I Will Pierce This Giant Wave! Activate Kojiro Hyuga's [Tiger Shot]!
Night.
Crosby Beach is shrouded in a veil of tranquility, with a cool breeze carrying the unique scent of the sea, gently caressing every inch of the sand.
Tang Long strolled alone along the beach, walking along the silvery ribbon of moonlight.
The sand beneath my feet was fine and soft, making a soft rustling sound and leaving a trail of footprints.
The waves crashed onto the beach, lapping at his feet and bringing a cool sensation.
Although it was night, the bright moonlight generously illuminated the beach.
The moonlight shimmered on the sea, creating a beautiful, sparkling effect.
With a recent packed schedule, the Manchester City players, who have been competing on three fronts for a long time, have finally been given this well-deserved day off.
In the past, Tang Long might have stayed at home, had a good sleep, and then immersed himself in the AI Cloud Training ground for extra practice.
But this time, he longed to go out alone to clear his head.
Having been immersed in the world of football for so long, his nerves were constantly on edge. At this moment, he desperately wanted to change his mindset and clear his head.
Without telling anyone, he drove alone from Manchester an hour west to Crosby Beach that afternoon.
UK isn't very big; in China, it's about the size of a province. Plus, Manchester isn't far from the sea, so Tang Long easily booked a hotel right on the beach. He planned to relax there for the night and then drive back the next morning to get back to his intense training.
It was already past 10 p. m., and the people who had been playing beach soccer on the beach that afternoon had long since left.
The vast beach was deserted, with only Tang Long's figure appearing somewhat lonely in the moonlight.
He walked quietly, only hearing the soft sound of the waves crashing against him, a sound like the whisper of nature. The air was filled with a salty, damp smell, the unique scent of the sea.
As Tang Long walked, he saw several soccer balls lying on the ground.
His habit as a professional athlete makes him itchy to kick any round object on the ground.
With a deft flick of the toe, the soccer ball floated up.
Tang Long juggled the ball a few times with his thigh, then with a sideways pull, unleashed a powerful volley that shot towards the sea!
Originally, it was thought that the ball would be shot away and float on the sea surface, but unexpectedly, with a splash, a wave came and accurately knocked the football that Tang Long had kicked back.
Tang Long watched the football being swept back by the waves, and a unique sense of interest welled up in his heart.
He crouched down, reached out and gently stroked the soccer ball, feeling the rough, sandy texture on it through his fingertips.
A slight smile played on his lips as a bold idea surfaced in his mind—he would treat the crashing waves as the opposing team's goalkeeper and embark on a unique shooting challenge.
He took a few steps back, his feet firmly planted on the sand, his body slightly leaning forward, his gaze fixed on the rolling waves ahead.
He took a deep breath, the salty smell of the sea breeze filling his nostrils. He took a few steps forward and then unleashed a powerful kick!
The muscles in his legs tensed instantly, and power burst forth from his body like a torrent.
The football flew out with fierce momentum, cutting through the night sky and heading straight for the waves.
However, the waves seemed to have their own will. Just as the ball was about to get close, they suddenly surged forward, forming a curtain of water that ruthlessly blocked the ball back.
The soccer ball landed on the beach, rolled a few times, and came to rest at Tang Long's feet.
"Wow, you're pretty good! Haha!"
Tang Long was not discouraged; instead, he became even more excited.
There were plenty of soccer balls on the beach, more than a dozen, all specially prepared by the hotel for its guests.
At this moment, the footballs lay quietly on the beach, providing him with plenty of shooting opportunities.
He picked up the soccer ball again, and this time, he carefully adjusted his stance, spreading his feet apart, bending his knees slightly, and lowering his center of gravity.
He silently calculated the rhythm and power of the waves, his eyes fixed on the ever-undulating sea surface.
A wave crashed in, and as I faced this wall of water, a thought flashed through my mind:
The upper part of the water wall is thinner, which allows for a higher striking angle.
