The Rise of the Iron Wall!-Chapter 61: The Last One To Laugh? (I)

The one who laughed like that was Higo, as the boy fell on the ground with his chest moving so rapidly. His jersey was drenched in sweat with dirt sticking all over the place, yet the exhilarating smile on his face was enough to show his current mood.

That was when all the Hakodate Nishi realized what the boy had just done and its implications, and roars and cheers followed immediately.

"Hahaha! Damnit, Chibi! You are so crazy!" Makino laughed, tears falling down his face.

"That double save is insane, Senpai! Have you been practicing silently?!" Fujinaga followed by patting Higo’s head hard, not showing any hint of respect to his senpai. Well... In his mind, the compliment was his biggest respect, while the pat was just a reflex.

"You too, Jun! Nice defending!" Ishinori helped the tall boy get up from the ground. "If not for you, we would’ve lost a goal already! You paid the debt of penalty before!"

"Really?!" Jun widened his eyes, realizing that he had just done something amazing as well, even though it wasn’t to the same degree as what Higo did earlier.

Ishinori nodded silently, his eyes were red as tension finally broke loose. Even though Jun didn’t notice it because he was busy staring at the ball in the air, the boy saw clearly how everything unfolded just a moment ago.

Jun might occupy the high ground due to his incredible height, but he was surrounded by three of the Ritsumeikan players already.

First, it was that Roshi, the one who scored the goal before it was disallowed by the referee, then Iwai, who somehow teleported quickly to that side while also getting ready to put pressure on Jun, and another one who acted as the front attacker to face the boy directly.

Those three were all formidable opponents, and yet, Jun was able to gain a strong advantage before he had to be fouled by the opponent’s striker.

After committing a mistake earlier that caused the penalty, the boy paid his debt in full instantly, becoming a great integral that saved the team’s ass in that sequence.

Of course, his role was amazing. However, the main protagonist here was still Higo, as the boy felt his face was so flustered after everyone patted—and slapped—his head so hard in appreciation. It hurt, yes, and he cursed at them all inwardly, but the smile on his face couldn’t deny how excited the boy was right now.

’Damn, I was so fucking cool!’ He laughed giddily. ’I wonder if Mom or Oneechan took a pic of me in action... Hey, what about Kumiko-chan?!’

Of course, while in his mind, preventing the score from getting tied was crucial, there was one more important thing flashing inside his mind after that save. Of course, it was none other than seeking approval on the girl he liked, as his head snapped immediately to the bench.

Seeing this, Kumiko couldn’t help but giggle, somehow imagining her best friend like a puppy wiggling its tail after catching the bones that she threw. Still, the girl gave what the boy wanted here, sending a huge thumbs-up with eyes shining in admiration.

"Good job, Ryukkun! Keep it up until the game ends!" She shouted.

"Don’t worry, Kumiko-chan! Leave the rest to me!" He laughed boisterously, ignoring the envious gazes he received from some people.

The supporters outside the pitch also shook their heads here, still trying to comprehend what was going on a moment ago. Everything went so quickly that their brain failed to catch up, and the last thing they knew was that the referee blew the whistle for a foul.

"Damn! That goalie is something else, huh?"

"I know, right?! He has done so well in the first half, but the last sequence is insane!"

"What is his name, and from which class does he come?"

"He is Ryusuke Higo from 2-B!"

"He is a sophomore?! Does that mean he will be a senior student next month?!"

While the commotion outside the pitch got heated more, inside, the referee had already stabilized the situation. Even though some of the Ritsumeikan players were not satisfied with the end result, no one dared to complain anymore, what with the harsh warning they received earlier.

Still, their gaze on Higo changed.

If before, they were eyeing the boy like he was a prey, so eager to see who among them would be the first to bag a goal in this game, now, there was a hint of fear flashed in their eyes, mixed with a slight intimidation in it. No one spoke it out loud, but most of them shared a common thought here.

’Would he be the wall that will block us from the semifinal?’

Iwai was the one who felt guilty the most, as he failed to execute the penalty kick earlier. Even though he was still smiling, the boy was so determined to pay all of the debt later, vowing that he would be the one who scored against Higo today.

Of course, the team’s coach also noticed the team’s morale that went south. Without hesitation, he made three substitutions in one go; replacing a full back with a striker, a defensive midfielder with someone in the same position but with more mobility and attacking skill, and a left winger with another one on the bench to add new blood in the last fifteen minutes of the game.

It was an aggressive decision with only one aim, and that was to overload Hakodate Nishi’s territory with their players and create more chances in front of the box.

The coach had to admit that he had underestimated Higo here, but the man was still sticking with his principle. As long as more chances were created, one or two would be able to get through the goal, as it was impossible for the goalkeeper to save all the shots directed at him.

Oh, how naïve he was, as Higo didn’t have any intention to lose even a single goal today.

Still, the new addition to the troops was enough to ignite one more spark in the team, as they saw one last hope for them to break through the opponent’s great wall today.

"Come on, Guys! I don’t believe that they are unpreachable! Let’s get a goal quickly and snatch the win from their hand!"