[19] Mock Battle (2)

"Gather up!"

Kousuke yelled out to the freshies, instructing them to form a circle around his front.

And as they did so, Kousuke didn't waste any time and took out a small whiteboard with red and blue chips on it, representing the players.

"I won't explain it twice so listen carefully. We'll be using a 3-5-2 formation for this match..."

"..."

"Its flexibility allows us to maneuver between offensive and defensive while offering us to dominate the midfield battle with the three MF..."

Kousuke started explaining the formation to the team which they quietly did so, making sure not to miss a single word.

"This formation relies on disciplined and well-trained players so if we lose, it's on you and not me"

"..."

The team was again in disbelief at the audacity and shamelessness of this man.

To further blame them when they lost was too much and he was the one who proposed the battle in the first place.

Instructing them to defeat experienced and older players all of a sudden without their consent.

It was too much pressure for most of them...

Now they wondered if they should deliberately lose just to annoy this guy.

"Now for the positions..."

Without asking, Kousuke began assigning each and every one of them despite their past positions.

"Wait! I'm a right-wing player. Why'd you assign me as a center-back?"

"You have a problem?"

"Ye-"

The young man was about to answer back when Kousuke ruthlessly smacked his leg with his cane.

"Keuk?!"

"Deal with it"

"W-What...?"

"Either accept or don't play at all"

"..."

Those players who were about to complain immediately shut their mouths, afraid that they might get smacked or worse...

Be expelled from the team.

With no other choice, they kept their protests under their throats and quietly gritted their teeth in frustration.

Of course, there were some fortunate ones who had their positions unchanged.

Izumo for example was assigned as a forward, much to his relief.

If it were any other position such as center-back or worse, a goalkeeper, then...

He would have been the one to smack this guy regardless of the hierarchy.

"Chop, chop! Let's get this moving everyone. I still have a date to catch up this evening"

"..."

Pretty much almost all of them had their foreheads popped with veins after hearing the words uttered by the man.

But alas, they can't do anything since he's the coach.

They could only endure their frustrations and take it out on their soon-to-be opponents.

'I see... he's acting like this to irritate them and turn that anger toward the match'

Izumo thought, quietly taking a glance at the man called Kousuke who was picking out boogers in his nose without a care in the world.

'...Or maybe he's just an ass'

Without any suspense, both teams started setting themselves on the field at the beckon of their coaches.

It was only when the freshies put themselves in front of their seniors did they realized how nervewracking it was.

The aura that the senior players were showing was that of a veteran.

Unlike them who had merely played in middle-school level tournaments...

The ones in front of them were old-timers who had experienced twice the difficulty, perhaps even thrice.

Gulp...

As if it were a domino, the freshies started swallowing their saliva consecutively.

Although they were clearly nervous...

But they didn't let it consume them as each and every one of them showed a determined look.

After all, this was their chance to show off in front of their coach and possibly be made into regulars if it caught his eye.

Who wouldn't want to be a star?

Just the thought of it instantly erases any nervousness as desires emerge on their faces.

And with a flip of a coin, the first kick-off was unfortunately given to the old-timers.

Whistle!

The moment the whistle sounded, the opposing forward nonchalantly kicked the ball and passed it backward toward his team.

With the ball in their possession, the seniors didn't rush in immediately and gradually invaded the freshie's side, constantly passing the ball to each other left and right, preventing steals.

This frustrated the first years since the ball kept flying around and having no choice but to exert stamina to chase it.

Furthermore, the formation the freshies painstakingly set up was destroyed shortly after due to their lack of composure.

"This can't go on!"

Saiki, the one who was originally a right-wing but became a center-back instead, grumbled as he charged toward where the ball was, completely breaking their already messed-up formation.

Meanwhile, Kousuke who was on the sideline had his face crumpled as annoyance was written all over his face.

"Hah!"

Saiki yelled out and lunged his leg toward the ball, hoping to steal it but the senior who had it just smiled and dribbled the ball, safeguarding it.

With a flick of the heel, the senior passed the ball on his right toward his teammate when Izumo appeared out of nowhere and intercepted it.

"...!?"

Not wasting any time, Izumo immediately performed a long cross as the ball arched in the sky before it landed in front of Akai, the attacking midfield.

"C-Counter!"

Akai stuttered due to surprise as he never expected the ball to come to him.

Regaining his composure, Akai instantly rushed toward the enemy's side alongside the three other midfielders, immediately switching to an offensive formation.

With quick plays there and here, the four midfielders surprisingly managed to invade the senior's side.

Sadly, Taichi, the defensive midfield got greedy and solely charged forward, thinking he could score a goal before he was ruthlessly intercepted and got the ball stolen.

"Sh*t!"

That fatal mistake of his caused the seniors to start counterattacking, performing quick passes to each other as before long, they yet again appeared on the freshies' side.

And not long after, the forward of the senior team received the ball from a pass and instantly charged ahead, straight toward the goal.

"Not on my watch!"

Saiki and the other two center-backs rushed and blocked his way, giving the senior no choice but to pass...

Is what they thought happened.

Unfortunately for them, it was a fake as the senior pulled the ball back immediately, causing Saiki to lean and open a gap toward their defense.

In an instant, the senior cut toward the gap and expertly dribbled his way out of the tight press, leaving the three center-backs gobsmacked by what happened.

This left the freshies's backline undefended with the goalkeeper as the only obstacle on the way.

Still rushing forward, the senior tensed his legs and halted his steps as he pulled his left foot back, looking as if he was about to shoot.

And he did as the ball flew in the air but Kouji, the goalkeeper had already anticipated and predicted its trajectory, appearing right in front of it.

"Hmph!"

Kouji grunted with an impassive face and was about to grab the ball when another senior leaped and lunged toward the ball, emerging out of nowhere as the ball was kicked mid-air and changed its course.

"...!!"

With no suspense, the ball soared inside the net, giving the first point to the old-timers.

"..."

Kouji watched in silence, still with an impassive face as the ball rolled toward his feet after hitting the net.

It was when Kouji was about to extend his hand toward the ball that a commotion happened, bringing his attention to it.

"What were you doing?!"

Saiki rushed toward Taichi and grabbed his collar, showing anger and frustration.

"What?"

"Dafuq do you mean by what?!"

"..."

"If you had just played safe, we could have scored!"

Taichi's face crunched up in clear frustration after hearing his words before he suddenly sneered.

"So? What about you?"

"...?"

"You got fooled by a fake and cost us a goal!"

"You bastard!"

Taichi and Saiki were about to rumble when both Akai and Izumo pulled them apart from each other while the other freshies just watched in silence.

"What a mess this is"

Izumo sighed, silently watching Akai trying to pacify both Tachi and Saiki.

It hasn't even been 15 minutes and the atmosphere was already tense.

"Seriously..."

Izumo sighed again as he went back to his position and so did the others.

He was wondering if it was time to step up before he shook his head and denied the thought.

'No... it's not the right time yet'