Chapter 275: Striking Awareness

With a collected demeanor, Akashi received the ball from Mibuchi, seamlessly maneuvering it as he advanced up the court.

Anticipating a strategic sizing-up between the teams in the initial quarter, Akashi was surprised by Tsuna's deviation from the expected plan.

"Hmm, interesting," he murmured, eyeing Tsuna who was diligently marking Hayama.

Without a hint of haste, Akashi accelerated, prompting Haizaki and Ogiwara to close in on him.

His eyes never strayed to check his teammates' locations. Instead, Akashi had already deduced their probable movements by assessing the opponents' positioning with his field vision.

"His presence is totally different the the other four!"

Haizaki's demeanor tensed as he observed Akashi, realizing that he stood apart from the rest of the Generation of Miracles.

A quick exchange of glances with Ogiwara propelled Haizaki into swift action. He lunged forward and immediately aimed to steal the ball with his hand poised to intercept Akashi's advance.

Yet, Akashi effortlessly sidestepped Haizaki's attempt before executing a seamless crossover that dismantled Haizaki's defense with deceptive ease.

"Same trick won't work twice..."

A timely approach from Ogiwara prompted a scoff from Akashi. Stepping back, he smoothly dribbled the ball between his legs before executing a precise pass to Mibuchi, showcasing his finesse and control over the game.

Mibuchi secured the ball in his grasp, he momentarily glanced at Mochizuki on the side, who was intently observing the game.

He then shook his head as he opened up his mouth, "I wonder why he was benched. Don't you think he'd pose more of a challenge to me, having played against me before?"

Ishida took a deep breath and sharpened his gaze before relaxing his stance. The shift in his demeanor caught Mibuchi's attention, and he nodded in understanding.

"I see, so this is what you were up to?"

Having encountered players like these before, Mibuchi didn't dwell on it.

His focus was set on the unfolding dynamics of the game.

"Heaven should do," Mibuchi muttered, subtly adjusting his footing for a fade-away jump, aiming to evade Ishida's potential block due to the latter's height advantage.

"Hmm?"

In an instant, Mibuchi's eyes widened in shock as Ishida seemingly vanished before him.

The realization struck him — Ishida hadn't disappeared but had closed in swiftly, right below his line of sight.

Alarmed, Mibuchi attempted a sidestep, but it was too late!

Ishida's eyes gleamed with determination as his hand expertly swiped the ball out of Mibuchi's grasp.

Mochizuki widened his eyes in understanding as he observed Ishida's action, quietly acknowledging, "That's indeed pretty effective."

Preventing the opponent from taking a shot the moment they adjusted their stance was undoubtedly the most efficient way to hinder their scoring.

"But, to pull it off, you need to get the timing right."

He contemplated, thoroughly impressed by Ishida's steal. Recognizing that Mibuchi excelled at making subtle adjustments, Ishida's sharp awareness allowed him to notice and react decisively.

"...But that's only one aspect. Mibuchi still has three other techniques," Mochizuki muttered, his gaze fully focused on the unfolding game.

"Goddamn it!"

Mibuchi's curse echoed through the court as he sprinted to catch up with Ishida, who was making a play for the ball. A sense of relief washed over him as he noticed a ghostly figure materializing like a phantom.

"Shit!"

Ishida cursed, his eyes widening as Mayuzumi appeared with an air of nonchalance.

Without wasting a second, Mayuzumi deftly sent the ball soaring across the court, his gaze fixed on Hayama's positioning.

However, Mayuzumi's eyes unexpectedly met Tsuna's, causing him to be momentarily taken aback, "Wha? Did he see me?"

"...No way, right?"

Doubt crept into his thoughts as he contemplated the possibility that Fukuda Sogo's players, particularly their captain, could perceive his misdirection.

The realization left him questioning the extent of Tsuna's perceptive abilities.

Hayama's grin widened as the ball sailed toward him as he was anticipating a smooth reception.

However, his excitement turned to surprise when, out of nowhere, Tsuna swooped in, intercepting the ball before he could get his hands on it.

In a flash, Tsuna bolted down the court with the ball securely in his possession.

"What?"

Hayama was momentarily bewildered before he quickly regained his composure and sprinted after Tsuna, determined to catch up.

The sudden twist of events caught everyone in Rakuzan High off guard. Mayuzumi, in particular, widened his eyes in shock.

The realization hit him that Tsuna could unmistakably see him!

"...But how is that possible? He showed no such indication against Seirin!"

Mayuzumi cursed inwardly as he swiftly adjusted his position, grappling with the puzzle of Tsuna's newfound perceptiveness.

Hayama was known for his agility.

After he finally caught up to Tsuna, who appeared to be slowing down, he immediately put up a defensive move.

Hayama readied himself, only to witness Tsuna's unexpected jump back for a fadeaway, accompanied by a confident smirk.

"Shit, I won't be able to block it..."

Hayama was totally caught off guard as he felt the shock reverberating through him. Despite accelerating to his full speed, the abrupt break left him unable to move forward and jump up for a block.

"Of course you won't," Maintaining his calm demeanor, Tsuna smoothly released the ball from his hand.

The swish sound echoed through the net.

Glancing at Hayama, Tsuna shook his head before turning to retreat and reposition.

His initial dunk plan had undergone a shift. Sensing Hayama's forceful pursuit from behind, Tsuna altered his course for a more efficient play.

With that shot, Fukuda Sogo took a decisive lead as they completely left Rakuzan with no chance to change their score from zero. Akashi's expression turned even colder as the realization set in.

"...It looks like Tsunayoshi can completely see through Mayuzumi's presence," he pondered, stealing a quick glance at Tsuna's figure.

Meanwhile, in the audience, Seirin High couldn't help but feel a sense of confusion.

"Can he see through Rakuzan's misdirection?" Kiyoshi questioned, tilting his head in bewilderment.

"...I'm not sure. When we faced them before, he didn't really utilize it, considering they completely exposed Kuroko's presence," Hyuga responded with a shrug of his shoulders.

On the side, Kuroko observed with a calm gaze, reminiscing about his first meeting with Tsuna and Midorima back in Teiko.

He calmly opened his mouth, "Since middle school, Kazama was the only one who could see me clearly without getting caught off guard."

"What?"

Seirin's surprise was evident; they widened their eyes in shock.

Despite their familiarity with Kuroko, the revelation that Kazama had a unique ability to consistently perceive him caught them off guard.