(Part 8)

Standing before Kenzo and Heber, Azazel finally spoke after a long pause, "You realize what you've just done, right, Captain Kenzo?"

Kenzo nodded, "Yes, I just revealed a secret you wouldn't have shared even on your deathbed. Even persistence has its limits."

"Now gramps knows everything..." Azazel said, "I wonder what his expression is right now."

"Why don't you take a look?" Vincent suggested, turning him around.

Azazel looked up, indifferent.

Azher's expression however, was stunned, filled with disbelief but still holding onto his pride.

Azazel smiled, "Sir Azher Minhas, Azazel Minhas would like to pursue cricket. I don't want to become a soldier."

Azher turned around, "You will become a soldier; that's decided. But... until then, go play all you want."

Azazel's expression widened, but he quickly hid it with his hand. "Honestly, gramps, you are heartless. You should've treated me this way ever since I was a kid. Again, we two will fight and I will win at the end. I will become a cricketer no matter what." he declared firmly.

Azher, wordlessly, went inside.

"Haha! We did it!" Heber hugged Azazel tightly, causing him to wince. "Oh, sorry, sorry," Heber loosened his grip.

"Tch, be gentle, Heber. Can you come to the academy today, Azazel?" Silas asked, rubbing Azazel's shoulders.

"Right now?" Azazel asked.

"Yeah. We told the teachers that we're bringing you back," Damian said, wiping his glasses.

"Don't force yourself if you can't..." Vincent began, but Azazel immediately headed inside with a mile-wide smile. "No, I'm coming. Just wait a minute."

Kenzo exhaled, calling out, "Aza."

Azazel halted immediately, looking back.

"Hurry up. The inter-academy nationals are about to start. We have a lot to do," Kenzo invited.

Azazel, stunned, nodded and quickly went upstairs.

Hoor, facing them all, smiled, "Thank you very much, all of you."

Heber and Izaak glanced at each other, confused.

"I'm glad Azazel has friends like you all. It really reassures me, so please take care of him. He's stubborn and arrogant sometimes, but he's a very nice boy. When he talks about you all and cricket, he's the happiest boy in the entire world," she confessed gratefully.

Izaak rubbed his nose, feeling proud, while Kenzo turned to leave.

Soon, Azazel joined them as they all headed back to the academy.

The boys walking ahead, Ahmed called, "Kenzo,"

"Hm?" Kenzo turned halfway around.

"You are a great pillar for Azazel." Ahmed said.

Kenzo shook his head, rejecting the praise. "You all are far greater pillar than I am. You just have to act like one."

Haris contemplated silently. As they left, he reflected, "Never thought I would learn from a middle schooler now."

"He's right, Father. Whatever happened with Azazel, I have always remained quire. Of couse, I can't stand against grandpa but from now on, I will protect Azazel and his cricket no matter what," Ahmed promised, poised.

As they walked back, Azazel sighed, clearly puzzled. "What's wrong?" Heber asked.

"I don't have the form with me. How could I possibly be part of the Society? This is just the worst; the last one got ruined like that." Azazel's frustration evident, but the rest suddenly burst into laughter, "Pft! Haha!"

"What…?" Azazel asked, even more confused, "Huh? Why are you all laughing?"

"Silly," Heber said, wiping away tears of laughter.

"You're so silly… haha!" "The form doesn't matter at all," Izaak explained, amused, "What really counts are the names on the society board, and yours was added in the Cricket Society the day after you challenged Kenzo."

"Haha, seriously, the way you got all your forms torn. I still can't believe it." Vincent patted Kenzo's back, who merely exhaled in disbelief.

Azazel, now embarrassed to the point of wanting to disappear, rushed ahead, his face flushed with color. "You all are so mean! Why did I even do all that?!" he muttered.

"Haha!" Silas and Faris chuckled.

"Sigh, what an airhead. He doesn't know anything but still charges ahead," Damian remarked.

"Azazel," Kenzo called out.

Azazel turned around, "Yes, your highness?"

Slightly surprised by Azazel's words, Kenzo continued, "Before the inter-academy nationals begin, we need to work on your bowling and aggression. You can use your altered personality to intimidate your opponents, but you're not allowed to injure them. Also make sure you don't hide anything from me no matter how bad it is."

Azazel narrowed his eyes, troubled.

"Don't worry, we'll help you," Damian reassured him.

