Yuki turned around and cursed, "Madness". Tino was in pain as he returned to rest on his bed.
The next day on the Koi's team practice field. Shu was watching the member training. Only to notice Tino walked from afar. This time, Tino had a bright smile on his face yet the slow movements of Tino couldn't escape Shu's eyes.
With a worried tone, Shu asked, "Tino, are you hurt?"
Tino tried to act as normal as possible before replying, "It is just a tiny injury."
Shu for the first time caught Tino's hand and put his hand on Tino's breast and put pressure on it. Tino frowned and hissed in pain but he still tried to show a smile which made Shu even more displeased. Shu never had felt a change in his emotions yet this was the first time he felt complicated feelings toward someone. He hated the feeling of someone hiding their injuries from him, especially the internal injuries.
Shu turned toward the other teammates and left a message to Koi before taking Tino to the infirmary. The other teammates saw this and their doubts started to increase.
In the beginning, they never thought of winning the competition like Koi did but they were tamed by the freedom of playing soccer without harsh training so they decided to join Koi. They knew perfectly that had a robust backbone but they didn't care about that. They just want to live like a person not as a puppet that the organization aka FU controlled.
When Koi introduced Tino and Shu, they started to doubt that they were spies. Otherwise, why would the best player in the organization would join them in the rebellious? They knew how obedient Shu was toward the organization.
Never would they trust Shu and Tino, this was what they thought until soon later that they would change their own minds toward them.
On the road that Shu took Tino to the infirmary, they encountered Yuki. Tino's body shook a little as Shu could see Tino's reaction after seeing Yuki.
After they went past him, Yuki's voice reached their ears, "That little assistance of yours sure is reckless just like you. Do you think that the higher-ups wouldn't know what you are up to? If I were you, I would teach those ants a lesson. Anyway, with you there, it is going to be fun soon later."
Shu smiled softly and left a meaningful word, "Then I will be welcoming to your challenge but that doesn't mean I will let you go after injuring someone so badly."
Shu's friendly tone soon turned harsh for a moment like a threat ready to reveal at any moment.
Yuki grinned arrogantly before continuing away. Shu took Tino into the infirmary and let the doctor take care of him. Shu inquired about the cause of Tino's injury, so Tino could only tell the truth to him, "Well, Yuki and I were roommates so during the conversation, we got into a fight. Then came the injury."
Shu let out a sigh as he explained, "Yuki is one of the best strikers normally his temper is very contradicted. You should avoid him as much as possible."
Tino let out an energetic answer, "I got it. Thank you, Shu. I feel alright after some rest. You can go back."
Tino looked at the ceiling of the room before taking out his phone to play with. He turned the videos on to watch the match of the last football tournament inside FU. During these many days of stay in the FU, he knew that there were two factions in the organization. The faction for the freedom of Players, FF, and the faction for controlling every Player, CF.
The controlling faction had won the tournament for ten years straight and no one could shake their position while every team member that the faction of freedom producing either lost or they would switch sides. Later the cruelty of the Player was spread throughout the country or even the whole world.
Shu was originally trained for the CF and made his name there, now he was part of the FF team. One could say unexpected or even a plot but Tino deeply believed in Shu that he wanted to fight against all members of the organization.
After resting for a while, the discharge came out as Tino heard that the recovery speed of a Player is faster than an average person. Tino could feel his body as light as ever after the medicine.
Tino returned to the soccer field only to catch sight of Yuki and the other Players surrounding their team. An older adult was saying something to them.
As Tino got closer, he could hear the content of his words, "Shu, CF would overlook this time but you better return back to the Shadow team."
Shu replied with a smile, "Sorry, I want to enjoy football for one last time. Maybe I want to see where my emotion would take me." Halfway through his sentence, he dropped his eyes toward the ball in his hands.
Yuki's face was distorted, and for the first time, Tino saw his roommate show such of expression. The adult who appeared to be the coach of the team suggested, "What about a match? If you won, I would not give you one of the members. If you lost, Shu, you would return with us."
A clear voice busted out, "We accept. Captain, we can't just avoid them anymore, can we? Sooner or later, we will face them anyway."
