Without waiting for Murasakibara to close in, Tsuna initiated a seamless exchange of glances with his teammates. A silent understanding passed among them, and with synchronized movements, they sprang into action.
Tsuna's nimble hand flicked the ball, transforming it into a blurred streak that landed perfectly in Ishida's waiting hand.
Ishida clenched his jaw in frustration, the strain evident on his face as he secured the pass. The weight of Mochizuki's words sunk in, and he couldn't help but marvel, "And he's still holding back his strength? Fucking monster."
As the ball changed possession, Tsuna, fueled by a burst of speed, skillfully maneuvered around Murasakibara, leaving the towering opponent in his wake. Murasakibara found himself struggling to react in time, trailing behind Tsuna's sudden maneuver.
Tasked with marking Ishida, Liu felt a palpable threat emanating from the determined player. However, Ishida had no intention of breaking through Liu's defense.
With a seemingly careless motion, he released the ball from his grip, a move that caught Liu off guard, causing words to choke in his throat.
"Liu! Intercept the pass!"
Okamura's urgent command jolted Liu back to reality just in the nick of time to witness Tsuna's abrupt appearance, seamlessly catching the ball. Liu couldn't help but mutter curses under his breath, vexed by his own momentary lapse.
"Damn it, I let my guard down again!"
As Murasakibara continued his pursuit of Tsuna, the latter sent the ball soaring in a straight line toward the basket with another deft flick of his hand.
Nijimura had already leaped into the air, his hand poised for a slamming dunk. The ball, guided by Tsuna's powerful flick of his hand, aimed precisely toward Nijimura's trajectory, resulting in a perfect Zenith Stike, which sent a shockwave throughout the gymnasium!
"...What the hell with that pace?" Takao couldn't help but muttered.
Fukuda Sogo players moving all at once at such a pace would undoubtedly put pressure on Yosen High players.
Midorima adjusted his glasses as he thought, "...Still if Tsuna had to move around like that. It would be a bit of a hassle."
However, Midorima was sure that Tsuna was aware of it as well. So he was watching on closely to see the full force of such a fast-paced playstyle from Fukuda Sogo.
Meanwhile, on the court, a wave of frustration swept over the Yosen High players, their teeth audibly gritting before they managed to regain their composure.
"...Alright, shake it off! Stay focused. It's time to make a comeback!" Okamura's assertive voice echoed as he skillfully directed the ball towards Fukui.
As Yosen High pressed forward, Okamura's eyes widened in surprise, taking in the unfolding scene before him.
"...Tsunachin!" Murasakibara grumbled, his eyes flashing with a rare seriousness as he closely observed Tsuna marking him.
If Nijimura stood as the embodiment of an imposing mountain, in stark contrast, Tsuna exuded the energy of a dynamic volcano, poised to erupt at any given moment.
"...Well, it appears Nijimura's might wasn't sufficient to halt your advance, Atsushi. So, here I am," Tsuna declared with a confident smile, his eyes radiating a fierce determination. He continued, "...Feel free to unleash everything this time, Atsushi!"
Murasakibara's eyes widened, sensing an even greater pressure surging through his towering frame.
The atmosphere around him intensified, reacting to Tsuna's bold invitation. Yet, Tsuna stood resolute, unwavering in the face of Murasakibara's imposing presence.
Nijimura smiled slightly at this as he thought, "...Of course, you're feeling the pressure. Tsuna's stronger than me, after all."
Despite Nijimura's marginal height advantage over Tsuna, the two were evenly matched in body weight.
This wasn't a consequence of excess fat; rather, it spoke to Tsuna's physique, where muscle mass compensated for any apparent weight difference.
He knew Tsuna had openly acknowledged Murasakibara's raw strength superiority.
But recalling Tsuna's ability to overpower Silver, Nijimura was certain Tsuna possessed the capability to do the same against Murasakibara.
Okamura wasn't particularly surprised to see Tsuna marking Murasakibara; he had anticipated this move.
What caught him off guard was the sudden shift in Fukuda Sogo's formation.
Haizaki had taken up the task of marking Fukui, who was skillfully dribbling the ball forward.
But the surprises didn't end there. Himuro now found himself tightly marked by two players—Ogiwara and Ishida—while Nijimura had taken up a defensive position, marking a zone that covered both his spot and Liu's.
Okamura couldn't help but muse, "Is he trying to mimic Murasakibara or something?"
He then locked gazes with Fukui as they shared a meaningful glance. Fukui nonchalantly initiated his shooting motion without missing a beat, sending the ball soaring through the air.
Haizaki clicked his tongue in annoyance, seeing such recklessness.
"...I thought I was reckless, but maybe there's truth to the saying 'there's always someone better.'" His mind raced as he observed the ball striking the rim, creating a suspenseful moment.
Reacting with synchronized precision, Okamura and Liu moved in perfect harmony, aiming to secure the rebound.
However, a sudden chill ran down their spines, causing goosebumps to cover their entire bodies. In the blink of an eye, Nijimura closed the distance with astonishing speed, reminiscent of the formidable Murasakibara but with a more compact frame.
With an almost supernatural agility, Nijimura leaped into the air, snatching the ball away from Okamura's reach.
"...He could close such distance in an instant!?" he exclaimed in disbelief.
The swift action by Nijimura spurred Fukuda Sogo's players into immediate motion, their confidence evident as if they harbored zero doubt in Nijimura's success.
This left the Yosen High players dumbfounded, watching in disbelief as Nijimura effortlessly passed the ball toward Tsuna.
In a seamless continuation, Tsuna flicked his hand and redirected the ball forward, weaving it through the court with precision.
The ball found its way into Haizaki's waiting hand, and in a powerful leap, he soared upward and slammed the ball down into the basket.
Unfortunately for Yosen High, it was far from over as they smoothly passed the ball to Himuro. Ogiwara and Ishida assumed a seemingly casual stance, belying the intense pressure they exerted.
Despite their relaxed appearance, Himuro felt a surge of surprise, thinking, "...Beast instinct! And two of them at that!?"
Teams who were spectating the match in the stands shared the sentiment.
It became apparent that nearly all of Fukuda Sogo's players had tapped into their beastly instincts.
Observing from Shutoku's side, Midorima was frowning. He had a weird feeling that Ogiwara and Ishida could outmatch Himuro, no matter how elusive his Mirage Shot was.
Adjusting his glasses, he sighed and muttered, "...Is this a checkmate?"
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