I practiced as a monk alone in Japan.

Chapter 228 Savior

"Hey, Watanabe-senpai, you guys came to watch the game too?"

During halftime.

Kazama Sakura is editing pictures in the support area for the White Team.

Although the boy didn't play in the first half, she still took some photos of him on the bench.

The so-called support area doesn't mean you don't have to do anything besides cheering for the team. For example, you can take some photos and then send them to the photography department after the event so that they can create an electronic photo album to commemorate this sports festival.

Kazama Sakura didn't think too much about it; she was only taking pictures of the boy. Just then, she heard girls talking nearby.

I instinctively turned around and saw a familiar face looking at me.

Unlike before, when his gaze was so eager. This time, Watanabe looked at him with more politeness and distance, as if he was very measured.

He nodded slightly to the girl, then smiled and said to the girl next to him who was speaking.

"Yeah, isn't football the most exciting thing right now? Speaking of which, my class is on the white team, so I came to watch."

"Huh? Is the kendo match over already?"

The girl asked curiously.

Watanabe He replied with a smile, "The preliminary rounds are over, and the semi-finals and finals are tomorrow. Come cheer us on then too!"

"Of course! Nobody would want to miss Watanabe-senpai's match, right?"

"Hahaha, that's not necessarily true."

This statement seems to have a hidden meaning.

However, Sakura Kazama didn't take it to heart and just waited for the second half to begin.

Just then, a figure sat down next to Kazama Sakura. Startled, Kazama Sakura instinctively moved away, creating some distance. She then realized it wasn't Watanabe Kakeru, but rather the senior from the confectionery club.

"Huh? Senior?"

The short-haired senior chuckled. "Who do you think I am? That step back you took was really hurtful."

She even glanced back at Watanabe Kazuo's seat.

Watanabe Kazuo's expression was slightly awkward, but he didn't react in any other way, only curving his lips slightly.

Sakura Kazama replied sheepishly, "No, it's just that when someone suddenly appears next to you, that's how it is, right?"

"That's true. Hey, I just got here, how come the score is already 0-2? Are we going to lose?"

Since the sports festival is divided into teams based on color, without class distinctions, it's natural to say "we".

Sakura Kazama replied softly, "We were behind in the first half, but there's still the second half."

The senior student didn't seem to know much about football and asked doubtfully, "Is it possible to turn it around? Is there any hope?"

"Should there be some?"

After all, that boy hasn't even taken the stage yet.

Watanabe He then moved next to the short-haired upperclassman, and it was clear that the two had a good relationship. However, it seemed that he had nothing to do with Kazama Sakura.

He joined the conversation as if it were second nature, saying, "Football is not as easy as scoring in basketball. With such a big field and twenty-two players on the field, a 2-0 score is already a significant difference."

The senior student nodded thoughtfully. "By the way, I heard that Tsukino-kun also participated in soccer. Did he play?"

Sakura Kazama shook her head. "He didn't play in the first half, probably because he signed up for a lot of events, and his teammates were considering his stamina."

Actually, this boy has quite a lot of physical strength. Wait, it seems I can't say this myself.

The girl's cheeks flushed slightly, like the translucent petals of a blooming flower under the sunlight.

Watanabe He still felt a little annoyed when he heard the boy's voice; some feelings of dislike weren't so easily eliminated, despite countless attempts to convince himself otherwise. But instinct is instinct, and preference is preference.

If someone is so easily changed, then they have nothing to do with true sincerity.

"That's really good treatment. We'll have to rely on him to turn things around in the second half."

There was an uncontrollable sarcastic tone.

Sakura Kazama clearly understood, but she didn't react.

It's their business if others don't believe it; as long as you believe it yourself, there's no need to try to convince everyone who doesn't.

The senior student understood, and she smiled. "Maybe a miracle really will happen? Oh, it seems the second half has started. Let's watch the game. I'm actually hoping Tsukino-kun can play. You might not know, but this sports festival has attracted students from other schools who came specifically to see him. I have classmates from other schools asking me to take a picture or two of Tsukino-kun. Sakura, do you have any here?"

"Um, why don't you take the picture yourself, senior? You'll probably be on stage anyway."

"You're still embarrassed? I bet your phone is full of them, right?"

No way!

Seeing the girl's obviously insincere expression, Watanabe Kazuo couldn't deceive himself into thinking that she was being completely honest.

He has only one emotion right now: seeing his rival perform brilliantly is more painful than killing himself. Is team honor something so noble?

You'll lose!
Ideally, they should embarrass themselves or make a fool of themselves a couple of times!
"Alright, the second half is about to begin. We see that Team White has already made a substitution. Huh? Are they taking off one forward and replacing it with another? Number seven, Tsukino Gen, is on the field. Will simply replacing one forward really help the offense? We'll have to wait and see!"

Gen Tsukino stepped onto the court.

The situation was even more intense than he had imagined, starting with cheers from the sidelines.

Although he never intended to market his influence at school, that's how outstanding men are; they become radiant without you even realizing it.

