That pass unmistakably belonged to Tsuna!
Haizaki stared at Kise, who was visibly wincing in pain after executing that pass, disbelief etched across Haizaki's face.
Meanwhile, Moriyama found himself fumbling for the ball.
The sheer force and unexpected strength of the pass caught him off guard, leaving him struggling to secure it.
The discomfort from receiving the forceful pass acted as a jolting return to reality for Moriyama.
While others on the court still seemed to be in shock, Moriyama had snapped back faster.
"...Damn it, even if I were ready for the pass, I doubt I could've handled it properly! How on earth do Fukuda Sogo players manage to receive such passes?"
Moriyama pondered, immediately moving toward the ball that had slipped from his grasp. He managed to secure it, regaining control, and swiftly transitioned into his shooting motion.
This turn of events left the Fukuda Sogo players, especially Ishida, who was tasked with marking Moriyama.
Ishida found himself in a blank state of mind, struggling to comprehend the rapid turn of events. However, he quickly snapped back to reality, attempting to intervene and stop Moriyama's progress.
Unfortunately, Ishida's efforts were in vain, as Moriyama had already initiated his shooting motion.
The ball soared through the air, following a perfect trajectory, and smoothly swished through the basket.
"Did you guys just see that?"
Takao blurted out, his disbelief echoed by the rest of the Shutoku players, their eyes fixed on the astonishing events unfolding on the court.
"He's copying Tsuna's moves now?"
A bead of sweat traced a path down Midorima's face as he readjusted his glasses, his mind racing.
Yet, beneath the surface, Midorima couldn't shake the instinctive feeling that Kise had somehow gained the ability to replicate the skills of the Generation of Miracles.
"Instantly mimicking someone's moves after a single glance is already unfair, but copying a player of that caliber?"
Hyuga's face twisted in disbelief, his back slick with cold sweat as he watched the unfolding spectacle.
The sentiment of awe was palpable among the Seirin team.
Kagami's lips curled into a wry smile as he observed Kise's figure on the court, thinking, "He's reaching a whole new level of absurdity!"
On the opposing side, Aomine let out a low chuckle while Momoi nervously eyed the situation, her concern clearly directed at Tsuna.
"Looks like Kise's got a formidable trick up his sleeve..." Aomine's grin widened as he turned his attention to Tsuna's composed figure, pondering, "...But will that be enough to drag the main boss into the ring?"
Momoi's anxiety ebbed away as she saw Tsuna maintaining his usual composure amidst the chaos.
As the Kaijo High players were on the verge of celebrating, a sudden twist in the game unfolded. The ball blurred through the court, swiftly returning to Haizaki's possession, leaving everyone with a palpable sense of helplessness.
Kise's eyes flicked towards Tsuna, maintaining a calm demeanor on the opposite side of the court.
Tsuna had effortlessly executed the elusive pass, almost as if taunting Kise.
Closing in on Haizaki, who was now warily dribbling the ball, Kise could still feel a lingering stiffness in his whole arm from copying Tsuna's elusive pass.
"...Guess I can't just recklessly copy Kazamacchi's pass," Kise pondered, taking a moment to inhale deeply.
Simultaneously, Haizaki grappled with a complex mix of emotions bubbling within him.
As he maneuvered around the court with Kise shadowing his every move, a realization struck him, "He could actually copy Captain's move?"
Frustration etched itself deeper across Haizaki's face, an involuntary reaction to the unexpected turn of events.
"Kise would eventually take your place, it would be better if you quits now..."
His irritation intensified, a torrent of Akashi's words flooding his mind, causing him to clench his teeth.
Stealing anyone's move was within his repertoire, but stealing someone of that caliber was impossible. Yet Kise was effortlessly doing what Haizaki believed was beyond his reach.
Unacceptable!
Studying Kise's figure before him, Haizaki's gaze sharpened, and a chill ran down his spine.
The gleam beneath Kise's pupils felt suffocating, an unsettling realization settling in.
"...Damn it! I was beneath you? You've got to be kidding me, Ryota!"
Haizaki bellowed angrily, a surge of frustration propelling him into action. He abruptly crossed to the right, Kise following suit, only for Haizaki to pivot sharply to the left, breaking past Kise's defense.
The air crackled with Haizaki's defiance, a desperate attempt to shatter the suffocating sense of inadequacy that threatened to consume him.
As Haizaki neared the basket, his face contorted in a twisted smile, a manifestation of both frustration and anger. He laughed out loud, "Hahaha, I told you, you're just trash!"
His triumph, however, was short-lived.
A looming presence abruptly descended from the side the moment he leaped for the basket. The pressure crashing down on his body felt hauntingly familiar, and Haizaki widened his eyes in disbelief, muttering, "...Murasakibara?"
Yet, Murasakibara wasn't even on the court.
Struggling to quench the frustration welling up inside him, Haizaki could only succumb to the harsh reality.
The looming presence he felt wasn't Murasakibara...
...it was Kise.
"Wha---!"
Words stuck in his throat as Haizaki helplessly watched Kise effortlessly thwart his attempt. Kise had copied Murasakibara's defensive form, and the ball was forcefully swatted from Haizaki's hand.
The cruel realization hit him with full force, adding a layer of despair to the already boiling frustration within.
Surprise swept through everyone on the court, and the excitement in the gymnasium reached a fever pitch.
The crowd reveled in the intense game unfolding before them.
They assumed Kise would simply copy Tsuna's moves only, just like he did with Aomine in the Interhigh.
However, this time, they were dead wrong.
Beside Tsuna's move, they had a hunch that the current Kise had the whole Generation of Miracles' iconic moves under his sleeve.
Kasamatsu couldn't contain his chuckle, a peculiar sense of happiness washing over him. He snatched the ball and passed it back to Kise, who swiftly positioned himself for a pass.
"...Go wreck 'em, ace!"
Haizaki's frustration peaked as he grasped the reality that Kise had completely dominated their duel.
[Kise will eventually take your place, and it would be better if you quit now...]
What irked him most was Akashi's words, echoing louder and louder in his head. Filled with anger, Haizaki shouted, "Shut the heck up!"
Without wasting a moment, he sprinted after Kise, who had the ball, determined to thwart any advance.
Unbeknownst to Haizaki, Kise had no intention of moving forward.
In a sudden shooting motion that everyone recognized, Kise caught Haizaki off guard, prompting him to grit his teeth and accelerate.
Regrettably, it was too little... too late.
Kise leaped and released the ball in a beautiful, high arc from the center of the court.
The ball sailed through the basket with flawless precision.
Witnessing this moment triggered an overwhelming flood of Akashi's words in Haizaki's mind, plunging him into a deep sense of despair.
---
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