Chapter 283: Identity Unknown

"...Tsuna did that to Akashi?"

Midorima's thoughts raced as his eyes widened in astonishment. He found it nearly inconceivable, given Akashi's mastery of the Emperor Eyes, which should have countered any such move.

"Is he truly that agitated?"

The notion seemed implausible, as Akashi was typically unflappable and unlikely to succumb to such a blunder.

Meanwhile, the disbelief echoed among spectators from other teams.

"...It appears this tournament is a mere formality for them."

"From the start, our chances seemed nonexistent, didn't they?"

"..."

Their collective gaze shifted to the scoreboard, leaving them speechless in the wake of Fukuda Sogo's overwhelming dominance.

As the buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the second quarter, Tsuna began to stride purposefully toward Akashi, his movements deliberate and measured.

Akashi's eyes followed Tsuna's gaze to the scoreboard, registering the stark numerical reality: 47 - 11, a glaring testament to their overwhelming defeat.

He rose to his feet slowly, his expression stoic yet internally seething.

"You know, I was almost tempted to give you a score of zero. It would make quite the headline: 'King of Kings Dominates Emperor of Creation'."

Tsuna's voice pierced the air, his words laced with a mix of nonchalance and underlying tension. 

"..."

Akashi stood in silent turmoil, his hands clenched tightly at his sides, a maelstrom of conflicting emotions raging within him.

"However, since they insist on giving you eleven..."

The words pierced the air, drawing Akashi's attention like a sudden jolt. His eyes widened in disbelief, a mixture of shock and confusion clouding his features.

But Tsuna continued, striding past Akashi with purpose, "Consider this a gift from them. They want you to accept it with open arms..."

As Tsuna spoke, two figures approached him, their presence adding weight to his words. Akashi turned to them, his disbelief palpable in his expression.

It was Ogiwara and Haizaki, their gazes cold and unwavering as they stood beside Tsuna.

As the realization dawned on him, Akashi couldn't help but recalled on his past actions.

"I was the one playing games with them... and now I'm the one being played? Me? Seijuro Akashi?"

His words were tinged with disbelief as his eyes hollowed out, and a profound sense of shock reverberated through his entire being.

With each passing moment, Akashi felt the weight of his actions bearing down on him, his body suddenly burdened with an inexplicable heaviness.

"..."

Meanwhile, Tsuna's calm demeanor only served to deepen his unease as he made his way towards Fukuda Sogo's bench to gather their belongings before the break.

Left standing in silence, Akashi could only watch, his mind a whirlwind of confusion and disbelief.

The atmosphere among the Rakuzan High team was somber as they gathered their belongings and prepared to depart. However, their attention quickly shifted as they noticed Akashi's uncharacteristic demeanor.

Confusion etched on their faces, the team exchanged glances before Mibuchi stepped forward, gently placing a hand on Akashi's shoulder to rouse him from his trance.

"Sei? Sei, it's time for the break," Mibuchi urged softly, but Akashi remained unresponsive, lost in a fog of introspection.

Despite the haze clouding his consciousness, a gentle tap on his shoulder jolted him back to reality. M

eeting Mibuchi's gaze, Akashi blinked, gradually returning to awareness.

"Sei, we should go. They're preparing for the next half," Mibuchi reiterated, his voice laced with concern for his captain.

"Uh, yeah," Akashi absentmindedly replied, his thoughts elsewhere as he mechanically followed Mibuchi's lead.

"..."

Their footsteps echoed through the corridor as they made their way back to the locker room, the weight of the situation hanging heavily in the air.

Shirogane watched on with a sigh, noting Akashi's uncharacteristic demeanor with growing concern.

"Even Akashi was shaken as well?"

He mused aloud, turning to observe the captain.

As he attempted to broach the topic, he found himself met with distant gazes and vacant expressions from the rest of the team.

It became apparent that the events of the match had left everyone lost in their own thoughts, struggling to process the unexpected turn of events.

In the depths of Akashi's subconscious, a shadowy figure rose from a bench, its form shrouded in darkness. Akashi watched in astonishment as the figure stood before him, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"Y-you?" he stammered, struggling to comprehend what he was seeing.

The figure smiled, the darkness dissipating to reveal Akashi's own face, albeit with a distinct aura of difference. Despite their identical appearance, the atmosphere surrounding the other Akashi felt unsettlingly distinct.

"It seems it's time I took over," The alternate Akashi declared, breaking the silence with a voice that resonated with an unfamiliar authority.

"..."

Akashi remained silent, his mind reeling with the implications of this encounter.

"It's not surprising, considering it was Tsuna. You've seen what he's capable of, haven't you? He's truly different..."

The room fell into a hushed silence, punctuated only by the sound of the other Akashi's measured steps as he approached. With a gentle pat on the shoulder, he conveyed a sense of reassurance to the current Akashi.

A palpable tension hung in the air, causing everyone to widen their eyes.

They sensed a subtle shift in the atmosphere before turning their attention to Akashi, who rose to his feet and made his way to the center of the room. His once-distinguished heterochromatic eyes, each a different color, were nowhere to be seen.

His sudden transformation, marked by a gentle smile, stood in stark contrast to the typically cold and distant expression he wore.

Everyone taken aback by this unexpected change, found themselves at a loss for words, mouths agape in astonishment.

Among them, Mayuzumi, who was familiar with Akashi's demeanor, couldn't contain his confusion any longer.

"Who are you?" he ventured, voicing the question that lingered in everyone's mind.

A ripple of surprise swept through the room at Akashi's gentle chuckle, instantly dispersing the heavy atmosphere that had hung over them.

Mibuchi's eyes widened in disbelief as he struggled to comprehend the transformation before him.

"...Is that truly Sei?"

He muttered, voicing the thoughts that echoed in the minds of the other Uncrowned Kings.

Each of them observed Akashi with astonishment, noting the striking difference in his demeanor. Gone was the typically authoritative and commanding presence they were accustomed to.

In its place was a newfound approachability that seemed to emanate from him.

Hayama swallowed nervously, unable to shake off the feeling of bewilderment.

"It's like he's a completely different person," he remarked softly, his voice filled with uncertainty.

Akashi shook his head gently, his smile unwavering, as he began to speak in a calm and composed tone.

"Who am I?" he mused aloud.

"I am, of course, Seijuro Akashi, captain of the Rakuzan High basketball team."