Chapter 170: Closing the Gap

The momentum on the court had shifted after Himuro received a precise pass from Liu.

He wasted no time, and with the ball in his hands, he began to dribble forward, determined to take full advantage of the newfound opportunity to catch the gap in their scores.

With a focused gaze, Mochizuki positioned himself to prevent Himuro's advance. 

Confidence radiated from Himuro's eyes as he elegantly dribbled with grace.

"...Right, this should be fake." Mochizuki thought as he took a deep breath.

Himuro's movements were fluid, and he gracefully strode to the left, leaving Mochizuki momentarily uncertain.

Thinking Himuro's move was fake, Mochizuki widened his eyes in disbelief as he realized the reality.

"Shit, not a fake!"

The court seemed to freeze for a moment as Mochizuki, caught off guard, reacted swiftly. He turned his body around, determination etched on his face and chased back to recover.

Fully aware of Mochizuki's reaction speed, Himuro advanced forward with unwavering confidence.

The court seemed to shrink as he approached his shooting range, and Mochizuki, determined to make amends, closed in on him.

As Himuro reached the optimal distance, his body moved with a subtle grace, seamlessly transitioning into his shooting form.

The crowd held its breath, sensing the impending climax of the play.

Having caught up, Mochizuki leaped into the air, extending his arms to block Himuro's shot.

However, to his astonishment, Himuro exhibited a masterful deception.

Himuro's hand, which seemed poised to release the ball, had never held it in the first place.

"...What are those fakes? Those look so real!" Mochizuki thought as frustration etched into his face.

Himuro avoided Mochizuki's block attempt in a swift sidestep, leaving the defender momentarily suspended in mid-air.

The gymnasium erupted with gasps and cheers as the realization dawned on Mochizuki.

Without missing a beat, Himuro smoothly transitioned into his actual shooting form. The ball left his hands in a perfect arc, sailing toward the basket with precision. The net swayed as the ball cleanly passed through, scoring a dazzling basket.

Himuro landed gracefully, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.

Mochizuki was still mid-air from his blocking attempt and could only watch helplessly as Himuro's fake had thoroughly broken his defense apart.

"Finally, they bite back!"

"Let's go, Yosen High!"

A surge of exhilaration rippled through the crowd as Yosen High successfully scored against Fukuda Sogo. The spectators erupted into cheers as the gymnasium buzzed with energy as supporters from both sides reveled in the unfolding intensity of the match.

"...That guy is your brother, right, Kagami?"

Izuki inquired, his gaze fixed on Himuro's graceful movements on the court.

Kagami nodded with a mix of pride and complexity. "Yes, not by blood, but he's like a brother to me."

Koganei's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "He's really good. Looks like talent recognizes talent, huh?"

Kagami remained silent, his mind replaying the memory of Himuro's impressive shot from their Tokyo streetball encounter echoing in his mind.

He pondered, "...He hasn't revealed everything yet."

Kagami yearned for a chance to settle unresolved matters with Himuro, mending the rift between them. That was why, deep down, he was hoping for Yosen High, Himuro's team, to triumph over Fukuda Sogo.

But simultaneously, the prospect of facing Tsuna, a familiar name and figure ever since his time in the US, made his blood boil.

"...I shouldn't overthink it for now," Kagami thought, shaking his head to dispel the distracting thoughts.

In the court, Mochizuki's eyes remained fixed on Himuro's departing figure, his fist clenching with excitement.

"He's actually this good, huh?" Mochizuki mused, his competitive spirit ignited by the challenge posed by Himuro.

Meanwhile, Tsuna observed Mochizuki in silence as the game unfolded, with Tsuna calmly dribbling the ball.

"Good. It seems I didn't need to intervene personally, huh?"

Tsuna thought silently, acknowledging Fukui's positioning to thwart his progress.

As the game continued, Fukuda Sogo kept the score advantage by the end of the first quarter at 27 - 18. 

Nijimura would sometimes find himself blocked by Murasakibara while he had completely suppressed the tall player. On the other hand, Himuro was having a sweet time by dominating Mochizuki and narrowing the gap in their score.

Both teams settled on their respective benches, seizing a moment of respite to gear up for the impending quarter.

A wry chuckle escaped his lips as Nijimura glanced at his trembling hand. "...That guy is almost on the same level as Silver when it comes to physical capability."

Yet, Tsuna's words lingered in his mind, a subtle unease creeping beneath his skin.

"Considering Tsuna has never been wrong so far, I might not endure until the final quarter if Murasakibara stops holding back..."

Nijimura contemplated, beads of sweat tracing a path down his face.

"How was it? Could you last until the next quarter?" Tsuna's voice cut through Nijimura's contemplation, drawing his attention back to the present. He glanced down at his hand, the physical toll evident.

A momentary surprise flashed across Nijimura's face before he mustered a smile. "Don't worry, I might even last until the third quarter..."

Tsuna nodded in acknowledgment, saying, "No need for that; I only need you to keep him company until the second quarter."

"I see, then I can last until the end if it comes to that..."

Understanding the instruction, Nijimura responded. He didn't even question why, as he understood his job was to receive and execute the order swiftly.

"They should still try to take advantage of Tatsuya's focal point..." Tsuna addressed the team. His words met with unanimous nods. This was particularly significant for Mochizuki, whose primary responsibility was to suppress Himuro from making any more points for Yosen High.

Sitting at the sidelines, Alexandra offered her silent agreement, a subtle nod conveying her understanding.

Turning his attention to Mochizuki, Tsuna continued, "Kazuhiro, I need you to understand that Tatsuya hasn't revealed everything in his play yet..."

"That's correct. Tatsuya is a shooting guard. Though I don't know what he's developed over the years, he should have something special up his sleeve..." Alexandra injected a serious tone into her words.

"We'll see how it plays out later," Tsuna smiled. He then turned back to the team, adding, "Simply going through Tatsuya wouldn't be enough for them. They would most likely aim for a rebound play..." 

Tsuna grasped the pride and ambition embedded in a team like Yosen High. They wouldn't be satisfied with merely catching up.

Yosen High would definitely aim to seize the momentum and dominate the game.

With three two-meter-tall players, utilizing their advantage in rebounds was a logical move.

"Since that was the case, I'll leave Okamura and Liu to both of you." Turning toward Haizaki and Ogiwara, Tsuna continued. Both of them nodded in sync, with their eyes gleaming with excitement.

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