The Rise of the Iron Wall!-Chapter 73: On Sapporo Otani’s Side

"So, is that the new Hakodate Nishi team?" A boy, wearing a light blue training suit, peeked curiously from afar. "They are not looking that strong, eh?"

Another boy, one with blonde hair and a sharp jaw, snorted. "Ha! Even in our last winter, they were not that strong, and look, they even lost their stubborn goalkeeper, being replaced by that shortie," He pointed at Higo. "There is no way they can touch the edge of our jersey today." He sneered mockingly.

"Eh, don’t think too much, just treat it as a shooting training." The first boy shrugged, acting so casual even if it was the semifinal of the tournament.

Yeah, those two were the members of the Sapporo Otani team, the best of the best in the prefecture. Looking down on everyone else in this prefecture was in their nature, running deep in their vein. Unfortunately, they really had the capital to act like that.

Those two, Shintaro Okamura and Kenji Harada, were top talents specially recruited by the school from a better prefecture. The former one was a left back nurtured by Urawa Red’s youth team in Saitama, and the latter one was a playmaker who brought the arrogance of the city boy that he gained from Tokyo Verdy’s youth team into this prefecture.

For those two, any match at a prefectural level would be like playing against country bumpkins, not worth unleashing their true ability.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO DOING?!"

Then, suddenly, a roar was enough to make them flinch. When they turned around, the two boys could see a tall boy with spiky hair and a stern demeanor, glaring at them as if they had just insulted his mother. Those two stiffened instantly, knowing full well that they were about to get scolded here.

True enough...

"What have I told you so many times?! Don’t underestimate your opponent! Also, take off that training suit! Change into your jersey, and start respecting your opponent!"

"YES, SIR!"

Those two boys scampered away in a blink, even tripping against each other comically as they ran into the bench in panic. Seeing this, the spiky boy just shook his head exasperatedly, somehow getting tired of all of this shit.

"Honestly, what is so hard in respecting your opponent?" He couldn’t help but mutter.

"Hard, if you think about it." Another boy came. This time, he was definitely a calmer one. Handsome, even. "I mean, we can still respect them, but can you honestly say that you are taking them seriously?" He asked sardonically.

Those two were the cores of Sapporo Otani’s defense, the duo defenders who guarded the last line of the team, Rin Mito and Yuma Igari. They were definitely the mature ones among the other players, but that didn’t mean they were immune to arrogance.

They were teenagers, after all, and it was in their nature to do so.

"I know, I know..." The captain, Rin Mito, just clicked his tongue in annoyance. "I just don’t like how they act so mighty and arrogant! I mean, they are dragging the entire team into the dark territory here!" He hugged, dissatisfied.

"Just be patient with them... They are going to come along sooner or later, you know..."

"How are you so sure?" The captain narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Well, it is that, or..." He trailed his words mysteriously.

"Or..."

"Or they would be abandoned in the National Tournament. Easy, right?" Igari shrugged nonchalantly. At his friend’s disbelief, he added, "What, do you think Sensei will allow players like them to represent us in the national tournament? Their behavior would be the biggest slap in our face, you know?"

Rin Mito pondered for a moment, his head nodding along unconsciously.

"Anyway, don’t think too much about it." Igari patted his shoulder gently, waking the boy up from his own thought.

"That is Sensei’s problem, so let him handle it. Instead of thinking about something trivial like that, how about you help him get out of that embarrassing situation?" He pointed at the entrance tunnel, where a familiar blonde Caucasian boy was surrounded by lovestruck girls.

Rin Mito felt the corner of his mouth twitching slightly, too speechless before exhaling a long, helpless sigh.

That boy was Yuwell Carlson, the team’s new superstar. This kind of scene had been a common theme every time they were about to play the game, with all the girls flocking to him,, asking for a photo or something like that.

Honestly, Mito couldn’t understand what those girls thought. Yuwell had been a student in the school for more than three months, yet they only appeared in the game. During school time, they had never bothered that Swedish boy, and yet, when it came to the game, the boy would never be able to get out of this situation.

"You don’t know this, but the school uniform is plain and boring. Your jersey, though? It is your armor in a war. You are the most handsome in your jersey, and so is he.’

That was at least what his girlfriend said, and he tended to believe that. Still, for now...

"Cough!" He cleared his throat loudly enough to gain their attention. Those girls shrank instantly, too afraid of Mito’s fierce appearance. "I am sorry, Ladies, but I have to borrow Yuwell first for the game. Just wait and cheer from the stand, okay?" He asked, trying to be as polite as possible.

Then, without waiting, he dragged the boy away from the crowd, letting the boy sigh in relief as well.

"Thank you, Captain! You are my savior!" Yuwell Carlson spoke in a cheerful English, completely different than the aloof impression he gave a moment ago. "I have talked to them so many times, but no one understands what I am saying there! It is so infuriating!" He stomped angrily, showing the childish side that no one would’ve thought he had inside him.

Mito just shook his head in amusement, saying, "That is your mistake for getting separated from the team, you know?" In a heavy-accent English, which was replied to by a whining cry, "Not you too, Senpai!"

"Anyway, get ready, Yuwell," Mito had the corner of his eye catching the movement on the other side of the pitch, where the opponent was ready for the battle. "The game is about to begin, so you’d better get into the zone quickly, okay?"