We walked into the stadium feeling confident. I casually glanced over to the opponents to see a new player I hadn't seen before.
She was a girl and I asked Ootani but before she could reply coach started speaking.
"Norika you will play today's match, Akari you'll be playing in the second half,"
We nodded and I went back to sit on the bench as the others ran to the pitch.
The match started with the ball on our side. Norika left the goal and together with Kozoumaru,they ran up behind Asuto.
They used their ice hissastu, Polar bear no.2 to try and score a goal. The ball caught the opponents off guard up until Fubuki Atsuya (let's call him Atsuya)stopped the ball."Certain death bear kill-restraint!"
He stopped the hissastu like the bear killer he was and passed to his brother Fubuki Shirou(Shirou is what we shall call him.)
He dashed forward and used his hissastu to score a goal against Norika.
I could tell she wasn't happy about it. ' Come on Norika,'
Flashback
"Our opponents for the next game are none other than Hakuren jr high. They are known to have progressed rapidly since last year and they have 2 football ambassadors on their team, we shouldn't underestimate them."
"So should we change our play style?" I asked.
"Maybe we should play 5 4 3?" Michinari suggested
(Five defenders, four midfielders and three forwards)
"No, that's what they want us to think, we shall be doing none of that. Only we shall be playing with a stronger offense in the second half but a weaker one in the first half.." Coach said looking at me
"Huh? What do you mean coach?"
"Oh hohoho."
End of flashback
I continued watching the game but our teammates seemed to not agree on what to play.
"What is going on out there?" I asked,not realising I was speaking aloud.
"This is exactly what Raimon needs,"I heard coach say.
Their plays became problematic especially the defence side leading to Hakuren scoring two goals.
The whistle blew for the first half and my teammates began walking back to the bench.
"Get ready, Akari." Coach said and I got up grinning before doing some stretches.
I was caught off guard when Michinari hit the bench with his fist.
Did he not feel pain? That was such a hard blow..
"What was wrong with you defenders out there? You plays were so sloppy!"
"Maybe if the midfielders had done their job right,we wouldn't be in this mess!" Mansaku argued.
"Enough! I don't know what it is that happened out there but fighting won't help resolve this," I said and everyone fell quiet
I looked over to Hakuren's bench and I knew they had something to do with it.
I focused on stretching again and I replaced Kozoumaru in the second half.
"Come on, we'll blow them away." I cheered as we ran for the second half.
I looked over at coach and smirked. The second half began as I quickly stole the ball from Someoka.
" Nice seeing you again," he said as I smiled.
"I'm stronger now,Someoka ,no longer a weak newbie," I replied and ran past him with the ball in my possession.
I got to the defence, stopped dead in my tracks when I was surrounded. "There, just as expected," I smirked
Small flashback
"Hakuren has a defence line stronger than that of Minodouzan, if you are to beat them, you have to use the strongest tactics you got," coach said.
"I have a great idea for that," I smirked.
End of small flashback
I kicked the ball high into the air as Asuto,Goujin and I jumped after it.
A grey cloud appeared in the sky as a purple aura surrounded me, a white one surrounded Goujin and a yellow lightning tail appeared behind Asuto.
We kicked the ball and it flew towards the goal with great speed," Inazuma drop!"
We scored a goal as I did a cartwheel through the field interlocking my fingers with Goujin and Asuto but Goujin landed on his butt than feet.
"We did it, " I smiled at Asuto's enthusiasm.
"You sure you got stamina left in you?" I asked a bit worried.
"Always besides, we did this during our match against Seishou so I think I'll live," Asuto joked.
I laughed as we walked back. I stole the ball again from Hakuren and passed it to Asuto who dribbled down the pitch and scored a side goal from the left side( when you're seated reading) of the goal.
"One more goal left you guys,we can settle this to a tie!" I encouraged and they excitedly yelled back.
I smiled, I knew they would overcome all this.
Someoka's POV
"Hey Shirou, I think it's time we bring her on. Akari is the greatest pillar of support Raimon has,we need to distract her." I suggested.
"I suppose you are right. Ok, do it then." He replied and I nodded at coach.
He swapped in Number 2 to replace Number 17. She joyfully jumped onto the pitch.
'Get ready Raimon,'
Back to Akari's POV
I noticed the lineup for Hakuren had been change and they put up an aggressive lineup, it was Shiratoya Nae.
"Remember the plan, stop the offence and beat the defence." I said to Goujin and turned around as everyone nodded.
The game continued with the ball on Hakuren again. I didn't try to steal the ball but waited for the perfect opportunity to steal it.
"Over here,Shirou! Pass please, pass, pass, pass!"
"There,"
Shirou passed the ball to Nae but she missed receiving it and it bounced off and went flying to the other side of the pitch but I dashed after it.
"Got it, here you go!" I passed it Norika who beamed up.
I ran to the front lineup as I jumped up receiving the ball from Norika.
I passed it Goujin then it went to Asuto then back to me and I used Twilight and scored another goal.
I walked back to my position but then Nae used her speed to catch up and pass us all and used her new hissastu to score a goal.
I noticed Asuto was becoming tired as he was constantly using the breathing technique coach taught me.
" We better do something quick before he shuts down from exhaustion," I thought knowing that coach wouldn't take him off.
The match resumed with Hakuren ahead by a point then they used Triple blizzard and scored a goal against us.
They formed a new offensive tactic with Nae at the front and with the Fubuki twins and Someoka in close lineup.
I had to think of something fast... Their tactic was unpredictable but like all tactics it must have had a weakness,only what?
I looked over to Nae's fans once they went passed me and saw them moving their fans around from left to right.
I looked back at the offensive lineup then the fans. I got it. Hattori also figured it out and was able to decipher the methods they used.
"So, Hattori you are nothing but a Ninja nerd?" Mansaku asked, surprised he wasn't the only one surprised.
"I thought your outfit was just for fun!" Hiyori exclaimed, surprised as well.
"Can we focus on the game not Hattori's addiction please?" I asked.
"Sorry," they apologised as we followed Hattori's instructions.
We were able to stop them and as the last minutes approached,we used our new trump card.
"Hissastu tactics:Mavos deathtrap!"
It was an offensive tactic coach had us working on where all forwards and midfielders would charge up the pitch then jump up in unison as dark lights fell on the opponents side in specific attack spots before disappearing.
The tactic works by fooling the opponents using the 'deathtrap' causing them not to approach the attack spots, leading to no offence.
Asuto scored a goal with shining bird and I scored a goal using Air riser.
When we had 3 minutes left, Hakuren tried scoring from the back but because of the distance, we(Asuto and I) used counter drive to score a goal using Atsuya's hissastu against him and his team.
The whistle blew and Asuto fell flat on his face."Asuto! Are you okay?" I asked running up to him but he didn't respond so the medical team intervened and he was carried away on a stretcher. The medical officer had said Asuto was extremely tired.
We were told that he was exhausted and he was carried away to hospital.
Before I could leave for the hospital, I bumped into Someoka." Akari, I think I owe you an apology for how I treated you when you joined Raimon,"he began.
"I'm sorry for having always called you a noob and for treating you like an outcast. You're even stronger than me now but I hope you will forgive me, even if it won't be today."
"I forgave you,a long time ago actually." I replied.
"Really then why did you bring it up during the match?" He asked.
"I didn't mean it the way you thought I did, plus you owe me one." I smiled
"What?" He asked and I hugged him before leaving.
At the hospital we were told to lay him off from practice and he was put on bed rest for a week.
"Ok, doc but only for a week,I can't miss next week's match." He replied surprising the doctor at his awakening.
"That's Asuto for you," Norika laughed and I smiled.