Chapter 33 Football 33 Bless Him
"Heavenly Guardian..."
A soft yet penetrating sound slowly echoed in the empty, slightly dim corridor.
As if waking from a long dream, Tenno Minaka's eyes gradually focused, looking in the direction from which the sound came. All around was darkness, save for the sparse emergency lights and the low, rhythmic hum of the water pump.
He turned his head slightly, the movement carrying a hint of stiffness that was barely perceptible, as if every cell in his body was telling of the fatigue from sitting for so long.
Amano Minaka had no idea how long he had been in the corridor. When he came to his senses, everything was blurry, and he could only make out who was speaking by their general figures.
"Mikage...?"
Amano Minaka murmured softly, a hint of uncertainty in her voice.
"Are you alright?" Mikage Reio gently placed the water bottle he was holding tightly into Tenno Minaka's hand. The water bottle still retained the warmth of his palm.
An hour ago, he saw Tenno Minaka sitting blankly in the chair. However, he was busy helping his teammates organize the training program at that time, so he did not greet Tenno Minaka. But he did not expect that when he passed by after finishing his work, Tenno Minaka was still sitting there, and his movements did not change at all.
Tenno Minaka took the water bottle, and the moment their fingertips touched, a warm current spread from his palm to his whole body, dispelling the chill.
Is it hot?
Ten no Mika suddenly focused her gaze on the cup, only to find that it contained not water, but hot milk tea with an enticing aroma.
These aren't free drinks from the water dispenser; they're rare items redeemed with points.
"fine……"
Tenno Minaka lowered his eyes slightly, his voice carrying a complex emotion that was hard to detect, "After all, I'll be competing with you soon, so the pressure is naturally considerable."
Upon hearing this, Mikage Reio's lips curled into a sly smile, and she feigned surprise, saying, "Eh? So I made you feel this much of a threat? I'm truly honored."
A playful glint flashed in his eyes, but he quickly became serious. "However, even if you say that, I won't hold back on the field tomorrow."
As she spoke, Reio Mikage gracefully sat down next to Minaka Amano, the two so close they could almost feel each other's breath.
He winked playfully and continued, "So you'd better perk up quickly. I don't want to win too easily; that would be an unfair victory."
Reio Mikage's keen eyes seemed to see into people's hearts. He gently patted Ten no Minaka's shoulder without saying a word.
Amano Minaka smiled helplessly, a hint of warmth flashing in her eyes: "Shouldn't I be the one saying that?"
"No, no, no, Nagi Rei-ou is very strong!" Mikage Rei-ou gently shook her finger, her eyes gleaming with confidence and pride, as if she were declaring an undeniable fact to the world.
"Nagi? Is it the one with white hair or black hair?" Amano Minaka asked curiously, her tone relaxed, as if she had temporarily forgotten her troubles.
“The one with white hair.” Mikage Reio shook his head with a smile, as if emphasizing some important information. “The one with black hair is Zantetsu, but Nagi is a unique treasure to me.”
As Mikage Reiwang spoke, she took a small sip of the milk tea in her glass, her satisfied expression evident.
"We made a promise to win the W Cup together and become number one in the world."
Reio Mikage's words seemed to have touched a nerve with Amanomi.
To become number one in the world?
Amano Minaka gave a self-deprecating laugh.
He suddenly posed a hypothetical question: "What if... I mean, what if he breaches the contract?"
Reio Mikage paused for a moment, but quickly regained his composure. He gazed into the golden eyes of Amanomichi and said slowly, "Then let's wish him well."
"Huh?"
An unexpected answer emerged.
"...Why?" Ten no Michū murmured softly.
Reio Mikage sighed softly, a hint of understanding and relief in his eyes: "He must have found a partner who can better unleash his potential. If that's the case, then let him be."
"On the journey of life, people will always come and go."
Upon hearing this, Ten no Michū slowly lowered his head, his dark blue hair, like the night, quietly obscuring his face, preventing Mikage Reiō from discerning his hidden emotions.
"If it were me, I would absolutely crush him. I would make defeat the price he pays for breaking the contract."
The weapon of victory must be in my hands; I would rather let it rust in my own than entrust it to anyone else.
Golden eyes shimmered with an unusual light under the dim lamplight, like the brightest stars in the night sky. At that moment, they seemed to contain endless determination and perseverance.
The light in his eyes trembled slightly, then shone even brighter, like the indomitable flame deep within his heart.
Seeing this, Mikage Reio smiled mockingly: "Oh dear, your resentment isn't very appealing. After all, victory and defeat are common occurrences in war."
“I won’t lose, Rei-ou.” Tenno Minaka raised his head slightly, his gaze meeting Rei-ou’s. “I’m going back now. Thank you for chatting with me, Rei-ou.”
"As for this," Amano Minaka stood up, swirling the cup of milk tea in his hand, and said with a smile to Mikage Reio, "I refuse to accept this as compensation for the victor. Oh."
He suggested, "I'll give you the points."
"No need, it's just a few points." A sly glint appeared in Mikage Reio's eyes. "You can just exchange it with your LINE account."
In the dimly lit screening room, Ten no Michū had just finished showering. His wet, dark blue hair was casually draped over his shoulders, and a towel on his head gently absorbed the remaining water droplets. Occasionally, a few drops would slide down and splash up a fine mist that quickly dissipated into the air.