I had already heard many people shouting my name, but thankfully, I was thick-skinned enough not to blush and then stumble and fall on the field.

To put it more directly, he noticed that the green team members were frequently casting glances at him. They were clearly aware of his skill level, and were even openly pointing and gesturing at him.

It's obvious they're setting up tactics specifically to target them.

The opponent serves in the second half.

As the referee prepared to blow the whistle, Suzuki, standing nearby, said gravely, "Tsukino, be careful. They've definitely made thorough preparations for you; it'll be tough. We'll try our best to create space for you."

"it is good."

"drop!!"

The whistle blows.

The second half of the game officially begins.

Slightly different from the first half, the Green team noticeably strengthened their control of the midfield in the second half, trying to prevent the White team from getting the ball so easily. They also avoided any risky forward runs, essentially keeping their own half of the field packed with green players.

It's clear they're prepared to stick to their defense, and even intensify it.

"It's obvious that the white team wants to pass the ball to their newly substituted striker. But the green team is well-prepared for this and hasn't given him any good opportunities. At the same time, they are very focused on marking this new striker, and most of the time they have two defenders marking him."

"Sometimes there are even three or four. Are they that vigilant? It seems this striker is indeed the ace the White Team has been preparing for a long time. But even an ace is useless if he can't get the ball. If he passes to someone else, they're not good enough and the ball is easily intercepted. The White Team seems to be stuck in a quagmire. It's not much different from the first half."

"Now it's all about whether the White Team can find a crucial opportunity. I think the Green Team's defense is really something else, so this opportunity might not be so easy to find."

The first ten minutes of the second half were extremely tense.

It was as if a fish struggling to swim out of the mud had encountered the murkiest swamp, feeling trapped and unable to escape.

Even Mrs. Saionji noticed it.

"It doesn't seem that amazing. It's a team project with so many people, so it's quite difficult to be a hero."

Jun Asagiri, on the other hand, seemed calm and composed, not flustered at all. "Don't rush, it's only been ten minutes. Sometimes you need to be patient to seize the opportunity."

Hmph, still being stubborn.

Mrs. Saionji proudly raised her head, but as soon as she looked over, she saw a miraculous scene.

"Hmm? The White Team finally found a gap through continuous passing and teamwork, and the ball came to player number seven, Tsukino's feet. But isn't this distance a bit too far from the penalty area? Ah, he chose to pass to the wing. Wow, a very exquisite pass, the anticipation was excellent! The speedster on the wing is on the move!"

"The attack is progressing rapidly down the flank, and at the same time we see Tsukino turn and charge into the penalty area!"

"Is the winger going to send in a high cross? But there are one, two, three people around Tsukino! That's going to be difficult. It'll be hard for him to even jump when he's surrounded by three people!"

"Wait! Should we still choose to lob the ball down? Isn't that a bit too reckless? It feels like we have no other choice. Shouldn't we be more patient?!"

The ball's trajectory was very high.

As a result, the speed will not be very fast.

This gives the defenders in the penalty area many opportunities to judge the landing point and find their position.

Of course, the most crucial thing is to keep an eye on people. For example, this handsome young man who is already in the most critical position.

The Green Team's defenders also wondered if there was a possibility of a feint attack. However, the player who was the core of the defense and the school team's main goalkeeper quickly realized the possibility.

"Don't let him jump!"

The Green Team's defenders immediately made their choice; football isn't exactly a gentlemanly sport. On the contrary, small fouls are frequent, and sometimes even bigger ones occur. It's all part of the tactics. Some outrageous moves can even be described as 'brutal'.

For example, right now, what's the best way to prevent this boy from receiving the ball? Naturally, it's by using your hand, your elbow, and your body to squeeze him.

Put pressure on the boy in every way possible, squeeze him, shove him gently, within reasonable physical contact, so that the boy has no chance to jump.

And that's exactly what they did.

Even subtle gestures like pulling on the opponent's jersey or hooking their arm around each other's arm—seemingly normal physical entanglement—are actually all geared towards this moment.

However, they still underestimated the boy's terrifying stats.

Even if I'm squeezed in, even if I'm being watched by three people.

He still managed to leap up from the crowd.

That's where the football will land!

"Wow! That's incredible! How can he even jump like that? Wait, wasn't he going for a header? Wait! This isn't a header, he wants..."

Gen Tsukino was watching the height of the ball; he wasn't going to wait until the ball was falling to head it.

Instead, he leaned back and raised his left leg high.

He not only displayed exaggerated jumping ability, but his body also presented a perfect arc at that moment, with the afternoon sun and the football intertwined, as if in a dreamlike radiance.

In the instant his entire body was almost upside down, his ability to hang in the air prevented him from falling.

Compared to the others' attempts to reach the top, the boy's legs were clearly much longer!
"boom!"

"It's an upside-down kick!"

"Goal! Oh my god!"

