The Rise of the Iron Wall!

Chapter 140: Shimizu Higashi High, A Powerhouse School from Shizuoka!

Two hours later, the festive atmosphere was gone from the team, as everyone was back to preparing for tomorrow’s game. Most of them were still tired since there was only one day of rest, but their spirits were at their peak. After having breakfast together, they gathered in a multimedia room that Kumiko rented so that they could analyze the game together.

Well... It looked serious at first. However, once people got closer, they would know that that bunch of teenagers was far from being locked in at all.

"Why the long face, Teme?" Higo asked with a knowing smirk as he saw the captain was sulking on the edge of the corner, silently.

"You know why, Bastard!" The boy hissed venomously. "How dare you steal her like that when we are still asleep! This isn’t fair! You are not competing fairly here! Give me the same chance to go out with her, and we are even!" He said righteously.

Higo just watched the boy incredulously before bursting out laughing. "Damn, that’s a good joke, Teme! You know what they said, though. All is fair in love and war. Also, why do you think it is me who asks to go out here?"

The smile on his face spread even further that it hurt his facial muscles. However, it was clear that Higo enjoyed the feeling of being superior to Makino here. It was always fun to have an upper hand in their little competition for the girl they fancied, especially when he saw the captain’s infuriated reaction.

"Anyway, I cannot help but agree with the Cap, Senpai." Kenji suddenly chimed in with a solemn tone. The others were speechless here, not even realizing that one wild Pokémon just escaped from the pack. "You definitely stole a start here, so I demand the same chance! I want to get a date with Kumiko-senpai, and I can say we are all even! Ouch!"

Kuroki suddenly appeared from behind, dragging the boy forcefully while also smiling at his two friends. "Don’t worry, you two. Just finish your business, this kid will never bother you again."

Even though no one spoke here, all the players around also gave Kuroki their nods of approval. After all, this was the silent agreement they made, that since the closest competition was between Higo and Makino, they would never let anyone join the fun.

It was not fair for Kumiko, as they treated her as a prize. That was why everyone did it silently. Also, even if the girl knew, she wouldn’t really mind. Everyone knew at this point that besides the team, she didn’t talk a lot to other boys outside, so this protection was definitely a win-win solution for her.

"Okay, everyone! Get your focus back on me, please!" Kumiko suddenly raised her voice, snapping everyone from their chatters.

Right now, she was on the front with a whiteboard behind him and a projector that was connected to her laptop. The girl had a high ponytail, and combined with her sporty outfit and the round glasses that highlighted her mesmerizing eyes, the girl could definitely charm any teenager in the world.

"Anyway, one more match, and we are going to win the tournament. You guys realize that, right?"

Grins were cracked from most of the people in the room, as indeed, they knew full well that they were so close to the trophy. While this tournament itself wasn’t really that big, winning this glory would be the first time for the club, and that would be a big milestone for the school as well.

They all couldn’t help but imagine how popular they would be after going home with a trophy in their hand.

"Well, it seems you guys are in your best state, so it is good here. However, I have to remind you that the hardest part of a 100-mile journey is in the last mile. Keep your focus on, never underestimate your opponent, and don’t do anything stupid, okay?" The girl warned them all, glancing at some of the troublemakers specifically.

"Yes, Ma’am!"

That was the most appropriate answer they could give. Even if later, they would still bring trouble; they couldn’t just speak about it beforehand. It was always better to apologize than ask for permission, after all.

"Back to the game, tomorrow, we will have to face the Shimizu Higashi High, a very strong team from Shizuoka. Honestly, I don’t even know how they failed to enter the national tournament, but for them, losing against a small school from Hakodate is definitely not an option. So, get ready, because the game tomorrow is going to be harsh. Do you understand?"

Some of them gulped nervously when they heard that.

Indeed, Shimizu Higashi High was a powerhouse school even in the country. They had a long history of glory in the national tournament, what with them being able to win two in the last ten years.

That was definitely a lot, since only two other teams managed to do the same feat in the same period. As for the other years, the winner always changed, showing that each school would always get better from time to time.

As for why they were here instead of playing in the national tournament... Well, that was also related to another school in Shizuoka, Hamamatsu Kaiseikan High, a private school that was infamous for its beautiful location facing straight to Fuji-san.

However, they were not just famous for that. Hell, if anything, their football club was also terrifying, since they were one of the three teams that managed to get two trophies in the last ten tournaments besides Shimizu Higashi and one other team.

Yeah, two powerhouse teams in the country came from the same prefecture, as everyone recognized that Shizuoka had the best youth development program there.

This year, Shimizu Higashi was just unfortunate, as they were getting beaten in their encounter against their rival, eliminating them from the national tournament. However, no one could deny that they were still a very good team.

"Okay, it is good that you know how strong our opponent is, but you don’t have to be so gloomy! We still have a chance to win here!" Kumiko clapped loudly, snapping them out of their depression. "Still, we have a lot of work to do on that, so get ready! First of all, I will show you who among them you should watch carefully! Get ready and take a note, okay?!"