NOVEL WEB Chapter 17: chapter 17- locker room
Ojo White Knights' Perspective
The final whistle blew, and the stadium erupted with a cacophony of cheers and groans. The scoreboard flashed the final score: Ojo White Knights 45, Deamon Devil Bats 44. The White Knights had emerged victorious by the slimmest of margins, but their faces didn't reflect the joy of an easy win. They were battered, bruised, and exhausted, their bodies aching from the relentless onslaught of TJ and Eyeshield 21.
As the team gathered on the field, the atmosphere was heavy. The relief of victory was palpable, but so was the acknowledgment of how close they had come to defeat.
On the Field:
Takami took off his helmet, wiping the sweat from his brow as he approached Shin. His voice was steady but laced with exhaustion.
Takami: "We won... but just barely. If we hadn't kept our composure, they would've taken this from us."
Shin nodded, his usual stoic expression unwavering but his eyes showing a flicker of respect for the opposition.
Shin: "Eyeshield 21... he's faster than I anticipated. And TJ... his power is unlike anything we've faced before. We had to rotate players on him just to slow him down."
Takami: "They almost broke us with just those two. If Deamon had a full roster of dedicated players—each one playing their specialized position—we wouldn't have stood a chance."
Their coach, Coach Shoji, approached the duo, his demeanor calm but thoughtful. He had been silently observing the aftermath, understanding the gravity of what had just transpired.
Coach Shoji: "You're right, Takami. Deamon is a team of raw talent. TJ is a force of nature, and Eyeshield 21 has speed that's almost supernatural. But they rely too heavily on those two. If they had more players like them, each one as skilled in their position, this game would have been a different story."
Shin: "They don't have the depth we do. Our rotations, our strategy, that's what kept us in the game. But we can't rely on that alone in the future. A team like Deamon, if they refine their roster, could dominate."
The coach gave a nod, his eyes scanning the field where Deamon's players were regrouping, some of them still catching their breath. He admired their spirit, their tenacity, but knew they were still in their developmental stages.
Coach Shoji: "They're dangerous because they play with heart, not just skill. But heart alone won't win them championships. They'll need to build their team, find players who can stand with TJ and Eyeshield, not just behind them."
In the Locker Room:
The White Knights sat in the locker room, some tending to their injuries, others sitting quietly, reflecting on the game. The atmosphere was one of subdued celebration—a recognition of their hard-fought victory but also an acknowledgment of the challenges they had faced.
Sakuraba, nursing a bruise on his arm from a hard tackle, broke the silence.
Sakuraba: "I thought we had them when we pulled ahead. But that Eyeshield kid... I've never seen anyone move like that. It's like trying to catch the wind."
Toganou, still catching his breath, laughed weakly.
Toganou: "Yeah, and TJ? I swear, every time I thought we had him, he just plowed through. I don't know how many times I hit him, but he just kept coming."
Takami stood, addressing the team, his voice steady.
Takami: "We need to learn from this. We won, but barely. Deamon's strength lies in their unpredictability and their individual talent. But that can only take them so far. If they start recruiting players who are just as dedicated and specialized as TJ and Eyeshield, they'll be unstoppable."
The team listened, absorbing his words. The game had been a wake-up call—a reminder that even the best teams could be brought to their knees by raw talent and determination.
Coach Shoji entered the room, his presence commanding attention.
Coach Shoji: "You all did well out there. You showed resilience and adaptability. But Takami's right. Deamon is evolving. They've got the potential to become something more than what they are now. We need to be ready for that. They'll come back stronger, and we need to be prepared."
He paused, looking around at his players, each one battered but unbowed.
Coach Shoji: "Enjoy this victory. You've earned it. But remember, every game is a lesson. Today, we learned just how close we can come to losing if we underestimate our opponents. Let's not forget that."
The team nodded, the weight of his words sinking in. The White Knights had won, but it had been a hard-fought battle, one that had tested their limits and revealed the potential of their opponents.
As the players began to unwind, Shin quietly approached Takami, his expression thoughtful.
Shin: "Next time we face them, we need to be ready. I won't let Eyeshield 21 get past me again."
Takami smiled faintly, placing a hand on Shin's shoulder.
Takami: "We'll be ready. And so will they."
The locker room buzzed with quiet determination. The White Knights had won this battle, but they knew the war was far from over. Deamon was a team on the rise, and the next time they met, it would be an even greater challenge.
Deamon Devil Bats' Locker Room
The mood in the Deamon locker room was a stark contrast to the victorious atmosphere outside. The players sat silently, their breaths heavy, and their bodies sore from the grueling match. The narrow loss stung, the reality of their near-victory hanging heavily in the air. Hiruma stood in the center, his usual cocky grin replaced with a contemplative scowl as he processed the game.
Hiruma: "Tch... so close."
He kicked a water bottle across the room, the clatter echoing in the tense silence. The team knew better than to say anything at this moment. They were waiting, processing, and reflecting, just as he was.
Hiruma: "We had them. We had them." He looked around, his eyes fierce but not accusatory. "We were inches away from pulling this off."
Kurita, sitting heavily on a bench, wiped the sweat from his face. His voice was soft, filled with regret.
Kurita: "They were tough, Hiruma. But... we fought hard."
Hiruma: "Hard isn't enough. We knew their strategy. We knew they'd try to rotate guys to wear down TJ. And they did. We had to counter that better."
TJ, sitting with his helmet in his lap, looked up. His face was a mixture of frustration and pride. He had given everything he had on the field, and it showed in the way his muscles ached and his body throbbed from the constant hits.
TJ: "They kept throwing fresh bodies at me. I tried to hold, but damn... it was like fighting an army."
Eyeshield 21 (Sena), sitting nearby, leaned forward, his face still red from exertion but determined.
Sena: "You did more than hold, TJ. You dominated out there. If they hadn't kept rotating, they wouldn't have been able to stop you."
Hiruma: "Sena's right. You broke through them. But it's not just about brute force. It's about strategy. We pushed them to the brink, but we need more. More depth. More specialized players. They exploited our weaknesses in coverage. They knew our corners are green."
He turned his sharp gaze to the defensive backs, who looked down, feeling the weight of his words but understanding the truth in them.
Hiruma: "We'll fix that. We're building something here. But we can't rely on just a few players. We need a team. A full team of dedicated players who can handle their positions. If we had that, Ojo wouldn't have stood a chance."
Montaa, sitting nearby, nodded, his expression serious.
Montaa: "We'll get there, Hiruma. We're close. We just need more time, more players who can match TJ and Sena."
Hiruma: "Time's not on our side. We've got to work with what we have and build fast. But today... today, we showed them what we're capable of. Ojo knows now we're not pushovers. They won't forget how close they came to losing."
He paused, letting the words sink in, then added, his voice lowering slightly.
Hiruma: "But we won't forget either. We've got the heart. Now we build the skill. We're not done."
The room was quiet, the weight of his words pressing down on them, but within that quiet, there was a simmering determination. This wasn't the end. This was just the beginning.
Hiruma: "Take tonight to rest. But tomorrow... we start again. We get better. Stronger. Smarter. They might've won this round, but the next time we face them, it'll be different."
The players nodded, the fire in their eyes reigniting. They had tasted what it was like to push a top team to the edge. They knew what they needed to do.
Hiruma: "Eyeshield, TJ, you two carried this game. But next time, it's on all of us. We win as a team, or we lose as a team. And I don't plan on losing again."
With that, he turned and walked out of the locker room, leaving the team to reflect. As the door swung shut, the players began to stir, talking in hushed tones, encouraging each other, and making silent vows to come back stronger.
This was not defeat—it was the forge in which champions were made.