Chapter 4: Without Asuto

-Inazuma Town's Hospital-

"Asuto, we're here!" Hiura greeted as he entered the hospital room along with the rest of the team.

"Everyone!" Asuto greeted back with a smile, his right leg was covered in bandages while there was crutches lying next to the bed.

Haizaki noticed the crutches, "How is your leg ?" He asked.

"It's fine." He replied, "Those are just to help me heal faster." He added as he pointed to the crutches.

Haizaki let a sigh of relief, "I see."

"Will you be able, to play the next match ?" Mansaku asked

"I could," Asuto nodded. "However, the doctor told me that it's better if I don't play." He added.

"I see, So have you decided either to play or not ?" Mizukamiya asked.

"We've qualifed either way, so I won't play." Asuto replied.

"Don't worry," said Kira with an arrogant smile. "This team will do fine, because we have the God Stri-!"

XxX

-Training Session-

"Everyone, gather up!" The coach commanded, Everyone did as they were told.

"To decide next match's line-up, We're going to do a scrimmage." said Nikaidou. the players nodded.

"The captain Inamori is injured, that makes us have an odd number, So it will be 9 vs 8." He added.

"The teams are:"

[Team Kiyama]

GK: Nishikage

DF: Hades - Iwato - Mansaku

MF: Hiura - Orio - Kiyama (C)

FW: Haizaki - Atsuya

[Team Mizukamiya]

GK: Norika

DF: Sakanoue - Mizukamiya (C)

MF: Hattori - Ichihoshi - Nae

FW: Kira - Kozoumaru

All the players got in position, Nikaidou whistled announcing the beginning of the scrimmage.

Kira passed it to Kozoumaru, who already planted his leg in the ground and got it engulfed in flames getting ready for a shoot.

"You idiot!" Kira shouted but he was too late as Kozoumaru begun spinning in the air creating a fire storm.

[Hidaruma Bakunetsudan!]

Haizaki stood in the shoot's way getting ready to block it but Atsuya reacted faster than him.

[Hissatsu Kumagoroshi Baku!] Atsuya stopped it easily.

Nikaidou opened his mouth but no words came out. "This is..."

Haizaki made use of the the other team's confusion and made a dash, Atsuya saw that an made a long pass.

"I got it!" Haizaki exclaimed as he jumped to trap the ball but someone already interrupted the pass, Haizaki couldn't see his face because of the sun.

The two players landed safely on the ground and Haizaki turned his face to see who was that but he was already too far dribbling with the ball.

"Ichihoshi!" Haizaki exclaimed.

Ichihoshi continued running and Orio stood in his way but Ichihoshi dribbled past him easily.

"He's good!" Orio exclaimed.

(Flashback)

"Saudi Arabia's ace striker Andreas is dribbling again, But Ichihoshi steals the ball from him again!" Kakuma shouted.

"Again!" Andreas hissed.

XxX

"Nabil and Ismael are getting past Japan's players easily, Oh! Ichihoshi interrupt their pass!"

XxX

"Ichihoshi is dribbling with the ball, but he's marked by Riyad and Yacine, Ichihoshi gets past them! A wonderful performance by Ichihoshi today in his international debut!

(Flashback End)

Ichihoshi was marked by Hiura and Kiyama, so he passed to Nae at the wing, she dribbled past Iwato and Hades easily.

Nae sped up drawing white energy around the ball, then kicked it upward and jumped up following it, then overhead kicked the ball with a white beam following the ball.

[The Avalanche!]

Nishikge didn't even have time to react and the ball stabbed the net.

"This is great!" Nikaidou praised in his thoughts. "Her hissatsu [Shirosagi Dashot] had an impressive speed but it lacked power, but this have both power and speed! When did she learn that!?"

"Not bad." Atsuya thought.

"I couldn't react..." said Nishikage as he turned to pick up the ball. "Next time!"

XxX

Japan VS Uzbekistan

-Japan's Lockeroom-

Kiyama tied the captain's armband around his arm. "We'll definitely win!"

