Chapter 85: Resounding Triumph
As Tsuna returned to his position on the court, Nijimura couldn't help but shake his head, puzzled. "We've barely begun, and you're already so fired up. What's got you so excited?"
Tsuna smirked, his eyes fixed on Too's retreating team. "I need that guy to work himself to the limit for our match later. It wouldn't be any fun if he didn't."
He turned to his own team, "Alright, everyone, let's stick to our game plan from here on out."
Everyone nodded in agreement, quickly assuming their respective positions, ready to continue the game.
Tsuna's display of skill didn't faze Onita High. They continued the game and decided to double-team Tsuna to suppress him. However, their strategy had its downsides.
Putting two players on Tsuna left their defense vulnerable.
Haizaki and Ogiwara, seizing the opportunity, exploited the gap in the defense. Nijimura couldn't help but grin in satisfaction.
He mumbled, "Everything's going according to plan."
Observing Haizaki and Ogiwara, Nijimura noticed their eagerness to showcase their abilities.
In the stands...
"...Did he just copy their moves?" Takao exclaimed, his eyes widening in surprise. He had no idea there was such a skilled player among Fukuda Sogo's team.
On Seirin's side, Kagami appeared just as puzzled.
"It's not the same..."
Kuroko shook his head and clarified.
He explained, "Kise copies his opponent's moves, mimicking their techniques. But Haizaki is different..."
Furihata, trying to understand, asked, "So, what's the difference?"
Kuroko observed the game, his expression thoughtful, and replied, "Kise imitates, but Haizaki snatches. It's not just mimicry; it's theft."
With Kuroko's explanation, the others soon could see that Haizaki's technique from Onita's player was no longer effective when its original owner attempted to use it.
The game's rhythm was thrown into disarray.
On the court, Nijimura knew the unique motivations driving both Haizaki and Ogiwara.
Haizaki drew inspiration from Kise, who successfully mimicked Aomine's move, a feat Haizaki had never been able to do.
On the other hand, Ogiwara's motivation came from two of his closest friends: Kuroko, who observed from the stands, and Haizaki, who was eager to showcase his skills. These factors fueled Ogiwara's determination to perform at his best.
"Buddy, thanks to you, I can perform like this," Ogiwara gratefully smiled at Haizaki.
Haizaki scoffed and retorted, "Who the hell is your buddy..."
Ogiwara shook his head, amused by Haizaki's response.
"He's still as shy as ever," Ogiwara smiled as he glanced at the scoreboard.
Nijimura refrained from commenting. At this point, he was more focused on the fact that they had taken over the game's momentum.
In the first half, Onita High had given their all to penetrate Fukuda Sogo's defense. To their astonishment, Fukuda Sogo adeptly countered their attacking strategies.
Onita High typically utilized a fast-paced attack, but both Nijimura and Ogiwara demonstrated great skill in reading their patterns and successfully thwarted most of their attempts.
Their attention turned to Mochizuki, who hadn't particularly stood out among the players. To their shock, Mochizuki was also not an easy opponent during his defense.
Leaving them with no choice, they turned their attention to Tsuna. However, Onita High quickly realized they wouldn't have an easy time piercing the defense manned by Tsuna, a player whose imposing presence sent a shiver down their spines.
Desperately seeking a way through and even resorting to two timeouts, every adjustment Onita attempted was flawlessly countered.
At the end of the first half, Fukuda Sogo chose to stay on the court instead of heading to their changing room.
The audience found this surprising, but the other teams watching the game noticed that Fukuda Sogo's players didn't appear fatigued.
Onita High also observed this, but they could only clench their teeth in frustration. While they, too, wanted to display their determination and pride, they realized the urgent need for a thorough strategy session to contend with these formidable opponents.
"Ishida, get in there. Take Mochizuki's place. We're going to focus on scoring from up close..."
Tsuna directed, turning to Ishida, who had initially been their point guard before Tsuna took on the role.
Ishida simply nodded in response.
Mochizuki displayed no discontent with the decision. Through their extensive training together, they regarded Tsuna's commands as absolute within the team.
The second half began shortly after the break, and Onita High gained possession of the ball. They intended to rely on their shooting guard and employ an outside attack strategy.
However, they were taken aback when they noticed Mochizuki had been substituted. This didn't concern them much until they passed the ball to their shooter. As the shooter leaped for a shot, they suddenly realized that Ishida had swiped the ball, enabling Fukuda Sogo to seize control.
Watching from the sideline, Mochizuki sported a sly grin.
He recognized that, although he possessed the ability to thwart the shooter's attempts at scoring, he lacked the speed needed to steal the ball during the crucial moment when it was up for grabs before the shot.
"...Ah, that's why Ishida was subbed in. As expected, you shouldn't even question Captain's decisions," Mochizuki thought to himself as Fukuda Sogo continued to dominate both offensively and defensively.
The players from Onita High were growing increasingly frustrated. The score gap between the two teams was expanding, and they struggled to catch up.
As the game approached its conclusion, a sense of defeat loomed over some of the Onita High players. They had lost hope of winning, fully aware that turning the tide was an impossible feat at this point.
Observing Onita High's disheartened players, Tsuna couldn't hide his disgust.
His gaze shifted to Kobayashi, who, despite the difficult situation, still had that fiery determination in his eyes. Tsuna admitted, "...You're not bad."
The unexpected compliment from Tsuna took aback Kobayashi.
However, he quickly realized that Tsuna wasn't about to go easy on him.
Tsuna swiftly weaved through Kobayashi's defense and added another point to Fukuda Sogo's score just before the referee's whistle signaled the play's end.
As the game concluded, Kobayashi turned to check the scoreboard, and a wave of frustration washed over him as he saw the score.
An eerie silence fell upon the stadium as spectators fixated on the scoreboard.
The other teams, who had been intently watching, were struck dumb, their mouths agape in disbelief.
"...Unbelievable," Kagami whispered under his breath, his eyes fixed on the scoreboard.
Tsuna, the Fukuda Sogo captain, addressed his team, "Great work today..."
The others smiled and exchanged nods.
Suddenly, the stadium was engulfed in a deafening roar of celebration. The whole arena quivered with the vibrations of excitement, creating an electrifying atmosphere that was impossible to ignore.
"112 - 34!? Are you kidding me?"
The exclamation rippled through the crowd, disbelief etched on countless faces.
"Onita simply was just a kid in front of them!"
Someone in the stands marveled.
"So this is the dark horse of the tournament, huh?" A realization echoed through the spectators.
"They're definitely worthy of the name!"
The cheers continued unabated, waves of admiration and respect for both teams, especially Fukuda Sogo, who had left an indelible mark on the game.
As the noise gradually waned, the players from both sides lined up again to exchange the customary post-game pleasantries.
A red-haired teenager wore a smirk, a mischievous glint in his eyes, feeling the subtle gaze of one specific individual from Fukuda Sogo.
He mumbled to himself, "First, Aomine, now me. It seems like you're quite the social one."
"Captain, it's time to head back," his team manager reminded.
Acknowledging the manager with a nod, Akashi and the rest of his team turned and exited the crowd, leaving a buzzing audience behind.
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