Chapter 90 Football 90 - Bless Him
On the field.
A young man wearing a white jersey with the number 10 on it leaned slightly forward, his hands resting on his knees. His reddish-brown hair fell casually down, just enough to cover half of one eye, adding to his aloofness and impatience.
Looking back on yesterday's meeting, it was a complete mess.
At the start of the meeting, everyone was discussing tactical arrangements in a proper manner, but before long the topic gradually veered off course and turned into a farcical recruitment and lobbying exercise. In Sae's opinion, it would be better to play a good game of football with the German university students than to listen to their incessant nonsense.
This was just a simple five-on-five practice session. Apart from the goalkeeper, Bu Jiaoyuan, the other ten players were randomly divided into two teams.
Team A: Sae Itoshi, Akito Sendou, Teppei Otonashi, Kazuma Niou, Koki Suou.
Team B: Overly Aikong, Snake Maiden, Saboru, Wakatsuki Itsuki, Kira Ryosuke.
The referee's whistle blew in the distance, its sharp sound barely audible amidst the players' frantic heartbeats, and was instantly drowned out.
Like a shark that has smelled blood, Saetoshi Itoshi sprang into action instantly, flashing into the B team's midfield with lightning speed.
"!"
Snake Maitreya's pupils contracted instantly. He only saw a fleeting, reddish-brown afterimage before Itoshi Saeka appeared before him. The reddish-brown afterimage had long since disappeared from his sight, leaving only the salty, astringent scent of grass and sweat wafting towards him.
That speed... no wonder it's Itoshi Sae.
The snake came, and Maitreya thought with emotion.
Sae Itoshi's eyes were focused and sharp. He extended his left foot and gently brushed the side of the soccer ball with the outside of his foot. The black and white soccer ball, as if given life, deftly slipped through the gap between the two players' legs.
"Over here!" Akito Sendou quickly followed Sae Itoshi and shouted for him to pass the ball. But Sae Itoshi seemed not to hear him and continued to dribble forward.
Seeing this, Team B's Sabururi and Wakatsuki Itsuki immediately returned to defense, attempting to encircle Itoshi Sae. Black shadows loomed from all sides, and Itoshi Sae instantly realized he was surrounded. With a flick of his toe, he lifted the ball high with his heel, soaring over Team B's encirclement, grazing Akito Sendou's chin, and flying into the air.
"Your pass is here," Sae Itoshi said indifferently.
Before Akito could react, Sae Itoshi moved like a black lightning bolt, instantly appearing behind him and firmly placing the ball under her foot.
Before Akito could react, Sae Itoshi moved like a black lightning bolt, instantly appearing behind him and firmly placing the ball under her foot.
A perfect rainbow flick!
This rainbow flick was fluid and incredibly arrogant. The U-20 players seemed to be paused, the screen momentarily frozen, everyone staring blankly at Sae Itoshi.
"I told you, there's no one here who can catch my pass." His bean-red pupils reflected a cold light, gleaming like a hunter catching its prey.
"This guy is really... too self-centered." Kira Ryosuke's lips curled up slightly, a smile quietly appearing. The thrill of clashing with Blue Prison was back.
Sae Itoshi would be perfect for Blue Prison.
He made that definition in his mind without hesitation.
Saetoshi clicked his tongue in annoyance, his brow furrowed, and he impatiently tugged at his collar. Looking at the players' lackluster attacks around him, a strong sense of regret welled up inside him; he began to regret his decision to stay in Japan.
The fact that his temporary teammates, who were fighting against Blue Prison, were so weak made him wonder if Blue Prison's strength was really that bad.
Is it too late to leave now?
I should have gone to play football with German university students.
Just as Sae Itoshi lightly touched the soccer ball with the tip of her shoe, a milky white figure shot through the air like an arrow. Ryosuke Kira, like an icicle thawing from the deep sea, suddenly surged forward. His soccer shoe precisely cut into the gap between Sae Itoshi's legs, the movement swift and clean, without the slightest hesitation.
Her rosy eyes unconsciously shifted downwards, her gaze following Kira Ryosuke's every move.
Metal cleats scraped the turf, scattering grass stains, and the soccer ball stuck to Kira Ryosuke's instep.
That's interesting.
A flicker of excitement flashed in Saetoshi's eyes, his interest instantly piqued. He whirled around sharply, his right ankle twisting outwards at an incredible angle. The soccer ball, which Kira Ryosuke was about to steal, miraculously returned to his feet. Then...