"We'll win this for Asuto!" Hiura shouted.

"Yeah!" Everyone else chorused.

-Football Frontier Stadium-

Japan's Formation

GK: 1. Nishikage

DF: 2. Sakanoue 5. Mizukamiya 3. Mansaku

MF: 7. Hiura 8. Kiyama (C) 6. Ichihoshi 17. Nae

FW: 16. Atsuya 11. Haizaki 9. Kira

Uzbekistan's Formation

GK: 1. Alek

DF: 2. Ibrohim 4. Majid 5. Zafaf 3. Muhammad

MF: 7. Sarybek 6. Kumush 10. Anahan (C) 8. Farhad 9. Mo'hboot

FW: 11. Dost

"They're starting with their best members even if they're already qualified." Anahan stated.

"Even if we win this match, Korea winning against Saudi Arabia will automatically disqualify us..." said Dost.

"Even so, we must do all we can and wait." Anahan replied.

The referee interrupted their talk and whistled announcing the beginning of the match, Anahan and Dost did the kick-off and passed the ball back to Kumush who passed the ball back to Majid.

But Inazuma Japan's forwards are already pressuring them so Majid made a long pass for Anahan but Kiyama interrupted the pass.

Kiyama passed to Kira at the left wing who easily got past Muhammad and shot, but Alek dived in time and saved the shoot.

Alek didn't waste time and kicked the ball to Sarybek, Uzbekistan circulated the ball slowly in the midfield for five minutes.

Anahan trapped a long pass with his chest, then looked at the time from his Eleven Band. "Alright, It's time." He said in his thoughts.

Anahan started dribbling easily passing by Nae and Hiura, Kiyama holded on for a few minutes but couldn't keep up with Uzbekistan's captain's speed.

Anahan thought of facing Ichihoshi but decided against it and passed to Mo'hboot at the left wing.

Sakanoue launched a sliding tackle at Mo'hboot but the later passed back to Anahan before Sakanoue's tackle could reach him and-

Suddenly the referee whistled before Anahan could trap the ball, Sakanoue crashed with Mo'hboot and earned a yellow card with a foul from a near place, It was the perfect chance for Uzbekistan.

"It wasn't intentional!" Sakanoue argued with the referee.

The referee didn't say anything and just pointed to Sakanoue to back off with his finger.

Kiyama rushed for Sakanoue, "What are you doing ? Do you want to get a red card ?"

"Tch, fine." Sakanoue finally backed off.

Anahan stood next to the ball getting ready to shoot.

The referee whistled, Anahan faked a shoot and took Japan's defence aback, and passed to Dost who was completely free.

"They tricked us!" Mizukamiya realized and rushed with a sliding tackle to Dost but he was too late.

[Requiem Dust!]

[Ouke no Tate!]

"Nishikage successfully stopped it!" Kakuma exclaimed.

Nishikage threw the ball for Mansaku, who started dribbling.

Sarybek stood in Mansaku's way but the later didn't slow down.

[Spark Wind!]

Mansaku got past him and saw Nae marked with Muhammad, so he continued dribbling tricking Muhammad to drop his mark off Nae, Mansaku did a chip pass for Nae who was completely free.

[The Avalanche!] Nae shot.

[Bokyako no-] The shoot was so fast for Alek and the ball stabbed the net, announcing the first goal for Inazuma Japan.

"GOOOAL! Shiratoya Nae scores her debut goal for Inazuma Japan yen minutes after the match's beginning with her new hissatsu technique, The Avalanche!" Kakuma praised.

Nae celebrated her goal with a bunny dance, the crowd clapped for her.

"Dost, Mo'hboot, come here." Anahan commanded. The two players did as they were told.

"What is it ?" Dost asked.

"That number 2 defender." said Anahan as he pointed to Sakanoue. "Dribble him as much as you can." He added.

"Oh, I get it. He already got a yellow card." Dost realized.

"And if he got a second one..." Mo'hboot continued.

