bestfiction Chapter 397 Knockouts IX
Chapter 397 Knockouts IX
Chapter 397 Knockouts IX
It wasn't only him who was affected by this goal. There were others too. In particular, Shun should be the most devastated.
But now, was he going to leave him? Sure, he appeared to be a lost cause, a person beyond saving. But still, he couldn't leave him now, could he?
Though not out of pity, he decided to stick by his side and try to console him.
"We all make mistakes now and then. But, if we let it bother us then we won't be able to advance. So, learn from your mistakes, Sato. Don't let it hinder you," Hiro said, trying to alleviate his worries and guilt.
He wasn't good with words. So, it was the best he could come up with at the moment. Now, it was all up to Sato how he wished to interpret it.
Hiro hardly knew anything about him. And, he wasn't anyone special either. From what he had found, he was a player who could barely make it to the professional stage. So, why would he bother trying to cheer him up? There were a lot of players who could replace him.
His stats were mediocre. And, he didn't possess anything special either. One could also say that he was an average player with no specialty.
So, why was he going out of his way to cheer him?
The reason behind it was quite selfish. He was trying to cheer him because he was their best option at the moment.
Then while trying to cheer him, he noticed some movement in the substitution box. Akutsu was leaving his seat. It meant that he was now going to warm up.
That sight relieved him. Since Akutsu was going to come in, now why should he bother trying to cheer up Sato?
"Cheer up, you'll get more opportunities" Saying so, he was about to walk away.
At the same time, an intense feeling of apology rose within him. But before he could bring himself to speak, Hiro cut him short.
He wasn't done yet.
Hiro continued, his voice steady and reassuring as before, "But remember, every player goes through this. The important thing is to learn and grow from it. Mistakes don't define you—how you respond to them does."
Indeed as mentioned by him, everyone makes mistakes. Even the best players aren't spared. But unlike others, they learn from their mistakes. And, that's what makes them the best.
Realization struck him.
Sato then nodded slowly, "Thanks, Hiro. I just don't want to let the team down."
"You won't," Hiro assured him, tightening the grip on his shoulder. "We're all in this together. Trust in your abilities and in your teammates. Play your game, and everything else will follow."
Right now, he wasn't only saying those words to Sato but to himself as well. Instead of You'll do better in another game or some words without feelings, he wanted someone to say those words to him in the past. He wanted someone to believe in him.
When there's someone to believe in you, you can overcome any obstacles. Such is the power of belief. It can transform a common man into someone special.
Probably his belief in the system had brought him this far as well. It wasn't that he lacked potential but sometimes even the mightiest of the mountains crumbles under the pressure of the storm.
Even a mentally strong person can develop self-doubt if put under pressure for long. And, at that time, having someone to believe in them can give them the much-needed strength.
A tentative smile appeared on Sato's face, a sign that Hiro's words had struck the chord.