"...With Kuroko's Vanishing Drive rendered useless, it should have been a big blow to Kuroko's mentality on the court," Nijimura spoke as everyone in Fukuda Sogo observed the players on the bench.
Ogiwara had a serious expression while looking at Kuroko before he smiled as he spoke, "...He might need some time, but he would definitely recover soon. Kuroko was the stubbornest person I've known, after all."
Tsuna casually glanced at Ogiwara before shifting his attention to Kuroko.
Kuroko's impact on the court had diminished significantly since he couldn't rely on his low presence. Moreover, Too Academy strategically passed the ball with high passes, exploiting Kuroko's shorter stature.
Although Kuroko's absence put pressure on Kagami, who often used their combined skills against Aomine, without Kuroko, Kagami needed to step up his game.
Tsuna observed Kagami and pondered, "...He's fully capable of facing Aomine on his own, but he's become a bit too dependent on Kuroko without realizing it."
However, Tsuna couldn't help but be impressed by Kagami's progress. While Alexandra had mentioned Kagami's improvement during their training sessions, the extent of it still surprised him.
"In such a short time, he's come this far? Truly a gifted individual..." Tsuna sighed, acknowledging Kagami's natural talent.
Aomine had certainly made strides in his skills. It was evident that unless Kagami shook off his subconscious reliance on Kuroko, Aomine would come out on top.
Kagami should already be aware of that.
"The more pressure he faces, the stronger he becomes. It's like having a cheat code..." Tsuna shook his head as he turned to look at the scoreboard.
The situation wasn't dire for Seirin, as the score was just a two-point difference. Yet, if things persisted, Kagami might not hold up until the fourth quarter.
"...Kagami's presence is what kept Aomine in check. We can't take him out of the game," Seirin's coach thought with a furrowed brow.
Then, her gaze shifted to Kuroko, who had lowered his head in disappointment after Aomine countered his move. Kagami also noticed Kuroko's downcast demeanor following his unsuccessful attempt against Aomine, prompting him to let out a sigh.
"...Kuroko, take a breather for now," Aida declared, surprising Kuroko, who widened his eyes in response. Eventually, he accepted the decision with a heavy heart, lowering his head.
Kuroko had been Kagami's crucial ally in facing Aomine on the court. Kagami clenched his fist, determined to confront Aomine independently.
Observing Kuroko's reaction to the change, Aida sighed, offering reassurance, "Take your time to analyze our opponent this time. We've got your back."
"Mitobe, step in for Kuroko for a while," Aida instructed, turning her attention to Mitobe, who acknowledged the change with a nod.
Hyuga, casually flexing his fingers, chimed in, "Well, Too Academy's no pushover. Even though I believe in our strength, it's wise for us to dial back the tempo a bit. So, Izuki, let the ball come my way more often, alright?"
The freshmen were taken aback by Hyuga's laid-back appeal for the ball.
Aida agreed with a nod. The game's pace had been too intense, making the players anxious. Prolonged tension wouldn't benefit them; it would only deplete their mental stamina more quickly.
"Follow the captain's plan. We'll focus on attacking from the outside this time," Aida announced, and the Seirin team members nodded in agreement.
On the Too Academy bench, Coach Harasawa wore a contemplative expression, placing his hand on his chin. "We need to ease up on the tempo."
Wakamatsu inquired, "How do we do that, Coach?"
Harasawa closed his eyes, pondering, then turned to Sakurai as he opened them. "Let's shift our focus to outside plays for the moment."
"What? I'm just getting into it. Why spoil the fun?" Aomine spoke brashly, prompting Momoi to give him a smack on the head.
Aomine, recovering from the surprise, turned to Momoi, veins bulging from his temple. "What's with the sudden violent streak?"
"Show some respect! He's our coach, Aomine!" Momoi scolded, puffing her cheeks in annoyance.
Imayoshi shook his head and said, "Well, we may not have control over Seirin's moves, Aomine. They might just do that."
Aomine changed his expression to a frown as he turned to Imayoshi, and the entire Too Academy team followed suit.
Imayoshi, getting a nod from Harasawa, clarified, "The game's pace is too quick for the first quarter. It would be wise for them to ease up a bit, ensuring their players' stamina holds until the end of the game."
"Taking a breather is good, but it also means your opponents get the same advantage," Imayoshi remarked, eyeing Seirin.
Harasawa agreed, turning to Sakurai, "So, here's the plan. Sakurai, I'll need you to step up and disrupt their rhythm a bit."
Sakurai looked a bit uneasy but nodded, apologizing. The rest of the team remained silent as they also thought it was in their best interest to do that.
