The next day, Tsuna made his way back to the resort, and as soon as he arrived, his teammates swarmed around him, brimming with excitement.
"Captain! We did it! We clinched the Interhigh trophy! Woohoo!"
Their voices echoed triumphantly as they proudly displayed the gleaming trophy they had secured. Tsuna chuckled at their enthusiasm, his eyes lighting up.
"How was the game?"
Tsuna inquired, turning his attention to Nijimura, who responded with a confident grin.
Nijimura nodded and said, "It went just as you predicted..."
Their conversation was unexpectedly interrupted before he could delve into the game's details.
Haizaki, with an inquisitive gleam in his eyes, approached Tsuna.
"Captain, what's his reaction?" Haizaki inquired, a hint of anticipation in his voice.
Ogiwara stood nearby, also curious about the outcome.
During their preparations for the final, Tsuna emphasized that defeating Rakuzan would be a significant blow to Akashi's pride.
He underlined the importance of this game as a chance to prove Akashi wrong, particularly for someone like Haizaki, who had a personal score to settle.
And when it came to Ogiwara, Tsuna highlighted how this match was the perfect opportunity for him to give Akashi a slap in the face.
Tsuna's words worked like magic. Haizaki and Ogiwara were fired up.
It was why their eyes gleamed with a strange light as they watched the game between Yosen High and Rakuzan High a few days ago. They were eager to observe every move made by the Rakuzan players, ready to crave it all into their memories.
As an extra incentive, Tsuna had promised to describe Akashi's reaction in detail, knowing that the team Akashi was so confident in had unexpectedly lost.
So, when Haizaki asked about it, Tsuna couldn't help but smirk broadly. He replied, "...His reaction was quite a sight to see."
Haizaki and Ogiwara's faces lit up.
They wore broad smiles as Tsuna recounted how anger had twisted Akashi's face into a grimace.
Watching Tsuna with his mischievous smirk and Haizaki and Ogiwara hanging on to his every word like kids eager for a bedtime story. Nijimura couldn't help but shake his head with an awkward smile.
"...He really played them to get under Akashi's skin, huh?"
Recalling the recent events, Nijimura couldn't help but shudder a bit as he glanced at his young master.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to this. He's just too terrifying," Nijimura admitted with a wry smile.
He had considered reporting all the details, but he also knew Tsuna well enough to realize that Tsuna probably had a pretty good idea of how things had unfolded.
During their match against Too Academy, Nijimura initially believed that Tsuna intended to defeat Too Academy decisively by not holding back and deploying Nijimura's wild card.
But now, Nijimura realized it wasn't just about Too Academy.
Tsuna's strategic move had been intended for Rakuzan. He silently pondered how Tsuna could plan so far ahead.
Nijimura's ability to keep Aomine in check was a way to make Akashi and the Uncrowned Kings wary of him. This was particularly effective since Aomine was known as the Ace of The Generation of Miracles despite his physical condition during the time.
The result was that two of Rakuzan's players closely shadowed Nijimura, making it difficult for him to make any bold moves.
Tsuna had given them a clear plan: to make it seem like everything was going according to Rakuzan's calculations.
He also stressed the need to shut down Mayuzumi's plays in the second quarter. Ogiwara, being Kuroko's childhood friend, was the ideal choice for this task.
Even though he was fundamentally better, Mayuzumi's presence on the court wasn't on the same level as Kuroko's. And Ogiwara had become accustomed to handling it without much trouble.
Rakuzan was taken aback by this strategy, but they didn't pay it much mind and continued to maintain their momentum.
Recalling the confident expressions on their opponents' faces during the first half, Nijimura couldn't help but chuckle. Even in their wildest dreams, those players would have never imagined that Tsuna had planned everything.
They maintained the advantage because Tsuna allowed it.
So when Nijimura went all out and captured their full attention, it was Haizaki's job to disrupt the balance.
Although Haizaki might not have reached the level of the Generation of Miracles yet, he was undoubtedly superior to the Uncrowned Kings.
Tsuna had stressed the importance of Haizaki disrupting Mibuchi's rhythm, the one element they needed to be cautious of if everything was going according to plan.
With Mochizuki backing him up, Haizaki effectively kept Mibuchi in check.
The shock of their strategy falling apart would throw the Rakuzan team into disarray. This was especially true for a team under the dominion of Akashi, who held absolute authority within the team.
When a single individual held such undisputed power, the others were rendered unable to make significant decisions in their absence.
It was the case with Rakuzan. They had grown reliant on Akashi's decision-making.
Fukuda Sogo was almost the same as Rakuzan.
However, unlike Rakuzan, where Akashi held absolute control over decision-making, Tsuna had delegated more instructional duties to Nijimura and subtly trained his team to become less reliant on him.
This prepared them to adapt and perform even when things didn't go according to plan.
On the other hand, Rakuzan faced a different challenge.
Without Akashi's direct control, they struggled to regain their composure despite having an excellent coach. Akashi's presence had deeply influenced their mind, making them susceptible to Tsuna's clever strategy.
As Fukuda Sogo turned the tables, Rakuzan hastily scrambled to change its strategy.
And Fukuda Sogo had been aiming for this all along.
In response, Haizaki and Nijimura executed a combination play, temporarily letting go of their double team to compensate for their defensive weaknesses in stopping Haizaki.
Nijimura was consistently amazed by how well their plan had worked out. No matter how often he saw it, it always left a strong impression.
The celebration continued late into the night, with everyone still celebrating victory.
On the other side, in a modern gymnasium with sleek architecture and a pristine basketball court, a heavy atmosphere hung in the air.
Four individuals stood together, their faces etched with unease and fear. They cast their eyes downward, where a solitary figure's silhouette loomed, its distinctive heterochromatic pupils gleaming with an imposing aura.
The silence between them grew more oppressive, and the four individuals began to feel increasingly uncomfortable.
Finally, one of them broke the silence, apologizing with a heavy heart.
"...We're sorry, Akashi."
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