Chapter 60: Reverse Psychology

While most of the team was impressed and filled with respect for Tsuna's remarkable skills, Haizaki seethed with frustration and stormed off the court in anger.

His abrupt exit left the others in silence, watching him go. Nijimura, breaking the quiet tension, approached Tsuna, casually taking a sip from a water bottle.

"You were acting a bit out of character back there. What's your game?" Nijimura questioned Tsuna, his curiosity piqued.

Ogiwara, who hadn't known Tsuna for very long, also listened intently. He couldn't quite reconcile this taunting, seemingly overconfident Tsuna with the person he had come to know in recent days.

Tsuna gazed at the doorway through which Haizaki had just stormed out. He turned back to Nijimura and posed an unusual question, "Imagine you're a prideful tough guy with a massive ego. Would you actually do it if I instructed you to head south?"

Puzzled by the question, Nijimura frowned and pondered momentarily, mumbling to himself as he contemplated.

He eventually replied uncertainly, "If I were that kind of person, then probably not, right? That will hurt my ego to do so."

Satisfied with Nijimura's answer, Tsuna nodded and continued, "Right. So, if you won't follow my orders, what will you do instead?"

Nijimura, still deep in thought, placed a hand on his chin, attempting to envision himself as a prideful, tough guy.

However, before he could answer, Ogiwara jumped in, enthusiastically declaring, "I'll head west, Captain!"

"Correct, he'd do the opposite of what I said," Tsuna affirmed with a chuckle.

It suddenly dawned on Nijimura, his eyes widening in surprise.

He had heard about Tsuna's uncanny interpersonal skills from Sebas. However, they mostly focused on training during their time together, so Nijimura hadn't witnessed these skills firsthand.

The way Tsuna effortlessly manipulated people and situations to his advantage was unsettling.

Now that he had witnessed it firsthand, even in the level of interactions among club members, Nijimura couldn't help but acknowledge that Tsuna could wield this power on a larger societal scale.

"...You're one scary guy, Young Master," Nijimura remarked with a wry smile.

Nijimura was immensely grateful to have Tsuna as an ally. The idea of going up against Tsuna as either an opponent or an adversary was too daunting even to consider.

Understanding Nijimura's unspoken sentiments, Tsuna gave a slight shake of his head.

Ogiwara, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to these subtleties. He likely didn't pick up on these nuances.

To him, Tsuna did something amazing that he didn't understand, but what mattered most was that Tsuna remained the same person he had encountered during their final match.

Tsuna was no stranger to dealing with a diverse range of people, each with their own unique quirks and personalities. He had a remarkable ability to understand and adapt to these differences.

This principle applied to Haizaki as well.

Despite Haizaki's infuriating behavior, Tsuna had a clever strategy for dealing with him. He employed reverse psychology, using Haizaki's deep-seated frustration with Akashi to his advantage.

By telling Haizaki he might as well quit right away, Tsuna aimed to bruise Haizaki's ego. He knew that Haizaki would refuse to follow his orders, which would blow his pride.

Instead, Haizaki would likely do the opposite of what he was told, driven by the need to prove Tsuna wrong and to boost his own ego.

"How's life treating you in Shizuoka?" Tsuna inquired, turning his attention towards Ogiwara.

Ogiwara's face lit up with a warm smile as he replied, "Life here is wonderful, not as bustling as Tokyo. People are friendlier, and there's a real sense of community. My grandparents have been great, as always, always looking out for me."

Ogiwara shared a commonality with Tsuna. Both of them lived with their grandparents in Shizuoka.

Ogiwara's parents, on the other hand, had chosen to stay in Tokyo for work.

His decision to complete high school in Shizuoka had taken them by surprise initially. However, when they saw the determination in his eyes, they couldn't bear to deny their only son's request.

Recalling how distressed Ogiwara had been during the final game against Teiko in the Nationals, they thought that the change of environment might be good for him.

So, they agreed to his sudden request and informed their relatives in Shizuoka, who happened to be Ogiwara's grandparents on his mother's side.

Tsuna acknowledged Ogiwara's response with a satisfied nod. Knowing that Ogiwara was content with his life in Shizuoka gave him relief.

After all, good mental health was crucial for personal growth, especially if Ogiwara intended to truly 'bite' the Generation of Miracles.

Turning his attention to Nijimura, Tsuna instructed him to have the team complete a set of cooling-down exercises before concluding the day's training session.

Over the following week, several team members decided to drop out.

It was clear that the intensity of the training had overwhelmed them, causing fear and discouragement. Tsuna, however, remained unfazed by this development. He had anticipated such outcomes from the start.

Nijimura had a different perspective on the matter. He took it upon himself to visit each departing member and inquire why they chose to leave. Unfortunately, their minds were made up, and they had no intention of returning.

Tsuna could only sigh in response to Nijimura's ultimately unsuccessful efforts.

This rigorous training regimen was just the starting point. Once the team adapted to it, Tsuna had plans to introduce an even more challenging regimen. Such intense training wasn't meant for those lacking determination.

Despite the departures, there was an unexpected silver lining.

During training, Haizaki underwent a remarkable transformation. He embraced the drills wholeheartedly and pushed himself to compete with Ogiwara, trying to outdo each other in completing them as quickly as possible.

Tsuna originally only intended for Haizaki to catch up with their training, as he was needed in Tsuna's plan to show the Generation of Miracles that they were like frogs in a well, unaware of the broader world beyond.

Observing Haizaki's eccentric behavior during this time, Tsuna couldn't help but shake his head in amusement.

The guy, Haizaki, seemed to grasp that challenging Tsuna immediately would be a futile effort. He'd been observing the team members and categorizing them by skill. Haizaki already surpassed most, including some of the senior regulars.

But that wasn't his goal.

So, he decided to start from the bottom, with Ogiwara, the least experienced. If he could outshine Ogiwara, he'd move on to Nijimura, and, finally, to the ultimate challenge, Tsuna.

Seeing this unexpected turn of events, Nijimura gave Tsuna a thumbs-up.

Meanwhile, Ogiwara, who tended to be airheaded, was delighted because he thought Haizaki was now his friend. He eagerly competed with Haizaki, who seemed slightly irritated by Ogiwara's chatty demeanor.

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