The Rise of the Iron Wall!-Chapter 49: The Defense Falls Asleep?!

It was a good pass.

No, screw that. It was one hell of a pass.

The ball flew so lowly, hovering straight a few inches above Jun’s height. The boy was the tallest one that Hakodate Nishi had, and if he couldn’t reach that, no one would be able to touch this kind of ball.

Jun, bless his simple brain, wasn’t ready for that kind of pass to get aimed at him. It was still the beginning of the game, and he still hadn’t locked the opponent’s players yet. So, his body reacted, with his eyes tracking the ball in the air while also ignoring those who lurked in the shadows.

It was a mistake, definitely. One that Higo foresaw coming.

Not only that, but his clairvoyance ability also warned the boy that the opponent’s striker, not as tall as Jun, was already on the run. In the next two seconds, that boy would be able to catch Jun off guard, and with the defender falling behind, the striker would be standing against him directly.

So, in that split second, Higo committed to an action immediately.

He rushed the ball, following the path and where it would land. The aim was simple. It wasn’t to get the ball first. No, that would be impossible. The opponent was way closer than he was.

No, the aim was to put his body on the line, covering as much area as possible to make an interference. Then, the moment the ball fell on the ground, he had already jumped, blocking the entire route to shoot.

That striker didn’t really notice his action. Higo could see that the boy’s eyes were completely on the ball, as if trying to make sure that he would kick with the right side of his foot. Seeing this, Higo cringed inwardly, bracing himself for the impact.

Then...

BAM!

The ball was launched like a rocket, and Higo, who was only two meters away, got slammed so hard that he was thrown away immediately. However, his action managed to block the ball, as it bruised his shoulder and flew high above the goal.

’Fuck!’ Higo still cursed, though, feeling the pain of getting hit by a cannon from a close distance combined with the fall he suffered from the aftermath. ’This is going to be painful tomorrow!’ He scowled.

The goalkeeper didn’t notice, though, that silence fell on the pitch right after his save. The striker had his jaw dropped and his hands on his head in disbelief, while Jun, panting from chasing the striker, still had his chest moving so rapidly from the sudden action.

In the end, the first one to react was Makino, as the captain hyped up Higo’s action immediately.

"COME ON! Nice save, Chibi!" He roared, pulling him from the ground before giving the boy a chest bump excitedly,

"Yes, fuck, it hurts!" Higo flinched at the bruises on his knee. "Damn, Teme! Don’t you dare fall asleep again! Jun, you as well! Don’t you remember what Kumiko-chan said?! The beginning and the end are the most dangerous parts of the game! Concentrate!" He scolded the two center backs who somehow got caught off guard by the sudden attack.

Those two just rubbed the back of their heads sheepishly, knowing that Higo just saved their asses earlier. Makino, especially, felt the tip of his ears warmed, feeling embarrassed.

He had been lording over Higo a lot in the past, always believing that he was a superior player due to his experience. That... And because he was jealous. However, he couldn’t deny, after playing together for a month, that Higo was a very talented goalkeeper.

If not for him, there would be several occasions that would lead to the team conceding a goal, and even though Makino was still confident that the team could beat any opponent they had met before, that didn’t diminish Higo’s role in the grand scheme.

The other person who was surprised the most was definitely Takuro Iwai, Ritsumeikan’s playmaker, who also sent that crazy pinpoint pass earlier.

The other players might not see it clearly since their focus was on the ball, but Iwai noticed something incredible there.

He saw Higo move even before the ball fell, even before his teammate managed to get through Jun’s defense. Higo’s decisiveness attracted his attention, and the boy replayed the last play several times in his mind.

’Was his reaction a gamble, or did he see where the ball would fall? Did he see that Roshi will sneak from behind?’ He pondered. ’Nevertheless, no matter what scenario happened earlier, it shows that the goalkeeper is not just an ordinary player. No, he should be an experienced one, probably the product of professional training. There is no way any rookie could be that decisive.’

If Higo could hear that thought, he would’ve laughed at Iwai’s misunderstanding. However, he couldn’t care less right now, as the boy still waved off all the dust on his jersey. While waiting, more players started to gather around the penalty box, ready to receive the corner kick.

"Jun-kun, Kuroki-kun, don’t let your guard slip!"

"Fujinaga-kun, don’t push around! Just keep your eyes on the far post! Let Usami keep eyes on him!"

"Come on, everyone! Concentrate! Don’t you dare daydream again!"

The constant shout from Higo’s voice was not something strange for Hakodate Nishi’s players, as they were already used to it now. The boy indeed had this charm in him, that commanding tone that forced his teammates to listen.

However, for the boy’s family, especially the sister who hadn’t seen her little brother for a while, this was definitely a jaw-dropping scene.

Ayaka just blinked her eyes furiously, watching Higo commanding the entire team like this was the place he was meant to be. In the end, her eyes didn’t turn away from the pitch, as she asked, "Is that really my brother?"

"Yup." Minami smiled proudly. "Incredible, right?"

Ayaka nodded silently, snapping another photo with her phone.

Higo didn’t really notice that commotion outside the pitch. Right now, his mind was so focused on the scene in front of him, as chaos was about to unfold in his penalty box.

Takuro Iwai had the ball once again, raising his hand from the corner spot as he got ready to deliver another dangerous pass. Fortunately, Higo’s clairvoyance ability didn’t disappoint. When he figured out that the ball would go to the center of chaos, where all the tallest players on the pitch gathered, he saw a glimmer of chance coming.

’Even though the target is tall, the ball itself will not be that high. I can intercept it first!’

As he set his mind, the boy didn’t hesitate or think twice, rushing immediately the moment the ball was launched. While Kuroki was still dueling with Ritsumeikan’s defender, he had already leaped into the air, plucking the ball first before anyone could get it.

This move surprised everyone in the penalty box. However, Higo didn’t give any of them time to react, as after landing on the ground, without hesitation, he threw the ball to the left side, the spot where Hiroshi was already waiting.

"A COUNTER!"