Kapitel 160: Chapter 160: To Unleash His True Strength
Ever since that fateful day, Murasakibara found himself begrudgingly adhering to the demanding rigors of his training schedule, a routine he openly disliked.
"Rebound!"
The sudden shout snapped him back into the ongoing game. With a swift jump, he grabbed the ball and effortlessly slammed it into the opposing team's basket.
"You nailed it, Murasakibara!"
Okamura gave him a hearty pat on the back as they returned to their positions.
"...It hurts!"
Murasakibara clicked his tongue in annoyance at Okamura's overexcitement.
Yet, throughout the entire game, a peculiar sensation lingered that Murasakibara couldn't shake off. As they made their way back, he found himself unable to resist clutching his chest, feeling his heart race for some inexplicable reason.
This enigmatic feeling eluded Murasakibara's understanding.
"What is this? So troublesome..."
He mused to himself, perplexed by the unfamiliar emotions coursing through him.
The upcoming match against Fukuda Sogo Academy was the main reason for his confusion. The conflicting emotions within him left him in a state of bewilderment.
However, a subtle smile played on Murasakibara's lips as he acknowledged the erratic beats of his heart.
At that moment, he realized that he didn't particularly dislike these perplexing feelings.
Meanwhile, Himuro observed Murasakibara with sweat trickling down his face.
"He's never moved past our defense line before. What's gotten into him?" He mused as he stole a glance at the scoreboard, which displayed an overwhelming 87-0.
Initially surprising, Murasakibara's sudden move from his usual defensive and lazy stance to contribute to the offense shocked the team. Even Coach Masako Araki couldn't help but show her surprise, though she nodded, recognizing the advantage it provided.
On the other hand, Kachiyama High found themselves in the midst of a complete rout. The stadium fell silent as spectators absorbed the unfolding spectacle.
Observing their opponents, Okamura arched an eyebrow as he thought, "Oh? Have they already given up on the game?"
As he observed them, Okamura realized that every player from Kachiyama High wore a collective expression of disbelief with their eyes void of life, as if they had surrendered to the inevitable.
"It's not exactly shocking," Okamura muttered, his gaze then shifting to Murasakibara.
He then chuckled as the towering player appeared to be unusually enthusiastic.
Okamura discerned that Murasakibara was eagerly anticipating the upcoming round more than anyone else in Yosen High.
On the opposite end of the gymnasium, where Rakuzan High's match was going on, Mibuchi gracefully wiped the sweat off his face as he glanced at the unfolding events on Yosen High's side.
Surveying the scoreboard, Mibuchi shook his head, muttering to himself, "Their opponents are likely to be traumatized after this game."
Yet he swiftly redirected his attention to their ongoing match.
As Akashi skillfully maneuvered past the opposing defense, causing their entire defensive formation to crumble, Mibuchi couldn't help but smile, anticipating a pass to himself as he recognized it as the optimal strategy to score.
To his surprise, Akashi opted for an unexpected move. A sudden crossover took him to the opposite side, and with his agility, he soared for a flawless layup.
"...That's an unusual play for someone like you, Sei."
Mibuchi's eyes widened in astonishment.
Shaking his head, Mibuchi returned, glancing at Akashi's concentrated expression. A chuckle escaped him elegantly, musing, "Even someone like Sei can get excited, it seems. Well, that's a revelation."
As Mibuchi observed the defeated expressions on their opponents' faces, he couldn't help but notice the same look of shock that had befallen Kachiyama High's players on the other side. Letting out a resigned sigh, he muttered to himself.
"...Looks like we're leaving quite an impression on them too."
Mibuchi knew that their opponents would be traumatized as well after this match.
Meanwhile, a subdued stillness settled over the entire stadium.
The audience was taken aback by the unexpected events in both matches and struggled to make sense of the astonishing outcomes.
"These two games are one-sided..."
"...I feel bad for their opponents."
The silence hung heavy, punctuated only by murmurs of confusion and amazement, creating an atmosphere of collective bewilderment.
Meanwhile...
"Well, that was unfortunate..."
In a lavish residence in Tokyo, Tsuna closed his eyes as he expressed his disappointment.
"Yeah," a voice responded with a hint of dejection.
Tsuna sighed, turning to Aomine. "Losing is tough, especially when you're playing solo. It's only natural you'd face challenges."
Aomine seemed to be sulking, struggling to come to terms with the defeat against Seirin.
Tsuna's words made Aomine frown, and he looked up at Tsuna. "You sound like Kuroko."
"Is Kuroko losing or winning?" Tsuna replied, leaving Aomine momentarily silent. Tsuna shrugged, continuing, "Instead of getting down about losing, you should be using it as motivation to improve right now and train..."
"I will not allow it," Momoi suddenly interjected.
Tsuna raised an eyebrow at Momoi, who sighed. "He had entered the zone for too long. Straining his muscles further wouldn't be wise."
"Hmm, you're right," Tsuna conceded, recognizing Aomine's likely exhaustion after an extended period in the zone.
"...Talking like you understand the feeling of losing," Aomine grumbled. He grabbed the remote, switched on the TV, and settled comfortably on the sofa.
Tsuna shook his head, choosing not to respond. He sighed and turned to the other two people present.
"I thought you were heading home, Shintaro."
Midorima clicked his tongue and adjusted his glasses. Before Tsuna could speak to the last person, the guy laughed cheerfully, saying, "Haha, come on, Kazamacchi, let's stick around for a bit."
"Besides, you'll be playing against Murasakibaracchi tomorrow. You should rest more," Kise added with a nod.
Tsuna shook his head and replied, "I'll be fine."
"...Confident in winning?" Midorima asked, glancing at Tsuna.
"Confidence is important, but my main concern is whether Shuzo can push Atsushi not to hold his strength back or not," Tsuna said thoughtfully.
Nijimura was their Center, and he was bound to face Murasakibara. While Tsuna trusted Nijimura's strength, raw power was not his main asset. Given Murasakibara's ability to match Silver in sheer strength in the original canon, Tsuna wondered if Nijimura could bring out the best in Murasakibara.
"What do you mean by holding back?"
Kise asked with a puzzled expression.
Even Aomine turned his attention, and the group focused on Tsuna, who responded with his characteristic smirk, causing Midorima to adjust his glasses instinctively.
Tsuna chuckled as he explained, "You might not have noticed, but Atsushi has always restrained his strength because, deep down, he's afraid of hurting others. He's well aware of how powerful he is."
The revelation left them shocked, their eyes widening in disbelief.
"Is that even possible?"
Midorima muttered aloud, his mind grappling with the idea, given Murasakibara's already terrifying raw power.
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