Two weeks flew by, and now the Yayogi Gymnasium in Tokyo was buzzing with anticipation. The excited chatter of people discussing the upcoming Winter Cup echoed through every corner of the gymnasium.
"Woah! It's even more packed than during the Interhigh!"
Ogiwara exclaimed, surveying the crowded space.
"Of course. It's a major high school basketball tournament. The winter one keeps getting bigger each year, and this time, it's the grandest stage in the history of Japan's sports tournaments," Nijimura explained, and everyone nodded in agreement.
Tsuna walked silently at the front, with Nijimura by his side and the rest of the team trailing behind them.
"...Hey, Captain, where's our coach?" Mochizuki suddenly asked, realizing that Alexandra was nowhere in sight.
Tsuna continued walking, replying casually, "...She's crashing at her student's place."
Alexandra had mentioned heading to Kagami's for a sleepover. Tsuna figured she might be sleeping in after a night of heavy drinking. He shook his head at the thought and led the team into the gymnasium.
Meanwhile, in another corner of the stadium...
"...Aomine, did you even get any sleep?" Wakamatsu asked, noting Aomine's constant yawning and bloodshot eyes.
Momoi sighed. Aomine was too hyped up, eagerly anticipating a showdown with Tsuna.
She walked over to Aomine, who raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What?"
"...Nothing," Momoi smiled innocently before smacking Aomine on the back of his head. Aomine staggered, turning to her in disbelief. "Why!?"
"I get you're pumped to face Tsuna, but c'mon..." Momoi scolded, puffing her cheeks in annoyance. "We've got Seirin first!"
"But you said we're in the same bracket!" Aomine complained.
Momoi had mentioned being in the same bracket, getting Aomine all hyped up and sleep-deprived.
"...Yeah, I did, but we're like four matches away, you dummy!" Momoi couldn't hide her frustration.
Sure, they were in the same bracket, but they had a few rounds to go before facing off. Momoi just couldn't wrap her head around Aomine's excitement.
She sighed, "And Seirin won't be a walk in the park, you know that, right?"
Even if Aomine dismissed Momoi's data, he could definitely see Seirin's improvement with his own eyes. The last game in the final league of the preliminaries showcased it clearly.
"Easy, Momoi," Imayoshi said calmly. Turning to Aomine, he added, "You can still deliver, right?"
Aomine scoffed, a clear sign that he was confident in beating Seirin. Wakamatsu didn't appreciate Aomine's attitude and was ready to snap. Luckily, Sakurai stepped in, holding Wakamatsu back.
Everyone at Too Academy was used to Aomine's demeanor, so they shook it off and headed into the gymnasium.
"Whoa! These are all the teams the media's been talking about!"
Koganei expressed his amazement. Seirin had entered the gymnasium a while ago. However...
"Where's Kagami?"
Aida fumed, noticing Kagami was still missing.
"Kagami said he's lost on the path of life..." Izuki relayed Kagami's response.
The entire team went silent, then collectively turned to Aida. She smiled gently, and they all started sweating nervously.
"Hahaha, lost on the path of life, huh? He's quite the poet. Should I guide him to find his way to God?"
As everyone nervously chuckled, Kuroko visibly flinched, thinking, "Rest in peace, Kagami."
Their banter halted abruptly when an audible gasp swept through the team and the audience. All eyes turned toward a team entering the court, sporting white jackets with a touch of light blue and black.
"Their presence is imposing..." Kasamatsu spoke after scrutinizing them closely. Kise nodded, fixing his gaze on the one leading the team before adding, "...As expected of the Emperor of Creation, Rakuzan High!"
It wasn't just their aura. Some of them had encountered those players before, and they could instinctively sense that Rakuzan had grown even stronger since the Interhigh.
"...Rakuzan has evolved since the Interhigh, huh?"
Otsubo, witnessing Rakuzan's entrance onto the court, remarked.
They would likely face them later because they are in the same bracket as Rakuzan.
Yet, it didn't dampen their spirits in the slightest. Otsubo smirked, saying, "But who said we haven't improved too?"
The other members of Shutoku smiled in agreement.
Everyone in Too Academy shared a reassuring smile. Despite Rakuzan's imposing appearance, their confidence remained unshaken.
Imayoshi observed his teammates with contentment.
"Well, no need to worry about Rakuzan at the moment."
However, as soon as Rakuzan made their way in, everyone's eyes widened in disbelief as an instinctual sense of intense pressure enveloped them. All heads turned sharply towards the entrance, where an overwhelming aura seemed to emanate.
Midorima's eyes flashed with recognition. Aomine's bored expression morphed into excitement, his grin widening. Kise chuckled, shifting his focus from Rakuzan to the entrance gate.
And Murasakibara...
...was absorbed in devouring the snacks he had managed to sneak into the stadium.
Even Akashi had turned his attention to the entrance, a subtle shift in his nonchalant expression.
As soon as a group of players walked in, the crowd cheered excitedly.
"It's Fukuda Sogo!"
"Wow, they look pretty formidable! No wonder they won the Interhigh!"
"Do you think they'll take this tournament too?"
"I'm not sure, but their game should be exciting to watch!"
The crowd buzzed with conversation as Fukuda Sogo entered the stadium where the opening ceremony for the Winter Cup took place. Their strong presence and distinctive red jackets with a hint of black made them easily noticeable in the bustling crowd.
"...It's strange,"
Kasamatsu observed the players from Fukuda Sogo, his expression serious. Kise, too, noted the peculiarity, sharing a significant glance with Tsuna.
"Just what on earth have you done, Kazamacchi?" he pondered.
On Shutoku's side, Takao tilted his head inquisitively. "Why was it strange?"
"They've obviously won the Interhigh..." Midorima began, his gaze fixed and serious. "...but..."
"Why do they feel like a starving beast!?" Imayoshi mentally exclaimed, breaking into a sweat.
It was peculiar. Winning a tournament usually brought a sense of fulfillment, the feeling of a seasoned warrior who had endured many battles. But Fukuda Sogo exuded a different aura. They seemed like seasoned warriors starving for more battles.
Imayoshi couldn't help but shiver with disbelief as he gazed at these players and muttered, "...And we're in the same bracket, huh?"
Aomine paid no heed to the other Fukuda Sogo players. His focus was solely on Tsuna, who strolled nonchalantly.
A smirk crept across Aomine's face as he thought, "...I'll beat you this time, Tsuna!"
Meanwhile, on Rakuzan's side, Akashi's gaze was fixed on Tsuna.
His entire demeanor shifted, sending a shiver down his team's spines. The memory of the Interhigh humiliation lingered, a wound in Akashi's pride.
Seijuro Akashi, unyielding in his authority, wouldn't forgive anyone who dared challenge him. Certainly not Tsunayoshi Kazama. With a determined thought, Akashi declared, "...I shall repay the humiliation tenfold, Tsunayoshi..."
"...Rakuzan will claim the trophy this time, for I am absolute!"
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