045. First Game Part 4

After the kickoff that was done by Cleon and Haldir, Hellcat intensified its offense.

Windart players that felt themselves on the upper hand were surprised. But they reacted fast. They tried to pressed Hellcat, and Sam succeeded in stealing the ball that was passed by Logan to Cleon. They were in high spirits, they were optimistic about their chance to win.

After getting the ball, Sam dribbled the ball to Hellcat's area. Every player of Windart moved forward, but the situation was not what they thought. The first one that realized it was the player that guarded Haldir. He couldn't find Haldir's whereabouts after Windart did the counter-attack, so he just followed his teammates to attack.

Cleon couldn't deny Eve's critique. He was too lazy in the first half. He used to wait for the passing from teammates all the time. It was also because of his passive performance in the first half, Adam was exhausted.

As he saw Sam intercepted the ball, Cleon didn't stay still, he transformed becoming panter, and chase him. So, when Sam passed the ball to Fox, he accelerated and succeed in interrupting the ball.

The ball rolled to space between Adam and Fox. The two of them struggled to get the ball, but Adam was nearer, so he could kick the ball to the right side of Windart's area.

Every player of Windart then came back to their area, but it had been already late.

Haldir appeared beside the ball. After received it, he dribbled it to the penalty box. He saw the CB's and the goalkeeper's attention were drawn by him. Then he also saw a player in a red uniform came closer on another side. So he passed it to him.

Logan felt guilty he couldn't do much for the team in the first half. He didn't have the agility to compete with many players. He didn't have the aggressiveness of a striker. He also didn't have abundant stamina. As he saw the ball was carried by Sam, he decided to wait on the middle line.

Then Logan saw Cleon who was usually lazy disturbed the passing, he believed the ball would be sent forward to the front. So he ran to Windart territory because he didn't know what else he could do.

Then he saw Haldir appeared from the shadow of the ball. After receiving the ball, Haldir then ran fast to the penalty area.

He realized that the goalkeeper and CB didn't know yet his coming, or knew, but chose to ignore him, he entered the penalty area. Then he saw Haldir passed the ball to him.

Logan's mind was blank, but he succeeded in receiving the ball instinctively and stood there stiffly. He didn't know what to do next, then he saw the CB did sliding tackle to him.

'I must shoot!' Something inside him said. So he kicked the ball to the goal, but the goalkeeper succeeded in blocking it.

The ball bounced to the CB, as the CB wanted to receive it. But Haldir with his sliding, shoveled it enter the goal.

And just like that, Hellcat got a score at the beginning of the second half. The Arena was ignited, as applause and cheerings filled the air.

***

After the kickoff, like before, Haldir entered the shadow. It made the Windart players anxious. They had never seen anything like that. So they were attacking with impatience and without coordination.

The ones who still had clear heads in the Windart were only Hector and Fox ironically. Believing that Adam's stamina would not last long, Fox tried to make Adam running and competing for the ball.

But, after 20 minutes of the second half, he had a doubt. It was impossible for anyone who was exhausted in the first half could recover his stamina completely. So a possibility entered his thought, that Adam used a potion to recover his stamina when he took a rest.

Hatred and powerlessness possessed him. He felt he couldn't hold any longer, he realized that his stamina was starting to leave. He then thought of an insidious plan. A plan that actually he had already planned before the game. But, he dismissed it as he saw they had a chance to win the game fair and square.

***

Actually, although Hellcat got a score at the beginning of the second half, the game could be called even. As Cleon couldn't show his sharpness like in the match a few days before, or it just wasn't his day. All his shots were blocked or missed.

Haldir's attack also faced a dead end. his side was heavily guarded. The CB and a FB often anticipated his appearance. He himself didn't have the ability to breakthrough. So he often passed his ball to Cleon, who couldn't threaten Windart's goal.

This deadlock was occurring for more than 20 minutes.

Windart team relied on Fox's aggressiveness to start their attacks. But like the first half, Adam was a persistent defender. He always faced Fox's aggressiveness with a tenacious response.

Then in the minute of 70th, Adam could once more steal the ball from Fox's possession. But not like before, Fox tried to get the ball with a sliding tackle.

Adam was surprised, he then passed the ball to Logan. But the already sliding Fox couldn't stop his momentum.

*Clack*

A not very pleasant sound of some broken or dislocated bones was heard by Adam, as he spun on the air and then fell beside Fox.

At first, his head was blank, he still couldn't comprehend what was going on. He then tried to stand up, but a sharp pain came from his ankle. He then screamed and rolled on the ground.

Fox who was already stood up, looked at Adam who was rolling on the ground in pain. A very slight sneer was raised on his lips, but it was disappeared a second later. He then pretended to feel sorry about that, as he walked to Adam and said in a concerned manner, "A-are you okay? Sorry, I Didn't mean to do that. It was really an accident."

As he tried to help Adam, a strong pull made him yanked and fall. He then saw a tall and masculine orc came to Adam. Some players of Hellcat also came following him.

Cleon then walked past Fox who was still sat on the ground, he glared at Fox while said, "If something happened to Adam, you will regret it."

They then left him to check Adam. Looking at the leaving Hellcat players, Fox sneered and mumbled, 'Is that so?'

"Boss, are you okay boss?" Not like his fearsome posture, Ural knell and asked in a panicked tone.

Adam could only roll in pain. Then a person in the referee uniform came to them. At first, Ural tried to prevent him from nearing Adam, but after seeing who he was, Ural let the referee checked Adam's condition. After seeing Adam's painful expression, he made a signal for the auxiliaries of the Hellcat team outside the field to come.

The referee then came to Fox. Fox knew he would get a yellow or red card. He anticipated it, so he wanted to try something to lessen his punishment.

With a sorry expression, he greeted the referee and then said, "I really didn't mean it. I just wanted to get the ball. But I know it was my fault. Mr. referee, I accept any punishment you will give me."

The flat expression of the referee changed for a while, he then pulled a yellow card and left.

Fox could only have a sigh of relief as he didn't want to be chased out of the field.

Looking at the yellow card, the players of Hellcat disappointed, Cleon and Gavin wanted to chase the referee to protest, but a soft voice stopped them, "Let him go. There will no other outcome, as he has already decided."

They turned their heads to find Eve flew to Adam. Ruby, Alba, and the two elves followed her.

Looking at the painful expression of Adam, Ruby let out tears. She then came near him, and said to the people around her, "Hold him! I want to examine him,"

Gavin and Pete then hold Adam. Adam then tried to struggle to free himself.

Eve then said, "You had already experienced a more painful moment a few days ago. It is nothing. Calm down!"

Adam then tried to suppress the pain he felt, with teary eyes, he looked at Eve and Ruby, "I-I am fine."

Looking at Adam who was suffering, Ruby tried her best to smile and then said, "It's alright. You will be fine. Let me examine your injury."

Adam nodded, and then closed his eyes. He felt a relief when he saw Eve and Ruby.

Ruby then undid Adam's right shoe and sock gently. Adam gritted his teeth while it was done. When they were put off, everyone couldn't help to cry. As they saw, His foot's form was so unnatural. They could imagine, some bones were snapped.

But Ruby didn't change her expression. She touched Adam's ankle softly with two palms and a gentle blue light covered Adam's right foot. She then closed her eyes.

She was at that state for a while. Everyone waited nervously, including Eve. Although Eve had healing skill, she still didn't understand how this skill worked. She also didn't have any knowledge of how to examine a physical injury with mana manipulation. In this area, she was completely lacking. She vowed to study healing art when the Academy opened.

After a minute of silence, Ruby opened her eyes.

***