"You say what?" Higo blinked as he heard Ito’s request. "You want me to take over the command on the back?" He pointed at himself questioningly.
Not that he was not confident, but this was a little bit too fast here. The boy had just played for about twenty minutes in this game, and yet, the biggest responsibility on the back was about to be handed to him?
However, Ito was dead serious here. His face didn’t show any ripple, as if the boy had just talked about the weather today. This move surprised not just Higo, but also everyone else. Hell, some people even had their bottles of water dropped, staring at the captain in disbelief.
Kageyama-sensei also narrowed his eyes here, looking at Ito intently. "Any reason for you to suggest that?" He asked.
If it was anyone else, they would wilt in a second under the man’s gaze. However, Ito’s biggest trait as a captain was his calmness facing everyone else, and it was also the same when he was under the coach’s scrutiny. The boy didn’t budge, just giving his reasoning confidently.
"I am exhausted, and my mouth is running slower than my brain. I know everyone else is the same." Ito spoke. "Meanwhile, Higo not only has just come to the pitch, but his vision is even better than mine during my best state. I have experienced it during our camp in Chiba, and I trust him with my life."
He spoke like a samurai who was about to go to war, but no one could deny the gravity of his words here. While he was not a man with a lot of words, the captain was someone who didn’t exaggerate things, so when he spoke one thing, he truly meant it.
Kageyama-sensei didn’t say anything immediately. His gaze just moved between Higo and Ito for a while, pondering over this possibility. The noises from the crowd couldn’t even snap him from his own thought right now.
Time seemed to tick by, and the players also got more nervous with the coach’s silence. They only had a five-minute break before the second half of the extra time, and four minutes had passed so far. The referee had already prepared to start the second half, and the South Korean team was also back on the pitch right now.
"Sensei, the others are waiting." Even Akiba-sensei also urged the head coach here.
In the end, he finally shook his head, turning his attention to Higo. "With this new responsibility, your task will be doubled, not just to handle the shootout, but also to take command of our defensive line. The same question here: are you confident?"
Unlike before, though, Higo threw away all the humbleness from his bones.
"Unlike the shootout where I cannot control the whole thing, taking command of our defensive line is something I can control quite well. As long as I can guide the others to go to the place where I want them to be, I can protect the goal better from my position. So, yeah, as long as they are willing to listen, I am down for this."
In the end, Kageyama-sensei gritted his teeth here. "I won my first gamble with you, and normally, being greedy would only lead to disaster. However, your confidence convinces me here. Fine, you will be responsible for the command! Everyone, you pay attention to Higo’s words and do exactly what I said, do you understand?!"
"Yes, Sensei!"
Normally, some people would disagree secretly about this. However, it didn’t work for Higo, because the boy himself was the team’s savior for the penalty kick earlier. They all trusted him to take this responsibility, willing to go to the deepest hell to follow his words.
In the end, five minutes finally passed with only one instruction here: listen to Higo’s words. Somehow, the team let their second goalkeeper shoulder the biggest pressure here. However, instead of feeling nervous, they all were walking with the air of confidence toward the pitch.
Everyone knew what Higo was capable of. The boy had already proven in so many training sessions that his biggest strength was his judgement and command ability. This was the reputation that the boy had built painstakingly for a long time, and somehow, it finally paid off in this moment.
Of course, the one who felt the turbulence here was Higo. His emotion was like a wave right now, moving around restlessly. Even though he said it before with his chest held high, once the responsibility fell, some nervousness would definitely attack his bones.
At this crucial moment, Ito, the one who put the responsibility on his shoulder, suddenly patted the boy’s back. "Don’t think too much about anything else. I trust you, so be a little bit confident."
Higo was stunned for a second before showing a wry smile. "Aren’t you putting too much trust in me? You know that sometimes, it could lead to disappointment, right?"
Ito paused for a second, looking at the goalkeeper deeply before saying, "I have experienced what it feels like to be under your command, and I trust you. It is just as simple as that. Don’t overcomplicate things, and start to put your concentration on the second half. We will need you more than ever."
After that, he patted Higo’s shoulder firmly as a reassurance, then walked to the pitch to follow the others, leaving Higo alone on the sideline.
The goalkeeper just stood there, pondering everything for a moment. It would be a lie if he said that he wasn’t nervous here. No matter how confident the boy was, the first time of everything would always be a nerve-wracking moment. Still, Ito was right in one thing here.
’Yeah, I have done well in the training session; I don’t need to overcomplicate this matter.’ He took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. ’Just like Kumiko-chan said, treat every training session like it is a final game, and treat the final game like it is a normal training session. I will be alright.’
With that in mind, the boy clenched his fists tightly, walking to his own goal with the silent confidence that demanded attention from his teammates.
Yeah, he was finally ready here.