Life As Teikoku's Manager (an Inazuma Eleven f.f.)

Messengers From Heaven

I was frozen in place and in silence as if hypnotized when Aphrodi answered. "No, were not goalkeepers," The blonde boy said with a small, half-amused smile, "My team's goalie would only need to lift a finger to stop these."

"That team of yours is Zeus Jr. High, isn't it?" Kidou said accusingly as he calmly walked over here. His words seemed to grant me the freedom to move and talk again. Leave it to Kidou to remain calm in a situation like this. "Aphrodi," I seethed, loud enough that everyone heard me. His mere appearance made my blood boil.

"Eh?" rang out through the other members of Raimon who were confused of the situation. But they faded into the background, as with everything else. The school, Gouenji, Kidou, Endou, and even the unknown Zeus member. In this world, it was just Aphrodi and me.

Aphrodi was the reason for all this. He and his team, they were the ones who ended soccer for Teikoku. Aphrodi, he was the one who pushed me to my limit so that I had to reminiscent Inoue Shizuro. This boy, he shamed me in public, threatened me, leaving no choice but to forfeit knowing that I would definitely do it for Genda's and all of Teikoku's sake. It was all thanks to Aphrodi that my life slipped back to its origin of nightmares, soccer.

"Aphrodi, we end this today," those words slipped out of my mouth and before I knew it, I was walking over to the goalie area. All eyes followed me, but it affected me none.

"My my, still as feisty as ever," Aphrodi gave a little laugh, and my steps quickened. "I never would have thought, the Death Bringer, with such a quick temper like yours? I'm disappointed you didn't meet my expectations, I always thought you would be the cruel silent killer type who has no compassion whatsoever. Did staying with these Raimon weaklings dampen you? Or was it...Teikoku?"

He was already putting a toe past the line by insulting my teammates, but insulting Teikoku was just too much. "Aphrodi!" I screamed enraged. My steps had became marching stomps. From the sidelines, Gouenji whispered under his breath, "Though he is right about that." I whipped around and glared at Gouenji. Before any harsh words could come out, I felt a restraining hand on my shoulder. Turning around, my eyes met Kidou's, his ruby orbs flashing no, a look of understanding on his face. But behind that, I felt anger in him too. Not at me, but a shared loathing and craving for revenge toward Zeus that connected us.

I took a deep breath and counted to three, then said, trying to keep the bursting rage out of my voice, "Let's have a match, me versus you, right here right now. We'll both kick at the ball at the same time with our hissatsu shoots, whoever loses is the first to give away."

From the sidelines, Gouenji, Kazemaru, and Someoka's eyes widened at my declaration. They all realized that I meant it was a kill or be killed duel, where whoever is strongest will injure the other's leg. And it was formulated perfectly too, because if I win then we had a much greater chance at beating Zeus, and if he wins, then Raimon pretty much only has a one percent chance of victory. So basically I was betting all on this.

But no, it wasn't a fifty fifty chance for me and Aphrodi either. That was the one thing that gave me confidence and some sort of faith in this dangerous bet, since I had already witnessed Aphrodi's shooting power and knew that it way surpassed mine. None of them, not even Gouenji, knew that the secret to Kuroi Hane Taifuu was to focus on one critical swing. That one jab of sudden force would break Aphrodi's leg before his could even do much lasting damage on mine.