I managed to run to Endou and the others in the nick of time. Everyone looked at me worriedly, but I dismissed it and quickly asked what was going on. I can't say that I wasn't absolutely freaked out. OK, I was freaked out. Add that to the horrifying discovery of finding the bad guys and what they want to do with me.
It had turned out that it was Garshield's team that started the attack. Garshield was responsible for Endou Daisuke's (who I found out from Rococo that he was actually Mr. Araya) disappearance, for the murder of Kuroi's parents, Kageyama's intentions to soccer...
...and the reason why my mom and her team were never recognized.
Not long, we were already in a soccer field. Everyone was getting ready while I was sitting next to Jirou, still in disbelief in what was happening. How? Just, how? I know it wasn't my fault, but somehow this links to everything that the curse had given me.
"...are you OK?"
The voice from earlier was heard again, much closer this time. So, the ones who were after me weren't wrong. One of my teammates has the key to make me... me again.
"Hey, did you find anything?" I hear Jirou ask me. Wow. Endou must've told them where I went... I can't say thanks to him at a moment like this. I sighed. "Can we talk about it later? When we're back at the lodge?" I plead. I get the look of concern from him, so I continue. "All I can say is that Garshield isn't alone in this. Kiku's brother and his companions want to destroy not only you guys, but me as well." I look back down.
"Destroy you? What do they mean?" I hear Jousuke ask me.
"I didn't hear much. I was so horrified that I quickly ran." I answered honestly.
"Was there anything important?" Rococo asks, putting a hand on my shoulder.
"Yeah... there was this thing called 'Artemis Key', which is something that completely removes the Alteria Curse." I say, trying to recall what was being said earlier.
"But wasn't it removed already?" Jirou asks me, the worry still in his eyes. "I thought that Kiku removed it completely."
"Turns out that Kuroi was partially controlled by the curse, but I wasn't affected by it." I hold my head. This was all too much to hold.
"Hey, give space. She might pass out." Akio says angrily. I gave him a look of both thanks and irritation.
"So... what's the lineup?" I ask nervously.
"Gouenji and Toramaru at the front, followed by Kazemaru, you, Kidou and Fudou in the midfield. Tsunami, Fubuki, Kabeyama and Tobitaka at the defense and Endou being keeper." Rosa says to them. "Hiroto said that it was fine for you play. He was feeling light-headed from the heat."
I look at Hiroto. "You... you suggested that I play?"
"You look shocked." Hiroto chuckles at me. "This involves your mother, and I feel like your mother would be proud of you."
I smile warmly.
Huh. Haven't done that in a while.
With the warm-ups done, all of us went to our positions. The whistle blows, the kickoff starts. Shuuya passes the ball to Toramaru and they both run up, followed by a pass to Kazemaru, who passes to me. A player was close to blocking me so I quickly kicked it to Kidou out of shock. Kidou runs up with the ball, only for the player who was trying to block me earlier go in front of him. Kidou was having a hard time in getting past him, since this wasn't a block but more of a steal. For a moment, the ball was taken but Kidou quickly managed to take it back.
"Gouenji!"
The moment Kidou passes the ball to Gouenji, one of the forwards had taken the ball in the blink of an eye. He passes it to one of the midfielders. The midfielder got past Kazemaru like he wasn't even there. Akio was going to block him but the midfielder did an unbelievable jump. As someone who took gymnastics, I can say that even a professional couldn't make a jump that high. He passes it to the same midfielder that was trying to block me.
Wait a minute.
The speed, the reflexes, the jumps...
"These guys have the RH Program." Me and Kidou say at the same time (to which I find weird... huh. Maybe I'm starting to have telepathy?) "Keep your guard up! They took the enhancement!" I manage to say before we say the same thing again.
"Snow Angel!"
In shock, we see the midfielder with the ball under his foot with his arms crossed. He must've gotten past Shirou's defense.
"There's no other way! Kidou is right!" Someoka says from the bench.
But, this didn't sit right at all... With Team K, some of the members were experiencing loss of sight (from what Kidou told me). With The Kingdom, Roniejo's body might give out and Kuroi in a dark void. Shouldn't they be feeling side effects?
"Why would you do that?" I hear Endou ask in disbelief. "If you play soccer that way, you'll end up destroying your bodies.
We hear the captain of the opposing team chuckle darkly. "You don't seem to understand. You believe us to be the same as Roniejo?"
"Guys. I think that..." I hitch a breath. "Team K, Roniejo, and Kuroi were just test subjects so that the program can be perfected."
Another chuckle was heard, this time from the midfielder who got past Shirou. "You're smart for someone whose mother didn't make the cut for the international league! In fact, you're the reason why she quit!"
I felt rage boil in me. "If it weren't for people like you---!"
"Don't talk about our mom like that, you bastard!" Jirou shouts from the bench, feeling the same rage as I was.
"And that led us to being the perfect players." The captain smirks.
The plays from Team K, Roniejo and Kuroi were just experiments. Experiments they knew that can be disposed.
"Unbelievable. You used them just so you can experiment on them?!" I hear Endou's voice, the same rage emitted.
"All to make Master Garshield's world into a reality." The captain says.
"You're trying to make the world filled with war! What are you planning to do?!" I ask furiously.
"To make sure the world will silence women like you." The captain's smirk was gone. With the snap of his finger, the midfielder gets past the defense followed by another midfielder. Jousuke was going to stop them, but they did a technique where one of them kicks the ball in the air, the ball multiplying into three, and the other midfielder kicks the three balls straight at time.
"Judge Through 3!"
Jousuke was thrown back harshly. The midfielder passes it to their forward, and he kicks the ball into the air. He jumps, twists the ball with his feet whilst kicking it straight to Endou.
"Gunshot!"
"Shin Ijigen the Hand!"
The technique failed and went in the goal.
I felt my anger rise up. Not only did he make my mom suffer, but using her old techniques on us? That's just unforgivable.
"Rena, don't."
It was Akira. 'Akira, what they did was---!' "I know, but listen to me. I overheard about the Artemis Key. I know who it is." I freeze a little.
'Who?'
"I'll let Kiku tell you that. But for a hint, he's someone you never thought would get this far."
I had gut feelings... but I could be wrong.
Double update today cause it's my bornday lel. For now though... I hope I'll be able to update more though. See ya soon!