Shortly thereafter, they reached a modern-looking basketball gymnasium.
The sleek, contemporary design of the facility featured high-tech lighting, polished wooden floors, and massive panoramic windows that allowed natural light to flood the space.
The acoustics were finely tuned to ensure the cacophony of sneakers squeaking against the court and basketballs pounding the hardwood filled every nook and cranny.
The team members looked around in sheer amazement. They had just entered a gymnasium, and Tsuna had mentioned that it was privately owned.
"Wait, this place is privately owned?" someone exclaimed.
"Is this where an NBA team practices or something?" another wondered aloud.
The atmosphere was excited as they tried to make sense of their surroundings, and a wave of chatter spread through the group.
The gymnasium resembled the stadium in Kanagawa, where they had previously held the Interhigh.
The main distinction was the absence of audience seating, replaced by a sleek, modern glass-enclosed room suspended above the court.
The space exuded a unique blend of corporate office aesthetics and a high-end gym characterized by pristine design, state-of-the-art equipment, and a bright, airy atmosphere. It felt more like a place where business moguls might strike deals over a game of basketball.
"Wow, look at this fully equipped gym for physical training!"
"Check out the arcade games!"
The group was utterly captivated by the gymnasium's impressive facilities.
They couldn't help but explore every corner, and with each new discovery, their amazement grew. As they ventured further, they stumbled upon an entertainment room that amazed them.
This room was a leisure paradise, housing an impressive array of arcade games, a sleek pool table, and other recreational amenities.
It was a space designed for relaxation and fun, adding an unexpected element of playfulness to this otherwise high-end gymnasium.
As they approached the heart of the gymnasium, the sounds of sneakers squeaking against the court and basketballs pounding became increasingly clear. The air was filled with the echoes of shouts and the chatter of players in English, though the words were unfamiliar.
Despite the language barrier, the excitement in those voices was palpable. They observed a group of individuals wearing black jerseys with green accents as they approached the court.
They observed a group of spectators engrossed in watching a basketball match. On the court, a tall, big player with dark skin and silver hair faced off against an opponent with spiky, short blonde hair who wore the number 6 jersey.
"Nick, come on, step up, man! Haha," the silver-haired player teased while confidently dribbling the ball.
"Haha, Jason, cut him some slack..."
A bystander chimed in. Then, the attention turned to a cheerful blonde player with a composed demeanor, "This is quite entertaining, don't you think, Nash?"
Nick responded angrily, "Hey, quit the trash talk, you fucking animal!"
Silver, undeterred, chuckled and continued to make his way forward. Nick tried to block Silver's path, but Silver effortlessly used his body to shield the ball, shrugging off Nick's defense.
As he neared the basket, Silver declared, "Behold the greatness of me!"
With a mighty leap, Silver went up for a slam dunk. The sudden move caught Nick off guard, and he was knocked back, tumbling onto the floor.
With a powerful dunk, Silver scored, and the onlookers erupted in laughter as they watched Nick lying on the floor, clearly frustrated.
After his triumphant dunk, Silver hung from the rim for a moment before dropping back to the ground, where he found Nick still grumbling.
"Haha, Nick! You need to toughen up!" Silver taunted.
Nick retorted, "That's not fair, man!"
The entire group burst into laughter at their friendly banter.
Meanwhile, the Fukuda Sogo players observed the spectacle in sheer disbelief. In their eyes, Silver seemed like an ancient dinosaur.
On the other hand, although Nick was fumbled effortlessly by Silver, he displayed impressive defensive form with his well-maintained physique, hinting at his strength.
Clearly, Silver outclassed Nick by a significant margin.
"Captain mentioned we'd play basketball. There is no way we are taking on these guys, right?" Ishida voiced his worries, and his words spread to the rest of the team.
Mochizuki nodded with a sense of foreboding. "We may have claimed the Interhigh, but going up against them is like signing our own death warrant..."
Their hushed discussions continued.
Nash caught wind of the chatter and pivoted, spotting a familiar face in the crowd.
With a wide grin, he made his way over. "Tsuna! It's been ages!"
Tsuna beamed in return, and they exchanged a warm hug. Nash then shifted his attention to the rest of the group behind Tsuna.
The Jabberwock team, who had been watching the interaction, also shifted their focus toward Tsuna and his group.
Silver's energetic voice rang out, "Hey, Boss! You're back! Let's join in the game later, alright?"
Tsuna nodded and replied, "Sure, we'll join you later."
Silver chuckled and told Allen to play with him this time as Nick seemed to be done playing with him.
Nash scrutinized the group that Tsuna had brought along. He had been informed earlier that they'd be facing a team Tsuna was assembling, so he had expected a formidable challenge.
But now, he couldn't help but express his disappointment.
"Why did you bring such weaklings?" Nash furrowed his brow and inquired.
Tsuna understood that Fukuda Sogo had no real shot at taking on the Jabberwock. Despite his team's substantial improvement during their training, the Jabberwock was in a league of its own.
This is precisely why Tsuna needed the Jabberwock's cooperation.
With a knowing smile, Tsuna explained, "That's why I told you to play with us during your leisure time..."
Nash arched an eyebrow, quickly grasping Tsuna's implication. He couldn't fathom why Tsuna would suggest it, though.
Furthermore, Nash shrugged and added, "To be frank, we'd probably find arcade games more entertaining than playing against you guys."
Nijimura overheard Nash's disrespectful comment and his frown deepened. He couldn't believe Nash would insult them right in front of Tsuna.
Nash appeared to catch Nijimura's displeasure, but it didn't bother him. In fact, he shot Nijimura a smirk, clearly trying to provoke him.
Nijimura's eyes widened, his anger surging through his body.
Before Nijimura could react, he felt Tsuna's calm and authoritative gaze, which immediately suppressed his rage. He bowed slightly in apology.
Nash seemed intrigued by this change in Nijimura's demeanor.
He turned to Tsuna with a sarcastic comment, "Impressive dog you've got there, Tsuna."
Tsuna remained unperturbed by Nash's attitude. He was well aware that Nash was generally quite rude to others.
Besides, to the Jabberwock, Fukuda Sogo was seen as a weakling, which was a fact.
"I was ready to offer you compensation for this personal favor, but since you declined it..." Tsuna's gaze fixed on Nash with an air of authority that shivered through everyone on the court.
Under the weight of the pressure, Nash's face contorted into a smirk, and he locked eyes with Tsuna, refusing to back down. He reciprocated by exuding his own pressure to match Tsuna.
The Jabberwock players whispered among themselves, clearly familiar with these confrontations.
"Why do they always do this?"
"For heaven's sake, it's never-ending!"
The ongoing exchange was the topic of discussion among the Jabberwock team.
Nash couldn't help but think silently, "Even though it might seem like I can stand my ground, Tsuna's presence feels far more commanding than the last time I encountered him."
His surprise was evident in his thoughts.
Tsuna grinned mischievously and said, "So, how about we set up a friendly match with our neighbors?"
"Hooh? Our neighbors? That's quite the favor! We've been looking for a chance to take them down..."
Nash matched Tsuna's smirk.
Their simultaneous chuckles sent a chill down the spine of everyone on the court, regardless of who they were.
Title: Fukuda Sogo Visiting the Jabberwock!
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