My system allows me to copy talents

Upon witnessing such drastic changes, his heart started to pound faster as his eyes glistened excitedly. Those stats were almost comparable to Shun.

Yet, more than anything, it confirmed his doubts.

The path to advancement extended far beyond the confines of physical conditioning. Epiphanies, chance encounters, moments of inspiration—all of these were also the catalysts that propelled a player's trajectory toward greatness.

Having borne witness to the seismic shift in statistics, he became convinced of the transformative power inherent in life's myriad experiences. Such encounters had the potential to awaken dormant abilities within a player.

And, such experiences were almost like a cheat code or a golden finger hidden deep within a player, waiting to surface at random. Previously, it had happened to Shun, then Yutaka, and now it has happened to Kurosawa Taki.

If it wasn't enough to confirm his doubts then what could be enough?

Soon, as he confirmed his doubts, a sudden urge to test him rose within him as he curled his lips, revealing a rather excited look that screamed like he was raring to go. He simply couldn't refrain from testing out Taki's growth.

Thud!!

Releasing his grip on the bag he was carrying, he let go of it. Then, he unzipped his bag and took his cleats out.

"I wonder how good you've become," excitement flashed past his eyes as he murmured while tightening the laces of his cleats.

Then, just as he finished tying the laces of his other cleat, he tossed aside his bag and trod toward the direction of Taki. In excitement, he even forgot to warm up today.

Even upon noticing the incoming figure of Hiro, Taki wasn't the least bit surprised. After all, him being here so early in the morning, was a normal thing. But, his approaching him, wasn't a normal occurrence at all.

They had rarely had any conversation until this point. And, apart from the time they had conversed in the presence of Endo, they rarely talked with each other for long.

"Wanna block some shots?" Hiro questioned straightforwardly without hiding his intentions.

There was absolutely no reason for him to ignore Hiro's challenge. Instead of a challenge, it was an opportunity to test him out.

'A challenge huh? Sure, I'll take on that challenge' Taki thought as he paused his stretching.

Then, he lifted his head to look at Hiro and answered, "Sure, but in return I'd like you to come at me with everything you've got. I don't want you to hold back."

As much as it excited Hiro to test him out, Hiro's proposition also excited Taki. He too wanted to test himself. If he could block shots of one of the best shooters in the tournament, then he might be able to block the shots of others as well.

He truly wanted to find out his standing in the tournament at the moment.

"Sure, let us both go all out then?" Hiro replied as he picked up the ball with ease and started to juggle his way, away from Taki.

☼☼☼☼ ☼☼☼☼

The stadium buzzed with a palpable tension, a dichotomy of emotions swirling through the air like an unseen tempest. On one side, fervent fans of the opposing colors radiated optimism and jubilation. Their enthusiasm was rather palpable in every cheer and chant.

Yet, juxtaposed against this fervor, a cloud of apprehension hung heavy over the supporters of Japan. With nothing but worry and doubt etched on their faces, the only hymn that escaped their mouth were the prayers for their players.

It was as if the radiant rays of a sunlit sky had intermingled with the somber shadows of twilight, casting an otherworldly glow upon the arena.

Despite it being such a difficult match for their team, a lot of supporters of Japan had shown up to the stadium to show their support for their team. Looking at the people dressed in blue, the sheer number of supporters of Japan was quite visible even from the field.

In a similar fashion to the atmosphere outside, a visible difference could be seen inside the dimly lit tunnel as well. It was almost as if an invisible wall was separating the two teams.

On one side, a palpable energy pulsed through the air, buoyed by animated chatter and spirited camaraderie. Meanwhile, on the opposing side, a solemn pall hung over the players, their faces obscured by shadows of apprehension and uncertainty.

Leading these players with darkened facial expressions, Hiro stood at the forefront like a beacon of calm amidst the storm of emotions. Though he could vividly feel the tension within the tunnel, even so, there wasn't a spec of worry in his eyes.

'Today, I won't make the same mistakes from the match before' he thought as he clenched his fist.

The match against Argentina had taught him a lot of things. Previously, instead of taking chances, he had focused on playmaking, trying to improve the gameplay of his teammates. If only he had taken his chances right from the get-go, the outcome might have been different in the previous game.

And though he learned this lesson the hard way, he was still thankful that at least he had learned this lesson which was why he didn't feel regretful about the previous match.

Not only the lesson, he was also humbled by that previous match. So, having learned his lesson, he wasn't willing to make the same mistakes as in the previous match.

Then, just as he heard the announcement of the commentator, he started to walk. Leading his teammates, he then walked out of the tunnel with his gaze fixed firmly on the path ahead.

And, as they stepped out of the tunnel and onto the hallowed grounds of the stadium, a roar erupted from the crowd, enveloping them in a wave of sound and emotion. But, the roar of their fans appeared rather muffled.

Looking at the stand, the anxiousness on the faces of their supporters was rather palpable.

With each step they took onto the field, Hiro could feel the weight of expectation pressing down upon them, but still, he refused to falter.