Chapter 210: Crafting His Signature Move

Hey guys, got some good news to share!

The X-ray results are in, and everything is fine!

Turns out there's just a bit of inflammation in my joint, explaining the nighttime pain. So, no more sweet dreams for me.

Sigh...

Still, super relieved that everything's cool!

And I'm sorry I haven't been responding to your comments lately! Dealing with this accident has got me feeling a bit overwhelmed with some additional irl stuff.

Anyway, happy reading!

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"Shuzo, I need you to guard the area under our basket, just like you did against Yosen a while back..."

Tsuna instructed, and Nijimura nodded in acknowledgment, replying, "Sure thing, looks like it's time to break a sweat..."

With that settled, Tsuna had made the necessary adjustments to curb Kaijo's scoring spree.

Shortly after, the timeout concluded, and both teams surged back onto the court.

As the game pressed on, Tsuna took deliberate, slow dribbles, and his teammates began infiltrating Kaijo's defensive formation.

Kasamatsu quickly closed in, applying pressure to Tsuna's seemingly relaxed demeanor.

"...Looks like I'll have to take the reins myself," Tsuna thought, promptly altering the pace of his dribbling, eliciting a tense reaction from Kasamatsu.

Amused by Kasamatsu's response, Tsuna chuckled, remarking, "I won't be breaking your ankles anymore, Captain..."

Kasamatsu frowned at the comment. Just as he prepared to reply, Tsuna sharply executed a crossover, dismantling his defense and accelerating forward with speed.

As Tsuna approached the basket, despite being marked by both Haizaki and Ogiwara, Kise managed to slip out of their defense and approached him.

Unfortunately for Kise, the ball disappeared with a flick of Tsuna's hand, leaving him in shock.

Suddenly, a different presence leaped toward the basket.

Kise widened his eyes as Nijimura slammed his hand toward the basket, and the ball, flicked like a meteor, sharply aimed where it should be.

A resounding sound echoed as the ball swished through the net.

As Tsuna returned, his gaze lingered on Kise, who was panting, seemingly struggling to maintain the current state that allowed him to copy the movements of the Generation of Miracles, the Perfect Copy.

"...He should still be able to last a bit longer," Tsuna thought silently, considering Kise's improvement throughout the season.

As they walked back, Moriyama walked behind the baseline.

The ball found its way to Kise, who swiftly transitioned into a shooting motion. The ball soared in a high arc, swishing through the basket with Haizaki and Ogiwara unable to stop Kise.

Tsuna maintained his smile as he spoke while looking at Kise, who gazed at him provocatively, "Good, last a bit longer; I need you to do me a favor after all..."

Haizaki clenched his fist tightly as he had reacted a bit too late, and couldn't help but feel anger toward himself as he noticed Ogiwara's quicker reaction.

As time passed, Kise's Perfect Copy began to wear thin, and Nijimura, with a focused defensive strategy beneath the basket, effectively shut down Kaijo's players from scoring more points.

No one, apart from Kise, could break past his defense.

Kaijo High players were frustrated seeing the closely matched scoreboard with Tsuna consistently countered Kise's scores.

On the other side, Haizaki gritted his teeth in frustration.

Despite their efforts, they couldn't fully stop Kise. Shadowing Kise's every move, he realized they needed to change their approach. If they continued like this, double-teaming with Ogiwara would become meaningless.

Haizaki's frustration intensified as he watched Ogiwara persistently utilize his beastly instincts to support him in stopping Kise. Racing with thoughts, he felt the urgency to make a decisive move.

"I need to do something!"

The idea of stealing moves from the Fukuda Sogo players crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it, aware that Nijimura would swiftly put an end to such attempts.

"Damn it, then what should I do? I need to come up with something different…"

As he spoke that, a realization hit him as his mind continued to race.

"That's it!"

Haizaki's eyes sparked with a newfound determination. It didn't have to be exclusively his own; as long as it wasn't stolen, it would still be something unique.

No, it needed to be a creation entirely his own.

He took a quick glance at his teammates and then turned his attention to Kise, who was currently imitating Aomine's movements.

Haizaki inhaled deeply, maintaining his defensive stance alongside Ogiwara. Gradually easing his posture, he concentrated his mind and relied on his instincts for the pivotal moments ahead.

The audience became increasingly rowdy, their cheers reaching a fever pitch as the excitement on the court intensified.

Midorima instinctively rose from his seat. His eyes widened with realization upon observing a familiar transformation in Haizaki.

Turning towards Tsuna, Midorima saw a sly smirk forming on Tsuna's face as he uttered, "...This is what he was after!"

"What!?"

Kise was taken aback, sensing the shift in Haizaki's demeanor. The others on the court stared at Haizaki in astonishment, recognizing the now relaxed yet predatory stance that had become all too familiar in their matches.

"…Did he steal his own teammate's beast instinct? Would that even be possible?"

Kasamatsu thought silently.

However, seeing Ogiwara still able to keep up his own beast instinct completely denied that possibility, which made Kasamatsu's eyes widen in realization, "Then, he's tapping into his own beastly instinct?"

The others in Fukuda Sogo happily laughed, witnessing Haizaki craft his own approach this time.

Meanwhile, Tsuna's expression brightened as his lips curled up in a smirk as he muttered, "I guess I owe you a favor now, Ryota..."

"...You're, indeed, my best friend!"

Ogiwara muttered loud enough for Haizaki to react, his lips twitching in silence, almost breaking his stance.

With both of them tapping into their beast instincts, their coordination and movements became seamlessly synchronized.

They put stronger pressure on Kise, who attempted a sudden cross to the left side of Ogiwara before sharply spinning to break his defense.

But, like a ghost, Haizaki arrived with precise timing, making Kise step back as he realized it was tougher to break past their double team. Still, determination gleamed in his eyes as he shouted, "Then, I don't need to break past!"

He spun his body, prompting Ogiwara to be alarmed. It was a move all too familiar to him.

"It's Kuroko's Cyclone pass!" Ogiwara exclaimed

Haizaki's eyes widened as he reacted swiftly, closing the distance between him and Kise. In a rapid motion, he struck his hand forward, aiming to graze the ball out of Kise's grasp.

The air crackled with intensity as the three players struggled to thwart each other's attempts.

Despite their concerted effort, it proved futile as Haizaki found himself a split second too late, desperately reaching for the ball that had already departed Kise's hand.

The ball traversed the court with a powerful motion.

It seemed to defy the laws of physics, curving through the air with precision. As if guided by an invisible force, it made its way toward Hayakawa's waiting hand, completing a seamless transition that left the spectators in awe.

Kasamatsu's face lit up with excitement at the impressive play, and he couldn't contain his enthusiasm. "...Freaking monster!"

"Sorry to cut your joy short, but you seem to forget where he stood..."

Tsuna's words sliced through Kasamatsu's excitement. Without missing a beat, he swiftly moved, catching Kasamatsu off guard and disrupting the moment.

As Kasamatsu was in the process of readjusting his position, he abruptly halted his steps.

His eyes widened in surprise, his expression shifting from anticipation to disbelief. A figure emerged and swiftly approached Hayakawa with decisive power.

"Fuck, he's walking into a lion's den!"

Kasamatsu cursed under his breath, swiftly turning to chase after Tsuna.

However, Nijimura's move was so potent that it left Hayakawa unable to counter, rendering him helpless as the ball immediately transferred into Nijimura's possession.

Without wasting a second, Nijimura executed a powerful pass, sending the ball soaring toward Tsuna.

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