"Seriously?!" Ezekiel nearly popped out of his seat, eyes wide, "Then why didn't you send him in the first place?!"
"Because," Nidou's deep voice rang from the head coach's table, cutting across the chatter, "only the selected vice-captain and captain for the match go for the toss. That's the rule."
The boys went quiet for a beat before Azazel narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Adam.
Adam, caught like a deer in headlights, looked around in utter perplexity, his lips forming a silent what?
Musa, without even glancing up from his tablet, added in his smooth, indifferent tone, "Adam's a special case. Gabriel gave him permission, right? Moreover, he's a middle schooler. It doesn't matter." His fingers continued scrolling, his focus wholly elsewhere.
Poseidon leaned sideways, whispering under his breath with exaggerated awe, "Wow, guess being middle schoolers is the cheat code… sometimes even the rules seem ambiguous."
Ryan's calm voice slid in then, steady and deceptively simple, "And other than him? Out of you, who's got luck?" He looked straight at the high schoolers, his face unreadable, but the flatness of his tone almost made it sound like mockery.
Nagi pressed a hand over his forehead, exhaling through his nose. For a moment, he looked like a teacher overwhelmed by particularly impossible students. Respect, in this moment, seemed like the most far-fetched concept in the pavilion, "Senri, Ren, Elias, and Vice-captain Evan can join the team on that."
The middle schoolers all turned in unison, blinking at Rauf. Their captain, the first gold world ranker sat ahead, arms on his knees, eyes distant, looking as though the entire conversation was taking place in a parallel universe. He didn't even twitch.
What a captain.
"The devil isn't on the list?!" Feng murmured, tilting his head dramatically, "That's new!"
"Looks like being all that powerful drained his luck," Heber added nonsensically, his tone so solemn it was almost comical.
"Good time," Azazel smirked, quick to pile on, "Serves him right."
"Heh~ now that's surprising," Xavier mused, his smirk widening as if he'd just discovered a loophole in the universe.
"Huh? Not even Alan?" Adam turned suddenly, looking at Alan like a betrayed puppy.
Alan, caught mid-thought, blinked. His smile was faint, almost awkward, as he turned toward them, "I suppose that's true… I never went for the toss. Not even while practicing."
The middle schoolers froze, baffled, "Seriously?!"
"I thought there was nothing in the world you practically couldn't do," Feng said, his brows raised to his hairline. His voice carried genuine surprise.
Alan looked at him in disbelief, almost exasperated, "What did you even think of me…?"
"A Superman probably…" Adam murmured, eyes darting left and right, as if embarrassed to have said it out loud.
Alan exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck, his smile tugging between fond and weary. "Toss and luck aren't my thing. I'd always turn things for the worse. So, better to keep distance. Yeah, I love watching tosses," his gaze shifted toward the pitch, where Multan's players were finally spreading out under the evening lights, "but participating in one? That's an entirely different thing. I'd run a mile away."
Kenzo, who had been leaning back with arms crossed, listened silently. His expression barely moved, but one finger tapped against his arm—an almost imperceptible twitch.
Helios, catching it, curved his lips into a knowing grin, but said nothing.
"I don't think it would be that bad," Seraph said gently, breaking the moment. His smile glowed softly in the lights, "I don't have much luck either. Yeah, probably neutral."
"Same goes for me. For us, Cassiel, Xavier, Poseidon, and Kenzo are our bringers of luck here," Heber declared, jabbing a thumb in their direction as though presenting rare treasures.
Alan glanced at Adam and Seraph, his smile warmer this time, almost private. "Guess it's good to be in the same boat."
From above, Senri's gaze slid toward Kazuna, who had been silent the whole time. Kazuna's eyes were fixed on Alan.
"Alright, boys—preparations are finally complete." Seles entered with a calm wave, his voice carrying easily across the pavilion.
The buzz of chatter dimmed at once, every head turning toward him. His presence, as always, had a gentle but commanding effect.
Rauf instinctively checked his watch, the faint tick reminding him of the countdown ahead.
"We have ten minutes to spare," Seles continued, his eyes sweeping across the circle of players, "Let me call out the batting and bowling orders. I trust our openers are warmed up and ready?"
"Yes, sir!" voices chimed back in unison. Ezekiel and Adam shuffled on their feet, their bats tapping lightly against the grass like impatient hooves. Seles adjusted the papers in his hand, then read clearly:
"Batting order: Balling (Players):
1. Adam El-Amin - Opener 1. Alan Rex Lorenzo (P)[1]
2. Ezekiel Vincente- Opener 2. Ryan Ty Alexandro (S)[2]
3. Alan Rex Lorenzo 3. Evandor Amermiah (S)
4. Haruf Noor Faris 4. Gabriel Harut (S)
5. Noah Chevalier 5. Orion Allaudin (P)
6. Ryan Ty Alexandro 6. Azazel Minhas (P)
7. Seraph Awan 7. Seraph Awan (P)
8. Evandor Amermiah
9. Orion Allaudin * Wicket Keeper (WK): Haruf Noor Faris"
10. Azazel Minhas
11. Gabriel Harut
The names rolled out like drumbeats, each one meeting a mix of grins, nods, and suppressed chuckles among the boys. A flicker of nerves gleamed in some eyes, while others wore the boldness of warriors stepping into battle.
Seles snapped the file shut with a neat clap, the sound crisp in the quiet space, "Any questions?" he asked, scanning the circle.
"None!" came the firm, unified answer.
A satisfied smile spread across Seles's face. "Good. Then go out there—rock the field."
"Yes, sir!" The boys' reply thundered back, echoing with energy.
Bats slung over shoulders, gloves tightened, and shoes scuffed against the wet earth as they spilled out with the vibrant noise of a team ready to burst into the stadium lights.
[1] Pacer
[2] Spinner