"Yeah, you just need to learn," Heber added with a wink.

"And..." Kenzo looked up, his expression warm and welcoming, "Welcome to the Atia Eden City Cricket Society."

Azazel beamed with joy and nodded, "Thank you so much, Captain! I'll make sure to never hide anything no matter how bad and become the best bowler in the world and beat you one day."

"Heh~ Beating the one who taught and acknowledged you? Isn't that rebellion?" Heber teased, playfully smacking Azazel's head as the rest laughed.

Kenzo, staring up at the sky, whispered to himself, "World out there… just wait until we arrive."

______

(Present)

Suddenly Aaron's voice barged in his head, "Azazel~!"

Azazel immediately flinched, standing straight, "Yikes! What the hell?!"

"Haha, stop thinking about useless stuff and bowl with your eyes closed next." Aaron advised.

"Eyes closed…?" Azazel questioned back.

"Yup, the crowd is scary right? And, so is the batsman before you?" Aaron asked.

"It's not scary. It's just... disturbing and demoralizing." Azazel replied feeling pressured.

"That's why. Remember what you learned back in the Mountain of No return? Aim at the tree with your full speed and don't care about anything else, remember?" Aaron recalled.

Azazel's expression widened, "How did you know that?"

"That doesn't matter. Just give it all you've got!" Aaron's voice immediately vanished.

"The hell?!" Azazel felt a shiver run down his spine as his own thoughts were echoed back at him. "Quit reading other people's minds!" he screamed internally.

Seles observed with a smile, "He's calmed down."

"Tch, what the hell. Aaron should've let him go berserk!" Orion grumbled, his brow twitching in frustration.

"Not everyone enjoys a blood-soaked pitch, you moron," Nagi retorted.

Orion shot him an angry glance, "Shut the hell up. Nobody asked you."

"Alright, alright. Aaron probably said something sensible," Haruf intervened, easing the tension.

"I agree. Look, Azazel's bowling with his eyes closed," Pedro pointed out.

The pace of Azazel's next two deliveries was completely different, focusing on full tosses and Yorkers, ensuring that Islamabad United could only manage a single run. Panting, Azazel handed the ball back to the umpire. "Sigh! I should've done this earlier," he muttered in frustration.

Isa, taking the ball from the umpire, gave Azazel a light tap on the head before passing it to Kazuna. "This is experience, Azazel. Gain it," he advised. "But those last two balls you bowled—what are they called?" Isa asked, curious.

Azazel looked at him, surprised, "You noticed?"

"Yeah, they were skill deliveries, and you didn't reveal them outright," Isa noted.

Azazel turned around, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I still need to refine them, but one is called 'Blood Moon,' and the other, 'Engulfing Sands.'"

"Heh, that's pretty cool," Isa said with a proud wink.

As Azazel moved to his position at point, he exchanged a glance with Kenzo showing him a thumbs up.

Kenzo nodded with a smile.

"He's grown up quite strong, hasn't he, Kenzo?" Damian asked.

"Yeah, and he's only going to keep getting stronger," Kenzo replied confidently.

Kazuna took charge of the third-to-last over of the first innings, positioning the fielders.

Rovan, standing at the crease with his eyes closed, was fully alert.

As Kazuna rushed towards the popping crease, he delivered a full toss. Rovan, keenly reading the delivery, unleashed a flawless straight drive. Kazuna, unable to intercept, watched as the ball raced past, allowing the batsmen to comfortably take two runs before Xavier swiftly returned it.

Panting on the crease, Rovan removed his helmet, the crowd erupting in applause and cheers as the LED screen proudly displayed a large "50" off just 35 deliveries.

"And that's fifty for Rovan Baig! A well-crafted half-century, and the crowd is on its feet. Look at him—he raises his bat, acknowledging the crowd with a mix of relief and determination on his face. This innings has truly been a lesson in controlled aggression, blending caution with some absolutely stunning strokes," Maaz commented, clapping enthusiastically.

"Haha! Pure class!" Azam and Hamza cheered, their voices filled with excitement.

"With two half-century makers on our side now, Amit, you must be proud of us!" Basid asked, his voice brimming with pure, joyous innocence.

Hamit smiled warmly, ruffling Basid's hair, "I certainly am."

Romeo tapping his finger on his arm, narrowed his gaze anxiously.

"Sena?" Mikael looked around, puzzled.

"He's gone after Venus," Ulhas replied.