207 Chapter 207: Resigned Resolve

Even though Ogiwara's words prompted Haizaki to reflect on what had transpired, they did little to diminish his seething anger. Frustration welled up within him, and he couldn't resist slamming the floor with his hand in a burst of raw emotion.

Just as he was about to unleash a barrage of curses, the atmosphere around him grew eerily quiet. The stifling silence was broken only by the deliberate steps slowly approaching him.

Turning toward the figure approaching, he looked up, only to feel as if he were plunged into the depths of the sea, slowly being drowned by the icy gaze that made him feel utterly insignificant.

Tsuna loomed over Haizaki, his gaze piercing through. In that suffocating silence, he asked, "Do you want to quit now, Shogo?"

"What?"

"Didn't I make it clear since the beginning, you're free to leave…" Tsuna's words silenced Haizaki.

A complicated wave of emotions surged within Haizaki.

Compared to Akashi, who had outright expelled him, Tsuna's words cut deeper than he had anticipated.

However, Tsuna wasn't finished. He shook his head disappointed.

For reasons unbeknownst to Haizaki, a strange feeling of guilt crept in as he witnessed that disappointment directed at him.

Tsuna then left the room, saying, "Well, if you didn't want to leave, that's fine. Do understand that this team doesn't belong to those who were weak…"

"..."

These words plunged Haizaki into silence once again.

A tumultuous storm of questions battered Haizaki's mind. Why did he choose to remain when Tsuna had explicitly granted him the freedom to depart?

What propelled him to push himself, to compete against Ogiwara when he saw Ogiwara's unwavering dedication in training? 

Why did he persist in pushing his limits time and again?

What fueled his relentless pursuit to prove himself superior among the teammates who trained alongside him?

His initial goal, to defy Akashi by besting Kise, had crumbled. His defeat meant the failure of that objective.

With his aim shattered, there seemed to be no reason left to stay.

Yet, despite this realization, he found himself immobilized, unable to move to depart the room and leave the team entirely.

Why?

The unanswered questions gnawed at his core.

Haizaki found himself unable to comprehend his own actions. Forcefully sitting down, he leaned his back against the locker and sighed in defeat. At that moment, at least one truth became painfully clear to him, "…He's better than me."

His face contorted with a mixture of anger, frustration, and sadness as he grappled with this reality. No matter how much he resisted admitting it, those elusive moves were beyond his ability to steal.

He gazed up at the ceiling, his expression twisted with unsightly emotions. Strangely, the irksome voice of Akashi had disappeared, replaced by an even stronger surge of anger directed inward.

An anger that bore down on him, fueled by the bitter realization of his own weakness.

"FUCK!!!"

Clenching his fist, he unleashed a guttural shout that echoed through the room, a desperate expression of the frustration that consumed him.

Outside the changing room, Tsuna couldn't help but break into his trademark smirk upon hearing the muffled shout emanating from within. Nijimura, faithfully at his side, shook his head at the scene, letting out a sigh.

Meanwhile, Ogiwara cast a concerned glance towards their changing room, feeling a wave of relief wash over him at the sight of Tsuna's smirk. A slight shiver ran down his spine, but his worry for Haizaki had dissipated.

Tsuna turned to Ogiwara, still wearing his smile as he gave the guy a pat on the shoulder.

"Well, that was very well said, Shigehiro..."

He had instructed Nijimura to prompt Ogiwara to provoke Haizaki a bit. Making Haizaki erupt in anger was the goal, and Ogiwara had managed to exceed expectations, leaving Tsuna impressed with the impact it had on Haizaki.

Nijimura chuckled, offering a thumbs-up to Ogiwara. "You're my best friend, Haizaki!"

Tsuna couldn't help but chuckle, causing Ogiwara to scratch his head awkwardly.

"Don't tease me, Vice-Captain..."

"Hahaha, teasing? I was just admiring you!"

Nijimura laughed heartily, giving Ogiwara a hearty pat on the back that made him wince in pain. Ogiwara held back, helplessly letting Nijimura do as he pleased.

"Well, let's grab some drinks. I'll treat you both for what you did earlier," Tsuna said, strolling through the corridor.

Nijimura and Ogiwara smiled, following him along the way.

Shortly afterwards, everyone returned to the changing room and couldn't help but cast their gaze toward Haizaki. Not long ago, he had been thoroughly beaten, black and blue, yet now he sat calmly, surprising everyone.

They weren't privy to what transpired with Haizaki after they left, but there was an undeniable change in him.

"...What happened to him?"

Ishida pulled Ogiwara aside, questioning him. Mochizuki joined the conversation, curious about the unfolding events.

"...I'm not sure."

"What? Are you messing with us?"

Ogiwara awkwardly scratched his head, genuinely unaware of what had happened to Haizaki. He was indeed concerned, but he had simply followed orders from earlier.

Nevertheless, he felt a sense of relief seeing the current Haizaki, who typically showed little interest in anything other than Kise and Akashi, often expressing anger.

This calm demeanor was a stark contrast to Haizaki's usual self.

Tsuna strolled in, eyeing the trio huddled together with a deadpan expression. They nervously chuckled, breaking their gaze before finally taking their seats.

Despite their attempts to act normal, they couldn't resist stealing occasional glances at Haizaki.

Feeling the weight of their scrutiny, Haizaki clenched his fist, suppressing his irritation at being observed like some rare specimen.

"I wish I could smack their heads once."

However, the thought of Nijimura seizing that moment to pummel him again made him sigh.

"...Fucking bastard, he probably had a blast beating me up," he muttered under his breath, casting a sidelong glance at Nijimura, who stood beside Tsuna.

His body still throbbed with pain, the aftermath of the beating.

A typical person would be wincing at every move, but Haizaki, though in the same pain, didn't even flinch.

Tsuna observed Haizaki's gaze, noting a distinct change from the usual frustration and despair.

Satisfied, he nodded.

Haizaki caught Tsuna's gaze, and this time, instead of flinching as he typically would, he maintained eye contact. A fierce determination blazed in his pupils, prompting a smile of amusement from Tsuna.

Without saying a word to Haizaki, Tsuna turned to the team and addressed them, "Once again, we won't be altering our strategy for now. Grab your gear, and let's head out to the court..."

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