Koi sighed and looked at Shu after getting the nod from him, Koi caught the figure of Tino far away. Koi walked up to him and asked, "You're finally back. Did you stop Yuki's shoot last time?"
Tino nodded which made Koi's lip curl up into a smile, "This time we need your help. Will you be our defender?"
Tino was in shock as this came out, he had never been part of any teams before and right now his first game was against the Players. This made Tino thrilled with excitement. But the problem is can he use his power like the last time? He also wondered about that but anyway, this time he could finally play in the game—nothing mattered.
The battle started with the kick-off from Yuki as he dashed toward the Tino's team. Shu slid in and hooked the ball with a kick before turning it to his back. A perfect ball control. Yuki gritted his teeth and rushed to the side of the back where the ball was to steal the ball. None of the defense could stop his way toward the goal as he kept the ball to himself. His movement and the other team Players were so fast that none of the Tino's teammates could use their magic in time. Soon Yuki came face to face with the goalkeeper who started to use his magic. Both of them use magic at the same time. "Black sword" and "Earth fence". Yuki's shot was faster.
The [Earth fences] broke and they lost one goal. Tino watched helplessly as his team's defense was broken by the other team. The team tried to intercept the ball from Yuki's team only ended up in failure. The only thing Tino could do was to stop it before it met the goalkeeper.
Tino kept his eyes on the ball and saw this before charging forward to stop the shoot with his body. As he dropped the ground, Tino still got up and kicked the ball out to only lose it after dribbling for a while. This way of stopping magic shots without a barrier was dangerous even to the Player. If this strange boy can manage to deal with it, then he has the potential to be a transformed Player. Only a strong Player who can reach the level of transformation can do that. Tino was like a knight who protected the goalkeeper's side and would stop magic attacks once or twice.
Yuki's hair got longer like transforming into the new form and roared angrily, "Do you think you are a Trainer by joking around like this?"
A kick on the ball was full of strength even more powerful than the magic shot like Yuki just gained superhuman strength. It flew toward Tino as he stood up against faced the ball fearlessly before shouting, "Football is my happiness, I won't let you harm football."
A dark figure flashed over saving Tino in the nick of time. Shu looked up at each of the other team members as his team was powerless against them. At that moment the strength drained away from Tino's body. Tino dropped down to the ground and Shu managed to catch him after the fall. Tino whispered out the lasting word losing all his strength. Tino looked at Shu and said, "Shu, please listen to the voice of football. Remember the feeling of football."
The word echoed deeply into Shu's mind similar to the light shone on his shadow in his heart. With the closed of his eyes, he reopened his eyes. His pupil turned golden as his dark eyes were no longer visible. A white mark appeared on his forehead with the image of the crown, the moment seemed to freeze with the wave of his hand and the ball flew up in the flow of light before turning into a golden dragon that covered up the ball. The goalkeeper straightened up his back and used the Black and White Shield to stop the ball but the powerful power of the ball broke the barrier entirely. [Golden dragon]
This time that adult was entirely speechless before saying something that they didn't expect at all, a forfeit. He asked all the members to return and forfeit. Before leaving he has even left a word, "From now on, Yuki will be left to you guy. How you want to deal with him depends on you?"
This time Yuki hissed in annoyance as he said no words before leaving but his eyes remained on Shu with a hint of caution and eagerness to surpass Shu. Even Tino didn't expect such a calm expression from Yuki let alone everyone else.
This time the team was safe only with the existence of Shu here. Never thought there was one day their team would be so vital to beat the CF team.
Koi touched Shu on the shoulder before looking at the Tino's body on the ground.
After sleeping for who knows how long, Tino's eyelashes flickered and his vision was blurred as he tried to take a more precise look. He is noticed that is back in his room and it seems to him that the team took him back. A flashback of memory before his fade comes. Was that Shu's hidden power? Why does he feel disliked when seeing that mark on Shu's forehead?
Tino stared at the moonlight before a feeling of thirst took over. He couldn't find any drink in the room so he could only walk to find it outside.