"Good job completing the physical tests. Coming up next is what everyone's been waiting for—the 7 vs 7 mini game," announced a blonde-haired coach.
"The match will last 20 minutes. It is the most important part of the first exams, so make sure to do your best."
"Finally, it's time. This match will most likely determine who passes and who fails," Aizaki thought to himself. With clenched fists, he took one last look at the opposition team before turning back and jogging to where his teammates were huddled up.
POV SWITCH: HANA
"Older brother!! A cheerful voice called out from a blonde girl walking by the sidelines, with a cooler filled with drinks. "How are things progressing so far big brother?"
"I've told you not to call me that when we're inside the pitch" Fukuda replied with a sigh. "Besides only the physical exams are over, the final exercise is yet to come."
"Oh please, your always so humble. Brother, I know that even a short amount of time is enough for you to tell plenty of things." Hana replied with a cheeky grin on her face.
"Am sorry about this Hana-chan." Tsukishima Esperion's blonde coach interrupted. "Even if your Fukuda's little sister, getting a middle school girl like you to help out with these chores is just.."
"It's fine." Hana cut him off before he could finish. "All the candidates are doing their best out there, betting their lives on it, so this is the least I could do. But," she continued while glancing at the pitch.
"This mini game, it's turning out to be a 7 vs 3 isn't it?"
AIZAKI POV
Start of the minigame.
Aizaki stood with his teammates on the pitch awaiting the kickoff whistle.
Fweeep!
The referee blew the whistle, and immediately the match began.
Akinori Kaneda, passed the ball back towards the Midfield. Estuki Otomo trapped the ball, and passed it towards Aoi on the left.
Aoi without looking back, charged straight into the opponents half with the ball at his feet. He managed to get past two opponents before loosing the ball.
The team in red bibs immediately launched a counter. Hasegawa who won the ball from Aoi, launched a lobbed pass towards Hiroshi CF. Hiroshi headed to ball down into the feet of Tachibana who was charging right behind him. Tachibana cut through the defense with crazy speed he looked like a blur. He danced through the defense, before chipping the keeper as he rushed out to meet him.
This dynamic continued through out the game with someone passing to Aoi, and Aoi charging straight into the opponents half. He eventually looses the ball, and their opponents launch a counter.
Aizaki couldn't take it anymore so he screamed at Aoi.
"what the hell is your problem? Don't just charge at them you block head we're playing as a team! Or is your brain to small to process that simple fact?"
"Who are you calling a blockhead?" Aoi spat back in anger. My name's Aoi Ashito and what the hell are you saying? I want to score a goal, but you guys don't give me enough passes, so when I get the ball I can only charge by myself!!"
"You do realize you wasted more than a dozen chances right?" Otomo said, drawing Aoi's attention to him.
"Don't worry. All you've got to do is pass the ball to me, and I'll win this game for us. After all I'm the reincarnation of Cristiano Ronaldo although Ronaldo isn't dead."
Aoi respond with his arms on his waist, as if striking a pose.
Aizaki gave up on him after hearing his reply. He turned to look at otomo and said. "Otomo right?"
The green haired teen replied with a nod.
"Forget about him, just get me the ball." Looking at his other teammates he shook his head and continued, "it seems our teammates aren't up for this challenge. I guess it's just you, me, and grumpy over there." He said while pointing to Kaneda walking towards the center circle.
"So you up for a challenge?" He said, sporting a feral grin.
"Urrgh, what have I gotten myself into?" Otomo asked while hugging himself. "What's wrong with you guys, getting so hyped up for no reason? Sigh. Well whatever just go back to your position, i'll get you the ball."
Aizaki raised an eyebrow at his teammates weird antics, but chose not to say anything. He jogged back to his position, waiting for the sound of the whistle.
Aizaki received the ball from otomo just past the halfway line. He turned and immediately sprinted straight towards the opposition goal.
He beat his first marker with a simple change of pace and got past the next with a couple of quick step overs. He exchanged a quick one-two pass with Kaneda before bursting through the defense at full speed.
A defender got in front of him trying to slow him down. He pushed the ball slightly to his right towards the middle of the pitch where Kaneda was waiting, as if he was about to make a pass. The defender reacted immediately by stretching his leg out to intercept the pass, but Aizaki was ready. Using the inside of his foot, he pushed the ball to the left leaving the defender wide eyed.
The defender managed to recover, and charged at him from behind aiming for a sliding tackle, but Aizaki was a step ahead. Just as the defender lifted his foot ready to slide in, Aizaki tapped the side of the ball, pushing it to the right. The defender slid in aiming to kick the ball out of his grasp, only to find the ball rolling past him in between his legs while he slid past.
Aizaki cut into the 18 yard box and released a powerful right footed shot from the edge of the box, aiming for the top left corner. The ball sailed past the keeper and into the back of the net, indicating the first goal for the players in white.
The game continued with both sides scoring. The white bibed team couldn't stop the red team from scoring, and the red bibs couldn't handle the attacking prowess of Aizaki, Otomo, and Kaneda.
As the game went on Aizaki noticed a problem. It seemed his opponents had labelled his as the most dangerous player on his team, and hence double teamed him.
His new chaperone's where not afraid to get physical, using their better physique to their advantage. They repeatedly bumped into him, stopping him from advancing even earning him freekicks occasionally.
"Damn I really need to work on my freekicks" Aizaki muttered.
POV SWITCH: HANA
"Big brother, is it alright to have such a large difference in strength between the two teams? I know winning or losing the match doesn't make much of a difference, but wouldn't it be easier for the players on the stronger team to display their skills?" A curious Hana asked while watching the game.
"Well, you see, when I watch football, I can't help but be enraptured by a player's physical prowess and technical skills. Make no mistake, these attributes are very important for a footballer's career. But, like you said previously, we already know what the players here can do, and with the results from the physical tests, we've pretty much confirmed those we want," Fukuda explained, pausing to let his words linger.
"So right now, all the exam-takers are probably thinking something like,
'I want to appeal.'
'I want to stand out.'
'Me. Me. Me.'
"Because when thrown into a team where no one knows each other, it becomes really hard to do things by yourself. Hence the question, what is the real purpose of this exam?"
"When thrown into a pitch riddled with inconveniences, what should I do? That's why what I truly desire to see here today is thinking power."