Aomine was not pleased at all as he clicked his tongue, realizing he had to postpone his enjoyment of playing against Kagami.
Soon, the timeout ended, and both teams returned to the court.
To the surprise of Too Academy players, Kuroko had been replaced. Imayoshi, although initially surprised, nonchalantly shrugged.
"...Not unexpected. His impact on the court was quite limited right now. A sensible move," he remarked, adjusting his glasses with a thoughtful expression.
As the game continued, both teams eased the pressure as they adopted a more cautious and slower pace.
Izuki who was dribbling the ball narrowed his eyes as he spotted an opportunity and swiftly passed the ball to Hyuga, who was open for the play.
Hyuga received the ball, only to notice Sakurai marking him closely. Sakurai's face, ashen and startled, caught Hyuga off guard.
"What's with that expression?"
"I-I'm sorry!" Sakurai stammered, his complexion growing even paler, apologizing in a fluster.
Hyuga's temples pulsed with annoyance as he retorted, "...Fine, but don't you think you're standing too far?"
Without wasting a moment, Hyuga smoothly slid backward, creating a sudden gap between him and a bewildered Sakurai.
"...How did he create that much space so quickly?" Sakurai muttered in disbelief.
Seizing the opportunity, Hyuga leaped for a shot. Sakurai, attempting to block, was too slow, and the ball sailed flawlessly into the basket with a satisfying swish.
"I don't care how sorry you are, but I won't go easy!"
Hyuga declared with confidence, punctuating his statement with the habitual crack of his neck, a sign of assurance in his shooting skills.
---
Hey guys, just a heads-up! I want you to be patient with this match. XD
I got a bit too excited when writing this game between Too and Seirin as I had totally broken down the GoM and Kagami's power structure as I deemed fit.
That's why this would be a long match.
Even on P@treon, we've just wrapped up the big battle in today's chapters.
So yeah, once again, please be patient with this! Thank you!
Anw, here's my usual shameless plug-in...
Do you want to read 15 chapters ahead of the schedule? Here's where you can find them:
p@treon.com/mythoast
"Wow, did Hyuga just pull off Allen's move from the Jabberwock?"
Ogiwara blurted out, wide-eyed with surprise, watching Hyuga execute a move they all knew well.
"Even if that guy was a bit slower, that's definitely the Barrier Jump," Mochizuki remarked, his face showing a serious reaction to the unexpected sight.
He couldn't believe someone from Seirin could pull off a move like that.
"They seem to be trying to mess with the game's speed, huh?" Nijimura remarked, watching the ongoing match with interest.
In that instant, the dynamics shifted, and now it was all about scoring three-pointers.
Kuroko observed the game intently.
His gaze focused on the reliable figure of his teammate, pondering, "...Midorima managed to break my Vanishing Drive. It wouldn't be surprising if Aomine could do the same."
His attention then shifted to Aomine, who was under close scrutiny from Kagami. Taking a deep breath, Kuroko couldn't help but crack a small smile.
"...Looks like I gotta step up my game too," he mumbled.
Kuroko then got to his feet, surprising the other freshmen. Aida noticed this and watched as Kuroko approached her. She widened her eyes a bit, noticing the change from Kuroko's gloomy expression to one of determination.
"What's the matter, Kuroko?"
"Coach, I've got a plan..." Kuroko said firmly.
On the other side, Momoi closely followed the game as the referee finally blew the whistle, signaling the end of the first quarter. Both teams returned to their benches, gearing up for the second quarter.
She had Hyuga's stats in her hand, carefully going through them.
Harasawa inquired, "How was it?"
Momoi nodded, answering Harasawa's question.
She then turned to Sakurai and explained, "Sakurai, in the next quarter, don't get fooled by his upper body. Focus on Hyuga's pivoting foot. If you catch that, you can respond better..."
Facing the group, she told everyone, "Kuroko doesn't give up easily, so he'll probably be back on the court..."
She then turned to Susa, their Small Forward, and asked, "Did you check?"
Susa grinned and nodded in response to Momoi's question. Momoi returned the smile and looked at Imayoshi, saying, "If he does make a comeback this time, Captain, I'll need you to do what we've prepared for him..."
If everything went as planned, Kuroko's misdirection wouldn't be effective on the court. Imayoshi opened his eyes with a small smile, "Got it. I'll make sure to handle it well..."
Aomine scratched his head in annoyance. "...This is getting boring."
Even though Kagami was a formidable opponent, Aomine realized he wouldn't enjoy the game if it played out according to his team's unimpressive strategy.
