The Rise of the Iron Wall!

Chapter 323: Time is Ticking By...

Soon enough, the game continued again, and this time, Shohei High’s attack became more desperate. Kawabe, especially, started to roam all over Hakodate Nishi’s territory, not getting bound by one particular position. No one knew how he did that, but the boy would always be in the most dangerous position on the pitch, getting involved in all the play close to the penalty box.

"Shit! Shit! Shit! Fuji, what the hell are you doing?! He is going to pass again!"

"Senpai, just shadow him! Don’t push! Don’t push!"

"Nori, where is your support?! For fuck’s sake!"

BAM!

"Yes, Chibi! Good save!"

It was another rocket launched by Kawabe, and another one saved by Higo. This time, it came from the left side of the penalty box, with the boy trying to get the ball through Higo’s legs. Fortunately, Higo’s reaction was quicker, blocking the ball with his left foot first. Still, this didn’t alleviate the wary feeling inside the boy’s heart.

"Damn, Teme, we cannot do this all the time. We still have 20 minutes left, and their attack hasn’t subsided even a little bit. We are going to get killed soon." He said in a somber tone.

"Don’t I know about that too?" Makino smiled wryly, still trying to maintain his steady breath. However, anyone could see that he was knackered right now, having already been on his last breath.

It was just as Makino expected before. He was being completely targeted by the opponent, getting forced to run all the time. Hell, just in fifteen minutes since the team scored a goal, Makino had to face five breakthroughs on his side, being toyed with by Kawabe so many times in such a humiliating way.

This was definitely the black mark in his career so far.

Kumiko also noticed the problem. However, her hands were completely tied in this matter. She still had one more substitution to make, but putting Sano on the pitch right now wouldn’t be beneficial for the team. No, the boy’s playing style was similar to Jun’s, and it was clear that Kawabe wouldn’t be intimidated by his toughness. It would only expose Sano’s weakness here, not something that Kumiko wanted to do.

As for a tactical change, this was even more impossible. With only ten players on the pitch, their stamina was depleted so quickly from the physical labor that they had to squeeze every tidbit of energy they had inside them to run more. If she added one more task that required them to rack their brain, this would end up in a disaster.

’So... The only way here is to trust my players, huh?’ She smiled bitterly.

In the end, this was the downside of being a coach. She could formulate a lot of strategies, forming so many tactics, but the players were still the main protagonists of the game. When things went south, and no amount of knowledge could be applied to the game, the coach could only trust her teammates to survive, and this was the state that Kumiko was in right now.

Fortunately, it wasn’t just them who were anxious. No, Shohei High was in a more restless situation right now, what with them having to chase a goal to avoid elimination. It would be okay if their opponent were a normal team, but Hakodate Nishi’s stubborn defense really took a toll on their mind.

"Captain, we cannot do this forever." One of the boys there complained to Kawabe with a heavy breath from all the running he had made. "The others are so close to their limit already. Sena-kun even feels a little bit cramped on his leg right now. If we cannot score soon, we are not going to be able to do anything in the long run."

Of course, Kawabe also noticed this. Every time a collision happened, it took longer for his teammates to get up. He also glanced at the bench, asking silently if a change could be made here. However, the coach still shook his head, not budging at his request.

’Tch! That old geezer, not knowing how to be flexible at all!’ He clicked his tongue in annoyance.

This was a strange habit that Shohei High’s head coach always had. The man would always refuse to make the third substitution before the game entered the 85th minute, always believing that the trump card couldn’t be revealed so easily. It would be okay in a normal situation, but this game was anything but normal.

Now, Kawabe had no choice but to swallow his frustration here. "Tell the others to run smarter, not wasting too much energy like before. They are just responsible for getting into a good position. As for the rest, leave everything to me."

Well, the boy didn’t have any reason not to trust his captain, especially in a crucial situation like this. The team was built with Kawabe as the foundation, so it was clear that when the team needed a savior the most, he was going to be the one who stepped up here.

Kawabe also didn’t disappoint. Even though, his performance was already top-notch, he still upped his effort once again. The boy even started to facilitate, helping the midfielder dictate the tempo and break through the opponent’s side. This was not only a testament to his versatility, but also his endurance that was still at the top game even after playing for almost 80 minutes.

In the 82nd minute, he created another chance for his teammates. This time, in an attempt to break through the iron-clad wall in front of him, Kawabe made a combination attack through the space slightly outside the penalty box, allowing him to receive the ball at a good angle to take a shot.

"SHIT! Jun, cover!"

"I get it!"

BAM!

The shot was made, but both Ishinori and Jun jumped together, blocking its path from reaching Hakodate Nishi’s goal. The rebound was caught by Shohei High’s player, but before he could do anything, Fujinaga accidentally pushed the boy a little bit too hard, tripping him just slightly outside of the box. As a result...

FWEEE!

The referee blew the whistle once again, giving another free-kick for Shohei High.