Chapter 451 Traditional defender

451 Traditional defender

The pitch was brightly illuminated by the floodlights. So, he didn't have to worry about the dark. He got there relatively fast. Well, it wasn't that far to begin with. So, it didn't take him much time to get there. But as he got to the pitch, he was greeted with a silhouette of a person. Somebody was already on the pitch, shooting balls in an empty net.

He squinched his eyes to get a better view of the person. As he looked closely, he found out that it was Kaoru Sato. Though his personality had gotten him curious he hadn't paid much attention to him in the cafeteria. So, he didn't notice him leaving. But right now, he was all alone on the pitch, shooting the ball inside the empty post.

He didn't want to bother him. So, he maintained his distance as he kept his presence hidden. Silently, he observed him from the distance. Why was he here so late in the night? Just to shoot some balls? They had training early in the morning. So, why was he here at this time? Excitement? Impatience? Or motivation? Hiro couldn't figure it out. "Woah!" Kaoru's shot left him mesmerized. He could shoot some really powerful shots.

Overall Rating: 76

Pace: 65 Dribbling: 30 Shooting: 60 Defending: 88 Passing: 70 Physical: 85

Upgrading the system, he could now see the numbers instead of just grades. Considering his age, his stats weren't that amazing. Most of his stats were garbage. And the only thing he appeared to be good at was defending. The 60 in his shooting stat explained why he missed so often. He had raw power but lacked the technique to convert his shots. Based on his stat, Hiro could tell that he was more of a traditional central defender instead of a modern central defender. The only good thing about him was his physique and his defending. Well, he was a defender after all. So, those were the only stats that mattered. His job was to prevent the opponent from moving forward. Who cares if he can't run fast? Or who cares if he can't dribble well? Those weren't his responsibility. The only thing that he needed to be good at was his defending. And, his defending even rivalled the ones from the top leagues. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say, but if his other stats were as impressive, he could even start at the European clubs. Maybe he got selected due to his defensive abilities. He couldn't rule out the possibility. Then he went on to greet him. "It's a lovely night, isn't it?" Hiro said as he tried to initiate a conversation with Kaoru. Kaoru was a little startled when he heard his voice. He had been so engrossed in shooting balls that he hadn't paid much attention to his surroundings. So, he didn't see him coming. But why was he asking if the night was lovely? Was he blind or something? Can't he see what he was doing? He wasn't here to enjoy the night sky. Also, why was acting so friendly? Though Hiro may not have known him. But he was familiar with Hiro. Well, considering his popularity there'd hardly be any person on the team to not know of him. How long had he been here? Is he the only one?

Kaoru searched as he tried to find if there were other people on the field beside him. But he couldn't find any. He felt assured. Then he turned his attention towards Hiro. There was an unusual spark in his eyes. His face was adorned with a warm smile. He appeared truly amicable. Considering the age difference, he was just a kid to him. So there was no reason to act rude to him. Also, apart from his popularity, he knew him personally. "Indeed, it's a lovely night," he responded while stabilizing his breath. He had been sweating profusely due to those repeated shots he had taken a moment ago. His breathing was a bit ragged. "So tell me, I'm a terrible shooter right?" He continued. He knew that he'd have been watching him for a while. "You can be honest. I'm open to criticism," he added. The way he carried himself surprised him a little. He had been expecting him to be more of a reserved type of person. So, he wasn't expecting him to speak so much. It was so unlike him. Maybe he had misjudged him. He shouldn't have been quick to assume. Even so, if he was open then it was all the better. After all, there were a lot of things he was curious about. So, he wanted to slowly ask him. "You've got the power. But if I had to be honest, you're lacking the technique to execute your potential," Hiro answered earnestly. Since he was open to criticism, he had nothing to hide. So, he didn't hold back too. His words failed to surprise him. "As expected of the nation's rising star. You've seen through my weakness in only a moment," Kaoru smiled.