I practiced as a monk alone in Japan.

Chapter 235 Slaughterhouse!
When Asagiri Rin thought she could turn the tide by bringing out a lot of photos she had taken with Tsukino Gen, she didn't get the reaction she expected.

Kazama Sakura showed no signs of flushing, rapid breathing, or panting like a kitten.

Instead, he laughed with a contemptuous look.

Because she quickly found a video of Tsukino Gen watching fireworks with her.

Now, besides Rin Asagiri, there's another person in the scene who isn't laughing.

Gen Tsukino stared at the doorway, calculating the probability of successfully moving outside without making a sound.

Seeing Asagiri Rin fall silent, Kazama Sakura put away her phone and then smiled like a victor.

"I really envy some people who feel happy just from a sip of sweet soup. I have no idea how high the threshold for happiness is for those who are used to drinking milk tea; it's so hard for them to feel happiness. You guys keep chatting, I'm going to the restroom~"

"I'm going to use the toilet too."

Gen Tsukino prepared to get up.

then.

"Snapped."

My wrist was grabbed directly.

He looked down at the other person.

Asagiri Rin's eyes were terrifying, like a ferocious beast that wanted to devour people alive.

To be honest, I haven't seen this girl with that look in her eyes much lately.

It seems that it really hurt her a bit.

Sensing the situation was turning sour, Tsukino Gen immediately changed his demeanor, adopting an incredibly gentle expression, and spoke softly.

"We also have many unforgettable memories; there's nothing to envy about what others have."

She looked coldly at Tsukino Gen.

"You even went to see the fireworks with her?"

"Well... Zhao Ri has so many fireworks displays every summer, even a passing dog can catch a glimpse. There's nothing special about it, is there?"

"Yes, even dogs on the street can watch it, but you never watched it with me."

Her voice was frighteningly cold, as if it could freeze the boy in place.

Gen Tsukino quickly grasped the girl's hand in return, then squatted down and looked into her eyes.

"It's okay, there's still a long future ahead, and countless fireworks to watch together."

"You've already accompanied her to see the sights, what's the point of accompanying me too? I don't want to be like everyone else."

Why are they saying such Mary Sue-ish lines?

It's not like we're filming a teen idol drama.

Dude, this is a wish-fulfillment story.

Gen Tsukino thought for a moment and then gave the standard answer.

"Don't worry, what I'm giving you is definitely different from everyone else's."

Asagiri Rin silently looked into the boy's eyes. Tsukino Gen's expression and gaze were impeccable, so sincere that it seemed as if he was the only affectionate man left in the world.

"You'd better remember what you just said."

"I've always had a good memory."

"Ah."

Gen Tsukino breathed a sigh of relief.

Sakura then returned to the private room, where the atmosphere was exactly as she had expected. If Gen Tsukino couldn't even handle this, then there was no point in talking about ambition and desire.

However, the girl was still a little jealous.

She gets to enjoy everything; she can be spoiled and throw tantrums at will. No wonder she's a girl favored by heaven.

We finally finished eating.

Gen Tsukino was going to join the soccer team, so he left his predicament as soon as possible.

He wasn't uninterested in how the two girls would chat and what they would say when he wasn't around. But the problem was that in some situations, the man's involvement ruined the fun.

After Tsukino Gen left the playground and went to the soccer field.

Two girls of similar age but completely different styles turned their gazes in unison and saw each other's eyes.

Asagiri Rin narrowed her eyes.

"You were very arrogant while eating."

Sakura Kazama playfully stuck out her tongue. "It was just a little joke, Rin-chan won't really mind, will she~"

"Don't give me that, you're joking. I think you're mostly just trying to make me angry, aren't you?"

"How could that be? It won't do me any good if you get angry."

The girl murmured softly.

The two walked in one direction.

After a moment of silence, Asagiri Rin suddenly spoke.

"But I really admire you."

"Huh?" This was clearly something Kazama Sakura hadn't expected. What did she have that was worthy of her admiration? It seemed that, apart from their comparable looks, there was nothing about this girl that she could envy.

Family background? Abilities? Oh, maybe it's height.

My height makes me an easy target for bullying among women my age.

"You can give so much for him, go to this extent."

Upon hearing this, Kazama Sakura gave a wry smile, then looked up at the azure sky and said...

"Anyway, I originally had nothing, so there's really nothing to give. It's just the only thing I could do. On the contrary, it's you, Rin-chan, that I admire even more."

"why?"

"Because you lack nothing, because you can be even more proud. So you've given up more than I have, haven't you?"

Asagiri Rin glanced at the girl beside her.