"Then he will get a red card and we'll have a number advantage. It's quite simple." Anahan finished.

"Alright, leave it for us." Dost claimed.

Mizukamiya noticed what were they planning after Anahan pointed to Sakanoue, He called him.

"Those three are targeting you, be careful when you do a sliding tackle." Mizukamiya adviced.

"Yes, sir." Sakanoue nodded.

The match resumed, Uzbekistan's trio exchanged passes as they pentreated Japan's area.

Anahan sent a lob pass for Mo'hboot who was marked by Sakanoue, the two jumped but a figure jumped before them and interrupted the pass.

"Ichihoshi ?" Sakanoue realized as he saw the white number six on the back of the figure's blue uniform. Ichihoshi must've realized Uzbekistan's plan and helped Sakanoue.

"That guy..." said Mizukamiya who was surprised.

Ichihoshi was then surrounded by three midfielders. All his pass options were blocked.

"Then..."

Ichihoshi gathered energy around him then released it in a blue aura, the aura was horse-shaped, the aura surrounded Ichihoshi as he blew past his markers.

[The Kelpie!]

"This is, Ichihoshi's hissatsu technique!" Asuto exclaimed from the bench.

"Kira on the left wing, Atsuya on the right and Haizaki in the center, each player is marked. What to do ?" Ichihoshi analysed the situation in his thoughts.

Ichihoshi decided against passing and dribbled a defender, he was now completely free.

"It's time, Brother." He said in his thoughts.

Ichihoshi kicked the ball in the sky and jumped, he summoned a water dragon which came from the ground and followed Ichihoshi, the later did an overhead kick and the water dragon followed the ball.

[Water Dragon!]

[Bokyako no Sonata!]

"GOAAAL! Ichihoshi scores his debut goal too, The score is now 2-0 after fifteen minutes!"

"A-Amazing shoot." Asuto praised from the bench.

Nikaidou smiled, "Those two hissatsu technique, he showed them in a Russian pro team tryouts and successed, He'll play with the youth section starting next year." He stated.

"Captain, Winning is impossible if we don't-" Dost said before he was interrupted.

"I know, Dost. I know. We'll start it by my signal." Anahan replied.

Uzbekistan resumed the match, they quickly started an attack, Anahan avoided challenging Ichihoshi.

"Now!" Anahan signaled to Dost and the later started running.

[Red Lance!] Anahan shot.

"Is number 11 just a bait ?" Nishikage thought as he got ready to stop the shoot with [Casting Arm]

But the shoot went to the woodwork instead and bounced off to Dost.

"Damn!" Nishikage cursed because he let his guard down.

Dost shot against the empty goal but a figure jumped and touched the ball with its hand stopping it from entering, and It wasn't the keeper.

It was Sakanoue. He denied an obvious goal chance with his hand, a foul as clear as the sun is. And the consequence is clear and Sakanoue was ready for it.

A second yellow card, which means the red card. Japan now have to play with just 10 players.

Mansaku opened his mouth in shock, "Sakanoue..."

"Well done, Sakanoue. You saved us from a goal." Mizukamiya assured him with a smile.

"Mizukamiya-san..."

"Don't worry, Sakanoue. I'll definitely save it." Nishikage claimed.

"Okay..."

With those words, Sakanoue took off the field, Nikaidou called Atsuya.

"Atsuya, you'll be a defender instead of Sakanoue." Nikaidou stated.

"Is this supposed to be some sort of a joke ?" Atsuya exclaimed.

"Atsuya! We're down a player with a penalty against us, there is no time for jokes." Nikaidou yelled.

"Tch, okay." Atsuya finally agreed.

Anahan stood next to the ball getting ready to shoot the penalty kick. Nishikage extended his arms to both sides.

Anahan rushed to the ball and kicked it to his right side...

-To be continued-

-Chapter's End-

XxX

Author Note:

Kelpie is a Scottish mythic eater horse. The idea is kinda ripped off USA (The Unicorn)'s hissatsu technique [The Icarus] from season three.