He dribbled the ball across the center line, like a white lightning bolt, heading straight for the left side of the Group B penalty area.
Kira Ryosuke maintained the same speed as Itoshi Sae, staying close to him like a piece of chewing gum that he couldn't shake off, completely blocking his view.
"Itoshi-senpai." Kira Ryosuke greeted Itoshi Sae with a smile as he ran.
Sae Itoshi merely glanced at him coldly before speeding up, muttering, "Annoying guy."
Just as Sae Itoshi thought she was about to successfully shake off Ryosuke Kira, a tall figure suddenly appeared from behind Kira. Ofri Aikong's muscular body, like a small mountain, lunged at the soccer ball with a swift tackle.
Sae Itoshi's pupils contracted sharply, his body reacting faster than his mind. This was clearly a pre-arranged cooperative technique between the two. He inwardly cursed, realizing that despite his best efforts, he was no match for their teamwork and could only watch helplessly as the ball was snatched away.
“Itoshi-kun, football is a team sport, no matter what. You’ll lose if you just play by yourself,” Ofri Aikong said to him.
"Enough with the nonsense." Sae Itoshi frowned, her face full of impatience. "Losing? With your kind of sticky, possession-based football, you're far from good enough."
Sae Itoshi moved forward again, trying to win the ball back. However, Ofri Aikong was no pushover. Although he didn't have the decisive offensive flair, his impeccable defense was his forte. He moved nimbly and steadily, firmly protecting the ball at his feet, making it difficult for Sae Itoshi to get close.
At this moment, Team A's Akito Sendou, Teppei Otonashi, and Kazuma Niou moved swiftly, surrounding Overly Aiko from different directions. Kira Ryosuke seized the opportunity, darting past like a ghost from the side, disrupting the opponent's formation while steadily receiving Overly Aiko's pass.
"Well done!" Ofry Aikong shouted, praising Kira Ryosuke's cooperation.
Before Kira Ryosuke could even feel happy, a shadow followed the cheers.
Sae Itoshi had been lying in wait in the corner for a long time. He had seen through the weaknesses of everyone on the field and was ready to deliver a fatal blow. He seized the opportunity, quickly approached Ryosuke Kira, and with his outstanding individual skills, instantly stole the ball.
His bright red eyes quickly scanned the surroundings, his mind still calculating the best attack route. But just then, he was shocked to find nine figures rushing towards him from all directions, surrounding him completely.
Sae Itoshi's self-centered words and actions had already caused dissatisfaction among the players in his group. Now, his opponents have suddenly increased from five to more.
To everyone's surprise, Sae Itoshi seemed quite adept at handling situations where she was surrounded by multiple people. Perhaps it was her extremely self-centered personality that easily provoked the dissatisfaction of others; or perhaps it was because she had gone abroad alone for training at a young age and experienced countless hardships, which had already honed her ability to deal with all kinds of complex situations.
His eyes sharpened instantly, and he devised a way to break the deadlock.
Sae Itoshi once again displayed her dazzling rainbow dribbling skills. She had anticipated the speed and landing point in advance, and before anyone could react, she kicked without hesitation.
Sae Itoshi thought this way, and that's what she did.
That area was deserted—at least that's how it appeared to the members of Group B.
The guys in Group B, watching Sae Itoshi's movements, secretly speculated that this usually maverick genius center had finally given in and was about to pass the ball obediently. But when Sae Itoshi appeared with ghostly precision at the ball's landing point, they suddenly realized they were completely wrong.
You should know that this is the genius center Sae Itoshi who once declared "Japan will never become the world's number one" and even joked that "I was just born in the wrong country"!
He could reject even the olive branch offered by the national team without hesitation, so how could he easily give in?
"brush--"
Just as Saetoshi Itoshi was fully focused on controlling the ball, a figure suddenly appeared from his blind spot like lightning.
Sae Itoshi felt a slight chill. Although he had expected that there might be someone capable of receiving his ball on this court, he never expected it to be Koki Suoh.
Suoh Hyoki's legs were already brimming with power, like a fully drawn bowstring, ready to be released at any moment.
Like a hunter who knows his opponent's mind well, he "chosen" this excellent offensive plan faster than Saetoshi.
