with anger.
In response, Tsuna fixed him with a cold, piercing gaze that sent shivers down Aomine's spine. This was a look he hadn't seen from Tsuna before, a gaze that seemed to regard him as worthless.
The frigid stare doused Aomine's fiery fury, and he watched as Tsuna slowly opened his mouth.
"Don't tell me what to do, Daiki. Besides..." Tsuna retorted, his voice cutting through the court's charged atmosphere like ice. His words reverberated, reaching everyone present.
"Are you even worthy now?"
Tsuna questioned, his gaze fixed on Aomine.
His words carried a weight that seemed to freeze the entire court, leaving an eerie silence in their wake as if the temperature had plunged.
Title: You are not worthy
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