"...As expected, there is no one like you, Tsuna," Aomine muttered, glaring at Fukuda Sogo in the audience.
Meanwhile, on Seirin's bench. All eyes widened as Kuroko shared his plans for the second quarter.
"...We can't do that too soon," Kiyoshi said, frowning.
He glanced at Kuroko and added, "If we follow your plan now, you'll be exhausted before the second quarter wraps up."
"We also understand that," Aida replied to Kiyoshi.
She was well aware that implementing Kuroko's strategy would strain his delicate physique. That's why she had assured Kuroko they'd only resort to his plan if the situation took a turn for the worse.
Kagami stared at Kuroko in disbelief, his expression showing it all. "...He'd do that much for the team, huh?"
"I'm in, too. I'll give it my all," Kagami thought, determined.
Seirin opted to stick to their initial plan.
Before long, the second quarter kicked off, with both teams ready on the court. Imayoshi got the ball, made his move, and then passed it to Aomine.
"...Missing your shadow, Kagami?" Aomine said, dribbling at a slow pace. Aomine could tell that Kagami felt the heat, especially without Kuroko on the court.
Kagami frowned, loosening up his stance and tapping into his beast instincts. Aomine smirked, sensing the tension, then swiftly shifted his pace, leaving the crowd in an uproar.
He zipped past Kagami's defense in a flash, taunting, "You're not there yet, Kagami. Without your shadow, what can you do against me?"
However, he felt an unexpected jab at the ball clutched in his hand, a sensation that momentarily disrupted his advance.
Halting his steps abruptly, Aomine instinctively sidestepped to evade the jab. As he pivoted, his gaze met with the sight of Kagami's outstretched hand, a daring attempt to pilfer the ball from his grasp.
Seizing the momentary pause, Kagami swiftly closed the distance between them, returning to the familiar position they had occupied just moments before.
The court seemed to shrink around them as the two players locked into a high-stakes dance.
"...I took back what I've said, Kagami," Aomine grinned, his competitive instinct kicking into high gear. He dribbled the ball with unparalleled agility, each movement a calculated challenge to Kagami.
The court buzzed with intensive energy as Kagami shadowed Aomine's every move.
"You're not bad at all!"
Aomine's excitement reverberated through the court, a testament to the exhilarating exchange unfolding before the mesmerized spectators.
As they navigated the court, Aomine reached Seirin's baseline. Kagami gritted his teeth in frustration as he noticed Aomine's intentions.
With an unconventional leap, Aomine propelled himself out of the baseline, adopting an unorthodox form. With uncanny precision, he released the ball from behind the baseline, the shot soaring through the air and finding its mark in the basket from an unexpected angle.
The crowd erupted into cheers, the dazzling display of skill and strategy leaving them in awe.
"Goddammit! Such an annoying trick!"
Watching Aomine effortlessly pull off his formless shot, Hyuga couldn't help but express his frustration with a tongue click.
Seirin took control of the ball, cautiously trying to move forward. Too Academy's tight defense was putting immense pressure on them, making Izuki, who had possession of the ball, furrow his brow.
"...Too Academy is truly living up to their reputation. It seems we have to rely on you right now, Hyuga!"
With Sakurai shadowing him closely, Izuki had no other option but to pass the ball to Hyuga.
Snatching the ball, Hyuga felt a sudden jolt of alarm when he noticed Sakurai scrutinizing his every move, making him think in frustration, "...Did they really figure out the key that quickly!?"
Despite the nagging doubt, there was no time to hesitate. Hyuga swiftly stepped back, going for his jump shot. As anticipated, Sakurai shadowed his every move, leaving Hyuga staring in disbelief as he went for the shot, only to be blocked by Sakurai.
"No way! They can shut that down too?"
The Seirin team, just as astonished, watched in disbelief, letting out their exclamations.
As the game progressed, Seirin noticed that while Kagami could contribute some points, they were still at a disadvantage. Relying solely on Kagami only created an imbalance in their ability to keep up with Too Academy.
Helplessly, they watched Too Academy take the lead on the scoreboard, 36 - 29.
But when Too Academy added another point with Aomine's unpredictable shot, the referee blew the whistle, signaling a substitution. This made Seirin players turn to the familiar figure as their expressions changed.
Their attention shifted solely to Kuroko, his presence bringing a glimmer of hope to the team. Seeing the optimism reflected on their faces, Kuroko smiled.
"Let's turn the tables..."
---
Do you want to read 15 chapters ahead of the schedule? Here's where you can find them:
p@treon.com/mythoast