Tsuna smiled at Jiro as he asked, "So, are you here specifically to watch your son play?"
"...I had a business meeting," Jiro replied with a soured face.
However, Tsuna shook his head lightly at the response as he silently thought, "He's still as shy as ever, huh?"
However, their chat was cut short as the game was about to continue, with both teams starting to fill the court once again.
"Mayuzumi, support Mibuchi and initiate a double team on Midorima..."
Approaching Mayuzumi, Akashi received a nod from him, his usual no-expression face unchanged.
As the game commenced, the ball found its way to Akashi, immediately putting Shutoku players on edge.
This prompted a frown from Coach Nakatani on the side.
"They get on edge every time Akashi holds the ball, huh?"
He frowned deeply. Nakatani had noticed it a while ago, initially thinking they were just nervous at the start. However, it seemed Akashi truly exerted stronger pressure than he had anticipated.
"...Let's see if we need a timeout later."
Takao swiftly closed in, attempting to halt Akashi's free reign in their space.
However, Akashi effortlessly changed his pace, swiftly crossing over to Takao's side. This prompted Takao to click his tongue in frustration, muttering, "Shit, he's fast!"
In the blink of an eye, Otsubo rushed in to back up Takao.
And on the other side, Kimura had his eyes on Nebuya as he began to shift his position, noticing that Nebuya was open.
Yet, Akashi seemed to anticipate their moves. Instead of passing to Nebuya, the expected choice, Akashi sharply flicked his hand, directing the ball to the opposite side, towards Mayuzumi.
Kimura's eyes widened in shock, and he exclaimed, "...He saw through me? He's fucking sharp!"
He reacted swiftly and sharply closed the distance.
However, Mayuzumi had already released the ball with the most ordinary shot Kimura had ever seen. All Kimura could do was clench his teeth in frustration as the darn ball effortlessly swished through the basket.
"Their pace was normal, yet we were unable to stop them..."
Nakatani carefully scrutinized the Rakuzan High players, his gaze fixated on Akashi. There was an undeniable complexity to Akashi's gameplay.
Rakuzan High's Captain seemed to play his strategy as if he was playing a shogi and Nakatani sensed an impending shift.
"They're about to make their move," he thought.
True to Nakatani's intuition...
...as the game resumed, a ripple of surprise surged through the Shutoku players.
Midorima found himself not only confronted by Mibuchi but also shadowed by Mayuzumi.
"They're putting the double team on Midorima right away?" Otsubo silently cursed.
They had expected this since Midorima was threatening to any teams out there. However, he didn't know they would do this in the second quarter!
No, if he thought about it, it was an obvious option. They had to put a stop to Midorima's shooting spree!
Midorima's eyes narrowed as he assessed the situation. He clicked his tongue in irritation, sizing up the two Rakuzan players standing in his way.
"They've got a rock-solid defense. Finding an opening won't be easy," he muttered, Midorima's expression souring with the realization of his predicament.
Takao dribbled the ball, clicking his tongue in frustration as he noticed Midorima being closely marked by two players.
"Then, I'll count on you, Senior!"
He then swiftly passed the ball to Miyaji.
"Oh, it's a one-on-one!"
Hayama exclaimed with enthusiasm, closing in on Miyaji. The veins on Miyaji's temple pulsed visibly, a clear sign of irritation at Kotaro's boisterous cheer.
"This guy's getting on my nerves," he thought, dribbling the ball as Hayama fixed him with an eager gaze, his eyes twinkling.
"Hehe, let's do this!"
Kotaro exclaimed cheerfully, adopting a relaxed stance.
Ishida's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Hayama's relaxed form on the court.
"I thought he was still as careless as he was before," he mused aloud.
Even from the audience, Ishida could sense the pressure emanating from the game. After all, they were similar types of players.
Ogiwara nodded, observing Hayama's focused form despite his usually happy-go-lucky attitude on the court.
Thinking back to their last game, he remembered how Hayama initially underestimated them, giving them an advantage they capitalized on.
Now, though, he noticed Hayama had learned his lesson. The casual approach was gone, replaced by a more focused one.
Though it looked like Hayama's attitude was still the same.
Without delay, Hayama tapped into his fierce instincts, displaying a newfound intensity.
Shutoku players, sensing the pressure, were surprised.
Midorima also furrowed his eyebrows slightly, realizing that Hayama was similar with players like Aomine, Kagami, or Fukuda Sogo's players!
Under the mounting pressure, Miyaji was surprised as he examined Hayama's twinkling eyes, a sharp contrast to the intensity he sensed from the guy. Silently, he resolved, "Alright then, I'll hit him with Shinsuke's trick!"
With a sudden burst of speed, Miyaji's nimble dribbling sent the ball weaving through the space between Hayama's legs. Executing a swift spin, he expertly maneuvered around Hayama, breaching his staunch defense.
Yet, Hayama's response was anything but flustered. He merely chuckled before commenting, "Oh, you're not too shabby!"
In a split second, he instantly stepped back as he positioned himself to intercept Miyaji's path to the ball.
Miyaji gritted his teeth in frustration seeing Hayama's figure blocking his path.
And seizing the moment, Hayama snatched the ball as he bolted forward.
That chuckle from Hayama felt like a slap, and now Miyaji was on a mission, tailing after Hayama like a determined detective chasing down a suspect.
"Hah, show some respect to your senior, you fucking impolite second-year!" Miyaji shouted as he managed to catch up with Hayama.
However, his words didn't even shake Hayama in the slightest, and the guy's eyes seemed to shine even brighter, prompting Miyaji to click his tongue in annoyance.
"Whoa! You're pretty fast too!"
Hayama's face lit up with joy, relieved that Miyaji hadn't proven to be too weak. Leaning in, he muttered, "Hmm, my usual preference is three fingers."
Miyaji furrowed his brows, utterly confused by Hayama's statement.
Unfazed, Hayama continued his mumbling, and suddenly, his expression brightened as he declared, "But for you, I'll make it four!"
"...Then, I guess I should thank you."
Miyaji sighed with an understanding expression.
However, his face suddenly twisted with a touch of anger, and he retorted, "Is that the response you're fishing for, you insane son of a bitch!"
Miyaji's irritation spiked, fueled by Hayama's disrespectful behavior. This junior didn't give him an ounce of respect!
Hayama embodied everything he found disagreeable in terms of traditional values in Japan.
---
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