Episode 2: Vs Mach Tiger
Everyone started their warm up stretches and drills. Everyone except Alsius and Narukami, who were reading manga and playing with a yo-yo.
"In the end, we still don't know anything about those two." Shindou snorted, kicking the ball back to Tenma.
Manabe lifted his glases, "Yes, it's very strange. No matter how much I searched, there was no information on either of them. There isn't even any official data of them being part of the Hakuren soccer team or even a student at the school itself."
"Well, there's no point worrying about them," Minaho wrapped up the conversation calmly, hand under his chin. "We have been fine with just 11 players up to now, so I believe it'll be fine."
The match soon began with Alsius and Narukami on the bench.
As usual, Inazuma Japan started with t ball. Tsurugi passed the ball to Matatagi, who swiftly pack passed to Tenma. Tenma then started to bring the ball forwards.
The first half was almost over, but neither of the teams were able to score yet. At first glance it seemed that the game was even, however, Inazuma Japan hadn't had the chance to even shoot yet. While Mach Tiger kept pushing tiring the defense and goalkeeper greatly.
The ball was brought right infront of the goal.
Ibuki put both his hands infront of him, ready to dive at any direction the ball was kicked. Shindou however, stood ahead of him, blocking Ibuki's view.
"Einzatz!" reading the opponent's movements, Shindou easily stole the ball and quickly passed it to Tenma.
"Shindou, you…!" Ibuki yelled, but Shindou completely ignored him.
Tenma dribbled the ball up, "Z-Slash!" leaving a burnt marking in the shape of the alphabet 'z'. Tenma swiftly dodged the opposing defender, 'Sakura!"
Sakura gracefully trapped the ball doing multiple flips and turns. However, the Mach Tiger players were quick to mark her.
"Death Scythe Middle!" two player kicked up a powerful sonic wave stealing the ball from Sakura.
Seeing this Tetsukado and Minaho went to stop the attacker. Their efforts were useless, for the opposing players easily dribbled through, "Is that all you got?" he taunted.
"I won't let you get any closer!" growled Shindou, ready to steal the ball with his hissatsu.
But instead of going straight through, the opposing forward passed the ball back to another team mate.
"Tch…" but it was too late.
"Ivory Crash!" kicking the ball hard with the knees Mach Tigers forward shot the ball towards the goal.
"I'll stop it!" Ibuki held his hands out and tried to stop the hissatsu shoot. The force of the shoot overpowered him and Ibuki was flung backwards into the net along with the ball.
"GOAL-!"
Then the whistle blew indicating the end of the first half.
"ugh" Ibuki yelled in frustration. He held his right shoulder with his other hand.
"Ibuki! Are you alright?"
"Yeah…" he smiled forcefully.
Shindou glared and pulled the arm Ibuki was holding. "Ow, ow, ow!"
"A crippled keeper is useless, you shouldn't try to act tough and cause us to lose because of it"
"But we don't have any other keepers on this team…" Ibuki grunted.
"Tenma's played keeper in the past so her probably could…" Shindou whispered, "but then we lose so much attack…"
"Make sure everyone drinks lots of water," Aoi yelled handing everyone yellow water bottles and towels. "Here Tenma"
"Thanks Aoi…" Tenma grabbed the towel Aoi handed to him and wiped the sweat dripping down from his chin off. Everyone was breathing heavily, they were all running out of energy.
It was then, when Kuroiwa Coach stood up and opened his mouth the first time this match. "We'll sub players, Narukami Naoto for Ibuki Munemasa and Kurogane Haku for Kusaka Ryuuji."
"What!?" Shindou yelled, "What's the Coach thinking!? Putting two players in, who never practiced in at a time like this."
"The Coach probably has some plan, "Tsurugi mumbled
Narukami changed into the keeper's uniform with the number 20 written on it and stood at the goal at the start of the second half of the game. Alsius' uniform had the number 13 on it.
As the players all got back to their positions, Shindou put himself infront of Narukami.
"What're you doing?"
Shindou ignored Narukami's question.
"Oh yeah. You were doing this to Ibuki-kun too, weren't you… no trust, it kinda hurts you know?"
"…It's the best thing to do for victory." Shindou finally mumbled. Narukami just smiled in response.
