Chapter 108
Translator 8uhl
Chapter 108
Chapter Title HatTrick
Yoon Taeyang grabbed the ball and charged straight toward Munichs defensive line.
As Yoon Taeyang came racing in, eyes blazing, it was Bastian Weistiger who came charging at him.
With fire in his eyes, he barreled toward Yoon Taeyang without hesitation, his massive frame closing in relentlessly.
The yellow card hed picked up in the first half seemed to mean nothing to him.
As Weistiger lunged in without restraint, Taeyang deliberately stuck his own foot toward Weistigers.
Weistiger flinched and pulled his foot back in surprise.
Youre faking it, huh?
He was just acting like the yellow card didnt faze him.
It was impressive for a kid his age to put on that kind of show, but the Sebastian Weistiger of the distant future was a truly fearless player who never backed down from a card.
Recalling the future Weistiger while facing this younger version, Taeyang shifted into position to cut inside on Weistigers left.
Thats when it happened.
Taeyang noticed Weistigers gaze shifting away from him toward somewhere else.
A strong gut feeling hit him, along with the presence of someone approaching from behind. Taeyang spun around quickly to check the opponent charging from the rear.
Park Mingyu.
This crazy bastard was coming at him again.
What was an attacker doing rushing all the way back to the defensive end?
The coachs orders?
No way. No sane coach would tell a forward to drop that deep for defense.
This was the guys own idea.
At this point, Taeyang was certain.
This guy was targeting him.
Why?
It made no sense, but Taeyang dodged Weistiger and Park Mingyu, cutting toward the center.
Waiting to greet Taeyang there was Shane Power.
Weistiger and Park Mingyu behind him, Shane Power in front.
Surrounded, Taeyangs choice was...
Yoon Taeyang, from that spotwhiiiing!
A shot.
The ball curved sharply toward the goal.
It was a distance too far for a midrange shot, yet not close enough to call it otherwiseenough to make anyone wonder at the sudden attempt. But Taeyang was confident.
It was a spot where, in his past life, hed racked up goals so consistently it was called the Yoon Taeyang Zone.
Sure enough.
Goal! Its a goal! Goal!
No way it wouldve failed.
Taeyang clenched his fist and looked toward his teammates.
Did you see that? Im fine, you bastards.
Yeah, thats our prince!
Man, that shot was insane.
They never saw that coming from there, right?
Lets catch up just like this!
The players swarmed around Taeyang, roaring in unison.
Yoon Taeyangs wonder goal! Hes a wonder goal machine!
Can Newcastle mount the comeback starting with this one?
Well know when its over. One things for sureNewcastle has the momentum now!
With the game restarted, Newcastle pressed high on Munich.
No fear of conceding another, they pushed their line up, squeezing Munich from all sides.
Munich had no choice but to slow the tempo and play it safe until Newcastles momentum died down.
Better to protect their lead than risk conceding by forcing the issue.
Annoying.
Amid it all, Park Mingyu glared at Taeyang with cold, snakelike eyes.
I dont like him.
That shot.
Objectively, it was impossible for him.
The guys got skills, no doubt.
How did Korea produce a monster like that?
And before his own era was even over.
No, truthfully, their paths shouldnt have crossed. It was abnormal for a high school sophomore to be shining like this.
In a normal timeline, by the time that kid debuted pro and made it to Europe, hed have retired.
He couldve exploited the brat as a federation exec.
Park Mingyu bided his time.
No, he couldnt do it alone.
During a defensive phase, when the ball went out of bounds, Park Mingyu approached Weistiger.
You hold a grudge against him, right?
Yeah, were not exactly buddies.
Weistiger eyed Park Mingyu.
Something about the guy was offputting.
Or was he just tricky to deal with?
This was the first time hed approached like this.
So why hold back? Ever thought about just tackling him out?
Weistigers face hardened instantly.
Thatd get me sent off. If I get redcarded...
Park Mingyu cut him off.
Ah, right. Sorry. He seems like a dangerous one for our team, got me anxious.
This guys no good.
Scared of cards.
Park Mingyu scanned the field for someone else.
Wish Besley was here.
Besley was like a loyal subordinate who followed his orders to the letter.
Last time, the guy whod subbed in for him committed a rough foul, got injured himself, and was out.
Without Besley, who was a master at dirty fouls that hurt opponents, there was no one suitable.
And if he did it himself, from the second time on, itd look intentional to anyone.
Not my day.
No need to push it while theyre ahead anyway.
Theres the second leg.
Park Mingyu shelved his plan to take out Taeyang today.
Thats when the ball rolled right to his feet.
Lindemann and Boxall blocked his path.
Park Mingyu rolled the ball sideways once against the two, probing for space to cut in.
In that instant, Boxall charged at him.
As Boxall closed in, Park Mingyu turned and shielded him with his back.
Now, shake off Boxall and slip past Lindemann.
Thats what he thought.
Someone dashed past him and stole the ball.
It happened so fast that by the time he reacted, all he saw was the opponents back.
YOON
7
Yoon...!
Taeyang!!!
Irritation boiled up.
When did he sneak in and take his ball?
This snotnosed kid daring to rob a senior?
Park Mingyu chased after Yoon Taeyang.
