Mansaku groaned as he slowly regained consciousness. His head hurt, his right foot hurt, and he felt like he was ran over three times by a truck.

He slowly opened his eyes and saw darkness. He also realized that he was somehow sitting, just his body bent at the side.

Where was he?

Scanning his surroundings as his vision cleared a bit, he realized he was in a bus. But why was he there?

That's when he remembered everything.

He went out with Hiura, Norika and Kozoumaru today. They went to the amusement park to forget about Asuto after knowing that he was now part of Orion. The news hit them hard, but they knew it hit Hiura the worst. Since they are, after all, best friends. And now the four of them are already on their way home, taking a bus back to the town they're in and was just planning to walk back from the town back to the representatives' dorm.

Then a black van purposely hit the side of the bus and continued to do so until the bus hit the building that was still being constructed, some of its materials falling on the bus. The impact of the bus hitting the building was enough to knock everyone in the bus out to know what happened next.

Wait... Norika. Kozoumaru. Hiura. How are they?

He then moved his body to look, then realized there was a weight on his right arm. He remembered he sat next to Hiura. When he turned to look at the blue haired midfielder, what he saw was something he could never forget.

Hiura was covered in blood and was very pale. His head was bleeding heavily which matted the silky blue locks, probably hitting the window when the bus hit the building. But that wasn't the scariest part. Some thermo-mechanically treated bars that fell from the contruction site had pierced through the bus and impaled itself on Hiura's small body.

"No... No... Hiura... Wake up... Please... Come on. Wake up." Mansaku said as he gently tapped Hiura's cheeks, hoping to wake the unconscious midfielder up.

His voice, however, did manage to wake the occupants behind their seat.

"Mansaku? Ow... My neck and head hurts." Kozoumaru muttered before looking at Norika "oi. Don't move so much. Your head is bleeding."

"This isn't much." She said before the both of them realized and heard Mansaku's distressed voice and was saying Hiura's voice over and over again.

Kozoumaru forced himself to move, despite the sharp pain he felt from his ribs and made himself go to Mansaku to know what was happening. And he regretted it.

Mansaku was still trying to wake Hiura up, his usual quiet and cool composure was gone and was replaced with a panicking and crying one.

"Hiura..." He said softly before trying to go to him

"I can't move." Mansaku said "if I do, I might move Hiura as well along with the bars and Hiura will bleed out. He's alive. But I don't know how long he would be."

While the conversation was happening, Norika had managed to call someone from the team.

"Hello?" A soft, melodious voice said after he answered. There was also a sound of plates and spoons. "Norika, where are you guys? Its already dinnertime. Or did you guys already eat outside?"

"N-No..." Norika said softly, trying to think how she was going to tell Aphrodi about it.

"Are you guys on your way home then? We can put some in the oven for-"

"Aphrodi... We need help." Norika said softly, but this time a bit urgently

That made Aphrodi tense up "what do you mean?"

"Car accident... Near the town we're in now..." Norika said as she tried not to cry as she watched Kozoumaru and Mansaku fussing over Hiura "send help... Please... He might not make it."

"A WHAT?!" Aphrodi said before looking at Endou "Call the emergency hotline! Tatsuya! Tell Coach there has been a car accident. The four are involved." This made the whole room cold. Very cold. Endou and Tatsuya then did what they were told. "Norika. Keep talking to me. Who won't survive? How are the others?"

"Hiura..." She said softly "Kozoumaru and Mansaku are awake. They're looking after Hiura. I can't see him. But I know he's in a bad state. I never heard Mansaku talk like this."


- Inazuma Japan's Building -


"Ahh... When will the four return? Its already dinner!" Endou said as he took a bite from his curry

"I'm sure they're on their way home. Or probably they already ate outside." Nosaka said as he sat beside Endou, placing his tray on the table

"But Hiura usually texts us when he's already on his way home." Sakanoue said "He doesn't miss."

Fudou was about to say something when Aphrodi's phone rang.

"Hello?" Aphrodi said as he answered "Norika, where are you guys? Its already dinnertime. Or did you guys already eat outside?"

"N-No..." Norika said softly, earning a worried look from him.

"Are you guys on your way home then? We can put some in the oven for-"

"Aphrodi... We need help." Norika said softly, but this time a bit urgently

That made Aphrodi tense up "what do you mean?"

"Car accident... Near the town we're in now..." Norika said, and Aphrodi could hear Mansaku and Kozoumaru's voice. "send help... Please... He might not make it."

"A WHAT?!" Aphrodi said before looking at Endou, his shout earning everyone's attention. "Call the emergency hotline! Tatsuya! Tell Coach there has been a car accident. The four are involved." This made the whole room cold. Very cold. Endou and Tatsuya then did what they were told. "Norika. Keep talking to me. Who won't survive? How are the others?"

"Hiura..." She said softly "Kozoumaru and Mansaku are awake. They're looking after Hiura. I can't see him. But I know he's in a bad state. I never heard Mansaku talk like this."

And things were never the same for Inazuma Japan.