Alsius did some warm up stretches and jumped up and down to get his body ready for the exercise it will be doing soon. Tenma ran up to him. "Don't push yourself too much."
"Don't worry Captain, I can handle myself. Since he put us in, I guess we can go all out."
"What?"
Alsius smiled "Oh, don't worry about it."
"Tenma! Get to you position now, the game's about to start." Tsurugi yelled and Tenma hurried back his place.
As soon as the match restarted Mach Tiger started with the possession of the ball. The ball was quickly brought towards the net.
Then, Narukami did something no on thought a keeper would ever do. Leaving the goal behind, he ran up past Shindou and past the half line.
"What's that keeper doing? Leaving the net wide open for us?" the players of the other team sneered. Without hesitation their striker used a hissatsu shoot. "Ivory Crash!"
The ball rocketed towards the unguarded goal. Shindou quickly stood in its path. Breathing in deeply he yelled, "Einzatz!" Shindou kicked the ball back and it flew ght to where Narukami had run to.
'Thanks Shindou-kun!" Narukami dribbled up with the ball. It was Inazuma Japan's counter attack, " Are you with me Haku?"
"We're going all out, Nao."
Alsius and Narukami kicked the ball together causing it to spin, gathering energy around it. When enough energy was absorbed, both of them kicked it once again, but toward the enemy goal.
"Icicle Sparkler!" the ball was enveloped in ice and electric energy. The keeper was caught off guard by Alsius and Naukami's attack that he didn't have enoght time for his own hissatsu catch.
"G-goal! Shinsei Inazuma Japan has tied up the score."
Alsius and Narukami did a victorious high five with eachother.
"W-wow! Alsius, Narukami, you guys are amazing." Tenma exclaimed.
"Hey, Narukami!" Shindou scolded "You're a keeper! I don't care whether you made a goal or not, but it is unacceptable for the keper to suddenly leave the net unguarded!"
"Unguarded? What are you talking about, you were there, Shindou-kun." Replied Narukami.
"What?"
Then he smiled, "I knew you would stop their shoot, so I was able to leave the net to you without any worries."
Shindou was lost for words for a sec, but quickly shook his head, "Whatever, don't do that again, you understand!?"
"Yes…" Narukami mumbled rubbing the back of his own head.
"Let's keep this up and get the next goal and take the lead!" Tenma cheered, fist in the air.
"Yeah!" everyone yelled in response.
Mach Tiger started with the ball. Instead of standing right in front of the net like ususal, Shindou positioned himself further forward.
"Hmm…" smiled Narukami.
Tenma quickly went in front of the Mach Tiger player, "Wonder Trap!" Moving at an incredible speed, he successfully stole the opponent's ball.
Time up was approaching, the team that makes the next goal would be the victor. Aware of this, Tenma glanced at his surroundings for someone he could pass to. However, both forwards, Tsurugi and Matatagi, were marked and couldn't move around freely.
"Captain!"
Tenma turned towards the voice and spotted Alsius running up the left side, completely free. Without hesitation he passed the ball.
Alsius was in an idle spot for a shoot. Lifting the ball atop her foot, Alsius performed a swift back flip, kicking the ball upwards. Icy energy enveloped the ball and as it fell, Alsius lunged with all his might, kicking the ball straight into the net.
"Frozen World!"
The keeper attempted to stop the tremendous icy shot by jumping in the air hitting the ball with his own hissatsu, "Killer Elbow!"
"Goal! Shinsei Inazuma Japan has gotten the leading point!"
The whistle blew 3 times, indication the eand of the match. 2-1, Shinsei Inazuma Japan claimed victory.
"Who would've thought that those two…?" Tsurugi mumbled to Shindou.
Shindou was deep in thought, "if they're that great of a player, it still bothers me how we don't have any information on them. "
Tetsukado placed his elbow on Narukami's shoulder. Laughing, celebrating the victory. Minaho and Manabe gathered around them.
Tenma ran up to Alsius to congragulate him for the final goal. But suddenly showed a frown, "If you're so good at soccer, why won't you join practice. Soccer will be sad."
"Don't worry, Captain, I'll be attending practice from now on."
"Huh? Really?"
"I'm glad to be on this team, Captain."