Chapter 842: Quarter Finals

Hiro had grown used to this atmosphere. Hence, he didn’t feel as much pressure as he used to.

Even from inside the bus, he could hear the noise outside, and from the sound alone, he could guess what reception he was about to get.

However, that wouldn’t be a problem for him or the team because the bus would head inside the stadium, and the team wouldn’t have to deal with the crowd gathered outside.

That should have been the case.

However, to his disappointment, the flock of people waiting at the parking spot was just as huge as the crowd gathered outside.

Even the reporters had made it this far for some reason.

Just as he stepped outside the bus, a sea of people filled his sight. For a moment, he froze at his spot.

His teammates, who had disembarked the bus before him, had left him standing, and those behind him were questioning him if something was wrong.

Hiro paused for a moment before smiling at the fans who were calling his name.

Inside the dressing room, it was much quieter than outside. The noise of the crowd was muffled here like a distant roar of the ocean heard from far away.

Hiro sat in his corner with his kit already on and his boots laced, and his expression was calm. Maestro’s Vision hummed in the back of his mind, always active and always analyzing, quietly preparing for what was to come.

He could feel the match approaching, and it did not feel like a threat. It felt like an opportunity to prove himself.

To prepare himself for the upcoming World Cup, he had to utilize all of the chances he had, and this was one of those chances.

He knew it was going to be a difficult match. However, he couldn’t bring himself to get nervous.

Haaland the Titan, Donnarumma the wall, Lucien the mastermind, and Enzo the Engine- the opposition had some of the best players in their squad.

It would be a lie if he said he wasn’t nervous at all.

He had faced each of these monstrous individuals before, and he knew how terrifying they could be. This season, these monstrous individuals had become even better than before, making them even more dangerous.

However, he couldn’t afford to let this feeling affect his performance.

Hence, he stopped recalling their performance and drew in a deep breath to empty his mind.

Just like him, Lucien was engrossed in deep concentration.

Though Hiro was his main concern, he couldn’t afford to ignore others either. Be it Julian the spider, Lee Kang-In the specialist, or Romero the Mountain, he couldn’t ignore their presence.

However, those weren’t his concern. Hence, he didn’t bother pondering about them.

Call it obsession or ego or whatever, he had to get back on Hiro somehow. For that reason, he had even changed his team, and the opportunity had presented itself sooner than he expected.

Takahashi... He thought with his eyes closed.

**** ****

The stadium was a cauldron of emotions, a sea of supporters clad in red and white and blue, buzzing. Flags and banners were raised high, and their spirits rose even higher.

The stadium pulsed as the crowd came alive.

Hiro could hear the buzz even from inside the tunnel. Though the buzz sounded rather distant right now, he could feel it tingling against his skin.

He stood in the queue, a kid standing beside him. Her head was tilted, and her dazzling sapphire gaze fixed on him.

However, Hiro was too focused on the match ahead of him. Hence, he missed her expectant gaze.

Then he felt a sudden nudge.

"What—" He cried out, turning behind.

"Can’t you see?" Julian said, standing behind him.

"See what?"

He turned his head to where he was hinting at. Just as he turned, he was met with the girl’s expectant gaze.

She appeared thrilled for some reason.

Perhaps it was because of him, since she was looking in his direction. From her gaze, he could tell that the girl was thrilled to meet him.

Upon receiving fame, he had had countless such encounters before. Hence, it didn’t take long for him to understand her intention.

Just as he figured out her intention, he smiled and held his hands out for her to grab.

The kid’s pupils enlarged as her face blossomed like a spring flower. The glow on her face was rather contagious, and even more contagious was her smile that radiated pure happiness.

Then she grabbed his hand like she was reaching out for some toffee.

When faced with such a pure smile, Hiro couldn’t help but get enchanted. For a brief moment, all he could think about was this moment.

From afar, Lucien had been peeking at him.

Hiro appeared rather relaxed, and for a moment it even seemed like he wasn’t under any pressure at all.

This sight somewhat bugged him.

He had been thinking about stopping him and outsmarting him. But his opponent was just enjoying the moment.

Had he been overreacting?

He couldn’t help but doubt. However, he couldn’t afford to loosen his guard like his rival. Hence, he dismissed this feeling that had arisen for a brief moment.

Then he shifted his focus back to the match and the tactics that had been discussed.

The kid standing beside him frowned.

Well, as compared to Hiro, Lucien did appear a bit distant and scary. He had that serious look on his face that made him rather hard to approach. He also looked as if something was going on in his head.

There was another man with a rather terrifying appearance, clad in the same clothes as him.

The giant of a man called Erling Haaland.

However, as compared to Lucien, he had a rather pleasant personality. Perhaps it had to do with him pursuing a career outside football.

Despite his tremendous size and a rather terrifying appearance, the kid who was standing beside him was smiling her heart out.

Just from her face alone, one could tell that she found it pleasant to be beside him.