Chapter 308 Qualifier finals XXV
The way he spoke and the creepy smile which he carried on his face, upon experiencing such dreadful encounter, Kim Il-sung's already pale face paled even further as he felt extremely horrified by Park Seung-gyu's ruthlessness.
Although he hadn't played with him for a long time, but still he had spend quite some time with this person. And even though he found Park Seung-gyu's personality somewhat unlikable given his arrogant and crafty nature. However it was his first time witnessing this nasty side of Park Seung-gyu.
How could he enjoy someone else's misery so casually? How can he be so heartless? What if he suffers a career ending injury?
If it wasn't anything serious, probably he too wouldn't have paid any heed to Hiro's condition. However judging by the reaction which Hiro was displaying at that moment, he simply couldn't help but think about the worst possible situation.
Sure he did have some beef against Hiro and he didn't have any favourable impression of Hiro either, but still he didn't hate him to the point that he wanted to end Hiro's career by dealing a career ending injury to him. Although it would have been entirely different scenario if he could simply do that by his performance.
However right now more than the guilt of injuring Hiro, Kim Il-sung was overwhelmed by the horror of the comment and the smile of the person who was standing close to him. Was he really the same person? Or was he simply hiding his true nature all along?
No matter how hard he thought about it, he simply couldn't figure out. Right now all he could do was stand still at his place and stare at Park Seung-gyu with different complicated emotions rising within his heart.
Because of the bulging sensation of pain, Hiro could feel his senses worsening with every passing seconds. The once loud noise from the stand which was ringing in his ear was now starting to become faint and muffled with every passing seconds. Not only his auditory senses but he was also starting to lose his sensation of smell and touch.
Despite him trying his best to remain sane, the intense sensation of pain was slowly and gradually robbing him of his sanity. While remaining idle on the floor, he had already felt his vison blurring and darkening multiple times in such a short span of time.
If this situation continued any further and he continued to remain stubborn, refusing to ask for help, he was surely going to faint from this intolerable pain.
'Do... I really... need to walk out?' Hiro thought to himself whilst still gritting his teeth in agony.
At this moment, he heard faint sound of footsteps closing in towards him. Although the sound was barely audible, those sound of footsteps both gave a hope and made him despair at the same time. Hope because he could tell that help was arriving and despair because exactly help was arriving which meant he could no longer hide his condition.
Immediately after approaching close to Hiro, medics started to give him some first aid to relieve him from the pain. After that, they began to run some tests on him.
"Why is he looking so dehydrated?" while running some tests on Hiro, one of the medical personnel inquired with a worried and confused look on his face after noticing the complexion of Hiro.
"Probably he has exhausted himself to extreme extent which caused his body to use his water reserve at an alarming rate. If I'm right then he's probably suffering from extreme cramps because of dehydration as well" another female medic presented her view after analysing the situation.
And as the medics began to run tests on Hiro for some while, they finally proclaimed Hiro unfit to continue the game any further.
Hiro who was still desperately clinging on to his consciousness, upon hearing the verdict of the medics felt his heart tightening. Although he was starting to feel relieved and he could vividly feel his condition getting better but he still couldn't bring himself to admit that decision.
The medics then started to prepare the stretcher to bring him out of the field. Just as they were about to put him on the stretcher, Hiro mustered all his remaining strength to grab the medical personnel close to him to share his intention.
Upon feeling her sleeves being grabbed out of nowhere, her heart skipped a bit as she became extremely startled. Immediately, she then pulled her arms back and abruptly turned towards the direction from where she felt the sensation of being grabbed.
However as she turned to look at the direction from where she felt that feeling, she found Hiro's pitiful looking face intently staring at her as if he was pleading her for something. Although his faced seemed pale and sickly, his eyes seemed especially sharp and full of vigor.
Just by glancing at those eyes, she could tell that those eyes didn't belong to someone who was defeated rather those eyes belong to someone unyielding even to the fate.
How could somebody suffering from such extreme muscle cramps have such eyes? How could he still be willing to go further when his body has already reached it's extreme limits?
She was greatly taken aback by those eyes flaring with determination. However soon her arched eyebrows turned into frown as she felt extremely pitiful about Hiro's situation. Even if she wanted, she could do nothing about the situation. Just like Hiro himself, she was totally helpless as well.
Hiro who witnessed the frown in her face could very well see the pity on her eyes. Although the medic didn't spoke of anything, after observing her reaction he could vividly tell the answer hidden behind that silence.
Thus, he also didn't continue to pester her any further with his desire to play.
After that the medics swiftly transferred him onto the stretcher with utmost care. And in one go, they then lifted him up and began to exit the pitch.
Nijichi's side wasn't any better as well. After stopping his bleeding, he was getting escorted out of the pitch for further treatment as well. Unlike Hiro just based on the visible clues one could tell that he had broke his nose in earlier collusion.
However his condition, even though it seemed dire to the onlookers given his blood smeared face and constant bleeding, wasn't as much dire and fearful as Hiro. And it still depended entirely on him whether he wished to continue or rest.
While hurriedly moving towards the direction of the medical personnel who were escorting Hiro out of the field in stretcher, Manager Haruki who seemed extremely anxious as of this moment asked in a hurried manner, "How's he doctor?"
Shaking his head while contorting his face in grief, one of the medical personnel broke the news, "I'm sorry coach but you have to look for replacement immediately"
Just as the medical personnel broke the news, manager Haruki's facial expression turned grim. To him, it felt as if the sky fell upon him. His already frantic eyes filled with concern and anxiousness became totally dull as he staggeringly took few steps forward to take a glance at the player who had singlehandedly led this team to this present score.
Those eyes which once radiated with vitality and unwavering determination was currently hidden beneath those frail looking hand full of callouses— a testament to the hardwork Hiro had put in day in and day out.
Yet while looking at this valiant figure, manager Haruki instead of feeling grief felt ashamed. From starting to the end, he was depending on him to bring his team to glory. Although it wasn't his intention to depend on Hiro but still unwittingly he had grown dependent on Hiro. And that was a fact which he couldn't deny even if he wanted to, because he himself knew that he was growing dependent on Hiro.
On the pretext of giving opportunity to the one who deserves the opportunity the most he had grown dependent on Hiro. Even some moment ago when he found Hiro collapsed on the floor, somewhere in his heart he wished for Hiro to not suffer any major casualties.
Now one may ask how is wishing for someone to not suffer major injuries be a bad thing? However the question simply wasn't that of bad or good.
Although his wishes was wise but he wished so because he wanted Hiro to play until the last moment. And that was purely his own greed and selfishness.
Finally as manager Haruki realised his mistake, he then cheered his frowning face as he spoke to Hiro in a reassuring way, "Be proud Hiro, you've already given your best. Now leave the rest to us."
Being away from the pitch, although the fans couldn't hear the decision of the medics, still they could vividly tell that things haven't worked out fine on the field based on their observation. The panic stricken face of the coaching staffs was giving out the outcome
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