Chapter 27: Be Yourself
Ten minutes remained in the match, and the atmosphere on the Central Pitch had shifted subtly, like the eerie calm before a storm.
Hibiki Okawa, who had been lurking in Team Z's half, had dropped back to join Team Y's buildup. Team Z's players sensed the change, their instincts prickling with unease.
Team Y kept possession, the ball circulating among their players with newfound fluidity. Okawa's presence added a new passing option, his technical skill shining through. Beyond his attacking prowess, his ability to link play was undeniable.
Kira Ryosuke, ever observant, clocked the shift. 'This Okawa guy's not just a finisher—he's got passing chops too,' he thought, impressed.
"Use Ikki Niko Attribute Trial Card," Kira commanded silently.
[Ikki Niko Attribute Trial Card activated!]
[Vision +20 (Continuous decay)]
[Passing +20 (Continuous decay)]
[Duration: 10 minutes]
The system's notification rang in his mind. With time running out, Kira activated Niko's card to experience the game through his rival's lens. The pitch unfolded before him with crystal clarity, every player's position sharp in his mind. 'This is even better than Isagi's card,' Kira marveled. 'If Niko's other stats weren't so average, he'd be a monster.'
As Kira savored the heightened awareness, the game's tempo surged.
Okawa, after receiving a pass, halted Team Y's cautious buildup. Instead of passing backward, he turned and dribbled forward with purpose.
"Launch the all-out attack!" Niko shouted, raising his arm.
Like a dam breaking, Team Y's players abandoned their defensive posts and charged forward in a frenzied wave, catching Team Z off guard.
'Not good!' Isagi's instincts screamed. 'Is this their all-in offensive?'
He turned to drop back and defend, but a glance at Kira in the distance stopped him. Kira was shaking his head subtly, as if signaling something.
'What's that supposed to mean?' Isagi frowned. 'Don't I need to defend? What's your plan, Kira?'
A spark of realization hit him. 'Could it be…?'
Trusting Kira's judgment, Isagi halted his retreat, holding his position in Team Y's half.
"Isagi, what the hell are you doing? They're pushing up!" Raichi barked.
"Get back and defend!" Imamura yelled.
Isagi ignored them, his mind racing. 'If I can see their plan, there's no way Kira, who's better than me, missed it. I should've trusted him sooner.'
He stood firm, feet planted, betting on his intuition.
Raichi lunged to close down Okawa, who was leading Team Y's charge. With three Team Z forwards still high, Raichi aimed to hold the midfield line and protect their goal.
But Okawa was no slouch. With a deft turn, he slipped past Raichi's outstretched leg, leaving him stumbling.
Naruhaya and Imamura rushed to trap Okawa, but he didn't even glance their way. With a subtle flick of his foot, he sent the ball sideways—straight to Niko.
'It's over! We lost him!' Gagamaru thought, too late to chase.
Niko had timed his run perfectly, meeting the ball in stride. He accelerated, breaking free of Team Z's defensive line.
A one-on-one with the keeper.
Team Y's counter had shredded Team Z's defense in an instant. Iemon, Team Z's goalkeeper, faced Niko alone, his heart sinking.
'Why is it always me?' Iemon groaned inwardly. He'd never saved a one-on-one before, and now he was staring down Niko's cold focus.
'Left? Right? High shot?' Iemon's mind raced, his body tensing.
Niko closed in, nudging the ball to his right with his left foot.
'Huh? A pass?' Iemon's eyes widened. 'No way!'
He'd braced for a shot, pouring every ounce of focus into reading Niko's move, only for Niko to pass in a one-on-one. 'You call yourself a striker?'
On the right, Hibiki Okawa appeared, unmarked and ready.
"It's over! Okawa's through!"
"When did he get past me?!"
Team Z's players clutched their heads in frustration, cursing their lapse.
Okawa grinned, the goal already forming in his mind. An open net, a simple finish—
A gust of wind cut through his thoughts.
His smile froze.
A foot flashed in front of him, snatching the ball like a predator's claw. Kira Ryosuke had arrived.
With a single touch, Kira intercepted the pass, spinning to control the ball with effortless precision. His calm, fluid motion silenced the pitch.
'No way…' Okawa's mind reeled. 'This guy didn't mark Niko—he marked me? He gambled on Niko passing instead of shooting?'
If Niko had taken the shot, Kira's positioning would've left Team Z's defense wide open. The audacity of the gamble stunned Okawa.
But Kira gave him no time to process. After securing the ball, he launched a long pass with surgical accuracy.
Niko's pupils dilated. 'Impossible!'
The ball arced high over the pitch, soaring from Team Z's backline to Team Y's half. 'Such a long pass… no one's there, right? It'll fly out of bounds!'
But then Niko realized—the pass mirrored his own long ball that had set up Okawa earlier. 'He's copying me?'
The ball's trajectory was perfect, slicing through the air and landing right in front of Isagi Yoichi.
Team Y's players paled. Isagi was completely unmarked, with only one defender nearby—and he was too slow to react.
'How did our attack turn into this?' the defender thought, dumbfounded.
Isagi didn't hesitate. He surged forward, leaving the defender in his dust.
Another one-on-one.
A fire ignited in Isagi's chest. 'I won't pass like Niko did. A striker's one-on-one is sacred!'
Facing Team Y's goalkeeper, Isagi struck the ball without a second thought, aiming for the top right corner.
"Raaaaaahhhhhh!"
The keeper, as if powered by some anti-Isagi buff, leaped high and just barely tipped the ball away.
Kira, watching from afar, slapped a hand over his eyes. 'No way, Isagi. You missed that? After my perfect pass?'
But the play wasn't dead. The ball bounced back, landing right in front of Isagi. The keeper was still sprawled on the ground from his dive.
Isagi raised his foot and slotted the ball into the empty net.
Goal!
"Rooooooar!" Isagi dropped to his knees before the goal, roaring at the sky, his voice raw with triumph.
Team Z's players sprinted from their half to mob him, their cheers shaking the pitch. Nothing in football matched the thrill of a goal.
Score: 3-1.
"We… lost…"
Niko collapsed onto the turf, his strength drained. Tears streamed down his cheeks.
He'd given everything—defense, organization, counterattacks. Team Y's fight had hinged on him, but it wasn't enough.
Last time, they'd been crushed by raw talent. Now, facing Team Z, they'd lost to the boy with the same vision as him. 'It's so unfair…'
Niko's heart repeated the words like a mantra.
A shadow fell over him. He looked up to see Kira Ryosuke standing there, a faint smile on his face.
"Are you… here to mock me?" Niko asked, his voice breaking. In that moment, he was just a defeated kid, raw and vulnerable.
Kira shook his head. "You're a worthy opponent, Niko. You played brilliantly today. Keep pushing—I want to face you again in the matches ahead."
Niko's heart skipped. 'He's… praising me? This monster is praising me?'
"Thank you…" he whispered.
"You're welcome." Kira gave a small wave and turned to join his teammates' celebration.
"Kira!" Niko called out, his voice trembling. "How do I become as strong as you? How do I play football like that?"
Kira paused but didn't turn back. "Why would you want to be like me?" he asked. "Everyone's got their own strengths. You were incredible today. Why not lean into what makes you "you"? Playing football's like living—being yourself is the best way to shine."
With a final wave, Kira walked off.
Niko stared at his retreating back, murmuring, "Be yourself… be yourself…"
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