章 167: Chapter 167: Shrouded Mystery
Quickly responding to the unexpected turn of events, Araki immediately called for a timeout, bringing both teams back to their respective benches.
Still caught in a collective state of awe, the gymnasium buzzed with whispers and murmurs as the audience tried to process the astonishing play they had just witnessed.
"Is it just me, or does that pass seem faster than Kuroko's Ignite Pass Kai?"
Hyuga's muttering was audible to those around him.
Izuki seemed to catch Kuroko's shocked gaze and directed the question to the Phantom Sixth Man, "What do you think, Kuroko?"
Kuroko wore a complex expression and nodded reluctantly. "...Yes, as much as I didn't want to admit it. It was indeed the case."
His eyes remained fixed on Tsuna.
Kagami looked on with a surprised expression.
"Aomine, do you know about this?" he inquired, turning to seek Aomine's insight.
To Kagami's surprise, Aomine displayed a similarly shocked expression, signaling that Tsuna's unexpected move had caught the ace of Too Academy off guard. Kagami also noticed the frustration etched on Aomine's face, evident in the tightly gripped fist.
Aomine's gaze shifted to Tsuna, his thoughts racing. "...So, you're holding yourself back in our match before, Tsuna!"
The realization hit him hard. Aomine had previously assumed that his losses were solely due to being out of peak condition.
However, this revelation unveiled a new layer to Tsuna's capabilities, leaving Aomine to grapple with the realization of his own naivety in understanding the extent of Tsuna's strength.
"That's not what's important. His teammates being able to receive such a pass clearly indicates their strong physical capability," Aida interjected with a long sigh.
Seirin players found themselves once again frozen in realization as beads of sweat formed on their brows.
Hyuga adjusted his glasses and sensed a shiver running down his spine. "...I guess it was expected, considering these guys are the champions of the Interhigh."
On the sidelines, Momoi continued to observe Tsuna with complex emotions.
While she felt genuine relief that Tsuna's strength remained unwavering, a subtle conflict lingered. The revelation that Tsuna had intentionally played with a handicap on their match before during the Interhigh, yet still emerged victorious, made her sigh.
"...As expected, you're always been a mystery, Tsuna," Momoi murmured with a shake of her head as a smile graced her beautiful face.
Meanwhile, Shutoku remained silent, collectively trying to process the unreal spectacle they had just witnessed.
Despite being just a pass, its otherworldly speed and precision left them in awe.
Midorima gripped his fist in frustration, and couldn't help but contemplate, "...Just what more are you hiding, Tsuna?"
The awe-inspiring pass had a similar effect on Rakuzan High.
"...That pass is insane," Kotaro muttered in disbelief.
Mibuchi nodded in agreement, his gaze shifting towards Fukuda Sogo with a frown.
However, his attention was diverted as he noticed something extraordinary. Turning toward Akashi, who typically exuded an air of nonchalance, Mibuchi was taken aback. A subtle surprise lingered in Akashi's usually composed eyes, a rare sight that left Mibuchi astonished.
"This is the first time I've seen him to be surprised..."
Meanwhile, on Fukuda Sogo's bench, Mochizoku held out his hand, revealing a reddened palm from receiving Tsuna's powerful pass.
"Captain, look what your pass did to my hand."
Mochizuki sighed, acknowledging the numbness in his hand, but there was undeniable pride in his expression. Despite the discomfort, his eyes reflected the satisfaction of finally experiencing such a pass from Tsuna.
The team chuckled amusedly at Mochizuki's predicament, leaning in to get a closer look at his hand.
"Hahaha, that was surprising. I thought you'd fumble..." Ishida teased, earning a displeased frown from Mochizuki.
Retorting, Mochizuki asserted, "...I would understand if it was you, but the great me? Never."
"Hah? You're barely able to receive his pass, yet you're already this arrogant?" Ishida fired back, escalating their banter.
Their argument continued, Ogiwara attempting to mediate in case it got out of hand, but the two seemed oblivious to his efforts.
He could only offer a wry smile, feeling a bit helpless.
"...Enough of it," Tsuna calmly spoke, instantly silencing their bickering.
Ogiwara let out a sigh of relief at Tsuna's effective intervention as he wiped a sweat that rolled on his forehead.
Nijimura simply shook his head at the ongoing banter, accustomed to such exchanges among his teammates. On the other hand, Haizaki wore a disappointed expression, seemingly wanting the argument to escalate into a physical altercation.
"Well, they should be wary of your pass now..." Alexandra commented with a smile.
"Although they'd be wary of it, that will not change our rhythm. Just focus on your role for now..." Tsuna nodded in agreement.
His gaze shifted towards Yosen High, and then he turned to Mochizuki, stating, "They might not have realized it yet, but once they do, they'll come through Himuro..."
Mochizuki nodded in understanding as he could feel the pressure on his shoulder.
Mochizuki glanced at Yosen High as he recalled Wei Liu who marked him during their attack before. It was a clever strategy on Yosen High with Himuro swapping positions with Wei Liu, a towering player standing at 203 cm, to thwart any attempts at three-pointers.
In contrast, Fukuda Sogo didn't possess such a luxury, lacking a player with comparable height in their lineup.
Meanwhile, on the Yosen High bench, Araki donned a thoughtful expression, gripping her Japanese wooden sword tightly as she contemplated what to do in this situation.
"...He is becoming annoying. So troublesome," Murasakibara's annoyance was evident as he silently grumbled.
His deep frown betrayed his irritation, and he couldn't help but express his annoyance with peculiar facial expressions and muttered discontent. "...Whatever, I'll win this time."
Observing Murasakibara's unusual behaviour, the others exchanged perplexed glances. It was a rare sight to see him affected to this extent.
Himuro wore a wry smile and simply shook his head at Murasakibara's antics.
Okamura chuckled as he patted Murasakibara's shoulder, encouraging, "That's the spirit! Let's go! Hahaha!"
Liu sighed while Fukui rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"Alright, I need your attention here..."
Araki slammed her Japanese wooden sword and grabbed everyone's attention as the resounding slam of her Japanese wooden sword echoed.
The abrupt noise instantly refocused the players, drawing their attention back to her.
Fukui, in particular, couldn't help but nervously gulp, his past experiences with Araki's wooden sword punishment replaying in his mind. The ominous sound had a peculiar effect on him, a constant reminder of the consequences of breaking the rules.
"Stay vigilant against their players. Once they breach your defensive range, lock your focus on them, especially if their captain did those tricky passes again," Araki directed as she recalled that elusive pass beyond that of a high school level.
Her main reason for calling the timeout was to get them to process what was going on faster and calmer.
With a hand crossed on her chest, she added, "...As for our attack, let's try it from within first since Murasakibara was there."
Everyone on the team agreed with the plan as they nodded in understanding.
The referee signaled for them to return to the court, prompting both teams to make their way back. Before dispersing, Araki singled out Okamura and conveyed, "If things deviate from the plan, you know your role..."
Okamura responded with a confident smile, offering a thumbs up, "Got it, Coach!"
---
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