Chapter 388 A Captain''s Charisma


    ??While the yers of the Japanese team were preparing for their match, a palpable heaviness had enshrouded their locker room.


    The scent of liniment and freshlyundered jerseys was mingling with the aromatic fragrance of the solvent used to clean the floor; generating a familiar andforting aroma for the yers. Yet, they didn''t seem like they were in the mood to rx.


    Each of them had upied their own space. Some were sitting in quiet contemtion while some were having small talks about the strategy they had discussed before. Their voice however was barely audible.


    For a room filled with teenagers in their rebellious phase, such a scene was quite unusual. Usually, they should be either joking, talking shit, or doing something idiotic, but yet somehow this group of teenagers despite being enclosed in a room with no adults weren''t making a single noise.


    And, just like the rest of them, Hiro who was seated in hispartment was unusually silent as well. Since he didn''t talk much at other times too, it wasn''t anything abnormal.


    Methodically wrapping tape around his ankles with unwavering focus, he didn''t seem bothered by the silence around him.


    Nearby, Shun was adjusting his gloves while beside him Yutaka with disheveled hair was taking in deep breaths. His right foot was continuously tapping against the floor, generating a muffled sound almost as if somebody was continuously striking a wood against the floor in the locker room. And, it seemed as if he had no control over it.


    Yet, for some inexplicable reason, the people around him seem unbothered by the sound of his foot tapping. It could also be that they couldn''t afford to care about it.


    Then as Hiro finished taping his ankles, he got up from his seat. ncing around him, he found himself surrounded by a thick aura of fear.


    Thud!!


    He tapped hard against the floor, generating a loud sound that immediately caught the attention of everybody present in the room. Many who were lost in their thoughts were startled awake upon hearing that loud sound which to them came out of nowhere.


    Those distracted eyes which appeared to be searching for a ce to hide jolted toward him with a mix of trepidation and curiosity.


    What was he up to? Is he going to say something?


    They were startled, they were curious, and some of them were furious too, yet none dared to speak anything. Unterally, they all chose to remain silent and hear him.


    If only the mood in the locker room had been even a little lighter, he wouldn''t even have thought of doing this. But how could he remain silent when many of them appeared distressed and demotivated?


    He was no face reader, but he could tell what was on their mind at the moment. They were all nervous about the match. They were that easy to read.


    And, if they marched with such nervousness onto the field, then what''s the meaning of even trying? Might as well give up instead of embarrassing themselves in front of the masses.


    Hiro''s gesture had a significant impact on everyone in the locker room, especially on Yutaka, it had a much greater effect than on anyone else. Not only did it force him out of his reverie, it also scared the shit out of him.


    After grabbing the attention of everybody present in the room, Hiro then moved towards the center of the room. As he moved, those eyes fixated on him followed him.


    As he reached the center, he came to an abrupt halt. Then, he swept his gaze across the locker room to see if he had the attention of everybody present in the room.


    While sweeping his gaze, he could vividly feel the curiosity lingering in the room. Those questioning gazes were looking at him, expecting him to give a reasonable exnation.


    However, he didn''t feel even a little bit overwhelmed by those gazes fixated on him.


    Drawing in a deep breath, he felt the collective heartbeat of the team and then began to speak with a strong and steady voice that captivated everyone.


    "Guys, every single one of you knows that the expectation on us hadn''t been much since the beginning. In fact, we weren''t even expected to make it out of the group stage. But, now look, we''re in the knockouts."


    "This is it. We''ve trained for months, pushed through pain and exhaustion, and sacrificed so much to be here. Every drop of sweat, every bruise, every early morning andte night – it alles down to today."


    As he said those words, he paused for a brief moment, allowing his words to sink in. Following his speech word by word, everyone knew what he was saying was correct.


    Having been ced in such a difficult group also called the group of death, they weren''t even expected to make it out of the group stage. Yet, now they were challenging for the quarter-finals. Not only had they proven their doubters wrong, they had also proven their excellence on the field.


    Now, no matter how big or small, every team has to take notice of them; the world has to take notice of them. They had made it clear with their previous winnings that they were here for the title and not for some shit purpose like winning the hearts of the people.


    By now, he had already ignited the spark of determination in their eyes. And, all he needed to do was to blow some air in it to make it aze.


    Hiro then met eyes with all his teammates, one by one, conveying his unwavering belief in them.


    "We are a team. We win together, we lose together, and today, we fight together. Trust in your training, trust in each other, trust the support of our fans back home. y with heart, with intelligence, and with the courage that got us this far. And in this match today, let us once again prove our doubters wrong."


    "Let''s win this match and announce to the world that we''re not here for mere fame or recognition. But, we''re here for the glory"


    No sooner had Hiro finished his sentence, than Shun sprung into action. It wasn''t just because it was his friend who had said it, but he truly felt uplifted when hearing those words. Exactly as mentioned by Hiro, many doubted them at first.


    And, by no means were they less than anyone else. ring with determination and vigor, Shun then yelled at the top of his voice, excitedly while throwing his arm in the air.


    "Let''s win this game and this whole fucking tournament"