Soccer System: All the Skills, One Player!

Chapter 12: 11 - Chubu Region Summer Championship

The Chubu Region Summer Championship was a small championship with only sixteen school teams from invited high schools.

Lucas and Nishida's school was Wushia High School, and in the past, it had achieved great success, reaching the semifinals of the national championship two years in a row. However, in recent years, Wushia High School's results have not been very impressive.

The only reason Wushia High continued to be invited to the Chubu Region Summer Championships every year was because of Mr. Yamamoto's coaching contacts and friends.

In most regions of Japan, the summer school championships weren't important, but in Kanto and Chubu, the high school teams took them very seriously because the summer break was the time when the players could give their all and focus entirely on the soccer club.

This year, the summer championship would be held far away from Fukui, where Wushia School was located. It would be held in Nagoya, a large city in the region. Because of this, the atmosphere on the bus was different than usual.

"Are we there yet?" Kuwabara asked.

Mr. Yamamoto, who was sitting on the first seat of the bus with his arms crossed, denied it. "There are still a few kilometers to go."

"Ah... this four-hour trip is tiring me out," Hidefumi said, rubbing his temples.

"But it's only been a little over an hour." Yuuga, the blonde-haired, rosy-cheeked boy next to Hidefumi, answered him.

"Dude... why are you even on my side? I told you, there's enough room on the bus for everyone to have two seats. There's only our club here."

Hidefumi pointed to the back of the bus, showing that there were enough seats for Yuuga, who promptly hugged himself and started to dramatize.

"No, I'm afraid of being too lonely in a seat by myself! Besides, it's much more important for us to bond during the trip. It's important for the team dynamic!"

"Tsk! Will you shut up?" Tsukada asked, taking off his headset for a moment. "There are people here trying to concentrate on today's game."

There was complete silence after Tsukada asked. He had an imposing presence that everyone respected. Even though he was easily irritated and very self-centered at times, everyone knew that he was someone who didn't play well when something shook him, and he was the important number 10.

Anyway, Lucas watched the whole interaction with a slight smile. He remembered all the times the same arguments and little intrigues had taken place during their travels.

The little rivalries, the jokes, the moments of tension and camaraderie were all part of what he loved most about traveling with the soccer club.

After a few minutes, the bus entered a larger highway. The city of Nagoya began to appear on the horizon, with its tall buildings and constant movement of cars. The city was huge and contrasted with the rural tranquility of Fukui.

The excitement on the bus grew immediately.

"Guys, look at that! It's Nagoya!" Kawabara exclaimed, pointing to the view.

Everyone turned to the windows and admired the city. For many of them, this was a rare opportunity to visit a metropolis like Nagoya. The buzz of excited voices filled the bus, and Mr. Yamamoto didn't scold them for acting like children.

When they got off the bus in front of the hotel, everyone was wearing the school's winter sports uniform.

Lucas was one of the last to disembark. He took a deep breath and felt the Nagoya air filling his lungs. It was different from Tokyo, but it still smelled like a big city.

"Come on, guys. Form two lines and grab your bags," Mr. Yamamoto ordered, his firm voice cutting through the group's euphoria.

Hidefumi, still rubbing his temples, was the first to grab his backpack and get into position.

"I hope this hotel has comfortable beds..." he muttered, drawing laughter from some of the nearby players.

Hidefumi was the laziest player on the team and always seemed to be bored.

Yuuga patted Hidefumi's back. "Relax man. The best is yet to come. We're going to win this championship and maybe meet some girls from Nagoya."

Hidefumi just rolled his eyes, but couldn't hide a small smile at the corner of his mouth. Yuuga's strange personality was sometimes hard to resist.

The hotel they stayed in was simple. However, when the group entered the lobby, the players were impressed by the decor. The marble floor shone beneath their feet, and there was a large television and a spacious sofa.

"This place is amazing!" exclaimed Kuwabara, throwing himself onto the sofa.

"Concentrate, Kuwabara." Tsukada said in a serious tone. "We're here to play, not to stare at the hotel like country bumpkins."

Kuwabara's smile disappeared. "Right, sorry..."

Lucas, observing the interaction, felt that Tsukada was being too uncomfortable. He knew that the pressure was high, especially for Tsukada, who always carried the weight of the team's expectations on his shoulders, but he shouldn't put that weight on the other players.

Mr. Yamamoto approached the reception desk, where a woman with a professional smile was waiting for them.

"Welcome to the Sakura Hotel. You're from Wushia High School, right?" The clerk asked, handing the coach a list of rooms. "I hope you have a nice stay."

"Thank you," Mr. Yamamoto replied and took the list. He turned to the players and began handing out room keys. "Remember guys, we have a big game later. I want everyone rested and ready to go."

"And no trouble. Be here in an hour at the latest, because we have to leave for the Asset Minato Soccer Stadium."

The players nodded and lined up to get their room keys. Soon, they were heading for the elevators.

Lucas would be sharing a room with Nishida, so he followed his longtime friend down the elegant corridor. Nishida was strangely quiet, probably concentrating on the game. Lucas decided not to disturb him any more than necessary.

'I have to concentrate too. Not this championship... This first game could decide if I'm chosen by the scouts or not.' Lucas concluded, clenching his fists.