Chapter 54 Extra - Skipable - One of a Thousand Options...
The Kanagawa children's soccer tournament has ended.
The match was held at the Kanagawa ACE Football Association. As a long-established football club in Japan, ACE's locker room is as old as its history.
It was very small, very dilapidated, and very old.
The lounge and the sports equipment room are combined into one, separated only by a curtain.
A little boy hung upside down on the horizontal bar in a slightly playful pose, his dark blue hair drooping down due to gravity, causing a slight tickle. His gaze, peering through the half-open curtain, was fixed on Sae Itoshi, who was busy changing clothes inside.
"Sae, I feel like you've gotten weaker lately."
Ten no Michū's voice echoed clearly in the empty dressing room.
The movements of Sae Itoshi, who was inside the curtain, visibly paused the moment he heard those words. The clothes in his hands seemed to suddenly become heavy. He frowned slightly, his eyes showing both displeasure at being questioned and deep reflection on his own state.
He quickly recovered and continued what he was doing, but his voice, coming through the gap in the curtain, sounded somewhat muffled yet forceful: "Huh? You lazy bum who's always slacking off, do you have the right to talk to me like that?"
His words revealed his dissatisfaction with and rebuttal to the evaluation of Amano Minaka.
"Where did I slack off?" Ten no Michu gently swayed on the horizontal bar, seemingly trying to prove his innocence with his actions.
Sae Itoshi stopped what she was doing. Although the curtain blocked direct eye contact, her gaze pierced through the gap in the curtain and precisely locked onto the figure of Minakata Amano.
“Failure to complete training tasks on time, feigning illness to skip training, arguing with the coach, and disobeying orders.” Sae Itoshi’s words were like a machine gun, each word clearly entering Minaka’s ears.
Sae Itoshi had changed his clothes and stepped into the room, lifting the curtain. His green eyes looked particularly cold in the dim light, as if they could see through everything.
Amano Minaka met his gaze silently, while Itoshi Sae said nothing more. She quickly and efficiently packed her backpack, walked past Amano Minaka with an unquestionable air, and gently closed the door.
The door was pushed open again, and a middle-aged coach stepped into the room with a gentle yet authoritative smile on his face.
"I have kept my promise to you, can you tell me now?"
Tenno Minaka jumped off the horizontal bar, landing steadily on both feet, his eyes fixed on the coach.
"Where is that genius who is even more outstanding than Sae!"
The coach shook his head slightly and shrugged, seemingly keeping the conversation a secret.
"have no idea."
The answer was simple and direct, instantly plunging Ten no Minaka's heart into despair.
Are you kidding me?
Amano Minaka's brows furrowed, his tone filled with dissatisfaction and doubt. His golden eyes seemed to flicker with flames, burning with the anger of being fooled.
The coach smiled mysteriously, deliberately avoiding the sensitive topic.
"But I know his name."
He spoke slowly, each word like a carefully chosen musical note, striking a drumbeat in the heart of Amanomi. "Rin."
“Rino?” Amano Minaka repeated the name, his brow furrowing slightly, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes. “Is she a girl?”
The coach did not directly respond to his guess, but instead changed the subject and brought up another topic: "Your father came to watch your game, and he was very angry about your behavior during the game."
These words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing the emotions that had just risen within Tenno Minaka.
"Whatever, I don't want to play football anymore anyway." Tenno Minaka waved his hand impatiently, his tone full of weariness with football.
No matter how much training he falls behind, he can still beat the regulars, posing no challenge to Tenno Minaka.
"This is no fun at all, let's go play ping pong instead."
The coach watched his departing figure, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes, and murmured thoughtfully, "...Is that so?"
After the dull thud of the gate slowly closing, Amano Minaka stepped into the unfamiliar outdoor environment. A gentle breeze from Kanagawa, carrying a hint of the sea, seemed unable to dispel the bewilderment in his heart.
He looked around, his gaze inadvertently drawn to the cheers and laughter coming from afar, towards the direction of the stadium.
"Rin, well done."
The familiar yet unfamiliar syllables, like a magnet, drew Tenno Minaka's footsteps, making him walk towards the court involuntarily.
As they got closer, Tenno Minaka saw two children playing on the green field.
The child with rosy hair was gently rubbing the head of the shorter child with dark green hair with his tender hands.
The same shade of green met in their eyes.
rino?
It's Rin, right?
That genius who's even more amazing than Sae?
At this moment, memories of the past come flooding back like a tide.
From the time Amanomichi took his first steps, his father, a football manager, saw his talent with the keen eyes of a hawk and resolutely led him down this challenging path.
Amano Minaka is undoubtedly outstanding; his self-discipline and perseverance are admirable. He has been immersed in football since childhood, meticulously completing both basic training and skill improvement.
He doesn't dislike the sport, but he can't feel the same deep love for football as Sae Itoshi.
Playing football is more about living up to my talent and not letting my father down.
As he grew older, Ten no Michū gradually realized that those friends who had fought alongside him were finding it difficult to keep up with his pace.