"Unbelievable! What an incredible bicycle kick! Such a high jump, such terrifying hang time, and yet, he still managed to kick the ball into the top corner of the goal!! Is this the white team's ace player?! Why isn't this name on the football team?!"

"Goal! Goal!"

"1-2! The white team has pulled one back!!!"

This seemingly hopeless attack might just be the Green Team's one and only moment of carelessness.

But this is what happened.

The entire stadium erupted in cheers, and even spectators who knew nothing about football cheered in disbelief at the sight.

The winger who passed the ball to the white team was prepared to track back, as he didn't think such tight marking would create any opportunities. But that young man truly created a miracle.

This seemed to confirm his initial statement.

As long as we can get the ball to his feet, we have a chance!
The green team's goalkeeper, who had tried his best to make the save, slammed his fist on the grass in frustration.

"They actually got in?! Holy crap!"

However, he quickly looked at the cheering white team players, then stood up and told the players around him.

"Don't worry, it was just an accident, a lucky break. Keep marking him, keep the strategy the same, and if all else fails, try to foul him outside the penalty area. Wearing number seven, does he really think he's Aveiro?"

Amidst such cheers.

Mrs. Saionji was also somewhat taken aback by the scene.

"I thought he was jumping so high to dunk, is he really playing soccer?"

It was clearly beyond her comprehension.

Even world-class football matches don't have such exaggerated scenes.

Jun Asagiri smiled slightly, "Don't be too surprised. I think the competition has only just begun."

Mrs. Saionji snorted lightly, "If he can get in like that, I reckon the other side won't let him off too easily. He should be careful not to get hurt."

Indeed, as Jun Asagiri said.

Such a stunning scene was merely the prologue to what followed.

The Green Team did indeed intensify their defense against Tsukino Gen.

Even the moment Tsukino Gen tried to get the ball, the intensity and aggression immediately escalated. They were willing to commit fouls to get the ball away from Tsukino Gen's feet. This included tackles, arm-pulling, and headbutts from behind. These occurred at least five times in the next ten minutes.

Even a yellow card warning from the referee was to no avail.

It seems the Celtics are determined to stick to their "iron-blooded" defense.

It looks like the quagmire has reappeared.

Until the boy dropped back into the backfield to get the ball.

"Ah, the Green Team's defense is absolutely impenetrable. They've even forced Tsukino to only receive the ball in the backcourt?"

"Huh? Why isn't he passing? Instead, he's dribbling down the wing. Wait, is he planning to push forward himself? People are already starting to stop him. We need to resolve this in midfield, but he can't stop Tsukino at all! Tsukino is already speeding up! This is only the center circle! There are still countless Green Team players in front of him!"

"My God, what incredible speed! He's dribbled past his opponent! Nobody can stop him, and he's even breaking through on the wing! He's almost at the byline! But why is there no one in the penalty area to receive the pass? Even if he passes, it'll be in the box... Wait! Isn't he going to cross from the byline, but break into the penalty area himself?!"

"A nutmeg dribble! The ball didn't go out of bounds!"

"He didn't even give the Green team a chance to win a corner kick. He single-handedly dribbled the ball all the way from the backfield into the penalty area! Is he even human? Is anyone going to do anything about this?! Who let Messi in here?!"

"Actually, I think his breakthrough on the wing is more like Bale's central attack in Inter Milan's 'soup' style."

"That's not the problem anymore! All the defenders in the penalty area are coming to intercept! But Tsukino isn't just fast; his footwork is like that of a master magician! They can't take the ball from him at all; it's glued to his feet! Is he going to shoot?!"

"It was a fake shot followed by a real dunk!"

"Countless players fell to the ground in the penalty area, some even attempting tackles! But at that moment, Tsukino took a shot!"

"boom!"

The ball once again breached the Green Team's goal at a rather tricky angle.

The Green Team members inside the penalty area looked at each other in disbelief.

They couldn't imagine what was happening before their eyes.

We don't even know where the problem lies.

It seemed like the ball had been at the opponent's feet ever since it started in their own half, and no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't get it away. It was completely contrary to the football principles they had always trained in.

This isn't just a subversion, it's a complete shattering!
"2-2! Twelve minutes left!"

"Team White has a real chance to turn the tide!"

"But what's even more unbelievable is that this turnaround was brought about by one person."

"Tsukino, he almost single-handedly tied the score!"

"A spectacular bicycle kick, an almost impossible long-distance run! What is he trying to do? What else is he going to do? Is he going to recreate every possible moment in football history?!"

"Dude, you should be shining on the national team! What are you doing here?!"

Screams, shouts, cheers.

It has ignited the entire football stadium.

Suzuki stood in the center circle, watching his teammates celebrating around the boy in front of him.

He was lost and confused.

Even though he had considered the possibility that this young man had the potential to shine, he hadn't expected it to be this exaggerated.

Countless accolades were bestowed upon him.

It's supposed to be a global team sport, but it seems to have become a solo performance by him.

Indeed, he wasn't there to show off; he was there to save them.

……

(End of this chapter)