027. I Dare You

"So, let's review the match, anybody wants to say anything?" Eve said.

Everyone kept silent. They had already known what they lacked. But to point it up, it was different matters. Not everybody wanted to confess their mistake.

Eve frowned when saw it. She wanted everyone to mention their shortcomings, so they would be ready to fix them. She then looked at Adam, 'Say something! it won't work if they keep silent.'

Adam smiled, in his opinion. It didn't matter if they kept silent or not. Adam saw the determination in their eyes to change themselves. But Eve had a point. The change would be easier to be done if someone admitted it personally. He or she would readily listen to others' opinions to fix himself or herself.

Adam sighed, but before he spoke, somebody else looked like was ready to speak something.

Logan said, "I, I don't know what was wrong. but I am always afraid to kick the ball to the goal. And although I know where Adam would go, my body didn't listen to me well, so I was always late to anticipate his move. Do you have any means to solve my problems?"

Eve then spoke, "For the first problem, it's a psychological problem. You are worried you will ruin the opportunity that your team has already created. I will not suggest you change your playing style. You are an assistant type player. You can easily know when and how to help your teammate to score a goal. My suggestion is to hone your passing skill, and your earth element manipulation to the extreme. That will be your weapon. For shooting, we will do some practice after we get a place to rent.

For your second problem, it is more like your body couldn't follow your thought. the solution to this problem is to train your body to become more agile and fit."

Eve then gave Ruby a signal. Ruby then took a piece of paper, and give it to Logan.

"I and manager have already made your training menu. Follow the list of activities and make sure to eat the diet we wrote. You will see the progress in a month if you do all of what was written here."

Logan then read the paper. he nodded a few times, "Okay coach, I will do it."

The second person who talked was Cleon, "Coach, I was really irritated. In this game, I couldn't run freely. Every time I wanted to run, Ural always came to knock me down. So, how can I beat him?"

"Hahaha, weak!" Ural said.

Listening to it, Cleon wanted to deny, but the fact was there, he was really beaten today.

Eve said, "Hahaha, but that's not what you should do right. You are a striker. Your job is to score. So, your priority here is to learn how to release yourself from the defender's marking."

Ruby then gave a paper to him.

After reading it for a while, Cleon grinned, "Don't worry, I will do it."

The next person was Pete, "I couldn't find any problem with my playing style. Maybe I don't know it yet. Please give me your opinion."

Eve frowned, "Pete, don't you ever think that you are too lazy to think? I have to say, you were doing great before Haldir replaced Adam. But after you didn't see any chance to win, didn't you just give up? I think your biggest flaw was you lack the determination to win.'

Pete stunned, he looked was contemplating Eve's words. After receiving the paper from Ruby, he silently sat down on the bench.

After saw Pete's reaction, Adam knew Eve had hit the nail on the head. Adam didn't know if it would affect him negatively, but Adam hoped not.

"I think, I haven't had enough experience?' Adam said.

"Good you have already known. practice hard!" Eve said.

"Huh, only that?" Adam didn't imagine, he only had to practice hard.

"You have done it well, Adam. I saw it too. So, congratulations," Ruby smiled and gave him three pieces of paper.

"Alright, hahaha. But why three?" Adam then examined one by one and found that It's three different training menu. One for himself, and the rest for Haldir and Ural.

"So, I have to train these guys too?" Adam frowned.

"Who else? You are their master," Ruby giggled.

Looking at a cheerful Ruby, Adam couldn't help himself to smile.

Seeing Adam smiled, Ruby glared at him, "What?"

Adam turned his head, " Nothing."

Eve looked at the two of them with a smile.

***

After taking a rest for a while, the Hellcat was ready to go. But before going, Ruby met Geo, "Mr. Geo, may I ask something?"

Geo, who would dissolve the barrier turned his head, " Yes miss, what can I do for you?"

"It's like this. Our team, The Hellcat wanted to rent a field this weekend to have a match. How is the procedure?" Ruby asked.

"Oh, you can go directly to the office. We have a list of teams that find an opponent. You can apply for your team to be the challenger. You just have to fill a document, and if the other team said okay, you could make an agreement with them. By the way, I recommend you to make a betting agreement," Geo said.

"Betting, Does this arena open a gambling stand?" Ruby frowned.

The Leits Kingdom prohibited gambling strictly. to its people, the kingdom explained that gambling could deteriorate morality.

But the deeper reason was that the kingdom didn't want any underground faction lurked in the dark. Ruby was taught that in the past, the kingdom was almost destroyed because of an underground organization's scheme.

"That's not what I mean," Geo denied nervously.

"It's legitimate. If two teams agree, they can decide to bet something. only between themselves, of course," Geo explained.

"So, why did you recommend us to do it?" Ruby still wasn't satisfied with his answer.

"Uh, because I saw the potential of your team. You know, I have already been in this circle for almost 10 years. I knew the team which will climb the ladder and which will stay at the bottom. I just want you to get some advantage before everyone knows your true power," Geo smile sincerely.

"But Mr. Referee, you said to me you were neutral yesterday. You promised me to keep my identity a secret. And just now, you said you want us to get some advantage. So, why do we have to trust you?" Adam came behind Ruby and stared dagger at Geo.

"You are really keen Sir Robin. Alright, hah... My name is really Geo. I'm a member of the black hound. As Duke Valle Silverpool's subordinate, I just want to give a hint to princess Ruby to gain some money with this method. After all, it isn't prohibited to have a bet between teams," Geo said while showed an emblem with a black dog engraving on its surface.

"I appreciate your kindness, Mr. Geo. But I want to solve my problem my way. I don't want anyone including grandfather to interfere with this," Ruby said and left.

After Ruby left, Geo sighed, "Maybe, my way was too forceful. that is our princess, Sir Adam. She was as stubborn as her mother. Please, keep my identity a secret Sir. I don't want to be transferred to a suburb," Geo said pleadingly.

"Well, you must pray the princess' guards didn't open their mouth. As for me, you can rest assured. As long as you call me Adam," Adam then turned his body and walked following Ruby.

***

Adam and Ruby exited the office of the spear arena after applying a match with an amateur team named Windart. they would play next Saturday, two days later. they were on the way to exit the stadium.

"So Manager, what do think about our chance to win our first match?" Adam asked.

"I don't really know about battle ball. But I trust you can get your first win. The Windart team seems not a strong team," Ruby said positively.

"Hey b**ch, which team did you call weak?" A man with blonde hair who came from a stand beside the exit gate said.

Ruby's face became pale. she then unconsciously walked backward making a distance from the man.

"I'm sorry mister, she was just careless. But it was too rude to call her that, right?" Adam tried to keep his emotion in check. When he heard the man insulted Ruby, he wanted to yell at him.

"Which word? B**ch. So, how is it? Do you want to punch me? Go ahead?" The man sneered.

Adam clenched his fist really hard, made his nails dug his flesh, causing it to bleed. But he must endure. There was a rule that prohibited fighting in the stadium. He didn't want to be blacklisted by this stadium.

"I'm s-sorry. I didn't mean to insult you," Ruby said quietly behind Adam's body.

"Shut up woman. it's not your place to say that to me," the man said degrading Ruby even more.

"Hey! I dare you to exit the stadium. that's the gate," Adam almost couldn't hold his anger.

"Hey, what are you doing? If you want to fight, get out of here," A man in security clothes came to them.

The man with blonde hair didn't answer the security, he just sneered and said to Adam, "You are our next opponent right? I will kick your ass in the field. And you woman, don't let me see you again."

***