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nWhile Hiro prepared to shoot, some passersby came to a halt as they got intrigued by the scene before their eyes. For some reason, they felt curious.

nHiro raised his arm, hinting to the keeper that he was about to shoot. The keeper, a rather young fellow with a towering height pulled his gloves as he fixated his gaze on the ball.

nAlthough the shot wasn’t significant to him, he wouldn’t perform haphazardly. It wasn’t a real match, but he won’t let his guard down. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

n‘Why are you making a fool of yourself?’ he thought as he stared fixedly at Hiro.

nThe next moment, however, his face displayed a drastic change. His eyes dilapidated as panic began to set in. But before he could even bring himself to react, the ball passed him.

nAny who watched Hiro at that moment were momentarily stunned. Their eyes displayed deep shock with a hint of astonishment included.

nThen a collective roar echoed as they shouted in disbelief, “What was that shot?”

nHiroshi, who was immersed in self-doubt was startled when he heard the collective roar. Preoccupied with his thoughts, he had missed Hiro’s shot. So, he couldn’t tell what was going

non.

n“What happened?” he asked. “Did he score?”

nDaiki looked at him and nodded, “Ren couldn’t even react.”

nUpon hearing him, Hiroshi’s gaze darted to Hiro. He couldn’t help but ponder what kind of shot had he displayed to garner such a reaction.

nBut based on their reaction, he could tell that it was an incredibly astonishing shot.

nSadly, he couldn’t witness it. So, he felt a pang of regret.

nJust at that moment, he heard the voice of the keeper, “Sir, let’s try it again. Can you shoot just once again?”

nHe seemed desperate almost as if he was begging the man before him.

nHiro nodded as he said, “Sure, let’s do it again.”

nThe keeper then kicked the ball high above. It was a pinpoint pass to Hiro. The ball soared high in the sky before dropping.

nJust as the ball hit the ground, he raised his foot to trap the ball beneath his foot cleanly. It was a precise control that showcased his ability.

n“What the heck? Was it a fluke? How could he control the ball so easily like that?”

nUpon seeing Hiro’s first touch, many were left in awe. They were once again astonished. Many even couldn’t help but think it was a fluke.

n“Is he some sort of big shot?”

n“That explains why he’s hiding his face.”

nMany even began to assume that he was some big shot. Speculation began to float all over the place as the people ran their imaginations wild. The field was starting to get extremely lively. A lot more people were stopping to take a look at the commotion.

nThe sideline was starting to get crowded.

nRen, the young keeper, gulped his saliva as he thought, ‘He isn’t any ordinary person. My gut is telling me that this person before me is someone extraordinary.’

nPreviously, he was underestimating Hiro. But after experiencing the horror of Hiro, he had come to realize that Hiro wasn’t any ordinary person.

nEven more, after witnessing Hiro’s first touch, he was sure that he was a hidden expert. So, he couldn’t pass up such an amazing opportunity.

nThe next shot was even more impressive and once again the young keeper couldn’t save it. Though, unlike the previous time, he was able to react better. Still, he couldn’t save the shot.

nEven so, he wasn’t willing to surrender. So, he begged Hiro to shoot some more. Hiro gladly took on his request without any sort of hesitation.

nBut it wouldn’t be good to interrupt their training. So, with that thought in mind, after the fourth shot, he asked, “Does anyone want to learn how to shoot?”

nAt once, many yelled enthusiastically, “Me!”

n“I want to learn.”

n“I want to learn too.”

nHiroshi, however, couldn’t bring himself to speak. Around the field, different gossip was floating about Hiro. Some had even started to speculate if the person in the black mask was Hiro.

nMany volunteered to learn but seeing Hiroshi silent, Hiro couldn’t help but extend a helping hand, “What about you, Hiroshi? Don’t you want to learn from me?”

nHiro figured that the boy needed a light push. So, he took the initiative to ask him.

nFor a brief moment, Hiroshi couldn’t bring himself to answer. It almost looked as if he was in some sort of inner conflict. Then pursing his lips, he said, “Please teach me, how to shoot.”

nIt was more like a plea for help. Nonetheless, it warmed Hiro’s heart. So, he said with a light smile, “Sure, let’s go.”

nIshikawa watched the entire scene from the sidelines without interrupting. Even though she had limited time with him, she didn’t want to interrupt him. After all, he seemed to be enjoying the moment.

n‘You’re really in love with football, aren’t you?’ she thought with a subtle smile on her face, staring at Hiro.

nFor some while, he taught the kids their shooting techniques, helping them improve their shooting. With Hiro’s guidance, many felt as if they could shoot better.

n“What do you think is the most important thing to shoot properly?” Hiro asked.

n“Isn’t it technique?”

nSome answered a bit differently, however, almost all of them answered the same.

n“Technique is important but it isn’t the most important,” Hiro said.

n“It isn’t technique? Then what could it be?”

nThe kids fell confused. They ransacked their mind, thinking about every possible answer. Yet,

nthey couldn’t convince Hiro.

nAfter a while, Hiro said in a deep tone while sweeping his gaze through them, making his determination clear, “It’s confidence.”

n“Without confidence, you won’t be able to shoot. Only when you’re confident about your shot will the shot become complete. For example, if you convince your mind that you can shoot well then more than half the work is done.”

nMany displayed skepticism on their face as they heard him.

n“If even you can’t trust yourself then how can the ball trust you?”

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