Chapter 9: The Ball Falls From Grace! Disaster Strikes On The Field!

FYI

: Speech

(Tone/Context):

- Thoughts

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Kousuke lines up for the shot but Haru appears in front of him.

Haru: You have good eyes...

Kousuke: Huh? How did you you..?

Kousuke veers right but Haru appears there so quickly.

Kousuke- This guy! What the? How is he doing that?

Haru: But you're still not good enough.

Haru steals the ball right off of Kousuke and rushes forward with it as he passes the Ball to his teammate.

Kousuke- Damn it! We have to pull ahead! We can't be left in the dust like this!

Kousuke and Hirata chase after Haru who races forward with the ball as Kousuke catches up to him.

Haru- He caught up to me?

Kousuke shoulders up with Haru trying to stop him.

Haru: I thought I told you. You have good eyes. But that it isn't enough.

Haru speeds up as he then kicks the ball and it flies into the goal as the whistle blows and the score is brought up as Striker Team B (1) : Winger Team A (2).

Announcer: Another Goal from Tasogare Haru at the 15 minutes and 51 seconds mark!

Kousuke: Damn it!

Spectator 1: That Tasogare Haru is amazing.

Spectator 2: I can't believe my eyes!

Spectator 3: Seems like the kid is a real genius.

Hirata: It's fine. Let's score 2 goals for a comeback victory.

Kousuke: Yeah. You're right.

The two of them stand at Kick-Off with the ball at Hirata's feet.

Hirata: Let's go.

Hirata passes the ball to Kousuke as the 2 of them make a beeline for the goal passing between each other as Ichiro get's in position to intercept but Hirata ends up passing to a different teammate as that teammate passes to Hirata who tries a Direct shot only for it to be blocked by Ichiro as the ball flies off into an open space with none a near the spot but Kousuke.

Kousuke- Yes! Now it's in a position where no one can stop me!

Kousuke rushes to the ball preparing a kick but Haru appears opposing him sporting a Dark Blue Aura as he steals the ball and races towards the other side of the field with Kousuke and Hirata desperately trying to catch up and stop him.

Haru: I thought I told you two that you're not good enough!

Haru races through and scores the winning goal as the whistle blows and the crowd cheers.

Announcer: And It's over! The winners are Team White via a Hat trick from Tasogare Haru. And it's only been 18 minutes and 21 seconds.

Kousuke- No! God damn it! I didn't score even a single goal!

The scoreboard lights up with the results;

Striker Team B (1) [Hirata] : Winger Team A (3) [Haru, Haru, Haru]

Kousuke: Damn it! A Hat trick too! How could this happen? Damn it all!

Hirata: We lost? After all that? After everything we worked for? Damn it.

Kousuke collapses onto his knees.

Hirata: Kousuke are you okay?

Kousuke raises his hand slowly.

Kousuke: I'm fine. Just give me a second.

Kousuke slowly gets up onto his feet.

Hirata: So we really did lose huh.

Kousuke- What was I missing. Why couldn't win? And what was his Augmentation?

Hirata: We might have lost but I think I've found out what I'm capable of.

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Kousuke and his team enter their locker room to find a letter. Kousuke takes and opens it.

Kousuke: The order of matches for the Second Stage. First match ended 3-2.

Hirata: Ashina is the one you want to beat the most right?

Kousuke: How did you...

Hirata: I can see it in your face.

Kousuke smirks at this.

Kousuke: Our match was after that. And third and final match 2-1.

Kousuke- 2-1? How was Katsuo able to shut Arashi down like that?

Hirata: This Katsuo guy had to play 2 different matches.

Kousuke: Yeah I know him. He's crazy strong and fast. Probably even more so than Haru. But I still think Haru is the better player by quite a bit.

Hirata: Hey guys! We're being called over to the main estate!

Kousuke and his team then head off for the Main Estate.

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Kousuke and his team enter the Main Estate to see all of the teams that passes the first part of the first test present.

Yoshino: Welcome. Since the first set of matches has been completed we will now reveal the results of the latest popularity poll.

Kousuke-The latest results...

Yoshino: First place is Tasogare Haru with 530,000 votes.

Kousuke- 530,000? Seriously? He's gotten even more votes than before!

Yoshino: In second place is Oriyamaru Ashina with 265,000 votes.

Kousuke- He got less than before?

Yoshino: In third place is Oyakawa Katsuo with 175,000 votes.

Kousuke- It seems like Mr. Yoshino is going from most to least. Which means that Katsuo has more votes than me.

Yoshino: We then have Nozotsuki Kousuke has 90,000 votes.

Kousuke- Woah. A massive increase. More than double.

Yoshino: And finally we have Hasshinsha Arashi with 45,000 votes.

Kousuke- Arashi's in last place? He lost more than half of his votes. How the hell did he lose so many supporters? Could it be that when he injured himself that it was bad enough to ruin his performance this much? 

Yoshino: Additionally there have been offers for the regular divisions in regards to 4 players. All four of which have received interest from Kawasaki Frontale.

Hirata- Now it's my turn...

Yoshino: First is Sasaki Ichiro as a Center Back.

Yoshino: Second is Kinoshita Hirata as a Striker.

Yoshino: Next is Tanaka Sudou as a Left Forward.

Kousuke- That guy is on Ashina's team.

Yoshino: After that is Yoshida Kazuki as a Center Midfielder.

Kousuke: Hey congrats Hirata!

