10.PREPARATION

"Arghhh, it really hurts!!"

"This is hell!"

"I don't think I can run anymore!"

Sound of complaints echoed across the field. The scorching sun above only made it worse. The players' shirts were soaked, their legs trembling with fatigue.

Then, Coach Himura walked over with a slight smirk on his face.

"You know," he said loudly, silencing them. "I'm inspired by this one verse: 'I hated every minute of training, but I said, Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.' It was said by one of the most famous boxers."

"Woah coach, I didn't know you're into boxing!" one of the players called out.

"Well, just so-so, not like the football that I love. Enough with that so now gather, there's something I want to say."

All of them assembled quickly, standing in a half-circle in front of Coach Himura.

"Interhigh qualifier starts next week, and now we must choose the players. All the names I call, step forward. First, for the goalkeeper: Yuzo Morisaki. Substitute goalkeeper: Sugino.

"For the defenders: Hiroshi Jito, Ryo Ishizaki, Makoto Soda, Hanji Urabe, Tomeya Akai, and Motonori Higuchi.

"For the midfielders: Jun Misugi, Shingo Aoi, Hikaru Matsuyama, Mitsuru Sano, and Gen'ichiro Taira.

"For the forwards: Hyuga Kojiro, Masaki Renjirou, Shun Nitta, and Aomine Daiki.

"And for the captain—of course, Misaki Taro.

"Starting tomorrow, you'll begin a new training program to further enhance teamwork. I hope you're all ready.

"For those who are unselected, keep trying hard. That's all for today. Thank you!"

(A/N: For new names, they are unknown members. I just randomly picked from the KNB and Captain Tsubasa anime. I don't know who is second or third year but who cares about that.)

"Here comes the new challenge… this will be fun," muttered Masaki with a grin.

⸻

The days passed, and the sun once again rose on a field full of roaring determination. The team had gathered, waiting for Coach Himura's instruction.

"We'll do a quick little game for you but it's bigger than that. It's team building. One of the hardest things to do in any profession whether it's business, classrooms, or sports is building a team. Because it involves relationships.

"You might yell at Taiga, but you're afraid to yell at Masaki, right? Every relationship is different. Connecting those is the key to unity. You've got to be there for each other—not just in words but in the hardest times.

"The best lessons I've learned is were during losses. When things are bad, when your result is awful, when your girlfriend leaves you, you'll know who really stands by you.

"So, we're doing a small exercise. Divide into four groups. Pick one player from each group. The rest of the group start form a circle around the chosen player. The player chosen need to take the ball from the player. You only can do two touch which to stop the ball and to pass.

(A/N: One of my favorite training : RONDO)

⸻

The laughter, groans, and battle cries filled the air. Some players struggled to break the circle, while others crashed in with brute force. Motonori Higuchi, the young defender, found himself hesitating in the drill.

Coach Himura noticed and blew his whistle. "Higuchi!" he called out.

The boy jogged over, breathing heavily.

"You've got the strength, but you're unsure of yourself. I want you to partner with Jito for the rest of the day. Learn from him."

"Yes, coach!"

Later, under Jito's sharp guidance, Higuchi was getting pushed, corrected, and drilled repeatedly.

"No, lower your center of gravity," Jito said, knocking Higuchi off-balance with a soft tap. "If a forward like Masaki or Nitta charges, you'll be knocked flat."

Higuchi nodded, sweat dripping from his chin. "Yes, senpai!"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the field, Masaki Renjirou and Gen'ichiro Taira were watching from a distance.

"You're starting to see the field better," Masaki commented.

Taira smiled slightly. "You've been rubbing off on me."

"Good. Because I've been thinking," Masaki began. "What if we work out a set play together like a triangle rotation. I drag the midfield to the right, and you ghost in through the left wing when they're distracted."

Taira raised an eyebrow. "Add Captain to the mix, and we'll overload the left completely."

"Exactly. And if Aoi cuts in through the center, we get a clean opening. It'll be our 'Perfect Switch'."

Taira extended a hand, and they clasped it firmly. "Let's perfect it."

⸻

During break time, some of the player were joking around, but Hyuga Kojiro pulled them back. "Don't think you're not important just because you're not selected," he said. "One moment and you're in. Train like you'll play tomorrow."

Masaki watched him silently. Though known for his fierce play, Hyuga is really love this team.

Misaki Taro clapped his hands, gathering everyone again. "Listen up, guys. This Interhigh is not a joke. There are schools out there who've been training with the sole purpose of crushing us. I've played against a few of them before."

"Who do we watch out for, captain?" asked Ishizaki.

"There's Hokushin High. Their captain, Rindou Akira, is ruthless. Not just skill—he plays mind games. Then there's Kanagawa Seiryuu High. Their midfield line-up is heavier than most teams."

Hyuga nodded. "And don't forget Nishitama Tech. They play a brutal, defensive game. You can't get through their wall unless you plan five steps ahead or have great dribble."

"So what's our strategy?" asked Aomine, casually spinning a ball on his finger.

Masaki stepped forward. "Simple. Outplay their defense. But more than that—outthink them. We've got pace, we've got skill, and now we need cohesion."

The room went silent. Masaki's words held weight, even among the seniors.

Coach Himura stepped back in with a dry towel over his shoulder. "Exactly what I wanted to hear. We're not aiming to scrape by. We're aiming to win every game convincingly."

⸻

That evening, as the sun dipped below the mountains, small groups of players stayed behind to train more.

Masaki was out with Taira, practicing the Phantom Switch on the empty field under the fading sky. Each run got tighter, cleaner, more instinctive.

Nearby, Higuchi was training with Jito and Soda in a three-way defensive rotation. "Cover the gap!" Jito shouted, and Higuchi slid just in time.

"You're getting it!" Soda encouraged, giving him a hard pat on the back.

Even Aomine, known for slacking off, was doing solo dribbles through cones, headphones in, focused entirely.

The night belonged to those who knew what was at stake.

⸻

In a blink of an eye, it was already the start of the qualifier. Masaki and the team gathered in the clubroom waiting for Coach Himura.

It didn't take long for him to arrive, holding the official schedule.

He pinned the list on the board:

Aomori Prefecture Interhigh Preliminary Schedule

First Round

• Seikan High vs Unknown School

• Unknown School vs Unknown School

• Unknown School vs Unknown School

• Unknown School vs Unknown School

Semifinals:

• Winner of Round 1 vs Winner of Round 1

• Winner of Round 1 vs Winner of Round 1

Final:

• Winner of Semi vs Winner of Semi

(A/N: This is still qualifier for the interhigh)

(A/N: I think this is even better if I make a table like this. It can make it easier for readers to understand the storyline.)