(Part 2)

Rauf staring at the pitch sat stern. Orion glancing from the corner of his eye asked from behind, "Captain… what's with this seriousness? We are already about to win, shouldn't you be happy?"

Evan hearing him snorted questioning, "Hmph, happy? Does playing a single sided game like this makes you happy?"

"Orion…"Rauf called.

Orion turning around asked, "Hm?"

"Does looking at the sight before you makes you happy right now?" Rauf questioned.

Haruf too tapping his finger on the chair stared silent. Orion blinking his eyes looked at the others who sat beside him grave. Neither a smile nor a frown casing their faces, the highschoolers sat unsatisfied, wordless. 

"Like hell it does…" Senri replied keeping his leg over another, "It just makes us realize how weak we are instead."

Isa concerned continued, "Just think about it. If we were to face the world cup or even the approaching PSL this way and with this kind of team. What would happen?"

Ren smirked replying callously, "We'll be humiliated and made fun off. That's all that's gonna happen, your highness."

Orion surprised turned to Evan and Rauf back who stared at the field wordless. Nagi sighing shook his head, "Unbelievable…"

Kazuna standing up picked his gear.

Rauf glancing at him questioned, "Where are you going?" 

"Back to the dorms. Time's up. We won anyway. There's no need for me to stay here anymore." Kazuna responded straightforwardly heading back.Zach too standing up beside Aaron followed.The rest still seated.

Soon a huge six was smashed again with the target completed as Aigou raised his bat claiming victory. The middleschoolers parched and bewildered laid down on the ground. Neither happiness nor sadness taking over them they hid their faces. Some from their arms while the rest staring at the ground below.

"Such disgrace…" Luka cried wiping his tears as Theo consoled patting his back.

"Hiccup… If his highness would have been here… he would've been so disappointed… I feel so bad… hic, hic…" Silas too cried, hugging Damian who stood patting his hairs. His expression blackened. 

As if Day of Judgment cracked upon them, the middleschoolers stood lost and hurt. Elias walking over stood before them. Staring at them for a while, he gave his hand to Aryan who sat on the ground with his face buried into his knees.

"Well done… you did great. If we get time in the future, let's play together again." Elias remarked smiling.

"Liar…" Aryan whispered. "Liar! Liar! Liar!" he stood up vexed. "We played the worst! We tarnished the names of our teams and captains! We humiliated ourselves and were beaten so easily! Just say the truth already! Coating your lies in sweet words won't do neither you nor us any good!!" he panted bitterly. 

Elias surprised at his response took his hand away. His expression suddenly turning into a dejected one.

"You're right..." Aigou interrupted. His bat dangling behind his back he stood beside Elias continuing, "You played the worst and humiliated yourselves. You also tarnished the names of your teams and captains and were beaten ever so easily. You were a disappointment and no rivals at all. Are you happy now? Isn't this what you wanted to hear?"

Hearing him the middleschoolers gazed back at him deadly. Anger hovering their faces with disappointment, they gritted their teeth.

"However, you were cool too." Aigou remarked. "You were evolving and never giving up. You showed skills surprising even us though we countered them, they were still great. And, this is not sweet flattery, it's the truth. That's why… improve yourselves." he added earnestly.

Hearing him the middleschoolers calmed down.

"Fifty laps around the stadium with a 100 pushups starting tomorrow morning with supplementary lessons from coaches alongside your seniors…" Rauf headed over beside the others. "That is if you wish to surpass this defeat." he continued.

"Listen up you freaks, if not this year's then the next ones, you'll have to face the world no matter what! That is the sole reason for you to come here. But, to step out or not… depend solely on your course of action." Evan briefed. 

"Follow the schedule starting tomorrow if you want progress or else go home. This is the base's rule! The answer depends on you." Rauf told heading back towards the audience's seat. The highschoolers eyeing them seriously too headed back to the dorms.

"You are all strong… and believe me. You'll become even stronger. I can sense it." Isa encouraged.

Ren nodding patted Orion's head who stared at the middle schoolers silent. Elias chortling looked at Aigou and the middle schoolers back again. His eyes tracing Aryan he spoke up, "Boy… whatever I said right now, it wasn't meant to offend you. I meant it wholeheartedly. However, if it did hurt you, I apologize for it."

