章 221: Chapter 221: Majestic Clash
"Whoa!"
"What the heck just went down?"
"Holy smokes! They're finally pushing back!"
The crowd erupted in excitement once more. Nobody saw it coming—Kise pulling off this unexpected power-up at such a crucial moment!
Meanwhile, the Shutoku players found themselves in a state of disbelief.
"He overpowered Fukuda Sogo's captain?"
Takao mumbled, his words tinged with disbelief. It was common knowledge that Tsuna could hold his own, even overpowering Murasakibara, the powerhouse that was the Center of the Generation of Miracles.
Yet, such a guy of that calibe couldn't stop Kise's dunk?
"How did he manage that?"
Miyaji wondered aloud, shaking his head in an attempt to regain his composure.
Midorima also found himself caught in a state of surprise, a bead of sweat rolling down his face before he instinctively adjusted his glasses.
His gaze stayed fixed on Kise on the court as he analyzed, "Kise accelerated using Aomine's speed and jumped with Kagami's leaping power. He melded both elements into an unstoppable force that could overpower even Tsuna..."
"...True, I nearly forgot about his ability to copy their moves. And the speed, too – he replicated Aomine's speed when Aomine was in the zone? And Kagami's jumps when he was in the zone? That's absolutely unreal."
"To imagine he could blend their techniques to forge a more formidable force – how on earth do we stand a chance against an opponent like that if we ever face one?"
Hearing this, Midorima shook his head, a touch of skepticism in his voice, "Kise won't be able to sustain such a state for long..."
Meanwhile, back in the court...
Tsuna landed on the court, his hand trembling from the powerful force he had just encountered.
His gaze shifted from his shaking hand to Kise's retreating figure.
Despite the intensity of the moment, Tsuna couldn't help but chuckle.
"Interesting..."
His mutter hung in the air, a prelude to the sudden shift in the atmosphere.
A palpable pressure enveloped the entire court. In unison, they turned their attention toward Tsuna, who now wore a calm expression.
Tsuna's dark eyes seemed to ignite with a spark that streamed across his pupils.
His voice cut through the silence as he muttered, "...Then, let's do it all over again, Ryota."
The declaration reverberated through the gymnasium, and Kise, who had turned to look at Tsuna, felt no fear.
Instead, a grin curled upon his lips, revealing his excitement.
As the game continued, the ball was immediately passed toward Tsuna as Fukuda Sogo understood that they couldn't intervene in a battle between two players who entered the zone.
Dribbling the ball with deliberate slowness, Tsuna could sense Kise's intense focus.
He recognized that even a slight lapse in concentration could cost Kise possession of the ball, and a subtle smile played on Tsuna's lips.
Without warning, Tsuna closed the distance between them, a move that caught Kise off guard. It was as if Tsuna was conveying a message—no matter how skilled you are, I'll still be comfortable dribbling the ball, even with such a small space between us.
Before Kise could strategize for an opening, Tsuna surprised him by ducking in and executing a sharp crossover to the right.
The court seemed to shrink as Tsuna smoothly spun his body in the opposite direction, mirroring the move that Kise had stopped before.
It was as if Tsuna was underlining a point— with them both in the heightened state of the zone, Kise wouldn't be able to stop that particular move.
Despite the challenge, Kise didn't appear flustered.
His movements took on a feline grace, akin to a jaguar, and the essence of Aomine seemed to assimilate into his play. He pivoted his body sharply, a determined pursuit set in his eyes, as he chased Tsuna, who had leaped into the air.
Kise seamlessly channeled Aomine's speed, propelling himself forward with uncanny agility.
His primary goal was to ensure that Tsuna wouldn't find the opportunity to alter his movement mid-air.
With an almost instinctive awareness, Kise made a swift transition, seamlessly adopting Murasakibara's defensive stance.
In that crucial moment, he recognized the opportune instant to strike.
Executing the move with meticulous precision, Kise's long reach allowed him to slap the ball out of Tsuna's hand.
The ball found its way into Kasamatsu's hands, his jersey already damp with sweat from the intensity of the high-level play unfolding before him.
Witnessing the seamless exchange, Kise wasted no time and explosively burst forward, the court seemingly shrinking as he sprinted ahead.
Right on his heels, Tsuna swiftly followed suit.
In an instant, Kasamatsu assessed the situation. With a quick decision, he threw the ball ahead of Kise, who effortlessly snatched it from the air.
With the ball securely in his possession, Kise wasted no time.
He seamlessly assimilated Aomine's speed into his own, transforming his dribbling into a lightning-quick dance across the court. Tsuna shadowed Kise's every move as they swiftly approached Fukuda Sogo's defensive line.
As they closed in on the basket, Kise executed a move straight from Murasakibara's playbook—the Thor's Hammer.
With a burst of acceleration from Aomine's speed, he soared into the air, his body rotating slightly before bringing both hands down for a powerful slam.
The atmosphere crackled with anticipation as the ball hurtled toward the basket.
"Hmm?"
Yet, in a split second, a shadow intervened, which made Kise's eyes widen in surprise.
A hand belonging to Tsuna reached out and nudged the ball slightly off its intended path.
*BOOM!
The impact caused the ball to miss the mark, hitting the rim before bouncing off the court as the gymnasium echoed with the reverberation of the missed dunk.
At that moment, Tsuna recognized the unstoppable force behind Kise's shot. Rather than attempting a direct block, he chose to divert the trajectory of the ball.
Kise clicked his tongue in frustration, observing Tsuna's calculated maneuver.
Without missing a beat, Kise set his sights on the bouncing ball, now in the possession of Fukuda Sogo's players.
He wasted no time and went after Tsuna, who had moved quickly.
They faced each other on the court, and a compelling struggle unfolded.
Despite managing to break past each other's defenses, neither player could complete their finishing movements.
It was a back-and-forth, with each trying to outmaneuver the other.
Their movements unfolded like a tense dance on the court, inducing profuse sweating from players on both teams. The ongoing battle between the aces created a palpable atmosphere.
Each attempted move met with a swift counter in a continuous give-and-take.
In the gymnasium, the audience was swept up in the excitement of the game, captivated by the enthralling exchange between these two skilled players.
Nijimura couldn't help but feel thoroughly surprised.
It was the first time such a thing had happened. Tsuna always had the upper hand when facing the Generation of Miracles, even in the zone!
"...I thought I had a good read on a person's level, but it seems like I'm still underestimating Kise's prowess!" he muttered, eyes locked on the never-ending high-level play unfolding between these basketball monsters.
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