"Does anyone else think that shot resembles Kuroko's Phantom Shot?"
Takao pointed out, noticing a strong similarity between Himuro's shot and Kuroko's.
"Come on, don't be stupid..." Midorima dismissed Takao's observation with a shake of his head. Capturing Shutoku's attention, Midorima explained, "Firstly, Himuro didn't use misdirection like Kuroko did for his shot..."
"...And secondly, Himuro's shot didn't disappear before it got blocked...."
"...His shot phased through the block like an illusion," Midorima concluded with a serious expression.
Surprise marked everyone's faces as they widened their eyes in astonishment at Midorima's revelation. Unable to contain his curiosity, Takao couldn't help but ask, "Then, how did he do that?"
A similar discussion unfolded among Kaijo High, proudly sporting their jerseys after shedding their jackets.
Kise furrowed his brow, saying, "...I'm not sure how he pulled off that shot."
"Though, I'm certain it's tied to his fake moves; he's pretty skilled at those..." He continued, nodding in assurance. Himuro's deceptive plays were so convincing that they could easily trick most people into reacting hastily, and he exploited that recklessness.
Kasamatsu agreed with Kise's explanation, finding it plausible that the Mirage Shot was linked to Himuro's style of play.
On the court, everyone in Fukuda Sogo was surprised by Himuro's Mirage Shot. However,
"Alright, let's refocus..." A casual voice snapped them out of their daze, and they regained their composure.
They all turned their attention to Tsuna, who showed no signs of being bothered by Himuro's shot. This boosted their confidence.
Noticing the renewed focus, Tsuna nodded and said, "...Let's pick up the pace a bit."
Their faces lit up, and they nodded in agreement. Haizaki, especially eager, licked his lips and eyed the Yosen High players.
As the game unfolded, Tsuna immediately surged forward with a burst of speed.
"He's on the move!"
Okamura yelled, prompting the Yosen High players to respond with serious expressions as they fully concentrated on the approaching Tsuna and the scattered Fukuda Sogo players.
Fukui was the first to feel the heat as he thought, "...Darn, he's charging in with that speed. What's his plan this time!?"
Tsuna typically went up with a deliberate pace before changing it up after assessing the court situation. However, this time was different. And it sent a shiver down Fukui's spine as he moved in to impede Tsuna's progress.
Tsuna halted momentarily as Fukui closed in. But in a blink, Tsuna expertly dribbled the ball through his legs, executed a swift crossover to the right, and dashed forward, leaving Fukui behind.
Liu surged forward with Okamura repositioning, anticipating Tsuna might pass the ball to Mochizuki while keeping a watchful eye on Haizaki. As they expected, Tsuna passed the ball toward Haizaki, prompting Okamura to react as he had prepared.
Liu smiled, saying, "We saw that coming..."
"I'm aware, but it won't change anything..." Tsuna replied, catching Liu off guard.
However, it didn't shake Liu's confidence in Okamura. He repositioned himself, returning to his defensive zone while closing slightly toward the basket.
Holding the ball in his hand, Haizaki took a deep breath, muttering, "...Hmm, I should be relaxed then?"
The court hushed as Haizaki began dribbling the ball, each movement slow and elegant. Okamura, who was tasked with marking him, was taken aback.
There was a strange familiarity to Haizaki's moves, but Okamura quickly dismissed the notion, thinking, "...It can't be."
Undeterred, Haizaki continued his graceful display, striding to the left with elegance. Okamura reacted swiftly, adjusting his position accordingly. However, to his horror, Okamura witnessed Haizaki's figure vanish into thin air, only to reappear in his initial position like a fleeting illusion.
"...How!?"
The sudden maneuver left Okamura wide-eyed in shock, questioning the very reality of what he had just witnessed. Without missing a beat, Haizaki seamlessly transitioned into his shooting motion.
Okamura suppressed his shock and hurriedly closed the gap to block him.
But it was too late.
With a fluid motion, the ball left Haizaki's hands, gliding through the air and effortlessly landing in the net.
Okamura was left stunned by Haizaki's elusive and skilful play.
"It's undeniably my moves..."
Himuro bore the brunt of the shock, witnessing Haizaki replicate his own techniques.
Although Yosen High was aware of Haizaki's uncanny ability to steal someone else's technique through observation, seeing it unfold on the court was still a shocking experience.
As Yosen High grappled with the unexpected turn of events, Ogiwara approached Haizaki with an unusually serious expression.
This marked the first time Haizaki had seen such gravity in Ogiwara's demeanor, catching him off guard. Unable to contain his curiosity, Haizaki couldn't help but ask, "...What's with your expression?"
"Haizaki..." Ogiwara spoke slowly, his tone making Haizaki feel uneasy as he listened.
Ogiwara sighed, his words carrying a weight, "...Please don't use those moves again."
"...Are you picking a fight?" Haizaki couldn't help but twitch his mouth, momentarily left speechless. Ogiwara's unexpected request had caught him off guard.
It was annoying for Haizaki to find himself feeling nervous because of Ogiwara, who was suddenly saying nonsense.
Mochizuki burst into laughter at their exchanges. Nijimura shook his head amusedly, adding, "Ogiwara's got a point, Haizaki. Your behavior is more like a thug; don't flaunt those elegant moves. It's nauseating..."
"Huh!? Are you picking a fight, Nijimura!?"
Haizaki shouted, annoyed at the unexpected turn of events and the teasing from his teammates.
In response, Nijimura's eyes turned cold, sending shivers down Haizaki's spine. Uncomfortable, Haizaki looked away and clicked his tongue in annoyance. "...I'll let it slide this time, you motherfucker."
Mochizuki continued laughing on the side as they all walked back to their positions. Ogiwara maintained his serious expression, insisting, "...Promise me you won't pull those moves again."
"...I might throw a real punch if you keep saying that." Haizaki scratched his head irritably.
Tsuna observed their exchange as a small smile played on his lips. Considering they could still joke around like that, Tsuna could see that their training had also increased their mental resilience.
Despite taking control of the momentum, Yosen High was not an average team. They couldn't be taken lightly by any team in the Winter Cup.
As he looked at their faces, enjoying the banter and light-hearted bullying of Haizaki, Tsuna thought, "...They handle pressure well now, huh? Not bad."
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