"Yeah and in a very spectacular way to be honest," the male master said, "I really envy you, having the chance to achieve this glory early on will be a very big shift in your life, sigh."
"Lay on the ground and let me check you," the female master only shook her head as she laughed, "don't mind him, his long lost dream was to be an ace but failed."
"Just check Deno first," Jim hurried to point towards Deno while preferring not to comment on the couple's words, "he got a direct hit towards his head."
"We saw it," the male master moved to check Deno, "you were so brave back there, I'm sure your ancestors will be proud of your actions here."
"Thanks master," Deno tried to act as polite as he could. He knew if it wasn't for Jim no one would ever care about him.
He was an outer disciple and a Bulltor, someone who wouldn't receive any attention but to be mocked or eyed with greed.
"How is his leg?" Rana was worried as she asked the female master.
"We already used a unique spell to heal him but he just dashed out in the middle of it," the master sighed, "the damage isn't that bad like before but he would need rest for a day at least."
"We have a game tomorrow," Jim said, "and I'll play there."
The master glanced at him for a brief moment before warmly smiling, "don't worry big shot, you won't miss tomorrow's match."
"It's already set to be much later than today's matches," Rana explained while Mera arrived with the girls and they all looked with laughing faces of their team victory.
"Alright," the female master took ten minutes to heal Jim and refused to move out when the referee came. "He is the star of today's matches," she said as an excuse as if she was saying: he deserved to be treated differently.
And the referee only kept his stern look over his face and said nothing until she finished.
"How do you feel now?" Ashley asked with worry while the girls moved to check over him, all but one.
"I'm feeling… no pain!" he was surprised the moment he stood up again.
"Don't over stress yourself," the male master said, "I recommend you take a day off from the academy."
"What about Deno?" Jim didn't comment over his advice as he decided no matter what he must attend tomorrow's lessons.
After all he did all this not to gain recognition from the audience, but from his mates in the class. He wanted to use today's victories and start to create his own gang inside the inner campus.
"He… is going to live," the master said, "but he had serious damage to the skull bones. I advise he won't play the next matches for at least three days, plus I already gave the coach a prescription of what he should use."
"And your medications are with her too," the female master smiled, "see you tomorrow, big star."
She even winked at him while Jim felt somehow strange in such a situation.
"Can you go now?" The referee suddenly said, "I need to start the next match."
"Thanks for everything," Rana said with zero honesty in her voice, and the referee just shook his head helplessly while watching them leave.
"My boy is marching out the pitch with perfect health… c'mon, let's give our big star an applause, the respect he deserves."
Once again the commentator instigated the audience and the next thing happened was for a loud bang of whistles erupted all of sudden.
"I like this commentator," Rick didn't leave Deno's side as he was helping him in jumping down the flying stadium with Kro and Roo helping as well.
"He is really… something," Rana said and didn't add another word.
"If you want to meet him," Mera suddenly said with a tone that seemed to tease someone here, "I can lead you to see him."
"No they don't need that now," Rana seriously declined, "after all I planned for late night training but with all these injuries I believe we should take some rest and start off early in the morning."
"I won't be able to come in the morning," Jim suddenly said and everyone turned to glance at him in doubt. "I… have something to do."
"Don't tell me you are going to see a girl," Lim hit him gently with an elbow while laughing.
"I've to do something important," Jim simply said, "so you can proceed tonight and morning in training and I'll join you after classes."
"Are you sure?" Rana asked with a tone that told Jim she wasn't agreeing that much on his decision.
"I have to," Jim said in the same vague way, and she only sighed.
"They need more training," Mera said before turning to glance at her five girls, "they too need training."
"Then it's settled," Rana decided, "Rick, Kro, and Roo will take Deno home while Gordan will accompany Jim as well."
"Aye aye coach," the four shouted in unison and the next moment they reached the door of the field.
And once the door opened, a large number of reporters rushed in and surrounded them all of sudden.
"What do you want to say to your fans?"
"How did someone like you know about such a legendary move?"
"Did your leg still hurt? Will you be able to compete tomorrow?"
"Did you see your team befitting your abilities? Do you consider moving out to a better team?"
"What are these girls to you?"
More questions were thrown on Jim's face and many were so annoying that he wanted to punch those reporters in the face. Yet Rana and Mera moved with the age experience and stepped in to shield him.
"No comment," Rana shouted in a loud tone, "all the answers shall be no comment."
"Let's go, don't stop moving," Mera shouted as she started to push the reporters away and clear a path for Jim and the team to leave the field.
"Flash!"
"Flash!"
"Flash!"
Even when they passed through the entrance, they were met with a large number of reporters. Sounds of the shooting devices were mixed loudly with the voices of these reporters asking endless questions over Jim's head.
Yet Rana and Mera finally managed to push the entire team towards their room and finally after closing the door things started to cool down.
"Are they going to stand there all night?" Jenny was still shocked by such a thing.
"They are really persistent," Rana shook her head, "we need to assign guards then."
"We can do it," Kro and Rick moved at once to stand before the door.
"No, no player can be a guardian," Rana stopped them before they would do something reckless.
"Guards are hired officially from the league," Mera explained, "as to avoid any charges of using force against any reporter."
The two nodded and retreated before Lim asked:
"How can we exit then? How can we move Jim and Deno home?"
"We can take Deno and all the team out without any problem," Rana sighed, "the real problem is you."
Jim helplessly smiled and didn't know what to say. It wasn't his fault to shine brighter than others, and it seemed he had underestimated the price of fame.
"We can use the decoy plan then," Mera suddenly said in excitement.
"Decoy plan?" Jim asked with a loss.
"Yeah, the same theory of using decoy in the game," Rana smiled before laughing, "oh fairies, I didn't do this for such a long time."
"Listen," Mera was more excited than her without a proper reason to anyone around, "one shapeshifter will change his shape to be like Jim and the others will cancel their shapeshifting ability. Then we will go to the field and train there, while a couple of you will help Deno to leave home."
"What about… him?" Rick was unaware of this plan and didn't get her meaning.
"He… will get some makeup and change a little in his clothes before sneaking after enough time from our leave."
"Aha," many exclaimed in unison while Rana added, "you can't expose his place even when he reaches the mansion."
"But they must have known where we live," Saga asked in doubt.
"I'll ask a friend to lend us another mansion," Rana said in a casual way that made everyone wonder who that mysterious friend was.
"Do we need all that?" Jim was speechless, "what will happen then when I go to classes?"
"Well," Rana's face turned suddenly evil, "this has been a long time since it occurred but from ancient tales I can be sure you'll be bugged by reporters everywhere you go."
"You shouldn't go to class tomorrow," Mera also joined her friend, showing the same evil look, "you should come and train."
"You two… are scary," Jim couldn't help but laugh, "I'll take what is presented to me on the plate of fame, anyway I have to accept this fate and just adapt to it."
"Don't get cocky kid," Rana suddenly laughed, "this is just a small piece of what you'll have when you enter the real game."
"Indeed," and Mera joined her in laughing while others glanced weirdly at them as if they were asking themselves: was it safe to be led with these two?!