In the locker room where Lucas Tanaka and the others were assigned, there was another team from another school soccer club, but the locker room was big enough for each of them to sit in a corner.
As Lucas put on his boots, he remembered when he got the same boots from Ayumi and John. That evening, after John came home from work, he called Lucas into the living room where John and Ayumi were waiting for him with a gift box in their hands.
"Lucas, we know it's not just your birthday, but we want to give you something to encourage you to continue playing soccer in high school. We know you have great potential, and great players need good boots, right?"
Ayumi handed the box to Lucas, who opened it with trembling hands. Inside was a new pair of blue boots. His eyes filled with tears and he couldn't help but hug Ayumi and John tightly.
"Thank you, Dad. Thank you, Mom. I promise I'll do my best. Always." Lucas declared, his voice choked with emotion that day.
Lucas was determined to let his parents' great deeds inspire him to achieve his dreams, but even after going back in time, things weren't going quite as Lucas had hoped. Even though he had the system, he couldn't change Mr. Yamamoto's mind and started as an alternate.
Their first game in the league was against Karaso High School, who wore red and black, and the Wushia High School's first team was playing well.
The game was already underway, and Lucas, sitting on the bench, could only watch and cheer for his teammates on the field. Sitting on the bench in a situation like this would be a pain for anyone, but it was especially annoying for him, who had been on the first team a few times. The only reason he wasn't there was because Mr. Yamamoto felt he was more important to come on in the second half.
The stands in the stadium weren't full, but there were a few dozen people watching, which made it more difficult than just playing for schoolmates watching from the windows.
At the beginning of the first half, Wushia High School had the majority of the possession, and they were eager to score the first goal by connecting the midfield with the attack led by Tsuyoshi Nishida.
In one of these moments of connection, Tsukada received a pass from Kenji in midfield and began to advance, dribbling past two Karaso players with agility. Despite his pride, Tsukada was the team's number 10. There was no denying that he was very good, and even the few fans were a bit impressed by the ease with which he was able to get rid of Karaso High School's strong marking.
After attracting more marking off his dribble, Tsukada quickly passed the ball back to Kenji.
The No. 8 made his way down the right flank, using his speed to leave the defenders in his wake.
Nishida was positioned in the area, ready to receive the cross, and as always, he called out:
"I'm here!"
Kenji crossed the ball to Nishida. The striker was pressured by a defender, but he had tremendous physical strength and jumped up just in time. His head hit the ball with a powerful impact.
Everyone expected the ball to hit the net as it flew toward the goal. However, the Karaso School goalkeeper, with his impressive reflexes, managed to touch the ball with his fingertips and deflect it slightly.
The ball then sailed over the crossbar for a corner.
The collective excitement of the Wushia High School boys on the bench turned to groans of disappointment and continued to do so for the next few minutes.
Karaso High School had a classic 4-3-3 tactical formation, which in simplified terms meant that they had 4 defenders, 3 midfielders, and 3 strikers. As such, Karaso High School didn't pose much of a threat to Wushia High School's 3-4-3 formation. With an extra player in the midfield, High School Wushia was able to better connect the midfield with the attack, so they had a much higher volume of attacking play than their opponents.
Surprisingly, the game continued like this, with High School Wushia constantly pressing, but unable to break through High School Karaso's compact defense. Every attempt to attack was thwarted by the relentless defense, which left Nishida no room to finish accurately.
On the sidelines, coach Mr. Yamamoto shouted instructions, trying to keep the team focused and excited. But the team's inability to score on so many chances was making them anxious.
"They're playing for a draw. They're cowards," muttered Yuuga, number 4, on the bench next to Lucas. He was visibly annoyed, tapping his foot repeatedly on the floor. "This is so frustrating! It's like they don't even want to win. Where is the will to win?"
Lucas shook his head negatively, keeping his eyes on the field.
"It's natural for them to play like that. We have very good midfielders who always manage to connect with Nishida. With four players at the back, they can practically double-team him, which means they can neutralize our top scorer. It's a defensive strategy that tires out our midfielders, forcing them to work harder to find space while their team rests."
"Oh, so they're clever cowards? That doesn't change the fact that they're cowards."
"If they win, it doesn't matter if they were cowards or not. Soccer tends to favor those who have possession, and the best teams tactically tend to have possession. But that's not a rule. The best teams are the ones who win. That's always been one of the main rules of football... We have to find a way to overcome this defense. This is a game of patience as much as skill."
The first half continued at the same pace. Wushia High School dominated possession, but every attempt to attack was met by Karaso's well-organized defense.
Tsukada, Kenji, Yukihiro, and Nishidatried incessantly, but to no avail. Fatigue began to show on the faces of the players.
At the 35th minute, a new attack was launched. Tsukada advanced through the center, dribbled past a defender, and passed to Kenji on the right. Kenji, with a determined look on his face, made a cross gesture, glancing at Nishida, and the defenders swarmed around No. 9 to prevent him from finishing.
"Get out of here, you bastards!" Nishida said, gritting his teeth.
But Kenji was smart. He knew that Nishida would be double-teamed at the first sign of a normal cross, so he pretended to cross and cut inside, keeping an eye on the goal of shooting from outside the area. He was about to shoot when a midfielder appeared like a shadow behind him and closed the angle of the shot, causing Kenji's shot to deflect upward and then fall quietly into the hands of the opposing goalkeeper.
"Come on, boys!" yelled Mr. Yamamoto from the sidelines, trying to get his players' spirits up.
However, it was clear that the physical strain was beginning to affect the team, both tactically, with more silly mistakes, and emotionally.
Lucas was watching closely, eager to get out on the field. He knew he could make a difference, but he also understood that he had to wait his turn. His opportunity would come, he just had to be ready.
A sharp whistle signaled the end of the first half, and the Wushia High School players dragged themselves to the bench, where Lucas and the other reserves played the role of helpers, handing out bottles of water and offering words of support.
Lucas handed Nishida a bottle of water and said:
"Don't worry, man. The goal will come."
Nishida took the bottle but said nothing. He was too frustrated to speak.
Just then, a system message appeared for Lucas.
[New Main Mission!]
[Main Mission Name: First Step to Stardom
Description: You must prove that you are ready and have the potential to become a professional soccer player.
Objective: Score a goal or provide an assist to open the scoring in Wushia High School's match against Karaso High School.
Rewards:
+ 10 Star Points.
+ 5 Attribute Points.
+ 1 Uncommon Loot Box.]