As Tsuna continued his walk back to his position, Murasakibara found himself lost in contemplation.
However, as Tsuna moved away, his expression shifted into his iconic smirk, a gesture that sent shivers down Fukuda Sogo's players' spines. They were all too aware that when Tsuna wore that expression, he was plotting something...
Even Midorima, observing from a distance, felt a chill running down his spine. He nervously adjusted his glasses, thinking, "...He's up to something again."
Meanwhile, Murasakibara clutched his chest tightly, a gesture reflecting the turmoil within him.
In the midst of his confusion, he muttered, "...Is this excitement? Am I getting excited?"
Slowly, the fog of confusion dissipated as he gazed at Tsuna's retreating figure. Tsuna's words echoed in his mind as he took a deep breath and pondered once again, "...Am I having fun?"
As the game progressed, Fukuda Sogo asserted complete dominance over the third quarter, leaving Yosen High unable to mount a comeback. Frustrated by their inability to break through, Araki frowned, contemplating the need for a timeout to regroup.
Now on the offensive, Fukuda Sogo pressed forward after thwarting Yosen High's attempt. Dribbling the ball, Tsuna faced the formidable defense of Murasakibara.
This scene triggered memories of their past encounters.
In a moment of deja vu, Tsuna skillfully broke past Murasakibara's defense and scored more points for Fukuda Sogo despite Murasakibara attempting to stop him. As Yosen High launched their counterattack, Murasakibara seized the ball, attempting to slam it down the basket.
However, Tsuna's tenacious defense thwarted his efforts.
Yet, with each passing moment, the pace of the game seemed to quicken, and Murasakibara's heart raced faster.
As the point gap between Yosen High and Fukuda Sogo, continued to widen, frustration slowly permeated the air among the Yosen High players.
They struggled against Fukuda Sogo's overwhelming prowess, their efforts appearing futile. However, Murasakibara stood apart from the collective frustration that hung over his teammates like a heavy cloud.
Amidst the disheartened atmosphere, Murasakibara found solace in his own battle against Tsuna.
The score may have been slipping away, but Murasakibara remained unfazed by the mounting pressure.
Unlike his teammates, he carried no burden of such frustrations.
With every move Tsuna made to suppress him, Murasakibara's mind only grew clearer.
The rapid beats of his heart became a rhythm, syncing with the pace of the game. As the opposing team tightened their grip on victory, Murasakibara's excitement grew.
Useless thoughts dissolved into the background noise, and he descended further into the depths of concentration.
The world outside the court ceased to exist; all that mattered was the clash between him and Tsuna.
The more Murasakibara felt suppressed, the more alive he became.
"..."
The whole court went quiet as everyone, whether from Yosen High, Murasakibara's own teammates, or even Fukuda Sogo, stared at him in shock.
People from other teams who came to watch the game, especially those who knew Murasakibara personally, couldn't believe their eyes.
With a confident smile on his face, Tsuna seemed to be having a good time challenging and suppressing Murasakibara.
However, what really caught everyone off guard, though, was Murasakibara's response.
"Murasakibara's smiling?"
Kuroko expressed his disbelief looking at the scene where Murasakibara was smiling like a kid while playing against Tsuna.
"...Why are you surprised with that?"
Hyuga asked, feeling confused as he didn't know Murasakibara in person. However, Kiyoshi had an idea what kind of person Murasakibara was as he shook his head, "You should if you know that guy seemed to hate basketball..."
"What!?"
Teammates exchanged surprised looks, struggling to reconcile this newfound expression with the typically serious Murasakibara.
"I never thought he'd smile like that…"
Aomine muttered silently. He was looking at Murasakibara as he shook his head.
Still reeling from the shock, Fukui continued dribbling the ball forward, stealing glances at Murasakibara. Murasakibara openly gazed at him with his eyes earnestly pleading for the ball in a manner entirely unfamiliar to Fukui.
"...What on earth happened to make him like this?"
Fukui couldn't shake off the bewilderment, seeing Murasakibara behaving like a completely different person.
Despite the confusion, Fukui found himself passing the ball to Murasakibara.
"...Perfect," came Murasakibara's mumbled response, prompting a raised eyebrow from Tsuna.
Tsuna took a deep breath, preparing to block Murasakibara's attempt. Even for someone like him, stopping Murasakibara was no walk in the park.
"...I'll break through this time, Tsunachin!"
Murasakibara exclaimed with a confident smile spreading across his face. With a powerful leap, he soared into the air, executing a fluid rotation of his body.
With both hands, he slammed the ball toward the basket, announcing his signature move, "Thor's Hammer!"
Tsuna responded with a small but determined smile. His gaze sharpened as he jumped forward, aiming to intercept Murasakibara's iconic move.
However, as their hands made contact, Tsuna's eyes widened in surprise. The intense force behind Murasakibara's Thor's Hammer was on a whole new level, catching him off guard.
"..."
The tension in the air heightened as Tsuna faced Murasakibara's impending move. Knowing that a direct block might not be possible, Tsuna opted to divert the ball as Nijimura did before.
However, Murasakibara's hand remained an immovable force, defying Tsuna's attempt to redirect the ball. Undeterred, Tsuna frowned as he braced himself for the inevitable impact as Murasakibara effortlessly broke past his block.
The court shook with the thunderous force of Murasakibara's dunk, sending shockwaves of excitement through the crowd.
"Whoa!!"
The cheers reverberated as spectators rose in exhilaration.
Despite the clash propelling him backward, Tsuna landed skillfully, maintaining his balance. As he glanced at Murasakibara's towering figure, his frown turned into a smirk of excitement.
"...He could break past Tsuna's block!?"
Nijimura widened his eyes in disbelief at this unexpected turn of events.
He knew Murasakibara was a beast in terms of raw strength; however, Tsuna was a monster in his own right. In that fleeting moment when Tsuna realized he couldn't halt the Thor's Hammer, Nijimura observed a subtle movement—an indication of Tsuna's attempt to divert the impending force.
Yet, despite all efforts, Tsuna failed to stop it!?
Nijimura simply couldn't believe what he had just witnessed. As the echoes of the clash resonated through the court, he muttered, "...Is it really possible?"
"...That's it, Atsushi!" Tsuna exclaimed excitedly.
His eyes suddenly lighting up with a dark-colored spark that streamed across his pupils like a visible surge of intensity.
Murasakibara didn't seem to be affected, his expression transforming into a state of stillness and calmness. His purple pupils sparked with vivid purple-colored flashes that streaked across his gaze, revealing an internal shift in his focus and determination.
The moment they both touched down, a palpable force enveloped the entire court. It was a collision of two players who had entered an extraordinary level of play—
—the Zone!
The spectators in the stands sensed the heightened tension as the cheers from the crowd grew even louder.
Title: Behemoth's Awakening
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