Bab 69: Chapter 69: It only takes him one game!
Midorima was renowned for turning away before his shots even landed, but this time, he remained unwavering in his stance, his eyes locked on Tsuna, as if issuing a challenge.
Nakatani, observing from the bench, quietly contemplated, "Seems like he's really looking forward to facing that young captain."
"Wow, that was an amazing shot, as always, Shin!" Takao cheered, his eyes glued to the ball that had just effortlessly glided through the net.
Midorima adjusted his glasses and confidently replied, "Of course. I've got my lucky item today. My shots won't miss..."
Simultaneously, Tsuna signaled to his team, suggesting a slight shift in their strategy. "Let's give it a shot..."
Nijimura expressed his concern, "Are you sure? Some of them might struggle to keep pace."
Tsuna dismissed the worry with a shake of his head. "If they can't keep up, then all that rigorous training would be in vain."
"Alright," Nijimura conceded, returning to his position.
The game pressed on, with Tsuna taking control of the ball. He swiftly dribbled it, leading Fukuda Sogo's advance down the court. His teammates followed in a determined march.
Otsubo was tasked with guarding Tsuna, but the young captain's speed left him astounded as Tsuna glided past him. Otsubo couldn't conceal his surprise, muttering, "He's incredibly fast!"
Shutoku reacted swiftly to this unexpected display. Miyaji rushed in to provide support and block Tsuna's path.
"Seems like the Legendary King lives up to his name," Tsuna remarked with a smirk, and his dribbling pace suddenly escalated. This change in speed caught Miyaji off guard, and he struggled to keep up with the ball.
But Tsuna suddenly paused as he stood still, shook his head, and looked at Miyaji, who was giving his all to defend him. "Why are you so persistent when I don't have the ball?"
"What?"
Miyaji couldn't wrap his head around it when Tsuna mentioned something unusual.
But sure enough, the ball had vanished from Tsuna's hand.
"Senior! The ball!"
Takao shouted as he rushed toward Ishida, who had somehow come into possession of the ball. Ishida was initially taken aback but quickly regained his composure and took a shot, earning their team two points.
Observing this, Miyaji muttered, "When did he pass the ball?"
Tsuna paid no attention to Miyaji's confusion as he returned to his position with his team.
Otsubo, who was closest to Miyaji, patted him on the shoulder, saying, "Don't worry about it, Miyaji!"
But even as Otsubo offered reassurance, he couldn't help narrowing his gaze as he watched Tsuna closely.
It had been an unexpected pass, swift as a lightning bolt, leaving the defender bewildered and unaware that the ball had already left Tsuna's hands.
Midorima adjusted his glasses as he observed Tsuna's actions closely. He had keenly noticed what Tsuna had just pulled off.
Tsuna dribbled the ball at such a blazing pace that it was almost impossible for anyone to keep up.
Even Miyaji, who had tried to track the ball's movements, struggled to keep pace. Tsuna, however, executed a clever move. He released the ball while continuing the dribbling motion, creating the illusion that he still possessed it.
But what caught Midorima's attention was the surprise on Tsuna's teammate's face, which made him furrow his eyebrows as he contemplated this unexpected turn of events.
"Nevertheless, three points still beat two," Midorima remarked, receiving the ball from Shutoku's defensive zone. He smoothly transitioned into a shooting stance and leaped into the air.
The ball soared high, tracing a perfect arc, and effortlessly sailed through the net. While the ball was in flight, Midorima continued speaking, his tone carrying a hint of provocation, "No matter how flashy your moves may be, we'll still come out on top if you stick to this."
Ogiwara couldn't contain his surprise, muttering in disbelief, "Did he just shoot from their own defensive line?"
He directed his gaze toward Midorima, who locked eyes with Tsuna, his challenge evident.
Ogiwara's murmurs persisted as he turned to Tsuna. The provocation from Midorima did not affect Tsuna, who remained composed as he dribbled the ball with precision.
"I suppose that's why the Captain says I've got more work to do. That guy's a total beast, while I'm your run-of-the-mill player," Ogiwara mumbled. However, he had a new determination, like a young warrior seeking challenges from a seasoned master, and he wore a wide, confident smirk.
Feeling the sudden shift in his atmosphere, Tsuna's eyes widened slightly at the transformation in Ogiwara's attitude, and he couldn't help but chuckle. "...Should I consider this a win on my gamble?"
"Looks like we've got another card to play. This is turning into quite a fun game," Tsuna added, smirking as he signaled for his teammates to match his pace.
Together, they advanced down the court, dribbling the ball with renewed determination.
Tsuna effortlessly weaved through Shutoku's defense, his agility, and precision akin to a knife slicing through soft tofu. But weirdly enough, Tsuna had never hog the spotlight. He relied on unconventional passing techniques to set up his teammates for the score.
Shutoku, being the seasoned team they were, anticipated Tsuna's passes. Whenever the ball seemed to vanish from his hands, they reacted swiftly, attempting to block Fukuda Sogo's scoring opportunities.
But their efforts were in vain. Fukuda Sogo continued to rack up points, thanks to Tsuna's unorthodox passes that kept Shutoku's defense on their toes.
The same could be said for Midorima's three-pointers. No matter how hard Mochizuki tried to mark him, Midorima always found a way to sink those long shots.
As the first quarter came to a close, the scoreboard scored 24 - 36, with Shutoku in the lead.
Midorima approached Tsuna, who was heading towards the bench. He couldn't contain his annoyance, feeling like Tsuna wasn't giving it his all. Midorima spoke up, "Is that all you've got, Tsuna? If that's the case, it's quite disappointing."
"Seems like you're misunderstanding something here, Shintaro."
Tsuna couldn't help but shake his head, a faint smirk on his lips.
Midorima's frown deepened at Tsuna's smirk. He had learned to associate that expression with Tsuna scheming something.
But Tsuna quickly reassured him, walking towards Fukuda Sogo's bench. He called back to Midorima, "Don't worry, Shintaro. I won't make it easy for you to shoot in the next quarter."
Watching Tsuna's retreating figure, Midorima sighed and returned to his team's bench, accompanied by his teammates.
"Hmm," Takao scratched his head, a puzzled expression on his face. "I don't want to sound ungrateful, but does this seem too easy?"
Miyaji didn't hold back, smacking Takao on the head. "Too easy? We couldn't even stop them once!"
Takao held his throbbing head, defending himself, "No, no, that's not what I meant. I'm just surprised they're not putting up more of a fight against Shin."
Otsubo chimed in, sharing the same concern. He turned to Midorima, questioning, "Is he really your former captain, Shin?"
There was doubt in the air about Tsuna's leadership at Teiko. While Fukuda Sogo's attacks were formidable, it was surprising that Tsuna hadn't attempted to counter Midorima's shots.
Midorima squinted at Tsuna across the court, his expression growing serious.
"Do you all know how many games it took for Tsuna to take over Teiko?" He adjusted his glasses with purpose, his tone intense.
"Just one game."
Midorima's words stirred memories of a game against Hibiya that he hadn't personally witnessed but knew well.
The outcome of that match spoke volumes.
Tsuna had managed to assert his dominance over the team and seize the leadership role without the senior players even voicing displeasure. It was clear to Midorima that Tsuna possessed a skill and strategy beyond the ordinary.
"...What?"
The others from Shutoku were in disbelief at this revelation. It was becoming evident that Tsuna had calculated every move carefully, and there was likely more to his approach than met the eye.
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