The savory smell of broth hit Ryo as he walked into the restaurant.
Ahh… I'm never going to get tired of this smell. It's too good.
He glanced around the dining area, still mostly empty, and nodded to himself. There was still about an hour or so before the dinner rush began, so most of the restaurant remained vacant. Of course, there were always a few exceptions—some people simply preferred to eat dinner early. This was especially true among certain foreigners, who tended to start eating dinner before six o'clock.
Not that Ryo was one to judge when people ate. However, he often wondered how they managed to stay satiated until they went to sleep.
These habits were even more noticeable in the winter, during Nagano's peak visiting season. From December through February, both domestic and foreign tourists poured into the city to experience the allure of the Japanese Alps. Here, many come to ski, observe wildlife, hike through the frozen landscapes, or simply relax in some of the best natural onsens in Japan.
During those months, the surge in population was intense, which meant far more traffic for the restaurant. However, it was currently still October, so tourists were scarce, and mostly locals and salarymen made up the clientele.
As usual, Ryo and Ren took the table in the corner.
"Are you ready for the next game, Ren-nii?" Ryo asked curiously.
"What are you talking about, Ryo?" Ren answered while picking up a gyoza. "We still have all week before the game on Saturday."
"I know… I guess I'm just too excited."
Ryo completely meant it.
Playing in a tournament bracket against the best teams in the prefecture fulfilled him in a way he struggled to describe. To him, the feeling was similar to getting into bed after a long day, getting a perfect score on a test, or finishing a great anime. And after their win against Alto, Ryo craved that feeling even more.
After a slight pause, Ren spoke up again. "By the way, which team are we playing against this weekend?"
"Ah—the Karuizawa White Foxes," Ryo answered, remembering the team's unique name.
They were a strong team that had placed second in their group. In the first round of the tournament, they had defeated the top-seeded team from the final group, encompassing the western part of the prefecture.
Their unexpected victory only made Ryo even more impatient for his game on Saturday. As such, the week crawled by for him. Every class seemed to drag endlessly, followed by long football practices and never-ending dinner services.
So when Saturday finally arrived, Ryo was the first one awake. This time, their game was the first one of the day, so only their father accompanied them to Ueda. But despite waking up at 6:30 that morning, the two brothers were eager to step on the pitch.
Even after the opening whistle rang out, their determination and ambition never wavered. The White Foxes, with a cunning strategy fitting of their name, scored the opening goal by completely outplaying the defense. But Ryusei quickly recovered, and, before the half ended, Ken equalized the score off a counterattack.
The rest of the game turned into a fierce battle, with both teams clawing at each other's throats. Neither the commentators nor the spectators could predict who would come out on top—that was, at least, until Ren was fouled outside the box.
With a golden opportunity at his fingertips, Ren knew he had to make his shot count. With intense focus, he struck the ball cleanly, launching it towards the goal, only for the free kick to be deflected by the goalie. His shot was powerful enough that the keeper was unable to hold onto the ball.
And that was exactly the opportunity Ryusei needed.
Luckily, Tomoya was already there. The team's ever-reliable captain reacted instantly, slotting the loose ball into the net and pulling Ryusei ahead. From there until the last minute, the team held the line and defended their lead, securing a spot in the semifinals.
—————————————————————————————————
During the following week, Ryo admitted to Kazuki that, despite his excitement, he was also quite nervous about the upcoming semifinals.
The reason?
They were up against Nagano Blitz FC Junior—the only team that had beaten them in the regular season.
As the competitive U-12 squad of the largest football club in Nagano City, Blitz had an impressive lineup of coaches. Dedicated to developing their youth players, the coaches invested just as much time and effort as the players themselves did.
The match where they defeated Ryusei had been their second meeting in the season. Learning from their mistakes in the first game, Blitz had managed to isolate both Ryo and Ren, effectively breaking up most of Ryusei's attacks. The match had been close, with the only goal of the game being scored by Blitz.
Ryusei had formed an attack and committed to that aggressive push, but the ball had been cleared before they could finish it. As a result, Blitz mounted a strong counterattack, slicing through Ryusei's defense and ending their undefeated streak.
If Ryo had to describe Blitz's biggest strength, it would be the unwavering trust and confidence they had in their defense.
Their attackers didn't panic and retreat whenever any sign of danger appeared. Instead, they maintained their formation, constantly baring their fangs at their opponent's defense, ready to strike the moment they regained possession.
So even as the next Saturday came around, Ryo's unease persisted, but he wasn't about to step down. Even after seeing how fierce Blitz could be on the pitch, Ryo remained determined to win. Blitz weren't the only ones capable of learning from defeat.