Having undergone brutal training at Blue Prison, Suoh Hyo-hee had a thorough understanding of the thought process of guys who didn't pass the ball and preferred to play one-on-one. Moreover, his intuition was as sharp as lightning, even faster than the speed of a football, allowing him to accurately predict the movements of everyone on the field.
Is this the advantage that comes with an extremely high vantage point?
Suoh Hyo-hee pondered to himself.
He suddenly kicked the ball, unleashing a powerful shot.
Sae Itoshi felt a blur before his eyes and stumbled around in a panic. But all he saw was the hem of Koki Suoh's jersey fluttering wildly in the wind, and a world-class goal whistling past like a cannonball!
The football, like a cannonball, instantly tore through the surrounding air, filling the entire stadium with a buzzing sound of wind breaking through.
Sae Itoshi subconsciously raised her hand and brushed her bangs, which were completely soaked with sweat, back behind her head. Fine beads of sweat clung to her eyelashes, obscuring the reddish hue beneath her eyes.
The setting sun bathed the locker room tiles in an amber hue. Sae Itoshi leaned back in a plastic chair, water still dripping from the ends of his rosy hair. He casually grabbed a half-finished sports drink, his Adam's apple bobbing as he gulped it down, but his gaze remained fixed on Koki Suoh as he strolled towards him.
Several empty plastic water bottles were placed next to the chair, indicating that they had been waiting for quite some time.
"Hello."
The mineral water bottle made a screeching sound as it was squeezed. Sae Itoshi kicked the chair with the tip of her shoe. "Have you ever thought about jumping out of this little pond? If you keep wasting your time here, your talent will eventually be ground to dust by the dogmas of Japanese football."
Sae Itoshi tilted her head slightly, her eyes filled with an undeniable certainty, as if she had already seen through Suoh Koki's predicament.
Fearing that Wang Xiaoxi might not have understood her meaning, Itoshi Sae added, "For example, Amanomi, I heard that the U-20 guys are handling matters related to going abroad to play football."
"He should have done that a long time ago. With his ability, if he had gone abroad earlier, he might already be a world-renowned figure on the football field." Sae Itoshi sighed softly, her tone tinged with regret.
"In Japan, if you spend too much time as a 'blood bank,' you'll actually start to believe that possession-based football is the essence of football. But luckily, he's still young and in his prime. Of course, so are you; there's no need to waste your talent in a small place."
Sae Itoshi leaned forward, the cool scent of cedar mixed with the smell of sweat wafting over you: "But an athlete's prime only lasts a few years. Instead of playing house with them here... we should find a new way out."
Suoh Hyo-hee stood quietly to the side, remaining silent. He lowered his eyes, his mind filled with a multitude of thoughts.
He knew more than Sae Itoshi; Amano Minaka had gone to help deal with the Blue Prison matter.
As for the so-called overseas travel arrangements, that's just another step in the Blue Prison's plan. Eishin Shiba intends to spend a huge sum of money to invite foreign players to participate, and under the guise of a club bidding process, will select the best players through multiple rounds of screening to ultimately choose the representatives for Japan in this World Cup.
But Sae Itoshi's words offered another perspective, and he unconsciously began to overthink it.
What if?
It's not impossible for him to leave.
If it really comes to that, how should I face him?
Or is it...?
Bless him.
Suoh Hyo-hee knew this was a choice that all gifted people had to make, but the bitterness churning in his chest wouldn't go away.
The burning ambition in the boy's golden eyes in my memory—this place is really too small.
Bless him.
Shine your light on a bigger stage.
Bless him.
An overwhelming wave of nausea washed over me.
Bless him.
I feel like throwing up.
Bless him.
It's impossible!
Sae Itoshi slowly pulled a business card from his backpack and handed it to Koki Suoh. He couldn't bear to see such an excellent striker gradually fade into obscurity in the limited world of Japan.
"If you are interested, you can call this number. This is my agent's contact information."
His tone was slightly stiff; after all, Sae Itoshi, who always did things her own way, was really not good at taking the initiative to extend kindness to others.
Suoh Koki paused slightly, then subconsciously took the business card. He stood there blankly, looking up at Itoshi Sae, whose expression revealed impatience.
The sun had slowly set, and apart from a few dim streetlights, the entire stadium was devoid of any other light source. The dim light fell on Sae Itoshi's face, causing Suoh Koki to momentarily lose his senses; Sae Itoshi and his younger brother Rin Itoshi looked remarkably alike.
In a daze, he even thought that the person standing in front of him was Itoshi Rin.
