Chapter 80: A Refined Desire for Her

In a massive, vibrant stadium, the atmosphere buzzed with excitement, teeming with fans eagerly awaiting the basketball showdown between two renowned members of the Generation of Miracles.

The stadium's towering bleachers were a sea of colorful team banners, echoing with the joyful chatter of the crowd.

As the anticipation hung heavy in the air, you could feel the spectators' energy, eager to witness this epic clash of basketball titans.

"Woah, who do you think will win?"

"It's hard to choose. Both of them were so good!"

Whispers and hushed conversations rippled through the stadium, a palpable sense of anticipation hanging in the air.

Spectators were divided in their opinions, debating fiercely over who would emerge victorious in the impending showdown.

"I hope Kise won this, he's my idol!"

Some placed their faith in Kise, considering him their idol and hoping for his triumph.

"Hah! Of course, Aomine would win this. He's the ace of the Generation of Miracles!"

The fervor for the upcoming showdown between Kise and Aomine was undeniable, the crowd hanging on every word and movement of these renowned basketball figures. Their legendary status had etched them into the annals of Japanese basketball history.

On the other hand, the excitement for the match between Fukuda Sogo Academy and Onita High was notably subdued compared to the clash between Too Academy and Kaijo High.

Fukuda Sogo's meteoric rise to power was still relatively fresh, while the Generation of Miracles had long been a household name in Japan's basketball landscape.

The contrast in anticipation was evident in the buzzing chatter of the spectators.

Meanwhile, in one of Kaijo's designated changing rooms.

The atmosphere was chaotic.

A teenager with short, spiky black hair, intense steel-blue eyes, and thick eyebrows hurled a basketball at Kise. Kise had been seeking permission from his fans to grab a quick bite.

"Captain, can't you cut me some slack?" Kise grumbled.

The ball launcher was none other than Yukio Kasamatsu, the captain of Kaijo High.

But before Kasamatsu could reprimand Kise, a teenager with short black hair with a slight green tint, parted to the right, Yoshitaka Moriyama, kept whispering about some cute girls who might be watching their game today.

This visibly annoyed Kasamatsu.

To add to the chaos, another teen with short, spiky light brown hair, big eyebrows, and an incessant loudmouth kept hollering about giving his all in the upcoming game.

This pushed Kasamatsu over the edge, and he clutched his head in frustration, shouting, "For heaven's sake, just shut up! You're all driving me insane!"

The door swung open, and a chubby middle-aged man in a suit stormed in, his brows furrowed. "What's all this commotion? We've got a big game today. Focus, people!"

Kasamatsu's eyes widened as he took in their coach, Genta Takeuchi, looking rather overdressed in his suit.

In a dry tone, Kasamatsu muttered, "Why are you wearing a suit, Coach? Trying to rival that dashing coach from Too Academy?"

This earned a round of suppressed laughter from the room as they tried not to mock their coach's unconventional outfit choice.

Meanwhile, in one of the stadium's corridors, a pink-haired teenager appeared visibly agitated. Her cheeks were puffed up in a cute, displeased expression as she hurried along.

In her haste, she accidentally bumped into someone. Quickly, she bowed and apologized, saying, "I'm sorry, I should've been more careful with my steps... Ah?"

The person she collided with gently inquired, "It's okay. You seem to be in a hurry. What's going on?"

Suddenly, her eyes widened as she spotted a face she recognized, a mix of familiarity and surprise washing over her. Without hesitation, she rushed forward, eager to embrace the person.

"Tsuna!"

She held him tightly, and Tsuna responded with a gentle smile, saying, "It's been a while, Satsuki..."

His warmth brought a smile back to her face, and curious Tsuna asked, "So, what makes you be in such a hurry?"

However, as if remembering something unpleasant, the cheer slowly faded from Momoi's expression. She began venting her frustration about Aomine running late once again.

They found a bench and sat down. Tsuna couldn't help but ask a few questions. He wondered if Aomine knew he had returned to Japan and was lounging around.

Was he really that arrogant now?

As Momoi explained, she had made several attempts to inform Aomine. Still, he consistently cut her off, thinking she was about to give him a good scolding because she found out about Aomine's new collections.

After a few failed attempts, she grew frustrated and gave up trying to tell Aomine about Tsuna's return.

Tsuna responded with a comforting smile, trying to ease Momoi's frustration.

"Still, it seems like Aomine believes the only one who can beat him is himself, huh?"

Tsuna grinned, remarking, "Seems like he's become too full of himself."

Momoi's expression turned somber, her eyes welling up with tears. Aomine, who used to be the liveliest among their friends, had drastically changed.

Listening to her account of events, Tsuna gently shook his head and comforted her, reassuring her not to be too concerned.

"Don't fret. I'll knock some sense into him and set things right."

Momoi, tears wiped away, managed a weak smile and nodded at Tsuna.

Tsuna's expression, changing into a sly grin, added, "Why? Are you doubting me? Haven't you got all my stats by now?"

A playful glint filled Tsuna's eyes as he playfully teased her.

When Momoi heard Tsuna mention the data, a hint of intrigue flashed in her eyes as she squinted slightly. She maintained a professional smile as she spoke, "Your data is indeed impressive..."

"...But, remember, our team is incredibly strong too. We've got all your team's data. Winning won't be a walk in the park for you, Tsuna."

Her eyes opened slightly, but instead of her typical affectionate gaze, they had taken on a cold and calculating edge this time.

Upon hearing this, Tsuna's smirk grew even wider, revealing his intense desire.

"I want her..."

Tsuna thought as he looked at Momoi.

He coveted her talent.

Satsuki Momoi possessed an extraordinary ability to gather data with frightening precision, complete with potential counters for her opponents.

Furthermore, Tsuna had heard that she could predict players' future growth. It was a talent he yearned for in his pursuit to become the best in the world of basketball.

Pushing that thought aside, Tsuna's smile returned to its gentle nature as he rose to his feet.

"Well, Aomine must find it quite enticing to play against Kise. He shouldn't be late this time," he remarked, oozing confidence.

"I'll be waiting for you in the semifinals."

Satsuki Momoi arched an eyebrow, her smile growing.

"Confident, aren't you? The game hasn't even started."

Tsuna merely shook his head. "They're not bad, but at the same time, they're not that exceptional either."

Though it might sound a tad overconfident, Tsuna had gathered enough information about their opponents. While his data wasn't as comprehensive as Momoi's, it gave him a solid game plan.

Momoi smiled, thinking, "He's still the same, isn't he?"

"If it was him, it might be possible..."

Momoi murmured as she pondered about Aomine while watching Tsuna's departing figure.

With a wave and a parting remark, Tsuna headed off, and Momoi also returned to her duties as Too Academy's manager, leaving the corridor to rejoin her team.

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