The projector was playing a recording of the match between Team Z and Team Y; to be precise, Tenno Minaka was watching the same scene over and over again.
Golden eyes wandered across the screen, clearly distracted, but even so, the hand holding the remote unconsciously pressed buttons, precisely bringing the scene back to that breathtaking moment.
"ah……"
A dim light filled the room as Team W's Number 7 strolled in. Upon closer inspection, he exclaimed, "Heavenly Guardian!"
"Are you watching Team V's match? Team V is pretty strong..."
Number 7 walked over and sat down next to Amanomichi, glanced at the screen, and exclaimed in disbelief, "Team Z?"
As a member of Team W, which has the highest number of goals scored in Building 5, he undoubtedly maintained a near-peak level of confidence under the halo of two consecutive big wins.
He firmly believes that almost no team other than Team V can pose a threat to them.
Number 7 rested his chin on his hand, pondering, "Team Z is ranked a little lower than Team Y, right? What's so special about them? Or is Tennoyu worried about that Suoh?"
"Thud—"
The room lights were turned on, and Number 10 strode into the screening room, grabbing Number 7 by the neck. "We have Tenno and Kira, we can definitely shut them out."
"You flatter me."
Kira Ryosuke heard this as soon as he entered the room, and encouraged everyone, "You guys are amazing too. This victory is the result of our collective efforts."
"That being said, I still yearn to showcase my unique style on the field." The number 7 player stroked his neck, his eyes gleaming with a desire for victory. "Striker, I want to play striker."
Upon hearing this, player number 10 frowned and said, "You? I don't think you're good enough."
The number 7 player was not to be outdone, looking directly at the center of the ball, but his words were directed at number 14, "You did perform well, but don't forget how you became a winger. I think everyone knows that."
Amano Minaka retorted, "Are you implying that I'm abusing my power for personal gain? This lineup maximizes everyone's abilities and doesn't need any changes."
He frowned, his fingers tapping irritably on the remote control in his hand.
"This arrangement is the best choice; they just need to be in the right positions and mesh together like gears. There's no need to put an unsuitable gear in an important position."
Player number 7 disagreed, saying, "We can't stay on the same team forever, so no matter how well the arrangements are made, it's useless."
Tenno Minaka's expression changed slightly, and he put down the remote control in his hand. "Your speed is slow, and your football IQ is average."
Ignoring the increasingly somber expression on Number 7's face, Tenno Minaka smiled with his head down, his eyes cold and sharp. "The defense is already your best option. The opponent can't break through Ryosuke's defense, nor can they steal the ball from him. You just need to stay in the back and stand in position. Why worry about these things?"
Arrogance and disdain were on full display at this moment.
For a moment, the room was completely silent.
Number 7 couldn't think of a rebuttal, and Number 10 didn't want to speak at all.
Ryosuke Kira spoke up to ease the tension, "We'll be playing two more games together, so it's good to work on our skills now."
"That's what everyone's thinking. If we keep keeping this lineup, it might not be good for us, right?" Number 7 said. "This is the Blue Prison of Selfishness."
Amano Minaka looked up at number 7, a ripple of emotion stirring in his golden eyes, and said in a cold tone, "Since everyone wants to play forward, let's draw lots. Whatever position we draw, we'll play that position."
Number 7 pouted in dissatisfaction, but still accepted the choice. He then waved to the back, and the other members of Team W came out.
In an instant, the small room was packed with people.
Ten no Minaka's golden eyes swept around, then he lowered his eyes, his expression changing slightly.
It looks like it was discussed a long time ago!
"If everyone is still awake, let's draw now."
Ten no Mi prepared a crumpled piece of paper with a location character on it and drew it first: "Right Edge".
Kira Ryosuke drew his number, "Left back."
Number 14, "Attacking midfielder".
Number 7 happily showed off the note, "Forward! It seems like the heavens are on my side."
...
"Why am I still a gatekeeper?" Yuanshan, who was suddenly woken up, was still sleepy. He randomly picked up a crumpled piece of paper, and after seeing the words on it, he froze instantly.
Kira Ryosuke poked the petrified Toyama, raised an eyebrow and smiled, saying, "Sometimes being a doorman isn't such a bad choice!"
Tenno Minaka turned off the lights in the locker room and left first. He turned to look at the W team players who were in the screening room. His golden eyes seemed to be ignited by a ghostly light in the darkness, flashing with an eerie and dazzling brilliance.
"It's late, everyone should get some rest. After all, we have a tough battle to fight tomorrow."
The corridor lights cast dappled shadows on his face, making Ten no Michū's already beautiful features even more profound, filled with an indescribable eeriness and sharpness.
As the lights went out, the W team players left one by one.
Kira Ryosuke quietly walked to the projector, preparing to take out the match recording and turn it off. The instant his hand touched the videotape, his gaze was captivated by a scene on the screen.
That was the amazing goal that Kiyoshi scored in the Z team's match against the Y team. The moment seemed to be frozen in time, frozen in Kira Ryosuke's eyes.
The ball traced a perfect arc in the air, carrying unparalleled power and speed, heading straight for the goal.
The whole world seemed to stand still, with only the trajectory of the football flying through the air remaining.
...
Kira Ryosuke slowly lowered his eyes, a feeling he couldn't quite describe welling up inside him. He gently took out the videotape, sighed deeply, then broke it in two and threw it into the trash can.
I see... is that so?
A note from the author:
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