"What's wrong?" Seeing Suoh Koki's dazed expression, Itoshi Sae frowned slightly and asked coldly.
"Ah, did you know that Itoshi Rin is also in Blue Prison?" Suoh Koki asked quickly, snapping out of his daze.
“…I know.” There was a hint of barely perceptible annoyance in Sae Itoshi’s voice. He had seen a photo of the two of them together on Amano Minakata’s social media account. The thought of that always-temperamental guy made Sae Itoshi’s mood worse.
"Then why did you come to U-20?" Suoh Hyo-hee asked, somewhat puzzled.
"What does his presence in Blue Prison have to do with my coming to the U-20?" Sae Itoshi raised an eyebrow and asked rhetorically.
Suddenly, Suoh Hyo-hee seemed to understand something, blinked his eyes, and exclaimed in realization, "You two are arguing."
"Huh?" Sae Itoshi was furious at Suoh Koki's confident tone. He never liked to clarify things with others, so he just gave a perfunctory reply: "He's going through a rebellious phase, just ignore him."
"I'm leaving, I'm going back." Sae Itoshi picked up her backpack with one hand, rudely pushed aside Koki Suoh who was blocking her way, and left the court without looking back.
The empty stadium was left with only a few scattered ground lights, casting dappled shadows on the grass.
Suoh Hyo-hee curled up in the metal bench, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the edge of the business card. The gold-plated logo flickered in the dim light. Her hand rose and fell involuntarily, her mind filled with a thousand thoughts, unable to make a decision.
"Want to go abroad?" Ofri Aikong's carefree voice suddenly rang in my ears. He walked straight to Suoh Koki and sat down next to him, his tone full of emotion. "This is an invitation from the 'World's Best Center Forward'. You're recognized as a candidate for the 'World's Best Forward'."
As he spoke, he snatched the business card from Suoh Hyo-hee's hand and waved it in front of his eyes.
“…Aisora-senpai,” Suoh Koki called out helplessly.
Ofri Aikong reached out and gently patted Suoh Koki on the head, grinning, "With your ability, you'll definitely make it into the starting lineup."
His green eyes, identical to those of Suoh Hyoki, closed slightly, and he even gave a playful wink.
"Itoshi Sae's choice is quite wise. Think about it, doesn't it make sense? That guy Amanominaka definitely won't stay in Japan forever." Overe Aisaku crossed his arms, looking completely at ease.
"If he stays in Japan, he won't get much attention, let alone become a key player on the team. With his background, he'll either be worn down and become an unknown 'blood bag' or he'll have to go abroad to try his luck."
Overe-Akong suddenly lowered his voice, leaned closer to Suoh Hyoki, and said mysteriously, "Or, you could persuade his father to return to the country, and he could become the 'Crown Prince' overnight."
His expression held a hint of regret, and then, with the air of someone who had been through it all, he earnestly told Suoh Hyo-hee, "If he doesn't want to go to the team his father works for (England), I can help him get introduced to teams in Germany. With his ability, even if he's Asian, he'll definitely get the attention of a team."
The phone rang abruptly. Suoh Hyoki stared at the name flashing on the screen, his throat tightening suddenly. The instant he pressed the answer button, Offrey Aisaku wisely walked away.
Amano Minaka's voice, crackling with electricity, came through: "Kouki..."
“I saw Sae Itoshi. He’s joined the U-20. Do you want to come and see him?” Suoh Koki said into the phone.
"I know he's back in the country," came the voice from the other end of the phone.
“You are not on the roster for this competition,” Suoh Hyo-hee added.
"Are you... planning to go abroad?"
There was no one speaking from the other side. In the long silence, Suoh Hyoki could hear his own heart pounding. The wind whistled past the stands in the distance, swirling fine blades of grass against his legs.
Amano Minaka didn't know how to answer that question.
He had also considered going abroad.
He had originally planned to go abroad to study after winning the E-country friendly match, thus bidding farewell to football. However, after experiencing the brutal training at Blue Prison, especially after losing to Suoh Hyoki, he could no longer say he "didn't want to play football."
That feeling of resentment welled up in his heart again. Tenno Minaka knew clearly that if he stayed in Japan, his talents would likely be suppressed.
After a long silence, a solemn and firm promise came from the other end of the phone: "I will definitely work with Suoh Koki to become number one in the world."
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Author's note: A section has been revised and is missing.
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