Chapter 15
Translator 8uhl
Chapter 15
Chapter Title Machine Soccer
Daejang High was called machine soccer by reporters and fans who loved giving nicknames.
That was because they moved like machines under the coachs instructions.
In attack, they formed a 226 in midfield, a 451 in defense, a 4411. They stuck to their formation and pressured, stole the ball from, and attacked opponents in their assigned zones exactly as ordered.
The key was that they were incredibly fast.
When they relentlessly hammered their opponents at breakneck speed, most teams buckled, conceding one goal, then two, before eventually kneeling to Daejang High.
Even against a national team made up of kids who had only just stepped into middle school, how were they supposed to hold out?
After being swept left and right by their typhoonlike assaults, they finally conceded a goal.
Not bad.
Coach Lee Junghoo nodded.
Sure, the opponents were all firstyears too, but most of them had been drilling tactics under the current Daejang High coach since middle school at Daejang Middle.
They showed flawless chemistry from start to finish.
Its okay! Its just one goal! Were only tied!
In the midst of it, Bae Sanghyun rallied the national team kids.
Stay calm! Keep it cool!
The game restarted.
Daejang High went right after the national team kids who had possession.
With just two centerbacks holding back, eight players occupied space in enemy territory and pressed hard, making passes choppy and disjointed.
In the end, the kids fell back on the same play that had led to their first goal kicking it long upfield to the Daejang High line, which had pushed high, then bombing the back line with Bae Sanghyuns long shot.
Boom!
The cannonlike ball sailed far and dropped into empty space on the right flank.
Ryu Junseo was known in middle school soccer for his quick feet, but Daejang Highs leftback was infamous in high school circles for his speed too.
He could run the 100 meters in close to twelve secondswouldnt look out of place against adults.
Ryu Junseo got there first and was closer, but the leftback caught up, leading to a battle for the ball.
No matter how hard Ryu Junseo shoved with his back to goal, the opponent didnt budge, mocking him as he leaped high and headed it clear.
The loose ball rolled across the grass.
Ryu Junseo couldnt claim it as Daejang Highs leftback had it locked down. But even though Daejang High won it back, their high line meant they couldnt hold onto possession either.
Instead, the national teams rightback intercepted it.
But he couldnt relax.
Daejang High players were closing in from all sides.
The national teams rightback frantically searched for Ryu Junseo and Lee Sungho nearby, but Daejang High markers blocked the passing lanes.
That was when it happened.
Hey!
A short callout.
The rightback turned, staring puzzled.
Yoon Taeyang.
Why was he over here?
Hey!!
No time to think.
The rightback hurriedly passed to Yoon Taeyang.
The Daejang High players swarming the rightback shifted like a single organism, now targeting Yoon Taeyang.
Yoon Taeyang stayed composed, moving deliberately.
He shook the marker ahead with just upperbody feints, then crumbled the onrusher behind with a free flap.
Having slipped past two so easily, he pushed forwardonly for another player to slam a shoulder into him from the side.
Yoon Taeyang kept running.
The opponent leaned in hard, trying to unbalance him, but Yoon Taeyang teetered on the edge of falling without ever going down, powering ahead.
Three defenders waited where he cut from flank to center.
Getting this far through physical battles was impressive, but piercing those three seemed impossible.
Yoon Taeyang baited one into committing power by clashing bodies, then slipped sideways.
As the stumbling opponent lost balance, Yoon Taeyang sprinted fulltilt.
The defender recovered and gave chase.
Close enough to touch if he reached out, but Yoon Taeyang ignored him, eyes on the defenders ahead.
Sure enough, two of the three charged at him, forming a triangle to press.
Just as it looked hopeless, Yoon Taeyang smiled.
He lofted the ball lightly into the gap those two rushing defenders created.
Over their heads it sailed, dropping perfectly for Lee Sungho, who had exploited the space.
Lee Sungho calmly eyed the keeper and backline, opened up the angle, and unleashed toward goal.
Splash!
An unbelievably fast, powerful shot for a middle schooler ripped the net. Score 21.
The national team kids, back in the lead, erupted in cheers. The coach reffing today blew for halftime.
Daejang High coach Jang Hanjun eyed his players sternly.
Youre doing great, huh? Real great.
Sorry.
He sighed at the firstyears who couldnt lift their heads.
Honestly, it was hard to say they played badly.
They had dominated the U15 national team all half.
The issue was that standout kid, Bae Sanghyun, had blocked more goals than expected.
Having played in Europe against kids taller and more developed than him, he shut down Daejang Highs attack line with his skill and uncanny defensive organizing for his age.
And the national teams attack hadnt wasted the backlines efforts, converting both chances into goals.
Yoon Taeyang, was it?
First that insane knuckleball free kick, now dazzling dribbling to escape pressure and a pinpoint pass into space.
No way this was a firstyears level.
Weird how these narrow fields always produced one freak like him.
The coach mulled it over, then called up the second and thirdyears.
Now he got why Lee Junghoo had the nerve to ask him to play them.
Plain firstyears couldnt handle those outliers.
And so the second half kicked off with Daejang Highs starters inbackline fully subbed.
Taeyang.
From the opposite bench, Coach Lee Junghoo called out.
Yeah?
Having fun with soccer today?
I couldnt answer Coach Lee Junghoos question right away and just stared at him.
Why ask that now?
You can do whatever you want, so isnt it fun?
I thought for a second.
Endless passes that went nowhere, teammates standing around gawking while I ran, or waving from positions where they couldnt pass even if they wanted to, not grasping my plays at all.
Having to solocarry Seouls attack made my head spin.
Yeah its really fun.
Right? Thought so.
