30 Chapter 30: Winning the first game in the group stage

The following day, Tsuna and the other first-string players assembled for a quick meeting regarding their upcoming game and an overview of the Nationals. There were also discussions about the opening ceremony and various welcoming performances.

Following the briefing, they headed to Yoyogi National Gymnasium, the competition's opening ceremony venue. This ceremony held special significance, marking the start of the tournament, and was attended by all participating schools.

Once the ceremony concluded, most teams departed from the gymnasium. The group stage games were not all held in the exact location, so teams needed to travel to their respective venues.

Luckily, their first match occurred in the same venue, which was quite convenient for them.

In the locker room assigned to their team, Assistant Coach Sanada gave them a final overview of their game plan before heading to the court.

The match unfolded smoothly according to their strategy. Armed with a deep understanding of their opponent's strengths and weaknesses, Teiko High secured a straightforward victory against Shoto High.

Despite Shoto High's tenacity through the first three quarters, they ultimately couldn't withstand Teiko's prowess and ended up losing the game.

---

"...Man, their star player was seriously impressive! I wish I could have been on the court against him."

Aomine grumbled aloud.

"Can you please stop complaining for once? You've been whining nonstop. It's getting on my nerves."

Midorima, growing visibly irritated, finally snapped. He would usually tolerate Aomine's complaints, but today, he'd reached his limit.

"Midorima's right, Daiki. Give it a rest. You will have your chance later in the next game," Momoi chimed in, her tone filled with exasperation.

Aomine, seemingly undeterred, suddenly perked up. "Wait, did you say we're playing in the next game? Woohoo! That's awesome!"

Momoi and Midorima exchanged incredulous glances as Aomine continued to express his excitement.

Aomine's chatter continued, much to the amusement of some and the annoyance of others.

Tsuna couldn't suppress a smile, and even Akashi, sitting nearby, gave a subtle shake of his head while allowing a small grin. In contrast, Murasakibara seemed entirely lost in his snacks, his mind far away.

They were all seated in the bustling school cafeteria, the noise of conversations and clattering trays surrounding them.

"How's the game?"

Tsuna shifted his attention to Akashi, inquiring about the game they had just played. Akashi, sipping his coffee, shared his thoughts.

"It was enjoyable. They put up a fight, but they don't pose a significant threat to us."

Tsuna nodded in agreement and was about to continue the conversation when he noticed someone passing by their table. It was Kuroko, holding a milkshake.

"Tetsuya! Hey, it's been a while. Why don't you join us here?"

Tsuna extended an invitation to Kuroko, prompting everyone at the table to turn their attention to the unexpected guest.

"W...When did he?"

Momoi couldn't contain her surprise. She mumbled to herself, her eyes locked on Kuroko, who had seemingly materialized out of thin air. The same bewildered expression graced Midorima and Akashi's faces.

And as for Murasakibara...

"Well, isn't that Tetsu over there? Man, your low presence still gets to me," Aomine remarked, greeting Kuroko with an enthusiastic wave.

Tsuna was taken aback. "You guys know each other?"

"Tetsu's my training buddy," Aomine said with a proud grin, sharing this newfound connection.

Tsuna acknowledged the connection between Aomine and Kuroko, figuring that they must have met while he was away in the US. He introduced Kuroko to the others who hadn't yet met him.

"Hey there, I've heard about your situation. It's good to see you looking well, Kazama," Kuroko said as he took a seat and greeted everyone, then turned his attention to Tsuna.

"Thanks. But how's your progress?" Tsuna inquired, remembering that he had given Kuroko some tips during their initial encounter. As he observed Kuroko now, he was curious about it as he didn't seem to see any noticeable improvement.

Kuroko appeared somewhat downcast in response to Tsuna's question and seemed a bit disheartened.

"Since you shared those insights, I've been trying to figure out how to use my low presence better," Kuroko explained, his tone lacking its usual enthusiasm. "I attempted to make myself nearly invisible while dribbling the ball, but it didn't seem to work..."

"...What?"

Kuroko's statement took away Tsuna. He couldn't recall advising Kuroko to exploit his low presence in such a way. As far as he remembered, he had suggested that Kuroko focus on strengthening his fundamentals.

Puzzled, Tsuna turned to Midorima, who was adjusting his glasses, wearing an expression that seemed to say, "I have no idea either..."

"I'm sorry for wasting your good advice, Kazama..."

Kuroko's apology weighed heavily in the air, his sincere regret palpable as he bowed before Tsuna. Evidently, he felt bad for not capitalizing on the advice Tsuna had generously offered him earlier. His disappointment in himself was unmistakable.

"..."

As Tsuna contemplated this turn of events, he found himself at a loss for words. It was all a misunderstanding, and he hadn't actually provided the advice Kuroko believed he had.

Midorima, who had witnessed the inception of this misunderstanding, found himself just as dumbfounded as Tsuna.

"Oh? Interesting..."

However, Akashi appeared quite intrigued by Kuroko's unique situation. He regarded the dejected Kuroko with a thoughtful expression, recalling a particular book on magic tricks he had read in the past.

"...I believe I can offer some assistance, Kuroko," Akashi smiled. He saw Kuroko's uniqueness as a potential game-changer, and the prospect of it intrigued him.

They continued their conversation, delving into Akashi's plan to assist Kuroko and touching on their upcoming opponent, Nambara High.

Akashi expressed his intention to provide Kuroko with a crucial book, and Kuroko eagerly anticipated receiving it after Akashi offered some insights on how the book could benefit him.

Tsuna nodded, leaving the matter in Akashi's capable hands. Midorima, on the other hand, pretended to be unaware of the situation, maintaining his aloof demeanor.

---

"So, that's the story, huh?" Assistant Coach Sanada sighed, clearly grappling with the situation. He eventually relented, saying, "Alright, I'll put my trust in you, Akashi."

Akashi nodded respectfully. "Thank you for your trust, Assistant Coach."

"Come on, I know you got this..."

Aomine, clapped a nervous freshman on the back, trying to offer some encouragement. The freshman seemed to be trembling with anxiety, likely experiencing his first official match.

Observing this, Tsuna couldn't help but shake his head. He gave the nervous player a reassuring pat on the shoulder and advised, "You know... if you're this nervous, it'll be tough to play your best out there..."

"...Kuroko."

"Saying that might just make him even more nervous..."

Midorima interjected. He held a remote control in his hand.

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