The Rise of the Iron Wall!

Chapter 159: MVP?!

Author’s note: Thank you for KosherBeef52 for 10 Golden Tickets and Masatoshi_K for 2 Golden Tickets! I really appreciate the support, guys!

With this, I will add two more double-update days, Sunday and Tuesday. If you want to support more, please, send me more Golden Ticket and if possible, buy the privilege tier. Thanks a lot!

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Soon enough, the closing ceremony was being held, with all the Hakodate Nishi players having to be satisfied with becoming the backdrop here, clapping politely as Shimizu Higashi High’s players raised the trophy. Some stared at them in jealousy, wondering what if somehow, they managed to win the game earlier.

The people who watched on the stand also applauded them. After all, they managed to rise from a no-name team that was always under Sapporo Otani’s shadow to emerge so strongly like this, challenging one of the best teams in the country. Of course, as the main protagonist here, Higo received the warmest welcome, with everyone shouting his name here and there.

"Higo-kun

! Good job!"

"Even though you lose, you are the winner in my heart!"

"Come on! I will follow your journey from now on!"

While Higo was waving at them, he also felt quite warm by the greeting he received here. Who would’ve thought that far from home, he would be adored so much by these people?

"So, the crowd is on your side right now. Ready to grab your MVP trophy?" Kumiko couldn’t help but tease him.

"The MVP?" Higo’s smile was a bit weak here. "You said that only those from the winning team had the chance to get that, right? It would either be Mamoru or Park Han-Gyeol, but his penalty miss earlier would decrease that Korean guy’s chance immediately."

Yeah, in his mind, he thought he had no chance since his team lost the game. However, Kumiko just smiled knowingly, saying with a mysterious tone, "Just wait and see..." Before going back to the others, leaving him alone in confusion.

The girl herself went straight to the other Hakodate Nishi players, as they all just watched silently as their opponent was still celebrating on the pitch. Even the most talkative dudes like Makino or Jun were so quiet during the whole process, their eyes so red from all the negative emotions lingering in their heads.

After a while, the organizer finally came to the scene once again, and right after that, the whole stadium went quiet, knowing that the most important announcement was about to be made here. Some players were so tense, while others tried to hide their nervousness with their nonchalant act.

Seeing this, the man—the representation of the organizer—just gave a teasing smile. "So, you guys are waiting for me, huh?" He asked.

All the people there groaned immediately, not appreciating his playfulness in this situation.

"Okay, okay. I know that you guys are waiting for this, so let me announce it directly." The man turned solemn immediately, getting immersed in his role. "So, the MVPs of the tournament... are Mamoru Suzuki from Shimizu Higashi High and Ryusuke Higo from Hakodate Nishi High! A joint-winner for the best player of the tournament!"

Right after the announcement was made, silence followed, before commotion erupted from every single corner of the stadium.

"Holy hell! Is that even possible?!"

"Hey, what do you mean by that?! You think Higo doesn’t deserve the MVP award?!"

"No! But I don’t think a joint winner is possible!"

Meanwhile, Higo, whose name had just been mentioned, was so stunned here. He could feel his jaw drop, his brain short-circuited and unable to process everything. He wasn’t the only one, as all the Hakodate Nishi players also felt the same. Only Kumiko smiled knowingly, as if this was already within her prediction.

’I told you so...’ She mouthed silently with a genuine smile on her face.

"HAHAHAHA!" Suddenly, Makino laughed out of nowhere, startling everyone around him. However, there was a hint of tears on the corner of his eye as he was also crying here. "Good job, Chibi! At least, this is a consolation prize for us!"

The other Hakodate Nishi players also finally showed a reaction. Even though their expression was sour, a glint of happiness flashed in their eyes.

"Yes, Higo! Your win is our win!" Kuroki patted his back genuinely.

"I will not be mad that you stole the MVP case from me, Senpai. You deserve it." Hiroshi smiled, although a bit forced.

Even Jun and Hori, the two most depressed players among them, still had time to congratulate him. Higo himself was still dumbfounded here, only stepping forward when his teammates pushed him to receive the award.

There, Mamoru had been waiting for him, an inviting smile spread on the boy’s face. Higo somehow felt complicated when he saw that. This was the boy who destroyed the team’s spirit in one go, and yet, the boy just stood there and ready to share the award with him as if there was nothing wrong with that.

"Congratulations, Higo-san, you deserve the award." The boy said it warmly.

"No need to console me like that. We all know that you are the real winner here." Higo smiled bitterly. Yeah, although he didn’t show any excessive sadness like his friends, that didn’t mean he was not disappointed here.

"Oh, don’t sell yourself short!" Mamoru argued. "The fact that you are here says a lot! You just had a hell of a performance, even blocking Han-Gyeol-a’s penalty and making a double-save of it! You are just unlucky that I was at the right place at the right moment!"

"Suzuki-kun is right, Higo-kun." The organizer also spoke warmly. "Just in today’s game, you have made 14 saves in total! 14~! That is not a number that anyone could think of! Coupled with the first two games, in total, you have collected 24 saves in this tournament, averaging 8 saves in each game! Let me tell you, this is not a number that you can come up with so easily!"

Higo felt awkward when he listened to that, especially since Mamoru himself looked at him admiringly.

"Anyway, no need to be humble!" Mamoru laughed while patting his shoulder in a friendly way. "You know what, I have a good feeling about your team! It would be a pity if you lost against anyone in your prefecture! If you want to feel that you deserve that award, come to the national tournament and let’s meet again in the future!"