With Alexandra and her students in tow, the atmosphere became more animated throughout the night. Despite the stiffness between Kagami, Midorima, and Aomine, Himuro surprisingly navigated the conversation with ease.
In the company of Tsuna and Alexandra, they savored the night's dinner contentedly.
The final round of the tournament loomed just two days away, prompting Fukuda Sogo to use the brief interval for regular training.
However, there was a subtle sense, that Tsuna was pushing himself even harder, leaving them slightly concerned.
Despite their worries, fully aware of the monstrous capabilities Tsuna possessed, they managed to suppress their anxiety and dedicated themselves to improving.
The Rakuzan players found themselves in a similar situation, particularly after Akashi provided them with additional motivation—to seek revenge against Fukuda Sogo.
They exerted maximum effort to maintain peak conditions and worked on refining various aspects within their grasp.
As time sped by, two days slipped away, bringing them to the eagerly anticipated day. It was the day when the winner would be decided, the champion standing triumphant over all other basketball teams in Japan!
The Winter Cup's Final!
"...I'm still sleepy," a feminine voice complained in English, echoing through the air as a beautiful blonde foreigner sauntered onto a private bus.
Tsuna shook his head, choosing not to retort to Alexandra's remark as he entered.
The rest of the Fukuda Sogo team followed suit, filing into the vehicle.
"..."
Surprisingly, their expressions lacked any signs of excitement. They appeared completely still, yet their gazes told a different story, brimming with anticipation.
Tsuna observed their expressions with a satisfied grin, "Perfect, maintain this focus..."
Despite their underlying excitement, they expertly pushed it aside, fully immersing themselves in the upcoming game.
A sense of calm enveloped their hearts, contrasting with the boiling passion coursing through their veins. Their minds remained cool, but their gaze held a razor-sharp intensity.
Nijimura, too, couldn't help but be impressed. He smiled, taking his seat.
With everyone settled, their private bus rumbled to life, transporting them to the battleground where they would face their ultimate adversary in the tournament ––
–– Rakuzan High!
Meanwhile, the street leading to the Yoyogi Gymnasium bustled with activity. There were groups of people strolling alongside their friends and family.
The air was completely filled with excitement, evident in the animated expressions of the crowd.
It was crystal clear that their collective purpose was to witness the climax of the tournament—the final round!
"Everyone seems hyped for the final, huh?"
Takao remarked with his gaze sweeping over the bustling street as he walked in step with his companions from Shutoku.
"Of course, they're excited, you idiot!"
Miyaji immediately scolded Takao and delivered a light smack to his head.
Takao's reaction was immediate as he winced in pain. Cradling his throbbing head, he voiced his protest, "I get it, but there's no need to resort to physical punishment—"
Miyaji shot him a withering glare that immediately silenced him, prompting Takao to avert his gaze.
With a disdainful click of his tongue, Miyaji continued, "These are the clashes between the two most favored teams in the tournament..."
Nods of agreement rippled through the Shutoku group. Even Midorima, holding a bottle of body lotion in his hand, concurred with Miyaji's sentiment.
"The recently emerged powerhouse, Fukuda Sogo, who secured their dominance during the Interhigh..." Otsubo's words unfolded with measured gravity, his gaze was earnest and contemplative.
He continued, "Against the enduring yet consistently successful powerhouse, Rakuzan High, set on regaining their supremacy in the Winter Cup."
"...This promises to be an enthralling match," Otsubo concluded with a gentle smile playing on his lips.
"Haha that's right..."
"It's pretty much obvious, isn't it?"
The assembled group responded with shared amusement, their faces radiating anticipation for the impending contest.
"..."
On the side, Midorima adjusted his glasses, seemingly lost in thought.
"...Shin? Any predictions on the winner?"
A voice broke into his musings and prompted him to turn his head slightly. With hands casually behind his head, Takao walked alongside him with an air of nonchalance.
Midorima clicked his tongue in response to Takao's laid-back attitude, a subtle disapproval evident.
"...Did you just click your tongue at me?" Takao couldn't help but feel somewhat bewildered.
Nevertheless, Midorima merely scoffed, brushing off the question, as he prepared to articulate his thoughts.
Simultaneously, Too Academy made their way to the gymnasium, and engaged in a discussion on the same topics.
"Akashi's strength is undeniable. The Emperor Eyes make him formidable, rendering his opponents' movements useless since he can foresee the future..." Aomine voiced his thoughts in response to an inquiry about his prediction for the winner.
Everyone in Too Academy nodded collectively, acknowledging the complexity of dealing with such a formidable opponent.
"Hmm, you bring up a valid point..." Imayoshi concurred, his agreement marked by a contemplative nod.
Even with Aomine, who could access the zone at will, Akashi presented a comparable challenge. Despite his confidence in his team, Imayoshi found it difficult to envision both Aomine and Akashi facing defeat.
Aomine's gaze lifted, his eyes scanning the gymnasium that was finally came to sight as he deliberated, "Still..."
"After witnessing what he pulled off a few days ago, I can't fathom Tsuna losing anymore..."
"..."
His statement hung in the air, casting a momentary hush over everyone in Too Academy as they continued their journey in thoughtful silence.
However, Momoi couldn't help but smile gently as she observed the evident excitement radiating from Aomine's face while discussing this. Her smile grew as she acknowledged that Aomine seemed to have fully returned to his former self.
Meanwhile, Imayoshi delved into contemplation.
Despite Akashi possessing the Emperor Eyes capable of nullifying both offense and defense, Fukuda Sogo's Captain appeared to harbor similarly unique eyes that belong only to him—
—an enigma only recently unveiled.
"..."
The prospect of Seirin's fate at the hands of such an individual was undeniably daunting for most teams, a chilling reality that Imayoshi found truly terrifying.
"Both of them operate on a completely different level," Kuroko's voice resonated as he strolled alongside Seirin as they finally arrived at the gymnasium.
Coincidentally, their path crossed with Fukuda Sogo's private bus, an immediate magnet for onlookers eager to catch a glimpse of the players preparing for the upcoming round.
"...Their bus is quite impressive," Koganei remarked, his eyes reflecting awe as he admired Fukuda Sogo's private transport.
Kagami maintained a contemplative silence, his gaze immediately drawn to Tsuna's figure.
Stepping off the bus after Nijimura, who exuded a vigilant air akin to a bodyguard, Tsuna nonchalantly surveyed the surrounding crowd.
Perceiving the peaceful demeanor of the onlookers, Nijimura released a relieved breath.
He gradually stepped back, falling into stride beside Tsuna as the crowd naturally cleared a path for them.
Kagami couldn't help but chuckle as he noticed Alexandra emerging from the bus, discomfort etched across her face. He was aware that she wasn't particularly keen on navigating through such a big crowd.
"This is shaping up to be an interesting match," he muttered, a faint smile playing on his lips.