Hasumi Seiya’s last sentence echoed in Lucas’ head like a thunderclap that wouldn’t go away.
"You can win the next match, but I doubt you’ll get past them in the quarter-finals..."
Even as he left the stadium, with his friends exchanging views on the ga, he felt isolated, trapped in a whirlwind of thoughts.
As they walked through the busy streets to get back to the hotel, Baro, Yukihiro and Kuwabara were still enthusiastically discussing the ga they had watched.
Hasumi Seiya’s tactics and Hanrahan College’s soccer display were on every lips. However, Lucas walked in silence, his steps chanically following those of the others, his mind wandering through the clouds of uncertainty that Seiya had sown.
The vibrant lody of the big city, with the sounds of conversations, honking horns and the constant murmur of urban life, were drowned out by the cacophony of doubts that now invaded his thoughts.
Finally, when they arrived at the hotel where the team was staying, Lucas secluded himself in his room, under the pretext that he needed to rest. But as he lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, no rest ca. He spent hours like this, debating internally, until it was ti for them to return to the stadium.
The changing room where Wushia College changed was filled with the sound of boots hitting the floor, the excited chatter of the players and the rustle of uniforms being adjusted.
Lucas, however, was stuck in contemplative silence, sitting on a bench in the corner of the changing room. His team shirt was already adjusted to his body, but his boots remained by his side, untied. He lowered his head and began to tie them chanically, but the knot seed to fall apart in his mind, repeating the gesture several tis without success.
Yuuga, who sat a few ters away, watched his friend. He noticed Lucas’ worried expression and the repetitive movent of his hands, tying and untying his boots as if he were trapped in so kind of trance.
With a worried frown, Yuuga got up and walked over to him, crouching down beside him.
"Hey, Lucas." Yuuga called out softly, trying not to disturb the other players who were still concentrating on their own preparation. "Is everything all right?"
Lucas was slow to answer, as if he had been pulled from a distant world. Finally, he looked at Yuuga, his eyes showing the confusion he felt inside.
"I... I’m just thinking, Yuuga." said Lucas, trying to force a smile, but failing miserably. "Nothing much, I’m just thinking."
Yuuga frowned. "Thinking about what? You’ve looked worried ever since you ca to watch the ga earlier with the other boys. Did soone ss with you or sothing?"
Lucas felt exposed. He hadn’t realized that he had let on that he was so focused on his thoughts.
"I’ve been thinking all day about ways to get our team to play in different formations. Mr. Yamamoto is an older, more experienced coach and I trust him, but he’s out on the pitch and won’t always be able to see what we players see, so I want to be able to change the smallest things to make us do better."
Lucas lowered his eyes to his boots, which were now firmly tied.
"I just... I want the team to have a chance to fight, Yuuga. I saw how Hanrahan College played today. They’re a finely tuned machine, every move on the pitch is calculated, like a work of art in execution. And I... I wonder if we’re prepared to face sothing like that."
Yuuga nodded slowly, understanding the depth of his friend’s concerns. "I know what you an. and the other kids saw how incredible they were because we were watching the broadcast online, but that doesn’t an we don’t stand a chance. Every team has its weaknesses, even the best ones. If we can figure out how to exploit those weaknesses within the 90 minutes, we could have the ga in our favor."
Lucas let out a sigh. "It’s easy to say, but how? How are we going to achieve that when they always seem to be two steps ahead?"
Yuuga smiled, an encouraging smile full of confidence. "You’ve led the team through difficult situations before, and I know you can do it again. There’s no need to be so anxious about this kind of thing."
Yuuga’s words were simple, but they carried a weight that Lucas couldn’t ignore.
’Anxious? ? I’ve never thought of myself as anxious, but... in fact, I’m worrying about problems that haven’t even arisen yet.’ Lucas thought and then smiled at Yuuga. "You’re right, Yuuga. Thank you for your words.
Yuuga smiled in response and tapped Lucas lightly on the shoulder. "It was nothing. Now, let’s finish getting ready. We have a ga to win."
Lucas nodded, feeling a little lighter. He finished packing his boots, this ti with firm, determined hands.
When the Wushia College players took to the pitch, they were greeted by a wave of applause from the fans they had won over in the city since the tournant began.
The pitch was spotless, the white lines glistening under the floodlights. The early evening air was cool, with a light breeze blowing, bringing with it the sll of freshly cut grass.
Lucas took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a mont to take it all in. When he opened his eyes again, he felt ready, more centered and focused than ever.
Mr. Yamamoto, the coach of Wushia College, was standing at the side of the pitch, watching his players. He was an elderly man with gray hair and a serious countenance.
"You know what you need to do. Rember what we’ve trained, but above all, trust each other. This is our ga. No matter who the opponent is, play with heart and the rest will fall into place."
The team knew that winning this match would not be an easy task, but they also knew that if they played as a team, they always had a chance.
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