The Rise of the Iron Wall!-Chapter 12: Intermission

Meanwhile, on the bench, Kumiko was probably the most shocked person there right now. She was too stunned by Higo’s save, enough to make the girl start questioning her sanity.

’Is this real?’ She even pinched her own cheek, just to find a dull sensation here that made the girl realize that this wasn’t just a dream. ’Higo could really save that ball? In his very first game?! How is that scientific?!’ Honestly, if only she weren’t the team’s manager, the girl would be freaking out on the spot instantly.

She had to admit that her attempt to force Higo to join the team was just whimsical. After all, no matter from which angle she looked at, the boy didn’t really meet her criteria as a good goalkeeper. He was short, clumsy, and lacked sports experience, not someone who could give a team a sense of safety with him under the post. In her mind, while Higo wouldn’t be able to play regularly, being the second goalie would be okay as well, and since the boy didn’t really get involved in this sport, he wouldn’t have any objection as a bench player.

Who would’ve thought, though, that the boy really defied her expectation and shattered her illusion of him not being good here? Especially that last save; that was the epitome of how a good goalkeeper should react. Quick, decisive, and never hesitate.

Then, everything suddenly escalated into a new scene that seemed to be coming from outer space. Right after getting praised by the others, Higo started commanding the defenders, and although it was just for the corner kick, the confidence he showed, combined with how the others just followed his order without asking any questions, showed how charismatic Higo was.

Truth to be told, though, the other players didn’t really follow his command due to his charisma. No, it was because Higo had just made an amazing save, and they got carried away by it, unconsciously accepting his words as a command. Hell, even Makino himself also did the same, moving exactly where Higo pointed out.

Fortunately, the instruction worked like a charm, as Jun managed to clear the ball away from the penalty box with his header, and right after that, Takaaki also kicked it as far away as possible, clearing the danger out of their zone.

The rest of the first half ran at a slower pace, with Esashi High’s attackers finding a difficult time trying to pry open Hakodate Nishi’s defense. The players there were like a matryoshka doll; once one got passed through, another would appear to fill in the blank. Not only that, but they also started to get frustrated by Higo’s aerial ability, as the goalkeeper always grabbed the cross without giving the opponent’s strikers any chance to snatch it.

As the referee blew the whistle to signal that the first half was over, players from both teams walked back to the bench in a completely different mood. While the Hakodate Nishi players were ecstatic after managing to survive the opponent’s wave of attack, the same thing couldn’t be said on Esashi’s bench, as everyone could only bow their heads and avoid meeting the coach’s livid gaze.

"This is so... FUCKING EMBARRASSING!" The coach, Jirokichi, roared in fury. "45 minutes we dominate the ball, and what?! Only one shoot-on-target?! And you all said you want to dethrone Sappotani?! Keep dreaming!"

A thick vein was visible on the coach’s neck, scaring the shit out of everyone. He even started to breathe heavily, making them all afraid that his blood pressure had risen beyond the tolerable number. Fortunately, the man’s self-control took over in the most crucial moment, as he took a deep breath to ease his explosive emotion.

"I don’t care what you are going to do, but I want more shots to be taken in the second half." He said solemnly.

The players just stared at each other awkwardly. It wasn’t like they didn’t think of that idea, but Hakodate Nishi’s defensive line was so low, blocking all the path toward the opponent’s goal. Shooting from afar often led to a block, which only slowed down their pace. That was why they didn’t really take that much of a shot in the first half.

Of course, Jirokichi also considered this issue, so in the end, he glanced at one of the bench players and said, "Nishimura, you are in. Later, we are going with three strikers. You know what to do, right?"

The boy called Nishimura was startled for a second, then nodded solemnly. "Yes, Sir!"

After a while, the break was finally over, and all the Esashi players finally let out a relieved sigh. Time always moved slowly when their coach was livid like that, and no one dared to utter even a single word during that time. Compared to them, though, the situation on Hakodate Nishi’s side was definitely lighter, as the boys there were just chatting casually with each other.

However, Makino narrowed his eyes immediately when he saw the player who was ready to come in from the opponent’s bench.

"Oi, Chibi, be careful." He whispered to Higo. "That 14, yeah, the one on the sideline," He pointed subtly at Nishimura, "His name is Nishimura Shogo. Last year, he made a name for himself by scoring 4 goals in the prefecture tournament, becoming the runner-up in the top scorer list." 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Higo nodded silently, taking a note inside his head. "Then, why does he come from the bench?"

"I don’t know, I heard he had an injury and has to recover for quite a long time." Makino shrugged. "Anyway, just be careful. They will be eager to tie the score, and their attack pattern will change as well. Keep your eyes open, because things will start to get difficult from now on."

Higo nodded solemnly, taking a deep breath as he walked to his goal. The boy could also notice the shift in the atmosphere here. Even though no one said it out loud, all the Esashi players had their eyes on him, staring hungrily like a starving beast. This alone was enough to make Higo understand one thing here.

’That Teme is right, this is not going to be an easy half for me.’