Chapter 121: A Lecture About How To Win

"They are too slow!"

Jim stayed back for the next ten minutes and during which he saw a glimpse of how the game was brutal and competitive. According to Rana and the agreement of those already oriented about the game, anyone can use anything to stop the ball holder from advancing or keeping the ball.

Yet this law was only limited to the one holding the ball. So anyone else could move freely and that created more flexibility and endless possibilities on the field.

The control of the first testers to the ball was really pathetic. Even the three fans who seemed to play this game not for the first time, couldn't match the intense state of the game Rana devised.

"The ball will start with the hitters and the tankers should try to get it. however I won't stand by and watch. I will interfere to get the ball and you need to adapt to that."

Her words made everyone speechless at first, yet her following actions left them all shocked and couldn't even speak a single word.

Not a single time she moved to take the ball and failed! After all she was initially a tanker, a hell of a defender for one of the best teams in the entire ace league.

"Aren't you overdoing it?" Jim couldn't help but mutter while she threw the ball again to Kro before returning to stand beside Jim.

"Why the hell are you still here?" she asked, "you need to go back and train."

"I already said it," he sighed, "they are much slower than me."

"That's your problem not theirs," she simply replied, "after all the decoys can't have wings, and one of the excellent traits of the ace is to match their speed and make sure the decoy would be perfect."

"But…"

"You need to learn how to move fast, and also how to act slow," she raised her finger and pointed to the wide space behind, "go there and train. I can replace anyone here with others but not you."

"…"

He shook his head while returning to the train. "Move faster," she shouted and he didn't know if she directed this shout to him or the others.

As he returned to train, he didn't entirely focus on his running but stole glances from time to time to those taking the test right now.

"I'm lucky that I didn't have her focus for now," he honestly said to himself while watching his team members being thrown to air one after another under the effect of her mighty sword.

"Do you think I beat you because I'm a master, far stronger than you?"

She stood calmly in front of the defeated faces of the first testers. "Beating you up has nothing to do with my real strength or abilities, not even related to my clan… hell, it's not related to my body size as well!"

She rubbed her two hands together while the ball lay calmly on the ground in front of her. Her words made everyone glance without saying a word.

"I beat you because of my determination, experience, and also my deep awareness of the game," she said before adding, "knowing how your opponent would react is one of the essential tools you need to hone. Without it how can you stop me? How can you evade my attack?"

Her words made everyone's minds open to new possibilities, and she didn't stop there. "Also you are all selfish, playing for yourselves," she added while pointing to Kro, "like you for example. I purposely attacked you while leaving some routes for you to pass the ball, and what did you do in return? Nothing! Absolutely nothing!"

She then put her hands over her waist and changed her body movements and even her tone to look like Kro, "Look how I can handle the coach's attack... Watch me while I evade her attack without the need to pass the ball… see how a big fool I made out of myself."

Her words made Kro's face turn red from embarrassment and disappointment. She said and did exactly like what he had in mind during the past quarter of an hour.

"You… are… wrong!" she waited for a couple of seconds before bellowing out in a loud shout reprimanding him. "This is a team game, not one man for himself. You need to change your mindset if you want to win a single match in this league!"

She took a deep breath before adding, "I'll give you another chance. When I come at you, never keep the ball. Your mission isn't to hold the ball, but to pass it to someone who has a better place than you."

She then turned to glance at those standing at the sideline, "those who don't have the ball shouldn't stand there like stupid ducks… move around, run everywhere, always aim to stand away from your opponents and always move like the ball is about to reach you. Start training again!"

Kro moved and took the ball before bouncing it on his hands. "You heard the lady, let's show her we aren't that bad," he shouted in rage, screaming at himself first before the others.

And even the distant Jim knew they had matured a lot, and this round wouldn't end up like the previous one.

"Start," she gave the order and next she started to chase those holding the ball. "Good, keep rotating it," she smiled in content when Kro passed the ball in the perfect timing, just inches before she would reach him.

Yet Roo moved a little faster than he was supposed to act. "Wrong, you need to wait until I'm too deep in you," she shouted as the next instant she turned her path and was so near Pat who seemed in a very bad position.

Yet just as she was about to hit him with her sword and take the ball like usual, he pulled a timely trick. Rotating around himself all of sudden while moving slightly to the side, letting the entire sword with the strike it held and the giant body of her slide over his back like it was nothing.

And she only opened her eyes wide when he did that.