(Part 9)

Heading towards the batting crease Xavier turned around to face the middle schoolers. The middle schoolers waved.

"Way to go Xavi, Xavi! Beat him up! Haha!!" cheered Adam as Seraph patted his head. Helios who was relieved turned around to walk up.

"Where are you going Captain?" Ezekiel asked puzzled.

Kenzo hearing him too followed behind with Gabriel.

"It's the final breaking point. Let us enjoy it to our fullest just like he wants us to." Kenzo explained, pointing towards Xavier.

Soon the middle schoolers who were standing since the beginning of the challenge finally settled down assured.

"It feels as if watching a movie now." Heber shivered excitedly sitting between Feng and Poseidon.

"Yeah, Xavier's movie." added Cassiel.

Kenzo and Seraph sat beside Seles. "You all seem pretty calm hun?" Seles asked.

"Of course we do. Since, out Ace has taken the base." declared Kenzo ardently. Ryan sitting above smirked, "Just watch now old man. How he rules the very end."

The highschoolers staring middleschoolers pondered. "Just who is this brat? The whole atmosphere changed on their side." Ren asked serious. "

Yeah, even the kings of the boards settled down. As if they are 100% sure to win this game." Noah continued.

"It's not as if. They are sure. After all, the last queen has begun to move. That means, it's time for the final checkmate." Isa rectified, "The only difference is, the one who says it first."

Kazuna tapped his finger on his knee. "What's bothering you?" Orion inquired. Kazuna glancing a look at him sighed, "I'm afraid… the final is not always sweet." Senri and Orion looked at each other confused.

Rauf stared at the pitch seriously. Evan stood beside him. "Is he the one?" he guessed. "Hm." Rauf nodded.

"Who?" Haruf inquired jumbled.

"That boy Xavier, Hugo Mir Graham's friend. He is the one to achieve a Hetric in the national's final with him. The most mysterious one out of all." explained Evan.

"So he is one of the prince's right?" Haruf gleamed over his usual assumptions. Nidou eyeing Xavier and Alan gulped his sports drink nonchalant.

Alan standing on the pitch traced his right arm soon looking at his front which looked black. "Xavier Ibn Zain, the most mysterious player out of all middle schoolers. Research says he is the type of player who doesn't even know his own limits. A highly genius boy born once in a millennium… It just makes me wonder what kind of delivery I should even bowl towards him?" he thought hopping on the ground immediately rushing towards the crease.

Nagi stared at his journal for a while stern, soon briefing, "The last of the middle schooler's challenger Xavier Ibn Zain, a 3rd year middle schooler and a Mysterious cricketer. He is a skilled All-rounder who is an ambidextrous baller excelling in delivering all kinds of Pace deliveries. Amongst them, his infamous ones are high speed fast balls, Yorkers, Bouncers, Knuckle deliveries and Seam balling. Whereas, from his batting side, he is a right handed player who counters dangerous spins. He is the current Vice-captain of Aitcheson academy and who along with his team and its captain had won this year's national cricket tournament. Moreover, his abilities…" he suddenly halted in between.

The high schoolers confused turned around. "You stopped again." Ren recalled.

Nagi taking a deep breath turned his journal around for everyone to take a look.

"It's empty…" he spoke earnestly.

The highschoolers who were stunned to see only two lines filed on his brief blinked their eyes puzzled.

"What the…?" asked Senri and Noah baffled.

"How can you expect me to explain when I don't even know myself." ended Nagi astonished himself.

Kazuna glancing from the corner of his eye stared at the pitch once again. "But, there could be something right? You know, like abilities he used in the past or in the nationals or his main ones?" asked Aaron confused.

"Yes, there must be something!" endorsed Aigou as Orion nodded. Isa looking at Nagi wondered.

"There is, but it won't be that convincing. His skills which are not even fully discovered by the base, earned him the title of a 'Genius once in a Millennium'. Regardless, the records say that his batting and fielding are high-class while his balling is unique in his own way while he is incredibly mysterious. In the past, there was only a single person who gauged his limits out once and that was Hugo Mir Graham his best friend and Aitcheson academy cricket club's captain as well whereas, none else ever since then. And the most surprising thing of all… is his IQ level. It exceeds even Cassiel's or mine's, No, even a highest tier genius up to 210%." Nagi stated. The highschoolers stared thunderstruck.

