Capítulo 87: Chapter 87: Back on the Grind
After the game ended, Fukuda Sogo headed back to the resort. When they arrived, they were pretty tired. They let out sighs of exhaustion as they climbed the stairs, eager to get back to their rooms and get some rest.
However, just as they thought they could slip away,
Nijimura's voice rang out, "Where do you guys think you're going?"
Startled, they turned to him.
As everyone's eyes focused on him, Nijimura motioned for them to turn their attention to Tsuna, who was strolling alone toward the gym.
With a hint of disappointment, Nijimura sighed and said, "We still have training to do..."
One of the team members replied, "But we just won. Can't we take a break today?"
Nijimura simply shook his head and hurried after Tsuna.
Before leaving, he added, "Better be good and stick to the training. You wouldn't want our captain to oversee your practice personally, would you?"
When they heard this, everyone couldn't help but shuddered, remembering the days when they whined about training, and Tsuna had to step in. Even Haizaki showed a bit of discomfort at this.
Realizing they had no choice, they grumbled loudly. But they followed Nijimura's lead and headed to the gym.
The following day, Fukuda Sogo stuck to Alexandra's training routine.
However, given they had a game the day before, Alexandra decided to ease up a bit so they could recover and prepare to face Too Academy the next day.
Meanwhile, a group of teenagers engaged in spirited basketball practice in a sleek, modern gymnasium with polished wooden floors and towering glass windows that bathed the court in natural light.
The gym was filled with the rhythmic bounce of basketballs and the sounds of people working hard on their drills.
A teenager with spiky, light-blond hair gasped for breath, his frustration clear. "That guy skipped practice again..."
He turned to someone nearby and asked, "Captain Imayoshi, should we go drag him to practice?"
"Well, well, Wakamatsu, no need to go overboard," Imayoshi said with a squint behind his glasses.
Although he said that, frustration crept in as Imayoshi pondered, "We're up against another strong team this time. Aomine skipping practice could be a problem."
Just then, a pink-haired teenager entered, holding some files in her hands.
"Ah, Momoi, thanks for your hard work," Imayoshi said appreciatively, seeing that Momoi had brought the requested files. He signaled for his team to assemble.
As the members of Too Academy gathered, Momoi began distributing the files she'd prepared. Each player received a copy.
"These are the data I've gathered on our upcoming opponent, Fukuda Sogo Academy..." Momoi began explaining once everyone had the data in their hands.
Momoi described the starting lineup of Fukuda Sogo and highlighted specific players they needed to watch. She continued, "The next key player is Shuzo Nijimura..."
"...Nijimura used to be a power forward but switched to center in high school. His biggest assets are his incredible stamina and technique. He's also a former captain of Teiko Junior High."
The team listened closely, clearly impressed. Momoi then provided an overview of Nijimura's playing style and his skills in the tournament.
"Next up, we have Shogo Haizaki, their Power Forward..."
Momoi then went on to describe Haizaki's unique talent for stealing opponents' moves, which was somewhat akin to Kise's but with its own nuances.
This revelation prompted a serious reaction from everyone, leading to questions like, "...So, how can we deal with his ability?"
Momoi sported a slight grin as she detailed the inner workings of Haizaki's power and suggested potential strategies for countering it. The team members nodded attentively as they absorbed this information.
Once Momoi wrapped up her discussion of Haizaki, her playful demeanor shifted to a stern one as she introduced the final player on their watchlist.
"Now, let's talk about their current Captain, who plays as a point guard, Tsunayoshi Kazama..."
No one had high expectations until they glanced at the data and realized that this player was, in fact, a freshman.
"Wait, he's a freshman?" questioned Sakurai, their shooting guard.
This time, Imayoshi sported a slight smile, unlike Momoi, and remarked, "Well, it's not really a shocker..."
"Huh? Why's that?" Wakamatsu asked, his head tilted in curiosity.
Imayoshi adjusted his glasses, his expression growing serious. He opened his eyes a tad wider and explained, "...I mentioned earlier that I faced him in a match three years ago. He had such complete control over his team that I mistook him as the actual captain."
"Three years ago, he was still a freshman, right?"
Susa, Too's Small Forward, asked.
Imayoshi agreed with a nod and continued, " And it was surprising for me to find that he wasn't the captain..."
"So, when you said it wasn't surprising, you meant..."
Wakamatsu scratched his head and then clarified, "He had the qualities of a captain even back then, so stepping into the role in high school makes sense, doesn't it?"
"No, the story didn't end there," Imayoshi said, shaking his head.
Then, he did something unusual, fully opening his eyes, and added, "I heard that after that game, Nijimura stepped down as captain and gave the position to Kazama. And it made him become the youngest captain in Teiko's history."
The room went silent, and the revelation hung heavily in the air.
Shocked expressions danced across their faces, their mouths agape, and their eyes stretched wide in a state of incredulity.
Seeing their surprised expressions, Imayoshi sighed and returned to his usual demeanor.
He then turned to Momoi and said, "I can't be entirely sure, as I couldn't confirm it myself, but Momoi might have more information."
He asked her, "So, Momoi, could you clarify this for us?"
Momoi gave a wry smile and shook her head, saying, "Our Captain is right. Tsuna did become the captain during his freshman year."
The team fell into silence once more.
After this surprising revelation, the team began examining Tsuna's data carefully. They couldn't help but exclaim, "Wait a second!"
"This guy is unbelievable! His stats are even better than Kise Ryota from Kaijo!"
Imayoshi noticed this, too, and his expression grew serious as he turned to Momoi. "Momoi, can you persuade Aomine to attend practice this time? We're facing a tough opponent..."
Momoi smiled a little as she thought of Aomine and said, "Well, about that..."
Since Momoi and Aomine were neighbors, they crossed paths daily. Just yesterday, she spotted Aomine coming home, drenched in sweat and gripping a basketball.
Recalling the joyous expression on Aomine's face, Momoi's smile widened as she added, "Aomine started training yesterday. I have a feeling he's still at it somewhere..."
This revelation triggered a much more intense reaction from the team than the news about Tsuna being a former Teiko Junior High captain. After all, from the beginning of their club activities, Aomine had never shown any inclination for training, whether with the team or on his own.
So, it was hard to believe as Wakamatsu couldn't help but ask, "You're not joking, right?"
Momoi, still with a smile, shook her head lightly.
Imayoshi, although he was glad, he also realized another fact out of this.
He squinted his eyes seriously, thinking, "...To make Aomine take him seriously, that means he's a real deal."
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