He prided himself on being Koreas fastest, but closing the gap on Yoon Taeyang was no easy feat.
If anything, the distance was growing.
Gyu! Get back to your position!
His teammates voices rang out. As the main attacker, his movement was limited in defense.
Hed already gotten an earful from the coach over that earlier tackle on Taeyang.
Thats when Taeyang stopped.
Teammates had blocked his path ahead.
Nows the chance.
To steal the ball back.
Ignoring his teammates, Park Mingyu charged at Taeyang.
Taeyang hesitated with the ball, then backed into Munichs midfielder Eder.
In that moment, their eyes met.
A strange sense of déjà vu hit him.
Park Mingyu realized this was the exact scene from earlier when Taeyang had stolen his ballonly with the roles reversed.
This bastard...
Eyes blazing, Park Mingyu charged at Taeyang.
Taeyang smirked for a split second.
A chilling, unsettling smile.
For some inexplicable reason, Taeyang charged right at Park Mingyu.
Park Mingyu was startled but quickly composed himself, averting his gaze from Taeyangs eyes to the ball at their feet, and met the charge headon.
Thats when it happened.
Taeyang lifted the ball with his left instep, lofting it over his laces.
Then darted sharply to the side.
......!
......!!
Eder and Park Mingyu collided headon. As they stumbled to a halt by a hairs breadth, Taeyang collected the ball hed floated behind his head from behind Eders back and charged forward.
Dodging the two in an unthinkable move, Taeyang hit La Croqueta on Oliveira to breeze past him and raced into the center.
Shane Power stepped up.
Taeyang kept running until Power was right in his face, then glanced left.
As Shanes eyes followed naturally, Taeyang passed right.
Taeyangs nolook pass landed perfectly at Illinyus feet.
Ah!
By the time Shane whipped his head around in shock, Taeyang had slipped past him and surged forward.
Illinyu immediately returned the ball to Taeyang.
Having shaken even Power, all that remained was the goalor rather, Weistiger.
Weistiger, tracking Illinyus run, saw Taeyang get the ball back and rushed to his side to close him down.
Or tried to.
Taeyang pulled off a dragback to send Weistiger the wrong way, turned toward goal, and unleashed a rightfooted shot.
The ball traced an elegant arc straight into the net.
Silence fell over the stadium.
Yoon Taeyang... Yoon Taeyang! Yoon Taeyangs goal! Hattrick! Its a hattrick!
Including the five against Milan, this is his third hattrick of the season!
Incredibly, this young boy is now tied with Cristiano Ronaldo for the singleseason hattrick record!
All I can say is, what a talent. Its like he was born to break records!
Hattrick.
Even tying the singleseason record, Taeyang paid it no mind.
He wasnt even aware hed just achieved such a monumental feat.
He hurriedly grabbed the ball and sprinted to the halfway line.
On the way, his eyes met Park Mingyusstanding there dumbly, glaring daggers.
Taeyang let out a scoffing chuckle.
As if to say, Pathetic.
Unknowingly, Park Mingyu clenched his fists tight.
Arrogant punk.
Score was 43 now.
Opponent had a hattrick hed managed just one goal.
Normally, one goal in a big tourney like this wouldve earned him praise, but not anymore.
Not with Yoon Taeyangs hattrick.
The kid would probably pull this off in the next game, and the one after.
Park Mingyu ground his studs into the turf in frustration.
The game restarted amid that.
Munich, wary of Newcastles surging momentum leading to an equalizer, played cautiously.
They circulated the ball slowly, running down the clock.
With full time nearly up, only injury time remained.
Newcastle gave it everything for a miracle, but cruelly, the ref blew for full time.
Whew.
As the whistle went, Taeyang let out a deep breath.
The adrenaline crash hit his head and legs burned like fire, raw and stinging.
Probably sweat in the wounds.
Taeyang wiped the sweat from his brow and slowly walked off the pitch.
Thats when someone approached.
You played well, kid.
It was Park Mingyu.
Taeyang stared in disbelief at the smiling approach.
What the hell is this guys deal?
Hed been foaming at the mouth to foul him out, and now postgame, hes grinning?
Maybe the type who gets hotheaded in the heat of battle?
Taeyang had seen plenty whose field persona differed from off it.
But wait.
Taeyang caught the eyes that werent smiling.
That smile was fake.
Same old hypocrite, past and present.
Taeyang flashed a matching fake smile and gripped the offered hand.
Yeah, Im pretty good.
Hm? No brain damage or anything?
Thanks to the hole you put in my head, the blood flowed better. Kept me sharp for the hattrick.
Is that so? Shouldve made it bigger then. Too bad.
Their words cut deep.
No, next game, Ill return the favor to your head, sunbae. Who knowsyou might even hattrick like me. Oh, wait, youve never done one in Europe, right?
...Not the head, the mouth...
Park Mingyu nearly said he shouldve ripped it out, then caught himself and shut up.
Hed gotten too worked up, almost spilling his true thoughts.
Forcing a bright smile, Park Mingyu replied.
No, no. Next game, Ill bag more goals. Our teams gotta advance, after all.
Taeyang just smiled at that.
Already looking forward to the second leg against Munich, thinking how fun itd be to knock that smug bastard down a peg.