Looking at Aigou he asked, "Shall we go then?"

Aigou nodding in turn gleamed, "Yes!"

The middleschoolers surprised and stunned at the same time looked at each other puzzled.

"Let's ask Isa to brew us a good hot tea once we head back. I am tired~" Senri yawned as Noah chuckled.

"Yeah, that's great." Nagi concurred shoving his glasses up.

"Yeah! Me too! Me too! But I want milk!!" Aigou cheered.

"So they lost hun?" asked a hoarse voice as Rauf picked his gear up. A smile escaping his lips, he eyed the figure standing up in the audience stand, "So, you're back hun?"

"Of course, I am what else did you think?" the figure replied shaking his bottle right and left. 

"Nothing much. I just wondered if you'd stay away for long…" Rauf replied.

"Tch, don't mock me like that little one of yours. My head's spinning now after hearing it endlessly." Nidou clicked his tongue annoyed.

Rauf shaking his head amused replied, "I wasn't…"

Suddenly remembering Nidou pulled something out of his pocket. "Ah right… here you go." he said throwing the object towards Rauf who in turn caught in singlehandedly without batting an eye.

Rauf eyeing the object queried, "Alan's phone…?"

"Yeah, keep it safe. This damn block of his has been ringing ever since I caught it. Who knows, what kinds of thugs are behind that rascal? They won't even take a breath!" Nidou assumed annoyed.

Rauf clicking the phone open, smiled gently. Shutting it back he shoved it inside his pocket. "And, what's the situation out there?" he questioned. 

Nidou gulping the sports drink down replied, "It's just like how it was supposed to be. All according to the plan. Just 15 days to be approximate and they'll return. What about you?"

Rauf glancing up replied, "You saw with your own eyes. There's no need to ask." Shoving his hands inside his pockets he headed back.

Nidou instantly realizing called out, "Right, his password lock is your name, remember it!"

Rauf shaking his head grinned whispering, "Of course I know that…"

The stadium soon empty, Nidou sighed gazing at starry sky above. "Makes me wonder what those brats would be doing right now…?" he murmured inquisitive. Shaking his head, he stood up, "Sigh~ what's the point of thinking about that? Let's go and take a look." "Augh~ my back." he moaned standing up, "Tch! These rascals… always making the elderly run around looking after them…"

(Mountain range of No Return)[Current Location: Hill top] 

"Cough! Cough! Huff! Huff!" Poseidon coughed harshly. Sweat dripping his forehead with his gaze hazy, he knelt down amid the path clutching his chest tight. Alan turned around wide eyed as the rest surrounded puzzled.

"Vice-captain!" Ezekiel exclaimed anxiously as Helios removed the basket from his shoulders.

"Cough! Cough! Cough!" Poseidon coughed endlessly, pain lingering over his whole body, he groaned.

"What happened?!" Heber questioned puzzled. 

"Vice-captain Poseidon just collapsed out of nowhere. I don't know." Ezekiel uttered restless.

Cassiel walking over checked Poseidon's pulse while Feng searched for the medicine in his bag.

"Adam, are you alright?" Seraph asked patting his back as he too panted wildly beside Azazel who gritted his teeth sore. His arms and legs aching bleakly, he sat on the ground wordless. Kenzo eyed the sight stunned. The darkness of night hovering above them like a nightmare they all stood confounded.

"Xavier, show the light to me." Helios asked, as Xavier lighted the phone towards him.  Poseidon tracing the hazy figures rushing around him panted as cold sweat dripped his face ceaselessly. "Oh god…" he thought desperate. Tears on the verge falling, he gritted in pain, "Augh…!!"

"Hey, just hold on for a while. It's going to be alright." Gabriel consoled stroking his hairs. 

"It's heavy… it hurts…" Adam cried as Ryan tugged his arm over his shoulder supporting him.

"Here you go Helios!" Feng pointed the medicine towards him. Opening the water bottle, Poseidon drank the pill listless. His head resting over Helios's shoulder he closed his eyes forlorn. "He'll be fine, don't worry." Xavier consoled Ezekiel patting his shoulder.