Disaster!
Panic swept through Team Y as they watched Isagi drive the ball toward them. Their defensive anchor, Niko, had been positioned upfield to trigger the counter, only to have the ball snatched away by Isagi Yoichi. For the first time, Team Y's backline was forced to face Team Z's onslaught without Niko's guidance. The defenders were visibly trembling with nerves.
"Get into position! Don't panic!" Niko roared from behind Isagi, his voice acting as an immediate stabilizer. The Team Y formation began to stiffen and hold.
But Team Z wasn't about to let this golden opportunity slip. Kunigami, Bachira, Gagamaru, and Raichi surged forward, using their bodies to pin the defenders back, desperately trying to carve out a shooting lane for Isagi.
Isagi reached the left side of the penalty area, his head swiveling. Suddenly, the entire field layout shifted in his mind—a top-down, bird's-eye view of every player's position.
Is this... it?
There was no time for Isagi to analyze the sensation. He had spotted the flaw. The keeper was still scrambling to get back into position, and on the left, there was a hidden path to the goal that no one was covering.
Right there! If I shoot now, it's in!
Isagi planted his foot and wound up his right leg. He fired!
"I won't let you score!"
Like a ghost that refused to be exorcised, Niko appeared on Isagi's left. He lunged, his right boot just barely grazing the ball. It was enough. The trajectory shifted, sending the ball spiraling off course.
"This guy...?"
Isagi's heart sank. He thought he had the goal in the bag, but Niko's persistence had shut him down again. Niko let out a breath of relief. He had barely made it. Isagi wasn't fast enough to lose him completely, and more importantly, Niko had predicted the shooting lane perfectly.
It was a defensive masterpiece.
But as the rest of Team Y exhaled, Niko's blood ran cold. He realized Kira Ryosuke had vanished from his field of vision. A sense of impending doom gripped him. He spun around, screaming at the top of his lungs:
"WATCH THE WHITE-HAIRED FREAK!!!!"
Too late.
Kira had been tracking the play from the moment Isagi stole the ball. He hadn't just watched Isagi; he had calculated the deflection points. While everyone else was mesmerized by Isagi's drive, Kira had ghosted into a position that seemed strategically nonsensical—until the ball took the deflection.
Kira met the falling ball with a thunderous volley.
No one on Team Y could react. They were all frozen, watching the ball scream past them. Kira had exploited a gap they didn't even know existed.
Thump.
Goal! The score was 2-1. Team Z had reclaimed the lead.
"YES! Another one!" Team Z erupted.
Kira sprinted toward Gagamaru and literally leaped onto his back. Gagamaru, usually stoic and confused, didn't protest. He just stood there as Kira draped himself over his shoulders, pumping his fists in the air.
Gagamaru was actually a bit puzzled; he had planned to move to that exact spot himself, but he'd seen Kira "sneaking around" the goal area and stayed back. He figured the kid just had incredible luck. Little did he know, Kira had jumped on him out of a sense of guilt—he knew he'd effectively stolen Gagamaru's goal from the original timeline and wanted to share the moment.
Isagi, meanwhile, stood alone near the box. His emotions were a tangled mess. Kira saved me again... but that was my chance. Why couldn't I finish it? Do I always have to rely on him to fix my mistakes?
"You've taken the lead again," a voice muttered.
Isagi turned to see Niko, drenched in sweat but still unbroken. Despite the goal, Niko was already replaying the events with unnerving calmness. "I planned to use that counter to score and end this game. I didn't expect you to intercept me so early."
"Your counters won't work anymore," Isagi interrupted. "I'm going to stop you every time."
Niko let out a dry chuckle. "You and I are the same. We both have eyes that see the truth of the pitch. But you won't beat me. I am the one who controls this game."
"And what if you add me to the mix, Bangs-boy?"
Kira stepped between them, flashing that deceptively harmless smile. Niko froze for a moment, then stared Kira down. "Monster... I'll show you both. I'll show you the absolute limit of what an 'ordinary' person can achieve. It'll be enough to make your eyes pop."
Niko turned and walked away. He still had confidence against Isagi, but Kira felt like a force of nature he couldn't quite calculate.
"Take him down, Isagi," Kira encouraged softly. "I believe in you. Together, we're unbeatable." He then jogged back toward the midfield.
Isagi watched them both go and took a deep breath. I have to score. I have to prove I belong here.
The Monitoring Room
Ego Jinpachi was nowhere to be seen. He had apparently eaten too many snacks the night before and was currently occupied in the restroom. Anri Teieri was left alone, frantically scribbling notes as Ego had instructed.
"Whoa, Team Y's keeper is so aggressive!"
"Niko's going for the pass... wait, it's intercepted! Isagi Yoichi!!" She talked to herself as she watched the screens.
"Ah, what a shame! Isagi got blocked again... that's the second time today. He's always just an inch short! But Kira! What a run! What a finish!"
Anri was beaming. Every time Kira touched the ball, she saw the future of Japanese football. He's the one, she thought. The future megastar.
Central Pitch
The match resumed. Team Y held possession, cycling the ball through the back, but every pass eventually found its way to Niko. It was a "hand-revealed" game. Team Z knew Niko was the brain, and Team Y knew they knew. But they had no choice; no one else could organize the play.
However, the dynamic had changed. Isagi was now hunting Niko. Every time Niko touched the ball, Isagi was in his face, pressing so high he looked like a forward rather than a midfielder. Kira, in turn, dropped back to cover the space Isagi left behind.
Niko was stifled. He couldn't find the time to set his feet for the long balls to Ohkawa. We're going to lose at this rate, he realized.
Desperate times called for desperate measures. Niko raised his right hand high.
In the distance, Ohkawa saw the signal and his expression darkened. He stopped waiting in Team Z's half and began to sprint back toward the midfield.
Kira, watching from the center, caught the movement. Here it comes, he thought. Team Y's final, dying gasp.