Coach Lee Junghoo grinned like he knew everything.
Seeing that, I grinned back.
Now it finally feels a tiny bit worth playing.
Heaven compared to Seoul, but not enough to satisfy me.
Coach Lee Junghoos face hardened as he got it.
Ththat so?
Yeah.
Unhappy because we couldnt play satisfying soccer?
Nah, not really.
I was used to this.
My old team was the underdog most games, grinding against overwhelming talent gaps.
Masochistic, but I loved these grueling spots.
Nothing beat the thrill of winning them.
In that sense, staring at Daejang Highwhod gone allin like a fully evolved predator with their startersmy heart raced.
Think this young body couldnt hang with high school starters?
Well see.
Id never once played a full career game with a healthy body.
Tweet!
With the whistle, I smashed into the onrushing Daejang High at full throttle.
Not just me.
Young as we were, we were all top talents, and most burned with winatallcosts fire.
Our early wilted spirits had reignited once we sensed a real shot.
Dont just bulldozehold position! Check your teammates!
Bae Sanghyuns voice rang from behind.
Even at his age, he orchestrated defense brilliantly.
By occupying space without overcommitting and cutting passes, Daejang High got bolder.
Good plan to smash our backline with physique and skill.
What they overlooked two guys.
Parquet Naiel and Bae Sanghyun.
Parquet Naiel, 14 but built like a high schooler with that black physique, bullied forward roughly, and Bae Sanghyun ghosted in to steal.
Our eyes met Bae Sanghyuns perfectly in that instant.
I bolted forward without looking back.
As I went, Ryu Junseo and Lee Sunghoo matched pace beside me.
Ignoring our midfieldpowerless without Parquet Naielthe ball flew long to the front.
Drop zone just ahead of the defender, but closer to me.
Perfectly between linesdid they train nothing but long passes in Germany?
I wanted to tell them to learn from Gong Sehwan.
You little shit!
Already, a Daejang High starter defender with a jaw shadowed like a beard charged me viciously.
Whoa, scary.
A wild boar, basically.
I smirked and glanced left.
As Lee Sungho followed my gaze left.
I hit a direct pass right to Ryu Junseo with the ball still dropping.
Ryu Junseo took it, charged halfspace, opening room that Lee Sungho exploited.
Ryu Junseo, seeing his marker close, didnt get greedy and passed to Lee Sungho.
As the ball arrived, Lee Sunghoa beat quicker, lightningfastunleashed!
Clang!
Great try, but it smacked the post and rebounded into play.
Chaos erupted.
Everyone swarmed the penalty area for the ball.
Ryu Junseo got to it first.
Instantly, Daejang High players zombierushed him.
My cue.
Seeing panicked Ryu Junseo flail, I charged and yelled.
Junseo! Just smash it!!
Hearing me, Ryu Junseo turned and poked it through legs.
Ah.
It clipped a leg, deflected weirdly.
Easy spot for the keeper.
Then Lee Sungho barreled in fullspeed, shoving it awkwardly past the keeper.
The ball rolled weakly left.
Whose was it?
Who else?
Me.
You fuck!
I shot amid the keepers cheerful curses.
My second goal.
Woo! Yoon Taeyang, you bastard!
Number 7, you take it!
Whoa, got a goalscoring license? No joke?
License or not, one thing hit me.
My talent was special.
More than even I thought.
My body had core strength unyielding against bigger opponents, was flexible, fast, with toes more precise than anyones.
Incomplete, yet it executed any play I envisioned perfectly.
And the mind inside? Over 500 games of pro savvy.
Birdseye view of the field, knowledge to exploit it.
Daejang High?
Birth year said older brothers, but to me? Unproven rookies, cute junior showtime.
Taeyang, why you spacing out?
Lee Sungho snapped me back.
Uh, just thinking.
Bout what?
Daejang High kinda shit, right?
Lee Sungho scowled sternly.
Theyre still seniors, scary team. Youre killing it, but dont get cocky.
Not cockyreal talk. Daejang High sucks.
Drop it.
Dont believe me?
Whistle blew meanwhile.
I demanded the ball from Lee Sungho.
Ill show you.
No need to tailor to teammates or tactics.
Same as Seoul, really.
Difference? Teammates who could link passes to break lines when stuck.
That was enough.
No backward passesI drove forward.
Sprinted past the lead attackerKHøland, Bang Sunghwanand 2v1passed the blocker with Lee Sungho.
Midfielders awaited.
Before they swarmed, I acceleratedfaster, faster.
One midfielder blocked my path.
I rolled it sideways he spread legs to block.
Poke through the gap, past him, onward.
Deep sliding tackle incomingI passed to Lee Sungho, hopped over, got it back.
One Daejang High midfielder hung back between lines.
I skirted him into open space, running and running.
Shortstride midfielder caught close, but I was faster.
Halfstep, one step now threeplus.
Last line centerback, stationed by zone ahead.
I kept distance, feinting leftthen dragged right.
Ah!
Reverse step fouled him balance gone as I blew by.
Fullback overlapped to cover.
I sprinted a hair ahead and wound for the shot!!
His leg shot out to blockI eased off, nudged sideways, past him.
Just the keeper now. Waitno.
Another centerback rushed me.
I tapped it side to side, distanced him, whipped left foot.
Narrow angle, target locked.
Slightly left but deadon goal face.
Keeper set calmly. Confidence this was cake.
All assumed routine save.
I smiled.
The ball, arrowing keepercenter, wobbledthen bent sharply left, evading his late dive into the net.
Dead silence hit.
Our players, theirsall stared shocked.
Ignoring the stares, a thought struck.
Too small.
The Korean stage was too cramped for me.
I looked skyward.
West that way?