"Natural Enemy" (
Summary[]
The chapter opens with Ashito Aoi sulking on the bench after learning Yūma Motoki was the only player from the scrimmage to earn a promotion. Frustrated by his own performance, Ashito is confronted by Nagisa Akutsu, a Youth A Team member, who harshly criticizes Ashito's lack of skills and determination, even insulting Ashito’s family’s sacrifice for his career. Akutsu's words strike a nerve, prompting Ashito to storm into the coaches' room and demand guidance from Nozomi Date, determined to relearn football from scratch.
Synopsis[]
The chapter begins with Ashito Aoi sitting on a bench with his towel over his head. He remembers the Team Huddle the coaches organized after the 7-a-side game ends. Coach Nozomi Date reveals that everyone's hard work was greatly appreciated but the only person from teh scrimmage that will be promoted to the Youth A Team will be Yūma Motoki. Nozomi dismisses everyone and they disperse. Ashito then reflects on his own performance during the scrimmage. He understands why his teammates refused to pass to him since Ashito was useless to them, but he also feels that the goal he scored was also wasted away. Frustrated with himself, Ashito screams out loud that he doesn't understand what he did wrong. He calls his own performance disgraceful and even though he knew he couldn't certain things.
Akutsu grabs Ashito and tells Ashito that he is worthless and that his also a cancer for his lack of skills.
As Ashito turns his head to the left, he notices none other than Nagisa Akutsu staring at him while walking with a friend. As his friend, Haruhisa Kuribayashi calls out for Akutsu to come along, Akutsu tells him to go on ahead as he knows Ashito and wants to talk to him. Akutsu re-introduces himself to Ashito and congratulates him on passing the Esperion Tryouts. Ashito still remembers how terribly Akutsu treated him during the Tryout Final Test and has a pissed off expression on his face. Akutsu tells him to knock it off as now Akutsu is Ashito's "senpai" and he is being nice here. He then reveals that he was able to watch the 7-a-side match from the Clubhouse's second floor. He says that Coach Tatsuya Fukuda wanted the Youth A Team to watch the match and give their opinions on match. As Ashito sullenly says to Akutsu to get on with his point and realizes Akutsu hasn't changed at all from their previous interaction, Akutsu menacingly walks up to Ashito.
Akutsu grabs the neck of Ashito's shirt and holds him face-to-face. He questions about how Ashito managed to chosen for Esperion and now since their teammates, Akutsu will have to deal with Ashito's "Cancerous lack of skills." He throws Ashito down on the ground and says that for the next 3 years Ashito will spend it kicking a ball in a corner. As Akutsu walks away Ashito says that it his only his first day and that he will crawl his way up Akutsu responds by calling Ashito's parents stupid for throwing away all of their money at Ashito and sending him so far away from Ehime. He goes on to say that every year mom's get disillusioned by their son's talents just because they passed the tryouts. Akutsu calls Ashito pitiful but Ashito says to keep his Mom out of this argument as she has nothing to do it. Akutsu then places his right foot on Ashito's left collarbone pushing him back down onto his knees saying that his Mom has everything to do with it as she is spending so much money for Ashito to play at Esperion. As he releases his foot, Akutsu says that it is pitiful for how Ashito thought he would figure things out once he joined the Youth Team and thinking someone will teach Ashito everything. He goes on to say that Ashito has yet to improve since the Tryouts and walks away.
Ashito barges into the Coach's room and demands for Nozomi to teach Ashito how to play Football properly even if he has to learn from square one.
Ashito takes what Akutsu says to heart and thinks that maybe he has been taking everything too lightly. He runs to the Clubhouse and barges into the Coach's room where all 3 Coaches, Aki Tsukishima, Daigo Benzen and Nozomi Date are talking. Before Tsukishima can admonish Ashito for suddenly entering, Ashito goes straigh to Nozomi and demands for him to teach Ashito football even if he has to relearn it from square one.
Highlights[]
- Ashito’s realization that his scrimmage efforts were ineffective, feeling disheartened by Yūma’s promotion.
- Ashito has a brutal exchange with Akutsu, who demeans Ashito's abilities and motivation.
- Ashito's pivotal moment as he channels his frustration into determination, seeking guidance from Coach Nozomi with a vow to rebuild his skills from the ground up.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
- Ashito Aoi
- Daigo Benzen (Background)
- Nozomi Date
- Aki Tsukishima (Background)
- Keiji Togashi (Background) (Flashback)
- Ryūichi Takeshima (Background) (Flashback)
- Yūma Motoki (Background) (Flashback)
- Wataru Kameyama (Background) (Flashback)
- Nagisa Akutsu
- Haruhisa Kuribayashi (Background)
- Tatsuya Fukuda (Background)
Chapter Notes[]
Trivia[]
TBA
References[]
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| Chapters | 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 43 • 44 • 45 • 46 | Volumes | 3 • 4 • 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Episodes | 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 | Seasons | 1 |
| Chapters | 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 | Volumes | 2 |
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