This time, he increased the force, and his whipping motion was exceptionally fluid, sending the ball towards the tip of the wave.
The football, like a black lightning bolt, hurtled towards the waves, leaving a blurry trail in the air.
But the waves showed no mercy, crashing down heavily, sending huge splashes of water flying and sending the football back again.
As time went by, the sea breeze gradually grew stronger, howling across the sea, and the waves became more turbulent.
Huge waves, like black behemoths, rolled and roared, baring their fangs and claws, as they surged toward Tang Long.
The waves crashed against the beach with a deafening roar, as if they were taunting Tang Long.
Faced with the immense power of nature, Tang Long truly felt his own insignificance for the first time.
Every shot he took seemed to be a challenge to this invincible force, only to be ruthlessly rejected time and time again!
"I refuse to believe there's any goalkeeper in this world who can't be beaten. Are you Buffon or Casillas?"
At that moment, a loud rumble of thunder sounded in the sky, followed by a bolt of lightning;
A fierce wind swept in, so strong that Tang Long couldn't even open his eyes.
But Tang Long's fighting spirit was completely ignited!
He kept adjusting the power of his shot, trying different points of contact with the ball, sometimes with the instep, sometimes with the inside of his foot, trying to find a way to break through the wave defense.
His hair was disheveled by the sea breeze, wet strands clung to his forehead, and his body was soaked by the splashing seawater;
His clothes clung tightly to his body, but he was oblivious, his eyes fixed only on the rolling waves and the football at his feet.
Another shot, the football flying with all of Tang Long's power!
This time, the waves seemed more ferocious than ever before, leaping high into the air and forming a thick wall of water that almost covered half the sky.
Tang Long stared intently at the football, his heart pounding in his chest, his hands clenching involuntarily.
Just as the football was about to hit the wall of waves, a miracle happened!
With a loud "bang," the football, like a sharp sword, pierced straight through the thick waves!
"I did it!" Tang Long shouted, raising his arms in triumph.
The bright moonlight, like a searchlight, illuminated everything happening on the sea. After the football pierced through the waves, its speed did not decrease at all; instead, it flew higher and higher, like a shooting star, disappearing into the depths of the sea at Crosby Beach.
Only then did Tang Long feel a tingling sensation in the instep. Looking down, he realized he had been kicking barefoot.
A series of urgent shouts came from behind him; it was the night patrol security guard running towards him.
"Hey, what are you doing? Big waves are coming! It's dangerous at the beach!"
After a powerful shot pierced through the waves, Tang Long showed no fear in the face of the surging sea. However, all the footballs around him had been kicked away, so he could only return to the hotel to rest.
It was already 11 o'clock when I got back to the hotel.
Tang Long recalled the bizarre scene that had just occurred, tossing and turning in bed, unable to fall asleep.
"Since I can't sleep anyway, I might as well go into the Cloud Training ground and practice for a while longer."
As soon as I entered the training ground, a notification sound rang in my ears.
[Congratulations, host! The Kojiro Hyuga Tiger Shot Training Course has been activated!]
[Do you wish to enter the Tiger Shot Training Ground?]
[System is loading...]
[Please begin training]
Tang Long found himself back at Etihad, but to his astonishment, he was standing in the stands, the field now a vast expanse of water!
There were no cheers from fans, only the sound of water rising and falling.
"Waaaaah--"
With the roar of an engine, Chivu drove a yacht out of the players' tunnel and waved to Tang Long in the stands.
"Get down!"
Tang Long leaped from the stands and onto the deck of the yacht.
Before he could react, a huge wave crashed in from the stands behind the goal, instantly obscuring the goal. The waves tossed the yacht about, and Tang Long nearly fell over.
"Tang, shoot it through!"
Chivu tossed a football to Tang Long immediately adjusted his body posture and unleashed a powerful volley into the waves, beginning his duel with the wave's goalkeeper!