"YES! MAMORU, YOU’RE THE GOAT!"

"COME ON! WE ARE STILL ALIVE!"

Honestly, the way Shimizu Higashi players celebrated would make them think that they had just won this shootout. Half of them had even started running toward Mamoru, wanting to greet him enthusiastically. Not that anyone could blame them, since the boy had just pulled the entire team from the gate of hell itself.

If not for the coach, though, they would’ve swarmed the penalty box already, embarrassing themselves in front of the referee.

Now that Mamoru managed to score the goal, though, the score was tied once again, and the penalty shootout would be continued. However, this time, every single chance would be more decisive than ever. One miss from one team followed by a successful attempt by the other was enough to seal the deal, and vice versa.

Moreover, the first five best takers from both teams had already taken their chances, and now, both coaches would have to be careful with their selection. As the first one to take an action, Kumiko turned around, scanning the whole team for a second before her eyes landed on one player.

"Fujinaga-kun, you are up!"

"W—Wait, me?!" The boy stuttered for a moment, not expecting to be asked for this decisive moment.

"Yes, you." Kumiko nodded quickly. "Right now, you are the freshest and most experienced player on the team. I can put Sano-kun or Kazawa-kun, but the risk will be greater. Right now, I need you to step in and be the taker for our team. Can you do that?" She looked at the boy straight into his eyes, staring directly at his soul.

Fujinaga couldn’t help but gulp, feeling the weight of the team’s expectation suddenly falling to his shoulder. Unfortunately, this was enough to mess with his mindset, as the boy didn’t dare to do anything excessive in the penalty box. As a result, he tried to play it safe, sending the ball close to the center while slightly toward the left side, just for it to meet Kang Do-Jin’s right foot.

BAM!

"OH! What a save, Do-Jin!"

"Come on! This is our chance!"

All the Shimizu Higashi players leaned forward in the next take, getting ready to celebrate their winning moment. However, Higo didn’t want to lose just like that. Even though the next taker managed to put the ball into a tricky position quite low on the left corner, the boy still managed to reach it in the last second, tipping the ball to cross the baseline.

"Fucking hell... Higo sure will always be there, huh?!"

"Come on! It is still a tie game! Anything can happen!"

Somehow, though, the next few turns became the personal show for both goalkeepers. Kang Do-Jin managed to block Kazawa’s attempt and put a great amount of pressure on Ishinori, only letting Sano score a goal against him. Meanwhile, Higo was also on the same boat, conceding just one goal that somehow tied Sano’s successful attempt earlier.

Nine rounds had already passed, and somehow, the score just showed 4-4 so far. If people who didn’t watch the game saw this scoreline, they would be in confusion about what was going on there. After all, out of nine takers for both teams, five failed, making them think that there was something shady in between.

Still, this was the reality. Everything happened for a reason, and this time, this was the combination of the players’ lack of experience in handling this kind of pressure and the goalkeeper’s amazing performance. Honestly, it was as if Kang Do-Jin and Higo got some sort of drug that enhanced their reflex, allowing them to always read everything and react to it accordingly.

Then, the final round finally came, where Higo himself had to take the penalty. At this point, both teams were already exhausted, having been on the edge for more than twenty minutes without getting any result. If this round passed with both him and Kang Do-Jin getting the same result, the penalty shootout would be continued again, with the list returning from the start.

Well, what Higo really wanted right now was just to end this game as quickly as possible. The boy could feel his left foot starting to get cramped, and even walking took a toll on him. This still didn’t count the mental exhaustion of having to stand in the limelight all the time, becoming the team’s last guardian that protected their hope.

Now that he had become the taker itself, the boy took a deep breath, wondering what he should do.

’Wait, no. I don’t need to think too much. Just wait until my clairvoyant ability tells me where he is going, then I will send the ball in the opposite direction! Brilliant!’

With that thought in mind, Higo put the ball on the penalty spot, ready to initiate the goalkeeper duel against Kang Do-Jin. Little did he know, though, that the brilliant idea he had in mind turned into a disaster since the boy himself had no experience taking a penalty. Adjusting his stance at the last second turned out to be harder than it looked, and as a result, Higo slipped at the last second, sending the ball high into the sky.

BAM!

"YES!" Kang Do-Jin punched the air in celebration, and a thick vein popped on his forehead. It was clear that the man was exhausted as well, but when he thought the next turn was going to be his, the excitement suddenly rushed to the peak. "Come on, everyone! Get ready!" He waved at his teammates on the center line.

Higo himself just shook his head in regret, looking at the spot where he slipped in disbelief. Unfortunately, he didn’t have any time to lament this missed attempt. No, the boy still had to guard his own goal, trying to make sure that Kang Do-Jin didn’t win this goalkeeper contest.

Unfortunately, this time, Kang Do-Jin seemed to be possessed by Miki Yamane. The boy was so calm putting the ball on the spot, and once he started his run-up...

BAM!

The ball went straight to the top corner, far from Higo’s reach. The goal was valid, bringing Shimizu Higashi to the next round of the tournament.