No one could understand Amano Minaka's thoughts, and no one could receive Amano Minaka's pass.
Therefore, Tenno Minaka could only suppress his talent and deliver one standard and suitable pass after another to his teammates.
Nevertheless, it is impossible to narrow the gap between them.
Apart from Sae Itoshi, who is also a genius.
Looking at the two children on the court, a strange emotion welled up in Tenno Minaka's heart.
He stared into those green eyes that seemed to be copied and pasted, and his pace quickened unconsciously. "Sae, where did this little guy come from?"
Upon hearing this, Sae Itoshi gently spun the ball at his feet, placing it steadily beside him. Sweat trickled down his resolute chin, which he casually wiped away with the back of his hand, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes: "This is Rin, my younger brother."
After saying that, his eyes revealed a deep sense of pride in his younger brother, "A shooter with unlimited potential, no less than me."
Upon hearing this, Tenno Minaka's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile, but he deliberately put on a disdainful look, his fingers unconsciously rubbing lightly in his palm, as if searching for a reason to refute him.
"Really? He looks... well, quite young."
He deliberately dragged out his words, while exaggerating the height difference between himself and Itoshi Rin, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes, "Indeed, so short."
Seeing this, Rin Itoshi nervously clutched the hem of Sae Itoshi's robe with her small hands and called out in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, "Brother...brother."
Seeing this, Tenno Minaka's smile widened, and his tone was somewhat provocative: "I think we should let him stay at home and grow taller first."
Upon hearing this, Sae Itoshi frowned slightly, took out a clean handkerchief from her pocket, and gently and meticulously wiped the sweat from Rin Itoshi's cheeks, her eyes filled with love and care for her younger brother.
He looked up at Tenno Minaka, his tone carrying an undeniable firmness: "I think you also need to learn how to respect people. With your attitude, it's only a matter of time before Rin surpasses you."
Upon hearing this, Rin Itoshi's eyes flashed with determination. She puffed out her chest and declared loudly, "That's right! I will become the world's number one striker!"
That youthful yet resolute voice echoed in the air, filled with boundless anticipation for the future.
Amano Minaka was taken aback by the sudden aura. He was stunned for a moment, and his gaze fell again on Itoshi Rin's green eyes filled with water. He couldn't help but think of Suou Koki, who always asked him to play soccer.
"Heh, how interesting. However, a genius like Sae isn't someone just anyone can understand." Amano Minaka deliberately dragged out his words, trying to provoke the other party. "You're still too green."
"No way!" Rin Itoshi suddenly looked up, her eyes wide open, her voice, though childish, was unusually firm, as if she wanted to prove herself with all her might, "I will prove it to you!"
"Huh?" Amano Minaka was startled by the deafening voice and turned to Itoshi Sae, saying, "So what if he's a brother? If you really understood him, you'd be standing next to Sae, wouldn't you?"
"You are still too weak. The weak have no right to choose."
Rin Itoshi covered her eyes with her arm to stop the tears from flowing and quickly left the court.
"Did I say something wrong?" Tenno Minaka looked at Itoshi Rin's retreating figure and pouted. "Aren't you going to go after him? He seems really upset."
A hint of impatience flashed in Sae Itoshi's eyes. She coldly tossed out a sentence: "If you can't speak properly, then speak less." Then she hurriedly chased after him, leaving Tenno Minaka standing there alone, her heart filled with mixed feelings.
The sun was still shining brightly on the field, but it felt exceptionally empty and desolate.
Tenno Minaka slowly lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes casting a faint shadow beneath her eyelids, her heart seemingly filled with emptiness.
"Oh dear, I'm so sorry!"
A slightly panicked voice broke the silence, and then a force suddenly struck him, causing Tenno Minaka to stagger a few steps.
"My comic book!"
A lazy voice then rang out, tinged with urgency.
A comic book that had accidentally fallen from my arms drew an arc in the air.
As if possessing precognitive abilities, the white-haired boy gently lifted his right foot and precisely stopped the comic book that was about to fall in mid-air.
With a gentle flick of his toe, the comic book soared into the air and was precisely caught by the outstretched hand of the white-haired boy.
This series of movements was so fluid and graceful that it was breathtaking.
After completing this series of dazzling maneuvers, the white-haired boy merely glanced at Amano Minaka without lingering in his eyes for long before lowering his head again to continue immersing himself in his manga world, walking and reading.
This is just a small episode in daily life, because there's more to come.
That clingy guy came to ask me to play soccer again.
"You want to play soccer?" Tenno Minaka gently bit his popsicle, his eyes vacant as he looked at Suoh Koki, who was full of anticipation.
"Yes, that's right."
Unable to quell his passion at all, Tennoyuu could only take him to the soccer training field and randomly find two peers to play in the second team.
"If we lose, I will never play football with you again."
"Absolutely not! We will definitely win."
Standing on the wing, Tenno Minaka listened helplessly to Suou Koki's impassioned speech.
...Just find an angle to get injured and leave the game.
Amano Minaka's gaze swept across the field, but he was secretly plotting how to make a graceful exit.