Her expression seemed clearer than the sky, like an illusory yet so close horizon.

It seems that more than what she did, Asagiri Rin discovered the biggest difference between herself and her: her sister possessed qualities that she herself could never have in her entire life.

It's this kind of heart that puts yourself in other people's shoes and thinks about them.

She is genuinely kind, not just because she said a few words or did a few things. Because her thinking is all based on this logic.

From this perspective, this is the component that cannot be faked.

She turned her head away and said, feigning displeasure, "If you made me less angry, maybe I would treat you better."

Kazama Sakura looked at the girl with some surprise. She thought for a moment, then smiled and affectionately took the girl's arm.

"Aren't we now considered best friends by Auntie?"

"Who said we're best friends? Let go of my hand!"

"No way~ Good friends should be closer~"

"Don't you know it's hot! Take it away right now!"

"No, no, no~"

Now, Tsukino Gen doesn't know that what he was worried about didn't happen. Not everything requires his personal attention; things have taken a different turn, perhaps even in a direction he never imagined.

In the football team's locker room.

Everyone was ready to go, and no one mentioned having Tsukino Gen as a substitute anymore.

The previous experience made them realize the reality: without this young man, they would never have had a chance to enter the finals.

So almost as soon as the boy entered the locker room, everyone looked up at him as if they had found their pillar of support.

It was only at this moment that Suzuki stood up to explain the so-called tactics.

"The Blue team is much stronger than the Green team we played yesterday. They have four or five key players, and the rest are mostly substitutes. The most important thing is their midfield control. Although they played with a single striker yesterday, their wing play was too fast. We should pay special attention to their number nine on the left wing and their number eleven in midfield."

"The attack is often launched from the left flank, with the midfield supplying the ball. Yesterday, the Red Team's defense was basically breached by number nine alone, so our defenders must pay attention to providing cover. The defensive midfielders also need to assist in the defensive duties more."

"As for counter-attacks and offense, try to get the ball to Tsukino's feet as much as possible, so he won't have to drop back so often. They will definitely come up with a lot of ways to counter you, and the others should also look for opportunities. But in most cases, I believe you can handle things on your own. I think everyone agrees on that, right?"

It's hard to imagine that one day in the locker room, Suzuki would so openly incorporate individual heroism into his football philosophy.

But this is precisely the way they have the best chance of winning right now, because no matter who looks at it, the Blue Team is clearly more convincing in terms of overall strength.

In the last match, the Blue Team not only shut out the Red Team, preventing them from scoring a single goal, but also won by a large margin of 5-0.

It demonstrated what it means to be perfectly integrated in both offense and defense, leaving no room for error.

If they played normally, they saw no chance of winning. The last match clearly demonstrated the importance of someone like Tsukino Gen. Without him on the field, they couldn't even hold on, let alone score a goal.

No striker can create space, seize opportunities, or even make so many incredible moves like him.

And naturally, the other party will also notice the boy's presence and respond in a more aggressive manner.

On the other side.

The atmosphere in the locker room was also quite somber.

"To be honest, there's really nothing to worry about with the White Team. There's only one: this number seven, Tsukino Gen. Our class played against them in a soccer game. It was supposed to be a crushing victory, but because of this one guy, we were turned around and lost. And the same thing happened in their last game against the Green Team. So, if we can stop this number seven, it's like we've sealed the White Team's fate!"

The captain of the blue team is explaining the tactics.

However, the person below looked slightly distressed.

"I watched the video of Gen Tsukino playing this month. To be honest, is he really not from the national team? It's too exaggerated. The height of that bicycle kick, the fluidity of the movement. I would believe you if you said he trained with the national team since he was a child. No, it's like he came back from playing abroad. And that long run, cutting through the backfield and breaking through the entire defense. Although the Green Team's defense can't be said to be at the professional level, his stamina and speed are too exaggerated."

"So shouldn't we think of more drastic measures to deal with this? A football match being dominated by one person is just too horrifying for my worldview. How can we allow such a thing to happen!"

"or."

Someone looked up, a fierce glint in their eyes.

"Get him off the field? A slightly more subtle approach, or something like Zidane's old play, trash-talking him relentlessly to throw him off balance?"

Number 11, who was explaining as the team leader, frowned.

"To be honest, I don't quite agree with this approach. After all, this isn't a formal competition. We're all classmates, and we'll see each other all the time. If things get out of hand, it won't be good for anyone. But I hope you won't be too lenient with him. We all know that people who love football don't allow themselves to lose on the field. We need to use a more reasonable, rule-based method to eliminate him."

"Understand?"

"It's strangulation!"

……

(End of this chapter)