Hirata: Thanks Kousuke.

Kousuke: So what are you going to do while we wait for the next match to be announced?

Hirata: I think I'll head home to see my family for a week and then come back to train for the next match.

Kousuke: A whole week? I think I'll limit myself to 4 days. Wanna keep soaring higher if you know what I mean.

Hirata: Oh, yeah I know what you mean.

Kousuke: Well I'll see ya.

Hirata: Yeah.

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Kousuke arrives home as Haruka jumps to him as he catches her and gives her a hug.

Haruka: Welcome home Big Brother!

Kousuke: Thanks Haruka.

Hiyori: Oh Kousuke, you're home.

Kyojuro: Yes welcome home.

Kousuke: Yes, I'm home, Father, Mother.

Kyojuro: I was there at your last game. You were amazing out there.

Hiyori: Yes, it's too bad your team lost.

Kousuke grits his teeth a bit in frustration but then controls himself.

Kousuke: Yes it was too bad. Seems like I wasn't ready to face off against someone like Tasogare Haru.

Haruka (pouting): That's not true Big Brother! You're amazing! That jerk won't stand a chance next time!

Kousuke pats Haruka on the head.

Kousuke- She really looks up to me. But I really have no idea why.

Hiyori: How long are you going to stay?

Kousuke notices the look of his mother.

Kousuke- She's really missed me. All of them have.

Kousuke: I think I'll stay for a week.

Hiyori smiles happily.

Hiyori: Well it's getting late so I think I'll make your favorite today.

Kousuke drools at this a little.

Kousuke- Well, it looks like I'll have to train a lot to burn all of that off or there's no way I'll be able to keep up with monsters like Tasogare Haru. But it's not like I'm complaining or anything. Good food is good food and Football is Football.

Kyojuro: Well, you need to go to school while you're back but don't skip out on training, go to your old team to train a bit.

Kousuke: Sure I know.

They all sit down at the dinner table and have their meal.

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Kousuke enters his school as he notices people staring at him.

Schoolmate 1: Isn't he Nozotsuki Kousuke.

Schoolmate 2: Yeah but it's all just cheats in the end.

Schoolmate 3: Yeah but it's in their own division.

Schoolmate 4: So what? Cheating is cheating.

Kousuke ignores them as sits down in class staring out the window until it's break. Kousuke walks over to his old team.

Kousuke: I'm back guys.

Teammate 1: Hey. Welcome back!

Teammate 2: We saw you play in those matches. You were amazing.

Kousuke: Oh thanks.

Teammate 3: Plus your Augmentation didn't really seem to do anything so it was like you were doing all of that off of pure skill!

Teammate 4: Yeah it was amazing!

Teammate 5: What happened during your last match though? You swapped to playing like a Midfielder but not just that you went so hard into both defense and offense too.

Kousuke: I've realized that I'm more suited to the role of a midfielder. One that can stop goals and also make them happen.

Teammate 1: Isn't that a bit too greedy?

Kousuke: Guys I just...

Teammate 6: Yeah you'll just tire yourself out.

Teammate 7: Yeah if you tire yourself out too much you could get hurt out there.

Kousuke- Huh? Wait. What am I thinking? I've been playing with these guys so long. I know there's no way that they would do that.

Kousuke: You don't have to worry about me. Wait... where is Ren?

Teammate 4: You mean that you don't know?

Kousuke: What do you mean?

Teammate 8: He went to the same place as you.

Kousuke- What?

Teammate 3: What team was he on?

Teammate 9: Wasn't he with that guy?

Teammate 5: Yeah. His name was Oriyamaru Ashina right?

Kousuke- What? Ren what are you doing? Why are you on his team? Damn it. What are you doing over there?

Ren walks out to the training field to see Sudou who is 174cm and has a very bulky physique with black hair in a buzz cut with brown eyes.

Sudou: Hurry the hell up and pass Ren.

Ren passes the ball to Sudou who no look kicks it as it misses.

Sudou: What the hell are you doing? What kinda pass was that huh?

Ren: You messed up that shot on purpose!

Sudou: What did you say? For that crappy pass I was only gonna make you do 25 push ups but because you talked back you'll do 50 push ups now!

Ren- This jerk! He's been making up excuses for this kind of crap every since I got here! But he's our Captain so what can I do?

Sudou- Hey hurry the hell up with the push ups!

Ren begins doing push ups.

Ren- Damn it. I came here to defeat you Kousuke and bring you back. When I'm done you won't be worth a single yen. That way things can return to normal and we can play for Nationals again. That way we can leave all this Aura bullshit behind.

Sudou- In fact just for taking so long to start you're doing an extra 50.

Ren finishes his push-ups and walks up to Ashina.

Ren: What's our game plan for the coming match?

Ashina just walks away without saying a word.

Ren- Come to think of it. This guy really pisses me off a lot! He doesn't say anything at all and just let's that jerk Sudou do whatever he wants!

Sudou: I've got our plan ready alright? Ashina you're jobs the same as always. You just funnel me passes.

Ashina grits his teeth a bit in anger. Ren notices this but chooses not to say anything.

Ren: And what am I supposed to do?

Sudou: You're supposed to shut up and give me support. Pass the damn ball.

Ren- I really can't stand this guy at all.

Ren: Yeah yeah alright.

Sudou: Just stick to the plan alright?

Ren: Sure.

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To Be Continued In The Next Volume-Volume 002