<h4>Chapter 426 Kawasaki vs Kobe I</h4>


    Upon hearing Hiro''s response, Nijichi''s smirk faltered slightly. Annoyance flickered in his eyes as he said, "You''ve got a lot of nerve, Hiro. Don''t think your luck will hold out."


    The smile on Hiro''s face widened. He could vividly see the effect of his words. And, he felt quite amused upon seeing Nijichi''s reactions. So, he decided to continue, "Luck? It''s not about luck, Nijichi. It''s about skill and passion. And, if only you''d have shown a bit of that skill before, who knows we might have won a World Cup by now? But, don''t let it bother you. Those are stuff from the past. Let''s see which team has more of that today."


    Nijichi''s mouth repeatedly opened and closed as if he was trying to say something but couldn''te up with anything. And, before he could respond, the announcement echoed. So, both teams started moving.


    The exchange left Nijichi visibly irritated, but Hiro remained asposed as before.


    Even so, as they moved out, he kept staring at him with bloodshot eyes. He appeared quite pissed and seemed as if he''d take out his frustration in the field.


    Hiro however wasn''t bothered by his res at the slightest as he moved while turning a blind eye to his res. The tension between them was palpable, and the yer close to them could vividly feel it.


    Yet, none decided to meddle as they kept their distance from the two of them. However, Nijichi''s state made some of his teammates a bit worried. After all, often emotions are a weakness for a yer. It could meddle with their rationality, leading them to make bad decisions.


    Then as Hiro emerged from the tunnel, the roar of the stadium hit him like a wave, its intensity almost knocking the breath out of him. The sheer volume of the crowd was overwhelming. A cacophony of cheers, chants, and the sounds of drums was echoing through the air, making the stadium extremely lively.


    Every seat was filled, and the stadium was a sea of colors. Banners billowed freely as they fluttered with the fervor of the supporters.


    His heart pounded as he moved forward. Yet still he maintained his cool.


    On one side, his team''s supporters were in full voice, their chants rhythmic and unified. He could even hear his name being called out. Along with the chants, he could vividly feel the weight of expectation ced on him as well.


    They were expecting him to perform his magic on the field.


    Lately, due to his marvelous performance on the field, he has gained some nicknames such as Magician, Genius, Little Monster, Goal Machine, and many more.


    On the other side, Vissel Kobe''s fans were just as passionate. Their chants were equally loud, creating a fierce symphony of rivalry.


    This match meant a lot for both the supporters. So, it was only natural for them to act in such a way. The tension between the two sets of supporters was almost tangible.


    Thementators'' voices cut through the noise, adding to the electric atmosphere. "And heree the yers," onementator announced. "Today''s match is quite an exciting one. It''s a match between two goliaths. And, also a match between two prodigies."


    "From Kobe''s side, Tominaga had already proven his worth. And, from Kawasaki''s side Takahashi Hiro, the young prodigy who''s been lighting up the league with his performances has already shown us his qualities as well. But the question remains, can he deliver today against the league leaders?"


    "Indeed he has already proven his worth and there''s no questioning about his abilities, but Vissel Kobe won''t make it easy," anothermentator added. "Their defense is rock-


    solid, but Hiro has a knack for finding the back of the. This is set to be a thrilling encounter."


    Hiro could feel the weight of their words, the expectations ced upon him. But instead of feeling pressured, he felt a surge of confidence. He was ready.


    In the stands, fans held up their phones, capturing the moment. Social media was buzzing with live updates and photos.


    One young fan, barely able to see over the heads in front of him, stood on tiptoe, trying his hardest to get a clear view of the field. His eyes were wide with excitement as he watched his hero step onto the pitch. "Look, Mom! It''s Hiro!" he shouted, his voice filled with pure joy.


    Another group of fans unfurled a massive banner that read, "We believe in you, Hiro!" It was a testament to the impact he had made in such a short time, a visual representation of the faith the fans had in him.


    The atmosphere of the stadium was quite electric.


    Then as they all held their respective position on the field, the referee nced at his watch, preparing to start the match. At this moment, Hiro swept his gaze across the field, noting the position of the opposing yers.


    It was exactly as they had visualized. There wasn''t much change to it. They were ying in a 5-3-2 formation with five defenders at their core. Their strategy seemed heavily based on defense. And they yed counter-attacking football.


    Meanwhile, his team d in ck and blue jerseys had spiced their strategy a bit. They weren''t ying in their usual 4-3-3 formation. But rather, they were ying in a 4-1-3-2 formation. They had still yet to find a perfect defensive midfielder to cover the gap in their center.


    But they had to do just with the yers avable in the team at the moment.


    Despite the changes in the formation, their core value remained the same. They liked to y attacking football, and it hadn''t changed today as well.


    Erickson however, had dropped deep today. Instead of ying as the attacking midfielder, he was ying as the central midfielder in today''s game.


    Asahi had moved down to a defensive midfield position as well. Among the current yers avable to fill in the role of defensive midfielder, he was their best option. He was great at ball retention, his experience allowed him to make quick decisions, and mostly he was a good passer with excellent vision.


    The only problem however was his speed.