On The Side Of The Pitch With You

The Legendary Book

Everything that happened next felt like an action and sci-fi movie. Well, more so than it already did.

While they were discussing what they could do, Wondeba mentioned about a Holy Book of Champions, a book that is said to contain secrets on how to make the strongest soccer team in history. It was locked up in a soccer museum in the future, and coded in a secret language that no one but the writer, Master D, can read.

With that said, they made a desperate attempt to get the book. Travelling 200 years across time, the boys were tasked to retrieve the book as Wondeba guided them from within the TM Caravan. After a ton of close calls and a soccer battle against robots, they were finally able to get back to their own timeline, gathering in Tenma's apartment.

"Now this is where things get rough." Wondeba stated.

"I wonder what's written on it." Fei muttered.

"If he went so far to preserve it that he wrote it in code, it's gotta be because he wanted someone to read it. So, we should be able to decipher it." Tenma smiled. "It's okay! Things will work out somehow! We'll do it! We'll decipher the Holy Book of Champions and make the strongest team ever!"

That spirit didn't last long though.

"This is..."

"Borrowing it from the future is nice and all, but none of us could read this."

"Well, it is a code that no one has been able to decipher for years."

"Code, huh..."

"Feels like we're reading key-smashing in kanji form..."

"But is this really writing?"

"If you ask me..."

"It certainly doesn't look like writing."

"In a way, it's heart."

"But it should have the secrets to forming the strongest team in history in here." Tenma remained determined.

And Wondeba agreed. "Right! After all, whoever is able to read from Master D's Holy Book of Champions will receive, in essence, the secret of soccer! We'll read it through sheer force of will!"

"But you can't read what you can't read."

"Master D... I wonder what sort of person he is."

"What era is he from?"

"That notebook could be from our time."

"You have a point! Then, it'd be faster if we find Master D and ask him directly!"

"How are we supposed to do that when we don't even know who he is?!"

"That's true... Argh!"

The door then opened.

"Have you decoded it yet?"

"We've brought snacks."

Haruna and Aki came in, holding a tray of cookies and a tea set respectively. The blue haired woman blinked at the book in Tenma's hands. "That's..."

When she followed her gaze, Aki realized the same thing.

"What's the matter?" Tenma asked.

"This handwriting is the same as the notebooks that Coach Endou had a long time ago." Haruna explained.

"Then, is it Coach Endou's handwriting?"

"No..."

"The notebooks that Endou possessed and handled with great care were written by his grandfather." Aki stated.

"He practiced diligently everyday using the teachings of those notebooks."

"Coach Endou's grandfather..."

"Then, is this also...?"

"Yes. I think it was written by his grandfather, Daisuke-san."

"Then, the 'D' from 'Master D' that Fei and the others talked about..."

"It's the 'D' from Endou Daisuke."

"That's not a far-gone conclusion."

"So that is the identity of Master D who is known to us as the god of soccer?"

"I see!" Wondeba cut in before Fei could get his confirmation. "So Endou's grandfather is Master D! You can't see the forest for the trees!"

"So, this is Daisuke-san's notebook! It sure brings back memories." Without realizing he was talking, Aki smiled at the memories replying before her eyes.

Kimiko stared at the book for a while before commenting. "You know, I heard from Shuuya-nii that Daisuke-san's handwriting was bad, but I never expected it to look like chicken scratch. I mean no disrespect..."

"Coach Endou is the only one that can read his handwriting." Haruna replied.

"Then we'll just get Coach Endou to read it for us!"

"We can't see Coach Endou." Fei turned the idea down.

"Eh?"

Wondeba popped up. "Right. He's under constant, strict surveillance, from when he is a child to the time he dies. I hate to say it, but we can't be careless and approach him."

"But there is a way." The green haired boy cut in again. "We can ask the very person who wrote it."

"But his grandfather has passed away."

"So, we'll go to a time when he's still alive."

"I see. We just have to go into the past!"

"What about the artifact?"

"We have one right here." They all turned to the book.

"Yeah!"

~~~~~

They prepared to leave in a few minutes. Most of them were already gathered by the caravan, it was just their driver left.

"Let's get going!" He screamed as he appeared from the entrance. "Keep your guards up! Danger lurks in every corner!" Just as he finished saying so, he tripped on the steps. He quickly got up afterwards. "As I just demonstrated, you mustn't let your guard down!"

They hear the sound of the front gate opening and closing. Shindou noticed the man first. "Kidou-san!"

"I heard the details from Gouenji." He smiled. "Let me help you bring back Endou."

"Kidou-san! It's good to have you with us!" Tenma bowed in thanks as the others cheered.

The man nodded before turning to a certain duo. "Fei Rune and Clark Wonderbot, I presume?"

Fei grinned. "Yes! Nice to meet you!"

"Likewise." And last, he came face to face with the girl trying almost too hard not to meet his eyes. "Kimiko."

"Yes?" Her arms crossed over her chest.

"I know what you think of me, but I do hope that we can work together for now. We share the same goal, after all." He held out a hand for her to shake.

She stared at it for a good long while before reluctantly taking it. "What you did back then..."

"Hm?"

"I know it was for my own good, so I don't hate you." She swallowed before adding, "But I'm not going to thank you for it either."

She expected a scolding, or just a grunt to mock her. But what he gave was a kind smile. "Then, it is as it should be."

All the rest let out the breaths they didn't realize they were holding. An internal conflict was the last thing they needed.

With all of it said and done, they hopped on the caravan and travelled into the past.