"Two? Two… two hundred and ten?! Is this even possible?!" Isa stuttered stunned while Zachariah stared dazed.

"It is." spoke Rauf tracing all of them, "And that's the reason why I've invited him here."

Nidou ticking his file informed, "He is an owner of a Realm, with an ability of instant premonition which comes over him out of the blue, in the meantime ruling multiple counters as well. However, none knows there exact limit. That is why, we have to gauge it out. For that boy is there ace and our greatest threat." The highschoolers gazed at Xavier silent.

"A realm?!" uttered Aaron speechless.

"I am flabbergasted…" Senri added in disbelief.

"Yeah, such a genius plays such a minor role. I still don't believe it. Seriously, and I didn't even thought of him as a peril before Elias continued. Zach glanced at Kazuna in wonder. Rauf looked at Alan and then Kazuna stood quiet.

"So that's what Kazuna meant… not every finale is sweet one." Orion gulped.

"But… not every finale is bitter too…" Kazuna stood up walking towards Alan's resting bench soon settling down. A silent smirk resting over his face. The highschoolers eyeing each other stared at him anxiously.

Alan running towards the pitch stepped on the popping crease delivering the first ball of the over towards Xavier. As soon as he threw the ball a sudden thunder roared amid the sky as it turned grey.

"Huh?" Xavier looked up.

Distracted by the thunder, Mikael and Theo called out loud, "Xavier! Stay focused!" Xavier hearing their voices smiled eyeing the ball which approached towards him.

"It's an out swinger!" read Adam.

Xavier closing the gap between the approaching ball which aimed outside the wicket line was slammed towards the off side boundary claiming a four. The middle schoolers sighed in relief.

"Phew…! And here I thought he was distracted." Ezekiel exhaled.

Ryan on his comment smirked, "Distracted? Are you kidding me? Like he would ever be. He might tend to show as if he's distracted by the slightest things when he actually is all focused. Just like, an angel beside you descending as a fierce devil on the pitch."

"Heh, if he would have been a guy like that, would I have settled down in the first place?" Kenzo remarked. Xavier swung his bat over his head informing, "Looks like, it will rain soon, Alan."

Alan sensing the changing weather agreed, "Seems so, no wonder the wind felt harsher than before."

Xavier nodded beaming heart fully taking his position, "It's great. Let's go once again before it dies down…"

"He's clever." whispered Ren. "Of course he would be. Would someone name him an ace if he turned out to be a fool?" Orion remarked speechless. "The first delivery seemed fine." Noah studied relieved.

"Yup, and something tells me, that horrors are coming up next." added Senri. "Come on, just quit it for once! You seeker of bad omen!" shrieked Aaron in disbelief.

Alan heading back twirled the ball in his hands soon rushing towards the balling crease. As soon as he stepped onto it his grip turned peculiar, he whispered lightly, "Stop, drop, roll… vanish."

The middle schoolers hearing his call exclaimed, "Ghost delivery?!" "Hey, hey Kenzo. It's the same one you faced before right?" Adam inquired. Kenzo staring at the pitch nodded, "Yes it is."

"How was it like?" asked Poseidon curious.

"I couldn't grasp it just by facing it once but one thing is for sure that it can't be ordered and even if it is ordered, it would act all differently than expected. From what I judged, Alan put a weird spin on the ball which dies the moment hit on the pitch and rolls instead." he explained.

"But won't it be considered a dead ball if it rolls on the pitch?" asked Azazel confused.

"No it won't, because it gives an illusion of being slowed down when in reality it rolls. So the umpire won't call it a dead delivery even if well tell him a hundred times. And the moment it hits the bat it vanishes. After that, I don't even know myself, how it turned out to be a four rather than a six." Kenzo continued to explain.

"Weird…" Seraph mused.