Chapter 31: The Wall Pass
Afternoon, Building 5, Central Pitch.
The match between Team Z and Team W was about to begin.
Both teams were out on the field, stretching and warming up, their eyes sharp with anticipation. For this match, Kira had tweaked Team Z's formation yet again, opting for a bold 4-2-3-1 setup.
Kira himself was Team Z's lone striker, positioned at the very front of the formation.
Behind him were three attacking midfielders: Kunigami on the right, Isagi in the center, and Bachira on the left.
Next were two defensive midfielders: Raichi and Iemon.
Finally, the backline consisted of Chigiri, Igaguri, Naruhaya, and Imamura.
The goalkeeper was the newly appointed Gagamaru.
Kira looked over the lineup and nodded, satisfied. This formation was a perfect fit, every player slotted into their ideal role. Team W, in his eyes, was a weaker opponent—beatable, even without "Princess" Chigiri fully unleashing his speed. Kira was confident they'd dominate.
His gaze shifted to Team W's core: the Wanima twins, Junichi and Keisuke, wearing numbers 10 and 9 respectively. Thick eyebrows, wide eyes, and an uncanny synergy marked them as a dangerous duo. He remembered from the manga in his past life, Kira knew their strength lay in their seamless combination play—sharp passes, precise movement, and solid finishing. Decent, but not unbeatable. Even if Chigiri didn't awaken his full potential this match, Kira was sure Team Z could handle them.
Across the pitch, Keisuke Wanima stretched, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at Kira. "Brother, you feel that? Their striker's got this smug vibe, like he's already won," he muttered to Junichi, his voice dripping with irritation.
Junichi, the quieter twin, shot a fierce look at Kira and gave a sharp nod.
Keisuke's lips curled into a wicked grin. "Got it, Bro. Let's teach 'em a lesson when the whistle blows!"
Beeep!
"Match begins!"
Team Z took possession, sticking to their signature style. The ball zipped back to their playmaker, Isagi, who stood ready to orchestrate their attack. Kira, after the kickoff pass, surged forward, eyes scanning for openings.
But the Wanima twins weren't wasting time. They pounced, charging at Isagi with a high press that screamed aggression.
Seeing Keisuke Wanima closing in fast, Isagi reacted on instinct, firing a quick pass to Bachira on the right. The moment the ball left his foot, regret hit him like a brick. Junichi, the older twin, was already lurking in the passing lane, ready to intercept.
Damn, their defensive coordination… Isagi cursed inwardly. These twins weren't just decent—they were a problem.
Kira, glancing back, saw the trap unfold. Keisuke's press wasn't random; he'd angled his body to block Isagi's left side, cutting off any backward or leftward passes. With Team Z pushing forward, Isagi wouldn't risk passing back to the defense. That left one option: a forward pass to Bachira on the right. And Junichi was waiting, perfectly positioned.
The twins didn't even need words. Their movements were synced, a telepathic understanding guiding their every step. Kira's lips twitched into a slight smirk. 'Interesting. I thought this'd be a snooze-fest, but these two might actually make it fun.'
"Nice interception, Bro! Now charge!" Keisuke shouted, his voice brimming with excitement as Junichi snatched the ball.
Junichi responded with a low "Mmm… Hmph," his eyes locked on the field.
Keisuke grinned, reading his brother's intent instantly. "Got it, Bro! Full speed ahead!"
Raichi stormed in from behind Isagi, radiating pure menace as he closed in on Junichi. The older twin didn't flinch — then Keisuke's voice cut through the air. "Bro, pass back! This guy's got a mean streak!"
Junichi flicked the ball back to Keisuke without hesitation. Raichi, smirking with smug confidence, thought he'd intimidated them. 'Hah! These punks don't even dare try me!' He pivoted, charging toward Keisuke to shut him down.
"Heh, dumb move, hothead! That's what my bro says" Keisuke taunted, his grin devilish. The moment Raichi turned, Keisuke whipped a sharp, forward through-pass back to Junichi.
Junichi, now unmarked after Raichi's overzealous charge, accelerated and collected the ball with ease. A classic wall pass—a textbook one-two.
Raichi froze, realization dawning too late. 'They played me!'
The wall pass was a slick tactic, designed to outsmart defenders. Pass to a teammate, sprint forward, and receive the return pass to bypass the opposition. Timing and distance were everything. Too close, and the defender could block the pass. Too far, and they'd have time to react. The Wanima twins nailed it, their unspoken bond making the move look effortless.
For Team Z, this match wasn't just about their offense. The real test was stopping the twins' synchronized attacks.
On the pitch, Junichi drove forward with the ball, his focus razor-sharp. Igaguri, from Team Z's backline, was the first to step up, diving in with everything he had. But Junichi barely blinked, playing a casual lateral pass to Keisuke, who breezed past Igaguri like he was a training cone.
Now, only one defender stood between Keisuke and the goal: Chigiri.
"Hey, hey, hey, Brother! Isn't that the fragile little genius, Chigiri?" Keisuke sneered, dribbling with a mocking swagger. "Still clinging to the game, huh? Can't let go of that old glory?"
Junichi caught up beside him, laughing, eyes gleaming with amusement.
Keisuke, ever the translator, kept going. "My brother says you're ancient history, old teammate!"
With that, Keisuke passed back to Junichi and accelerated, setting up another one-two. The same trick, but Chigiri knew how to counter it. The problem? His legs. His speed, once his pride, was gone. He couldn't close the gap fast enough to stop Keisuke's run.
"Where's that famous speed, Chigiri?" Keisuke taunted, his voice dripping with venom. "What's this? Slow as a turtle now?"
Chigiri's heart sank. 'Slow… like a turtle…' He watched helplessly as the ball sailed toward Keisuke's feet, powerless to intervene.
Then, out of nowhere, a figure flashed behind Keisuke.
It was Kira.
Having tracked back the entire way, Kira lunged with a perfectly timed sliding tackle. Clean, precise, and ruthless, he swept the ball away from Junichi's pass, breaking the twins' rhythm. Keisuke, caught off guard, hit the ground hard from the tackle's momentum.
Kira stood up, brushing off his shorts with a sly grin. "Hey, Chatty Brothers. How you talk about my teammate? None of your damn business."
Keisuke scrambled to his feet, face red with fury. "What the hell, man! Bro, you saw that, right? That was a foul!"
Junichi nodded vigorously, glaring at Kira.
Kira just shrugged, his smile infuriatingly calm. "Sorry, boys. VAR says it's clean. Game on."
"Bastard!" Keisuke spat, his voice rising. "My brother says you're gonna regret that!"
Grumbling, the Wanima twins trudged off to prepare for the throw-in. Kira seized the moment to glance at Chigiri, whose expression was a mix of frustration and doubt. "Chigiri," Kira said, his tone firm but kind, "don't let those loudmouths get in your head. To me, you're Team Z's Hyoma Chigiri. That's what matters."
Chigiri froze, his eyes widening. He didn't respond, lost in his thoughts, the words hitting deeper than he expected.
Nearby, Isagi, who had also tracked back and overheard Kira's words, felt a pang in his chest. He'd been keeping a closer eye on Chigiri ever since overhearing his story that night. He'd wanted to say something uplifting, to pull Chigiri out of his slump. But Kira had beaten him to it.
----
Give me your Power Stones!!!!
For every 100 total Power Stones, I'll drop another +1 bonus chapter!
If you're enjoying the story and want to read future chapters early, just search "Demonic_Fiction" on "P4trƐon" (link in the synopsis)