"Did she really just wake up?" Nijimura's voice cut through the air as he observed Tsuna hanging up the phone.
"Don't worry about it. She's on her way, but she'll be quite late."
Tsuna chuckled, settling into the empty section of the audience seats they had reserved.
Everyone in Fukuda Sogo exchanged silent glances, shaking their heads in disbelief at the notion that their coach had only just risen from slumber.
Ogiwara was always easily impressed and couldn't help but voice his admiration, "As expected of an American, she's so carefree..."
With a silent sigh, Nijimura retorted, "...Being American has nothing to do with being carefree, you dumbass."
He couldn't help but shake his head at Ogiwara's innocent misconceptions.
"Still, they're always so loud," Ishida chimed in, his eyes scanning the surroundings.
"...They did it again."
"Yeah, booked the entire section for themselves..."
He noticed the arriving audience pointing fingers and engaging in hushed conversations about them. Despite the attention, a satisfied smile played on Ishida's lips at the realization of being recognized by the masses.
Ishida basked in the newfound sensation of fame, a feeling he had never experienced before.
The same sentiment among his teammates was quite easy to tell, prompting Tsuna to shake his head in mild amusement.
His gaze shifted towards the court, where the unfolding scene was about to take center stage.
After a few minutes, both teams made their entrance onto the court.
The audience's attention swayed from casual chatter to a collective focus on the main attraction, and a wave of exuberant cheers echoed through the gymnasium.
"Behold the veteran, tirelessly competing for 11 consecutive years, embodying an unswayed immortal spirit that lives up to its name!"
"The Legendary King!"
"Shutoku High!"
The crowd erupted into enthusiastic shouts, their voices resonating through the gymnasium as they witnessed the players from Shutoku High School making their grand entrance onto the court.
The sheer size of their basketball club was evident, as they had reserved a massive section exclusively for their members.
The entire area was teeming with Shutoku players, a stark contrast to Fukuda Sogo, whose presence seemed meager with only Ishida as their reserve player.
"Look at them, exuding confidence as always!"
"As expected of the Legendary King!"
Murmurs swept through the spectators as they observed the focused expressions on Shutoku High's players, sensing a simmering intensity emanating from the players.
"I really hope they pull off a win today!"
"But, considering their opponent..."
Amidst these hushed murmurs, a wave of fervent cheers cascaded through the gymnasium as Rakuzan High's players strolled onto the court.
"You've got a point. Shutoku's facing the school that's been a fixture in every Winter Cup since its inaugural tournament."
"The oldest king, emperor of creation, Rakuzan High!"
Once hailed as the unrivaled champions of the past, Rakuzan had suffered a setback during the Interhigh, relinquishing their title of the strongest to Fukuda Sogo.
Now, they were determined to reclaim their former glory.
Rakuzan High, with Akashi at the forefront, made their entrance, and as both teams stepped onto the court, they commenced the pre-match ceremony and exchanged greetings.
With the formalities concluded, the teams retreated to their respective benches for a swift warm-up before the imminent game.
Midorima approached Akashi as he remarked, "Finally, facing each other..."
"Well, I can't say I'm surprised by this..." Akashi turned toward Midorima, a light smile playing on his lips.
Midorima responded with a casual shrug, maintaining his nonchalant demeanor.
In the bracket, Shutoku found Rakuzan to be their only truly worthy opponent, and vice versa.
The subsequent rounds felt more like warm-ups than genuine challenges.
Their confidence wasn't arrogance; they simply believed there was no other team capable of defeating them until Seirin emerged, accompanied by the unexpected return of Tsuna from the US.
Yet, Midorima regarded Akashi with a serious expression, declaring, "I will win this, Akashi..."
"You'll lose, as you always do, Shintaro," Akashi replied confidently, not batting an eyelid.
"Shogi and basketball are different. I might always lose in Shogi, but it doesn't mean the same will happen in basketball..."
In their time at Teiko, Akashi had consistently defeated Midorima in Shogi. However, Midorima held a deep confidence in his basketball skills, far surpassing his prowess in Shogi.
"I'd like to see you try then..."
Akashi responded casually as he strolled away towards Rakuzan High's bench.
Midorima observed Akashi's departing figure in silence, then turned and muttered under his breath, "I'll teach you the meaning of losing."
Turning his attention to where Tsuna sat with his teammates, Midorima declared, "And I will avenge our loss from a while ago, Fukuda Sogo!"
Midorima could instantly see where Fukuda Sogo was located simply because their seats were conspicuously unoccupied amidst the crowded stands which made them easy to spot.
"Finished with your talk?" Otsubo inquired as Midorima returned to the team.
Midorima calmly nodded, adjusting his glasses.
Otsubo then turned his attention to Rakuzan High's players on the opposing side. "After encountering Fukuda Sogo a while back, I thought I wouldn't be surprised to see a first-year assuming the captain's role."
"Yeah, not a single teammate seemed dissatisfied with Akashi."
"Impressive, I'd say."
Miyaji and Kimura nodded, sharing their thoughts.
"Is it really?" Takao scratched his head, casting a brief glance at Rakuzan High's players before his focus settled on Akashi.
Sensing the familiar weight of such pressure, Takao muttered, "...He's undoubtedly a conglomerate heir as well."
"...How did you figure that out?"
Catching wind of Takao's murmurs, Midorima couldn't help but express his surprise.
Takao was not the type to utilize his intellect too often, but he seemed to have finally used his brain, which impressed Midorima.
There weren't many things in the world that could genuinely impress him, but this particular moment was an exception.
"Eh? Well, his aura just feels kinda similar to Fukuda Sogo's captain," Takao replied, scratching his head awkwardly.
Midorima nodded in satisfaction, a response that irked Takao for some reason.
However, Takao couldn't help but scrutinize Akashi's figure closely, confirming his earlier guess. Their auras were undeniably similar.
"Akashi's aura is pretty imposing, though..." Takao remarked, trying to recall Tsuna's aura while making comparisons to Akashi. Despite the similarity, Takao knew which one was more terrifying, having experienced it firsthand.
Even though Tsuna's aura wasn't as overtly oppressive and appeared amicable on the surface, Takao shuddered at the memory of his own experience.
The ability to effortlessly suppress others, like flipping a switch, lingered in his recollection.
---
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