"Ten balls consecutively?!" Helios stared stunned.
"This is Senior Kazuna's play style…" Seraph informed, "Even 'Black hole' is one of his abilities."
"Moreover, he warned Alan not to use any skills. What will he do now?" Adam asked.
"Just keep quiet and watch." Kenzo uttered serious.
Alan tracing the haphazard balls closed his eyes. "Precise stroke, Reflex responsiveness, Mental strength and Vision. Use all these to return even the
Finding the real one he stepped outside the crease slamming the bat hard for a six. However, Kazuna smirked. The ball immediately passing Alan's bat went by his wicket's side into the wicketkeeper's grasp.
"What?" Alan turned around baffled.
"You're out. A little to the bail and that was it. What are you doing hun?" Kazuna stood up dusting his hands.
"For someone to grow this strong and use his skills against someone who can't, you sure are a very kind partner." Alan rolled his eyes, "Moreover the wickets didn't fall. It was my win, Kazu, Kazu." he claimed.
"You were good against mirages but you didn't read the real ball's trajectory correctly. That's where things took a downturn." Kazuna explained walking over to him.
Alan removing his helmet, kept it aside. His hairs dripping wet as if taken a shower. "Yes… yes." he sat down taking a breather.
"Wow… Senior Kazuna is on a whole different level." Feng gulped.
"Hm." Xavier agreed.
"But, Alan didn't use any skill as well. It was a close safe but he still did his best. If I would have been in his place. I doubt I would've even stopped that." Heber added.
"Tch." Kenzo clicked his tongue disappointed.
Suddenly Pedro called. The boys going over to him stood in a line. "As promised your gears are ready." he pointed at a huge trunk, "Take a look." The boys diving inside took them out. (Only Adam did that though…)
"As for Kenzo ShahJahan… here you go." Pedro tossed his bat to him.
Kenzo grabbing his queen after a long while smirked, "Finally back."
"Kortes told me to inform you that all adjustments are made and there's no need to worry. Nothing has changed." Pedro assured.
Kenzo practiced right and left, "It feels undoubtedly light…" he thought concerned.
"Come on! Let's play!" Feng called wearing his gloves.
"Yeah, I am dying to play." Gabriel walked to the pitch.
"Come Ryan, Ryan and Cassiel and Xavi, Xavi too." Adam pushed them forward one by one.
"All of you, let's go!" Kenzo pointed his bat forward.
"Stop thinking too much Alan. You won't get anywhere." Kazuna sat before him.
"I am not even thinking anything. What else do you want me to do?" Alan asked confused.
"Deliberately speaking you aren't even on par with me now." Kazuna uttered blatant.
Alan twitched his brow thumping him lightly, "Are you
Kazuna revealed a light smile. "But Alan… don't give up now. You have to stay strong." he added suddenly serious.
Alan smiled patting his knee, "Who the hell is giving up?" he assured, "Just stay my partner till the very end. That way I don't think I would give up even if I am in hell."
Kazuna exhaled relieved, "Keep your sarcasm with you."
Tracing the middleschoolers who approached, Alan looked ahead.
"To think I'll be seeing you like this one day, what a disappointment." Kenzo uttered.
"Wha...?" The middleschoolers speechlessly pushed him aside. "You don't even know how to talk!" Cassiel took him away.
"Hey! What the...?" Kenzo fought back.
"Surely you are trying your best right?" Adam give his hand to Alan.
Xavier too gave his hand to Kazuna who accepted it, standing up.
"You are looking down on me little ones. Don't you dare do that?" Alan warned.
"We played against you. We know what you are capable of. There's no need to underestimate you." Seraph said.
"Good." Alan added suddenly feeling proud out of the blue.
"Now let's play!" Adam ran to the pitch, "Deliver me a ball, Ryan!" Ryan nodded following behind.
"Don't forget to warm up." Gabriel reminded.
"Right." Heber realized lining up.
Observing their weird behavior Alan raised his brow suspicious, "What happened to you all?"
"Nothing. You surprised us a lot today." Helios replied. Kazuna glanced at Alan who remianed silent.
"Hm, we started to doubt if we even know you well enough." Poseidon added.
"So, we've made up our minds." Azazel stretched his body looking up.
Alan gulped slightly anxious.
"We are going to discover all of you. Your secrets your skills. Your past and present struggles and stand to the top after working on them. Be sure to stay cautious." Azazel claimed.
"After all… you were the one who said to find out. Find out whatever we can." Xavier recalled.
