"...With Kuroko's Vanishing Drive rendered useless, it should have been a big blow to Kuroko's mentality on the court," Nijimura spoke as everyone in Fukuda Sogo observed the players on the bench.
Ogiwara had a serious expression while looking at Kuroko before he smiled as he spoke, "...He might need some time, but he would definitely recover soon. Kuroko was the stubbornest person I've known, after all."
Tsuna casually glanced at Ogiwara before shifting his attention to Kuroko.
Kuroko's impact on the court had diminished significantly since he couldn't rely on his low presence. Moreover, Too Academy strategically passed the ball with high passes, exploiting Kuroko's shorter stature.
Although Kuroko's absence put pressure on Kagami, who often used their combined skills against Aomine, without Kuroko, Kagami needed to step up his game.
Tsuna observed Kagami and pondered, "...He's fully capable of facing Aomine on his own, but he's become a bit too dependent on Kuroko without realizing it."
However, Tsuna couldn't help but be impressed by Kagami's progress. While Alexandra had mentioned Kagami's improvement during their training sessions, the extent of it still surprised him.
"In such a short time, he's come this far? Truly a gifted individual..." Tsuna sighed, acknowledging Kagami's natural talent.
Aomine had certainly made strides in his skills. It was evident that unless Kagami shook off his subconscious reliance on Kuroko, Aomine would come out on top.
Kagami should already be aware of that.
"The more pressure he faces, the stronger he becomes. It's like having a cheat code..." Tsuna shook his head as he turned to look at the scoreboard.
The situation wasn't dire for Seirin, as the score was just a two-point difference. Yet, if things persisted, Kagami might not hold up until the fourth quarter.
"...Kagami's presence is what kept Aomine in check. We can't take him out of the game," Seirin's coach thought with a furrowed brow.
Then, her gaze shifted to Kuroko, who had lowered his head in disappointment after Aomine countered his move. Kagami also noticed Kuroko's downcast demeanor following his unsuccessful attempt against Aomine, prompting him to let out a sigh.
"...Kuroko, take a breather for now," Aida declared, surprising Kuroko, who widened his eyes in response. Eventually, he accepted the decision with a heavy heart, lowering his head.
Kuroko had been Kagami's crucial ally in facing Aomine on the court. Kagami clenched his fist, determined to confront Aomine independently.
Observing Kuroko's reaction to the change, Aida sighed, offering reassurance, "Take your time to analyze our opponent this time. We've got your back."
"Mitobe, step in for Kuroko for a while," Aida instructed, turning her attention to Mitobe, who acknowledged the change with a nod.
Hyuga, casually flexing his fingers, chimed in, "Well, Too Academy's no pushover. Even though I believe in our strength, it's wise for us to dial back the tempo a bit. So, Izuki, let the ball come my way more often, alright?"
The freshmen were taken aback by Hyuga's laid-back appeal for the ball.
Aida agreed with a nod. The game's pace had been too intense, making the players anxious. Prolonged tension wouldn't benefit them; it would only deplete their mental stamina more quickly.
"Follow the captain's plan. We'll focus on attacking from the outside this time," Aida announced, and the Seirin team members nodded in agreement.
On the Too Academy bench, Coach Harasawa wore a contemplative expression, placing his hand on his chin. "We need to ease up on the tempo."
Wakamatsu inquired, "How do we do that, Coach?"
Harasawa closed his eyes, pondering, then turned to Sakurai as he opened them. "Let's shift our focus to outside plays for the moment."
"What? I'm just getting into it. Why spoil the fun?" Aomine spoke brashly, prompting Momoi to give him a smack on the head.
Aomine, recovering from the surprise, turned to Momoi, veins bulging from his temple. "What's with the sudden violent streak?"
"Show some respect! He's our coach, Aomine!" Momoi scolded, puffing her cheeks in annoyance.
Imayoshi shook his head and said, "Well, we may not have control over Seirin's moves, Aomine. They might just do that."
Aomine changed his expression to a frown as he turned to Imayoshi, and the entire Too Academy team followed suit.
Imayoshi, getting a nod from Harasawa, clarified, "The game's pace is too quick for the first quarter. It would be wise for them to ease up a bit, ensuring their players' stamina holds until the end of the game."
"Taking a breather is good, but it also means your opponents get the same advantage," Imayoshi remarked, eyeing Seirin.
Harasawa agreed, turning to Sakurai, "So, here's the plan. Sakurai, I'll need you to step up and disrupt their rhythm a bit."
Sakurai looked a bit uneasy but nodded, apologizing. The rest of the team remained silent as they also thought it was in their best interest to do that.
Aomine was not pleased at all as he clicked his tongue, realizing he had to postpone his enjoyment of playing against Kagami.
Soon, the timeout ended, and both teams returned to the court.
To the surprise of Too Academy players, Kuroko had been replaced. Imayoshi, although initially surprised, nonchalantly shrugged.
"...Not unexpected. His impact on the court was quite limited right now. A sensible move," he remarked, adjusting his glasses with a thoughtful expression.
As the game continued, both teams eased the pressure as they adopted a more cautious and slower pace.
Izuki who was dribbling the ball narrowed his eyes as he spotted an opportunity and swiftly passed the ball to Hyuga, who was open for the play.
Hyuga received the ball, only to notice Sakurai marking him closely. Sakurai's face, ashen and startled, caught Hyuga off guard.
"What's with that expression?"
"I-I'm sorry!" Sakurai stammered, his complexion growing even paler, apologizing in a fluster.
Hyuga's temples pulsed with annoyance as he retorted, "...Fine, but don't you think you're standing too far?"
Without wasting a moment, Hyuga smoothly slid backward, creating a sudden gap between him and a bewildered Sakurai.
"...How did he create that much space so quickly?" Sakurai muttered in disbelief.
Seizing the opportunity, Hyuga leaped for a shot. Sakurai, attempting to block, was too slow, and the ball sailed flawlessly into the basket with a satisfying swish.
"I don't care how sorry you are, but I won't go easy!"
Hyuga declared with confidence, punctuating his statement with the habitual crack of his neck, a sign of assurance in his shooting skills.
---
Hey guys, just a heads-up! I want you to be patient with this match. XD
I got a bit too excited when writing this game between Too and Seirin as I had totally broken down the GoM and Kagami's power structure as I deemed fit.
That's why this would be a long match.
Even on P@treon, we've just wrapped up the big battle in today's chapters.
So yeah, once again, please be patient with this! Thank you!
Anw, here's my usual shameless plug-in...
Do you want to read 15 chapters ahead of the schedule? Here's where you can find them:
p@treon.com/mythoast