As the match began, Tenno Minaka's touches were precise and powerful, while Suoh Koki seemed to be struggling.
Despite Suoh Koki's best efforts, he always fell just short. Amanomichi occasionally glanced back and saw Suoh Koki's figure, drenched in sweat yet still relentlessly determined, and a sense of impatience welled up within him.
It's so annoying. I have to play football games with these weaklings even during my break.
Tennoichi kicked the ball hard, sending it flying in a perfect arc into the top corner of the goal.
The moment the goal was scored, the annoyance in my heart seemed to dissipate considerably with the crisp sound of the ball hitting the net.
"How about next time?"
During a break in the match, Tenno Minaka tried to suggest ending the game in a relaxed tone, but when he turned to look at Suoh Koki, he was completely overwhelmed by the latter's enthusiasm.
Suoh Koki ran excitedly to Amano Minaka, his eyes shining with admiration: "Amazing! You managed to score from such an almost impossible angle!"
"You will definitely become the world's number one player in the future!"
This sudden praise was like warm sunshine, instantly illuminating Tenno Minaka.
Amano Minaka was stunned. He never imagined that he, who was often jokingly called a "lazy guy," would hear such sincere praise from someone else at this moment.
"Uh..." Tenno Minaka suddenly came to his senses and realized that Suoh Koki's face was so close that he could clearly feel the warm breath he was exhaling when he spoke, which made him take a slight step back.
"Give me another chance, okay!"
Suoh Hyoki's voice carried an undeniable firmness, as if an invisible force was propelling him forward.
Looking into those eager eyes, with the words of praise echoing in his ears, Tenno Minaka finally nodded gently, without uttering a word of refusal.
The game resumed, and the situation on the field didn't seem to change much despite Tenno Minaka's concession. He continued to move freely around the field as before.
A strange feeling welled up in his heart, and green flames seemed to burst forth from within him, instantly enveloping Tenno Minaka's entire body.
A broader perspective elevates perception, making one's senses more acute.
besides……
The thoughts of others (Suoh Hyo-hee) kept flooding into his mind.
Tap tap tap, the sound of hurried footsteps rang in my ears, gradually synchronizing with the beating of Tennominaka's heart.
He felt an unprecedented sense of understanding.
Is this the place?
With a gentle flick of his toe, the black and white ball flew towards the opponent's defense at an incredible angle. The opponents scrambled to react, but Suoh Koki, as if he had foreseen everything, appeared at the ball's expected landing point and steadily controlled it at his feet.
"I saw all the movements clearly!"
Wang Xiaoxi shouted excitedly, and then a precise shot cut through the air, the ball hitting the back of the net.
The final whistle blew, but Tenno Minaka was still immersed in the shock of the match, his excitement unable to subside. He looked down at his hands, which were trembling uncontrollably with tension and excitement.
"What is that? It's that thing that appeared during the game... It seems like I can receive your thoughts, I can understand your every move. What exactly is it?"
He looked up at Suoh Hyo-ki, his eyes filled with doubt and confusion.
Suoh Hyo-hee shook his head, his face also filled with confusion: "I don't know either, it just appeared so suddenly."
He had more important questions to ask.
"We won! Can we play soccer together from now on?"
Their green eyes sparkled with anticipation, as if they couldn't wait to step onto that green field that belonged to them once again.
When Tenno Minaka's eyes heard the word "playing football," they dimmed involuntarily, as if they had suddenly lost all their luster.
"You can play with other people too... With this ability to synchronize with others, you can win no matter who you team up with."
"But none of them are you! Only you can guide me."
"I will only cooperate with you, and I will try my best to understand your movements."
Suoh Koki directly named this ability using the term Amano Minaka used to describe it—"Synchronization".
Suoh Kōki's promise was as solemn as a vow, gradually calming Amanomi's heart.
"We will become number one in the world together!" Suoh Hyoki's words were filled with unwavering determination and confidence, as if the whole world was shaken by them.
Amano Minaka was also infected by this passion. He took a deep breath, his eyes shining with an unprecedented light.
The sound of their hands striking each other is crisp and powerful, symbolizing that an unbreakable vow has been made.
"But becoming number one in the world isn't that easy. Football is a team sport, and we can't do it alone." Tenno Minaka's words brought Suoh Koki back to reality.
"How's that guy doing?"
Suoh Hyo-hee suddenly pointed to another court, where a boy with milky-white hair was training intently.
Following his gaze, Tenno Minaka saw that the boy seemed to sense their attention, stopped what he was doing, and smiled and nodded at them.
The beauty mark under his eye shimmered slightly in the sunlight, adding a touch of mystery and charm to the boy with milky-white hair.
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Author's Note: Towards One:
Trigger condition: Make Itoshi Rin cry.
Achieve the CG Demon King and follow in the footsteps of Itoshi Rin.
Option Two:
Trigger condition: Pull Nagi Seishiro to play soccer.
A genius who achieves double the CG, he enters Hakuho with Nagi Seishiro and is then recruited by Mikage Reio.
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