Kenzo rubbing his neck stood with the middleschoolers grinning. "Be prepared~ life sure is gonna take a tough turn from now on!" he warned.
Kazuna furrowed his gaze serious.
Alan however busted laughing, "Pfft! Haha!" "Alright. You are on!" he challenged, "And also… very best of luck for tomorrow." he encouraged.
The middleschoolers smiled.
"Come on, team up now." Rauf interrupted coming over.
"Augh~" Ezekiel rolled his eyes, "Such a pain."
"Why did he have to come now?" Adam whispered annoyed.
"To watch over you all." Seles uttered unanticipated.
"Yikes! From where did you come from, don't scare me now!" Cassiel stood behind Seraph who chuckled amused.
Kenzo, Gabriel and Helios without wasting time got ready as they began their practice. "Best of luck everyone!" Christopher and Mikael cheered. Xavier nodded.
The coaches watching over them, Alan and Kazuna too observed attentively from the audiences seat.
The rest of the highschoolers settled around the tea table on the balcony above which showed the ground's view watched the middleschoolers below. Confident grins resting their faces, they seemed to enjoy the overall sight.
"They sure are working hard." Isa sat next to Aaron.
"They have to. They ain't got a choice. They must've seen Islamabad's match amid the meeting." Aigou guessed.
"Yeah they were on fire. I think it is about to conclude now I guess, the match?" Haris deduced.
"Is Elias asleep?" Noah peeked inside the room.
"Yeah, he said he had to watch a dream today." Orion told.
"Haha, I see…" Isa chuckled, his gaze instantly shifting to Zachariah who looked below stern. "Zach." he called.
"Hm?" Zachariah glanced.
"What's with the frown on your face? Is something bothering you?" Isa inquired. Zach remained silent for a while.
"Not only Zachariah. Nagi, Senri, Ren are all carrying the same expression." Noah pointed, resting his back on the rail.
Isa looked at the four of them clueless.
"If you wanted to help or advise those little freaks why didn't you do it before? Now you keep staring at them like grim reapers." Aigou swallowed a spoonful of ice cream.
Isa closed his eyes realizing their concern, "It's because we aren't sure. Right now we can just observe them. We haven't even seen their full potential or their progress ever since they returned. So what can we advise them upon?"
"Exactly." Nagi concurred, "We don't completely know their weak points and the places they need to work upon. Though we played a half match against them. It won't reveal everything. So, all we can do we do right now is to observe when they play."
"And when they are in dire need of a push. We'll gladly give them, right Zach?" Senri smiled.
"Hm, I too don't see any opening to assist them right now." Zach concurred.
"Is that what's making you all nervous?" Elias joined.
"Ah! You weren't asleep?" Aigou asked.
"Nope, I was about to though." Elias replied. "Don't worry, we'll teach them when they'll need us to do so. Everything is going to be just fine." he assured.
"Not that we were worried." Ren corrected.
"The thing is, they have faults that are quite visible yet, if one has that the other beside him takes over it completely perfecting it in turn. It's confusing whether to name it as a flaw or not." Aaron told.
"That's what makes them unique." Elias said.
"Indeed, they have the power to turn their individual faults into perfection together. Suppose, If Kenzo has a weakness Feng will definitely cover it up making it look as if he never had one to begin with." Isa stated.
"Haiz~ what a perfect team." Senri remarked.
"Hm, and if there comes a point when they mess up. We'll be right there to open their paths." Noah said.
"Of course." Aigou added certain.
"Ah, look." Orion called showing his phone in the center of the table. "Islamabad United, they won." he told.
"Oh~?" Aaron chanted amused.
"They lived up to their words." Zach added.
"Target of 187 given by Islamabad in their first innings which remained unaccomplished by Quetta gladiators. Even though they had 6 remaining wickets." Orion informed.
"What was Quetta's overall score?" Nagi asked.
"141 runs with only 5 wickets lost." Orion replied, "From the match's standpoint, Quetta lost because of pressure. Ibn Sena from Islamabad's side took 3 wickets in the first 7 overs of the match causing them to turn into defensive mode which in turn led to less scoring and losing more balls. Moreover, after powerplay Islamabad's fielding tactic also changed. That caused quite a misjudgment from Quetta's side." he explained.
"Hm~ when Romeo said not to underestimate him them than they really shouldn't have done that~." Aaron chanted.
"Ibn Sena hun…" Isa whispered.
"He is a left arm pacer. A jewel any team would love to have." Zach informed.
"Heh~ now that's interesting." they all looked at the sight below entertained.