Chapter 196: Chapter 196: Fukuda Sogo vs Kaijo High!
My bad! I thought I had scheduled today's chapters! It turned out I hadn't yet done that!
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However, the tense atmosphere was shattered by a flying kick aimed at Kise, leaving his face twisted in disbelief as he crashed to the ground.
"..."
Haizaki widened his eyes, momentarily shocked into silence. He couldn't help but twitch his lips slightly as he watched Kise sprawled on the ground.
Eventually, Kise regained his composure, propelled forward, and pointed an angry finger at the one who kicked him.
He shouted, "Just what the heck are you doing, Captain! You might kill me, you jerk!"
However, Kasamatsu completely disregarded Kise, shifting his attention toward Tsuna.
Tsuna shook his head with amusement as he approached Kasamatsu, extending his hand for a handshake.
"Yukio Kasamatsu, right? It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Tsunayoshi Kazama, Fukuda Sogo's captain."
"...I'm your senior, freshman," Kasamatsu frowned as he reprimanded, but he still shook Tsuna's hand firmly.
"Well, nice to meet you nonetheless..."
Haizaki silently observed Kaijo High's captain, who dared to reprimand Tsuna.
However, as he looked at Tsuna's calm expression, Haizaki noticed that it didn't bother him in the slightest, prompting him to raise his eyebrows in surprise.
Meanwhile, Kise struggled to comprehend what had just unfolded. "...Did I just get ignored?"
The audacious kick sent him crashing to the ground, and not only did the assailant ignore him, but Tsuna also did the same. Kise exclaimed with a hurt expression, "Why did you ignore me too? At least, try to help me, you heartless bastard..."
Turning back to Tsuna and Kasamatsu's exchange,
Tsuna recognized the cultural emphasis on formality and hierarchy in Japan, understanding Kasamatsu's stance.
However, he felt no obligation to conform, having been raised with a different cultural background.
Despite the potential offense that could arise due to his family's standing, Tsuna wasn't the least bit bothered. He found it refreshing to encounter someone behaving in a more casual manner, as opposed to the usual polite demeanor extended to him by those in positions of power in Japan.
"I hope you can make an exception for me; I'm not quite familiar with Japanese culture..." Tsuna shook his head as he responded.
"...Hmm, now that you mention it, I think Kise said something about this. Well, alright then." Kasamatsu frowned, easing his expression and shrugging his shoulders as he recalled Tsuna's origin.
Tsuna smiled, adding, "I appreciate your understanding..."
"No, forget about it. I should apologize. Anyway, let's have a good game and have fun!" Kasamatsu's face broke into a smile.
"Sure, let's have fun!"
Tsuna and Haizaki continued their warm-up, while Kasamatsu returned to his team, dragging along a sulking Kise.
As the moment for the game to start approached, the referee signaled both teams to get ready.
"It's about to begin, huh?"
A bored voice resonated as a dark-haired teenager strolled through the audience, following a pink-haired girl who energetically signaled that she had found their seats.
"Daiki! Here!"
Momoi shouted with enthusiasm.
Aomine let out a sigh as he settled into his seat, his gaze fixed on the court where players were positioning themselves for the imminent start of the game.
The growing restlessness in the crowd irked Aomine, prompting a disapproving click of his tongue.
He muttered, "So noisy..."
"Of course they're noisy; they're eager to watch this game so bad, after all!" Momoi chimed in, her eyes lighting up in delight at the sight of Tsuna on the court.
"Well, you're right..."
Aomine conceded with a sigh.
However, a gleam of focus appeared in his eyes as he observed the referee making his way to the center point of the court, signaling that the game was about to commence.
Both teams poised for the game, the referee blew the whistle, and the ball soared into the air.
Nijimura's eyes gleamed with determination as he leaped forward, Moriyama hot on his heels. However, Nijimura was the first to reach the ball, deftly pushing it toward Tsuna, who was closely marked by Kasamatsu.
Tsuna dribbled the ball with a relaxed ease, Kasamatsu closing the distance rapidly to apply pressure.
"...This guy is a monster, huh?"
Kasamatsu pondered, feeling the palpable tension and the weight of marking a player of Tsuna's caliber.
Kaijo High had meticulously studied Fukuda Sogo through game footage, delving into each player's strategies and tendencies.
The conclusion drawn was that the most formidable adversary among these strong players stood right in front of Kasamatsu. Even though Tsuna seemed relaxed while dribbling, Kasamatsu couldn't help but break into a sweat, realizing the imminent challenge.
However, Kasamatsu quickly discerned that Tsuna was not to be underestimated. As he attempted to make a move, the pace subtly altered, ready to thwart any attempt to steal the ball from Tsuna's hands.
"He's waiting for the others..."
Kasamatsu silently concluded as he observed Tsuna carefully assessing the situation on the court.
Kasamatsu extended his observation to note that Fukuda Sogo players had strategically positioned themselves in his team's defensive formation.
"...I have to be wary of his quick passes, right? I should try to guess who he will pass the ball to."
His eyes sharpened as he fully focused on Tsuna's movements and gestures. When Tsuna suddenly changed his pace, Kasamatsu knew it was time to act, tensing up his body for the impending challenge.
Tsuna's eyes locked onto Haizaki, marked by Kise, as he accelerated his dribble, flicking his hand to transform the ball into a blur that seemed to vanish.
Kasamatsu's eyes flashed as he anticipated the pass, moving precisely when Tsuna's hand was about to release the ball. He positioned himself to intercept the pass, aligning with the direction of Tsuna's gaze.
"Hmm?"
Much to his surprise, Kasamatsu found that the ball didn't follow his expectations.
A resounding dunk echoed through the court, and he widened his eyes in disbelief as he turned to see Nijimura's figure gracefully landing on the ground after executing a powerful alley-oop, their signature combo.
"Whoa!"
"Zenith Strike at the start! This is so hype!"
The gymnasium erupted in a chorus of cheers, the excitement of the crowd resonating throughout the entire space.
Meanwhile, the Kaijo High players, expecting an immediate clash between Kise and Haizaki, were also taken aback.
"...What?"
Kasamatsu was stunned.
He thought he had correctly guessed the passing direction, but how did it end up with Nijimura instead?
"If you look at me so intently, I might get the wrong idea, Captain..."
However, Tsuna just smirked at the guy as he walked back to get into his position.
And as Nijimura walked past Kasamatsu's stunned figure, he spoke, "Well, I know these guys have some beef between them, but please don't forget about me..."
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