𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 || Inazuma Eleven

[1] Day at Teikoku

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The cool wind turns ice in their lungs, heightening the thrill of adrenaline pumping through their veins and prickling their nerves on edge. The grass, in tall sliken ribbons, brushed againts their feet. Each strand moving in a breeze and rustling with every step. 

A quick glance at the score... 0-10.

At that point, anyone would give up. Miraculously, the players were still standing, but all their energy has been drained out that they were basically dragging themselves across the field.

The last shred of hope had vanished like a put-out candle, casting an eerie darkness that enveloped their minds. It's over.

They should have known it would turn out like this. They never had a chance in the first place. How foolish. 

In a fatigued state, from their jaded vision, they could see that the opposing team hadn't broken a sweat at all. It's as if they were charged with limitless energy, imposing their clearly superior power.

Their movements turned into sluggish shuffles, unable to keep up anymore. They eventually succumbed to the overwhelming debilitation as every inch of their body slowly shut off and they started to collapse one by one.

With a strike, the 11th goal has been made. The match has ended.

It was so one-sided it can barely be called a match.

It was another win for Teikoku Academy, which wasn't anything out of the ordinary. The outcome of the match has already been decided before it even started. A prestegious, eminent, esteemed school with its team being renowned the champions for 40 perpetual years of ongoing victories. Today was the same. 

Being part of such a team comes with high expectations they must work earnestly to achieve to keep their up-standing reputation as the best in Japan. 

Usugumo Kuuho was no exception. Despite joining in the middle of the semester, she has shown examplory preformence and was able to keep up with the rest of the team members after some time. Of course, there were still some areas she was lacking in, but she has improved exponentially in the past few months. She had to prove herself in order to be allowed to join the team, as she boldly asked to join on her first day in Teikoku with a smile on her face. It took some of them by surprise, so they decided to test out her abilities.

Kuuho is a polite and seemingly easy-going girl. She got along fairly well with most of her classmates. However, on the field, she tends to rely on emotions more than logic. Consequently, this is her biggest flaw, as much as she hates to admit it.

Currently, she was walking through halls that seemed to strech endlessly. This school was like a maze. It's almost intimidating, especially to a newcomer. The school has alot of facilities. With its gigantic size, it leads to some students getting lost and arriving late to class. It's best to avoid that. She wouldn't want to get punished or scolded. 

Today, they received their recent test results. Kuuho likes to think she is a good student. She missed some points, but overall, she did just fine. 

Not anywhere near the level of Kidou though.

He's none other than Teikoku's genius gamemaker. He's 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 Kidou Yuuto. He was always at the top. To her, it always seemed like he was one step ahead at everything. He was the definition of the perfect honor student that everyone aspired to be like.

She envied him at times, but it wasn't out of animosity. As the captain, she had immense respect for him. However, she felt like she didn't know him at all, like an invisible barrier was between them that prevented her from getting closer. He was both admired and feared by everyone in the Academy. Some were too afraid to approach him. Sometimes, she wonders what he really thinks.

She had a displeased expression as she stared at the test paper of a particular exam she thinks she could have done better on.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard some distant whispers.

"The match today ended with 0-11. Is the other team even trying?"

"Does that mean their school was destroyed too?"

Two students were gossiping about today's match.

"Kidou-san, the other students are spreading weird rumors again."

On the contrary, Teikoku doesn't actually destroy the losing team's school. It all comes from the exaggerating of one event that happened. A while ago, Teikoku bought an adjacent school to expand its facilities, but the teachers and students of that school were opposed to it and refused to leave. Teikoku then made the suggestion to leave the final decision up to the winner of a soccer match. If they won, they wouldn't be evicted. 

We all know how that turned out.

This event contributed even more to Teikoku's status amongst other schools and caused those rumors.

"It's concerning that people still believe them."

Hours passed. Classes have come to an end, but it wasn't time to go home yet. They still had club activities to attend, which means it's time for practice. As per usual.

"It's almost time for regional qualifiers." Sakuma suddenly spoke in the middle of practice.

"Hm?" She turned her gaze to her eyepatch wearing teammate. 

When she first met him, she was curious as to what he could be hiding behind that other eye. If it weren't for the thing known as self control, she would have snatched that eyepatch right off.

 "Oh, yes. I looked at the data, but there doesn't seem to be any players that stand out this year." Kuuho said, wearing her unfaltering smile.

"Looks like it will be another boring tournament." 

"Don't say that~ We might see something interesting this time." 

Kuuho and Sakuma continued to chit-chat. Unbeknownst to them, a presence made itself known and a voice caught their attention.

"Everyone."

 It was Kidou again. The commander called him over a few minutes ago, and now he has an announcement to make.

"Our next opponent has been decided." He declared.

Now intrigued, Kuuho listened attentively.

"It's Raimon Junior High."

𝘞𝘩𝘰?

"I've never heard of them." Sakuma was equally confused.

A school she hasn't heard of before? It could be that they are just so weak that she never caught a word about them, or that they are a brand new team that just started out. Shame. She was less interested now.

"Gouenji Shuuya just transfered there. It seems he had some reasons for leaving Kidokawa."

Gouenji Shuuya, Kidokawa's ace striker?!

That sure reeled back her attention.

Kuuho has watched one of their matches before. His incredible set of skills and plays left her amazed. She was hoping to be able to face him in a match. Unfortunately, they couldn't play last year. Due to obsecure circumstances, he stopped playing right before the finals of the national tournament. In this abrupt turn of events, it looks like that will change very soon.

𝘈𝘩, 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘴...

"I get it. This match is to collect data on him, isn't it?"

"That's right. We'll finally get to see how good he is." Kidou affirmed what she said with a smirk on his face.

He continued. "But the strange part is that he hasn't joined the school's soccor club yet."

Huh, weird.

"Then, how will we gain anything out of this?" Sakuma asked.

"The commander is testing us. He's expecting us to come up with a plan based on the kind of person Gouenji is. It's alright, I'll get him to play..."

"...With our soccor, that is."

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