Chapter 71: Chapter 71: It was all planned!
Tsuna grabbed the ball that had slipped from Midorima's grip and smoothly added another point to his team's score.
As he made his way back to his teammates, Tsuna passed by Midorima, who couldn't hold back his frustration any longer.
"How dare you..." Midorima seethed, his anger palpable. He glared at Tsuna, who appeared utterly nonchalant, while through gritted teeth, he questioned, "Do you even take this game seriously?"
Tsuna had essentially used himself as a practice tool for Ogiwara. This audacity, the notion that he'd been underestimated, didn't sit well with Midorima's pride.
Tsuna shook his head slightly in response to Midorima's frustration.
"I'm taking this game seriously. Do you think we took this game as a joke and didn't want to win it? Aren't you a little too arrogant?"
Midorima fell into silence, his pride somewhat wounded. Tsuna walked away, adding with quiet confidence, "Shintaro, it's been tough for you, but we'll win this game."
Observing Tsuna's retreating figure, Midorima muttered with an angry gleam in his eyes, "Win, he says?"
As he returned to his defensive position, Tsuna was met by Nijimura, who was grinning. "So that's why you recruited him, huh? You saw something in him..."
It was quite unexpected that Ogiwara could unleash this inner beastly instinct without any proper training to unlock it. It suggested that Ogiwara had a natural talent for it, and his potential was pretty impressive.
However, Tsuna tilted his head, replying, "Actually, I was just as surprised as you..."
Nijimura was left momentarily speechless. Had Tsuna really taken a gamble on Ogiwara? It seemed like a rather bold move.
But the game carried on, leaving no room for arguments.
During the second quarter, Midorima's shots were largely contained. Fukuda Sogo began to close the point gap.
Tsuna and Ogiwara continued to shadow Midorima. Ogiwara, who had a shaky start, now moved precisely, intercepting and stealing the ball from Midorima at the perfect moments.
As the second quarter ended, the score was 47-52 in favor of Shutoku, but the gap had narrowed considerably.
The halftime break arrived, and both teams rested on their respective benches.
Ishida playfully patted Ogiwara's shoulder. "You know, Freshman, you're really good out there. Impressive stuff."
Ogiwara blushed slightly, not used to receiving compliments.
Tsuna wore a calm smile. "Now, they should realize that focusing on Midorima won't work anymore."
"Ogiwara, this time, you'll mark Takao. He's a capable player with excellent passes. Try to keep him in check," Tsuna continued, earning puzzled looks from the team.
"Why? Wouldn't it be better to double-team Midorima with you?" Ogiwara looked puzzled, and his question mirrored the confusion on his teammates' faces.
But Nijimura, who had the longest history with Tsuna, couldn't help but scoff. "Hah! How do you think a shooter like Midorima could break Tsuna's defense?"
"Isn't it because Midorima's surprisingly quick and skilled at dribbling for a shooter? I mean, he's one of the Generation of Miracles for a reason, right?" Ogiwara cautiously responded.
Nijimura's response was a playful smack on Ogiwara's back, accompanied by a meaningful smirk.
"Of course not, you dummy!" Nijimura said, "He moved past Tsuna's defense because Tsuna allowed it!"
The revelation left the others in wide-eyed disbelief.
Tsuna shook his head and continued, saying simply, "I'll take on Midorima myself this time."
Looking at Nijimura, Tsuna mentioned Otsubo and Kimura before asking, "Think you can handle these two?"
Nijimura responded with a confident smirk, "If I can't handle them, I'd rather retire…"
While Nijimura appeared lean, while being an athlete, he was also an active martial artist, which endowed him with a unique blend of strength and agility that set him apart from regular athletes.
His physique was sculpted to perfection through rigorous training.
In terms of raw power, although Otsubo and Kimura boasted larger and taller builds, Nijimura held unwavering confidence in his abilities.
Upon hearing Nijimura's response, Tsuna also donned a confident smirk, his gaze fixed on the Shutoku team across the court.
On the Shutoku side, a heavy silence settled in. Frustration filled every player as they realized they were still pawns in the opponent's scheme. They had hoped to face their rival's full strength but instead found themselves being treated as a training dummy.
The most aggravating part was their inability to prevent this from happening. It was like they were walking right into their opponent's trap.
Nakatani, determined to lift his team's spirits, took charge. He spoke up, "Alright, let's put the past behind us. In the next quarter, our focus is scoring from within."
His eyes landed on Takao, and he placed his trust in the young player.
"Takao, we depend on you for the offense this time."
His words resonated with the team, and they nodded in agreement, ready to shift their focus for the upcoming quarter.
As the break finished, both teams went back on the court.
"Alright, Takao, let's work together to shut down their attack," Otsubo instructed Takao.
He knew a well-timed play could disrupt Tsuna and lead to a potential steal, especially with Takao's Eagle Eye.
Takao responded with determination, "Got it, Captain."
Conversely, in the Fukuda Sogo team, Ogiwara observed Tsuna walking ahead of him.
He turned to Nijimura, who was at his side and voiced his concerns, "Senior, if I can't intercept Midorima as Captain planned, it could spell trouble. Why did he place such trust in me for this critical role?"
Nijimura comforted Ogiwara by patting him on the shoulder. "Don't dwell on it. The important thing is you succeeded, right?"
Ogiwara still felt the weight of the responsibility. "But what if I didn't make it?"
Nijimura let out a frustrated sigh and scratched his neck. "Look, it's just a friendly match. Failing in this kind of game is no big deal. At worst, Tsuna would give you extra training if you didn't make it."
Ogiwara quietly mused, "...Wouldn't that be more like a reward than a punishment?"
Nijimura was puzzled by Ogiwara's muttering. "What did you say?"
But the game had already resumed before Ogiwara could clarify. Nijimura just shook his head, thinking that Ogiwara had a strange way of looking at things, and refocused on the match.
As the game pressed on, Shutoku began an aggressive attack. In possession of the ball, Takao activated his Eagle Eye, scanning the entire court for opportunities. He then shot a surprised look at Tsuna, who single-handedly marked Midorima, leaving Takao intrigued.
Noticing Ogiwara was now assigned to him, Takao pondered in silence, "What is he scheming this time?"
However, he shook his head lightly, following instructions as he positioned himself within Fukuda Sogo's defensive line.
Ogiwara, though, was like a shadow, tightly tracking his every move. Takao couldn't easily bypass Ogiwara's defense, and this prompted a surprised reaction, making him step back and click his tongue in frustration.
He exchanged meaningful glances with Otsubo, their silent communication evident. In sync, they both nodded. Takao swiftly passed the ball to Midorima, who had only Tsuna marking him.
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