After that loss, the entire team had reflected on their plays and the weaknesses they had shown. Because, in the end, there was always something to gain from losing. Or in the words of a certain green mentor:
"The greatest teacher, failure is."
Ryusei was no longer the same team they had been a few months prior. Their determined faces practically taunted their opponents.
So what if your attack is like a loaded gun? It doesn't matter if you never pull the trigger.
Ryusei never hesitated; every action their opponents undertook was answered swiftly. And near the end of the second half, Blitz's defensive dam finally broke apart.
Ren was the one who had shattered the sluice gates.
With remarkable skill, he had orchestrated an entire attack centered around himself, dismantling their defense, and scored—not once, but twice.
With a final score of 2–0, emotions burst out all across the field. On one side, Blitz's players stood with their heads lowered, wiping their eyes as they tried to staunch the flow of tears. On the other hand, Ryusei's players threw themselves into a massive celebratory pack, cheers erupting as they struggled to contain their excitement.
After three weekends of matches, Ryusei Elementary had finally reached the finals of the regional tournament. For Ryo, the journey had brought substantial improvement.
{Player Stat Increase!}
—[Acceleration: 43 —> 44]
—[Awareness Of Ally Positions: 39—>40]
—[Defensive Pressure: 44—>45]
—[Dribbling: 43—>44]
—[Field Of Vision: 39—>41]
—[Goaltending: 37—>39]
—[Long Passing: 41—>42]
—[Lung Capacity: 31—>33]
—[Positioning: 38—>40]
—[Tackling: 40—>41]
—[Top Speed: 41 —> 43]
—[Short Distance Shooting: 38 —> 39]
—[Short Passing: 39—>41]
{New Total!}
—[Agility: 41 —> 42]
—[Defense: 40 —> 41]
—[Intelligence: 41 —> 42]
—[Passing: 42 —> 43]
—[Physicality: 32 —> 33]
—[Vision: 39 —> 40]
—[Overall: 39 —> 40]
Having officially pushed his Overall stat into the forties, Ryo had reached a new milestone. When it happened, The System had even attempted to disguise a congratulatory remark as a standard notification. For a supposedly emotionless, sentient screen that acted like it didn't care about Ryo, it certainly was attentive to little moments like that.
On top of that, Ryo had another instance of good news, and it came in the form of a skill.
{Skill Grade Increase!}
—(Mental Fortitude (D) —> Mental Fortitude (C))
——[A Passive Skill That Improves Resilience To Provocation. The Higher The Skill Level, The Higher The Resistance To Them. Decreases Anxiety And Calms The Player's Mind When Presented With An Unfamiliar Or Stressful Situation.]
Ryo didn't fully understand how he had managed to increase the grade of his Mental Fortitude skill, but the new description seemed like a good added bonus. Being able to calm him in a nervous situation was an extremely useful perk.
Now, lying in bed the night before the finals, Ryo scrutinized The System one last time. In front of him was something that would finally be resolved—something that had been looming over him since the beginning of the year.
{Career Quest – Regional Sensation}
—[Ryusei Elementary Has Been Missing A Key Piece To Be Victorious In The Regional Tournament. With The Addition Of The Player, Ryusei Elementary Now Has The Chance To Win Regionals. This Season, Win The Regional Tournament And Make It To Nationals.]
—[Penalty: Will Be Calculated Upon Failure.]
—[Reward: Will Be Calculated Upon Success.]
My first career quest… I can't believe it'll be over so soon.
To Ryo, it hadn't felt that long since he entered this world. Nearly two years had passed since he took over this body, and Ryo felt that time had passed too quickly.
Just a few days ago—on Tuesday—he had turned seven. That night at the restaurant, his parents had given him a special gift: an official football jersey belonging to Japan's striker and ace, Hayama Yuto.
The small celebration his family had arranged was a heartfelt moment for Ryo, and he truly appreciated moments like these. There was no need for a grand celebration or a lavish cake.
A simple, warm occasion together with his family was more than enough.
And now, the best way to finish the week would be winning at Regionals. If they lost, the penalty enforced by The System would likely be quite harsh.
But if they won…
Then Ryo couldn't imagine the possible gains from the rewards.
Ryo's gaze shifted around the room. From Hayama Yuto's jersey hanging on the wall to the other side of the room, to where Ren was already softly sleeping, Ryo took in the quiet atmosphere and closed his eyes.
He hoped that the next game would be one he'd never forget.